Modal Verbs

What is Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are a special type of verb in the English language that indicates a procedure such as possibility, ability, permission, request, power, suggestion, command, obligation, necessity, possibility or suggestion. Modal verbs usually accompany the base form of another verb with semantic content.

Some examples of Modal verbs are:

• Shall – Will, order, obligation
• Should – advice, duty, obligation
• Can – ability, possibility
• Could – ability, possibility, permission
• May – permission, possibility
• Might – possibility, permission
• Ought – duty, obligation
• Must – obligation, necessity
• Need – requirements
• Used to – past habit, practice

Here are some examples of usage of Modal verbs:

• Shall I open the window? (desire)
• You shall not pass! (order)
• You should go to the doctor. (advice)
• I can speak English. (capacity)
• I could have won the race if I had trained harder. (probability)
• May I borrow your pen? (permission)
• It might rain tomorrow. (probability)
• You ought to work harder. (duty)
• I must go now. (obligation)
• I need to buy some groceries. (requirement)
• I used to smoke, but I quit a few years ago. (practice)

The use of modal verbs depends on the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence “I can speak English”, the verb “can” is expressing power. On the other hand, in the sentence “You should go to the doctor”, the verb “should” expresses the meaning of advice.

The use of modal verbs is an important topic in the English language. They can be used to express the meaning of the sentence more precisely.

Some common list of Modal Verbs:

The general rules for using modal verbs are:

• Modal verbs are always used before another verb.
• Modal verbs do not have a tense-ending like other tenses.
• Modal verbs usually have a noun or pronoun.

Modal Auxiliary Verb: Modal Verb is a special type of Verb, they help the Principal Verb like the Auxiliary Verb and are also used in sentences like the Principal Verb. However, it has some special features that distinguish it from other verbs.

Important facts about Verbs:

• Modal Auxiliaries do not add s/es in case of Third Person Singular Number.
• Do cannot sit in Interrogative / Negative Sentence with Modal.
• After the Modal, the Base Form of the Verb sits.
• To make the Sentence with Modal Negative only ‘not’ is to be used.

Had better: Had better is used in the sense of ‘rather good’/’should’ and the base form of the verb sits after had better. Had better is used to give advice or threat to someone.

• So check acidity, one had better use litmus paper.
• Travelers had better get Thai reservations well in advance if they want to fly during the Eid holidays.

Would rather…..(than): would rather than is used in the sense of ‘rather good’. Both would rather and than come after the base form of the verb. In the case of two tasks, whichever takes precedence will come before than. Although close in meaning, would rather does not mean advice/threat, but prefers one thing over the other. If would rather is not available then only rather can be used in the sense of ‘rather’.

• You rather send him here.
• The boy from the village said, “I would rather starve than beg.”

Note: The base form of the simple would rather + verb is used to mean the more preferred of two. Note- This structure ‘would rather (that) + subject + past tense’ is specially used to mean present or future. In this case, like the subjunctive, this structure ‘would rather (that) + subject + present tense’ is also used. But in British English, the use of subjunctive is not recognized so the use of ‘would rather (that) + subject + past tense’ is very common.

Note: It should be noted that this structure ‘would rather + have + vpp’ is used to mean that it was better to do something in the past.

• Ex. I would rather that you bought this book.
• Ex. I would rather that she spoke English fluently and impressively.
• Ex. I would rather that my sister speak English fluently.

Would that…… could: If there is Would that at the beginning of the sentence, the Base Form of could + Verb is placed after the Subject. “Would that + subject + could + base form + extension!” is used

• Would that I could be a young man again!
• Would that I could enter the palace!

Will/Would you mind…..: Will/Would you mind (Do you mind/Do you mind) is followed by Gerund (Ving).

• Would you mind singing a folk song ?
• Will you mind checking the accounts one more time?

Cannot help, could not help…..: “cannot help” and “could not help” are used. can’t help, couldn’t help followed by ing is added to the verb.

• He couldn’t help writing the letter.
• She tried to be serious but she couldn’t help laughing.

Must have: Generally, must has no past form, but the sentence will be formed as follows to show the assumption that an action must have happened in the past. Subject + must have + V3 + Past Indication. You must have heard of Helen Killer.

• I have lost my money bag.
• I must have dropped it somewhere.

Must be: It can be inferred from any event that a work must be going on at present, then Must be + Ving is present.

• He is taking a walk; he must be feeling better now.
• The line is busy; someone must be using the telephone now.

Should & Ought : (i) Should (not) +base form is used in the sense of who should or should not do something. Example: You should accept this job to cut your teeth on. You should take the job to gain experience. (ii) ought (not) to have/ should have (not) + V♭ is used in the sense of who should have done something or should not have done something. Example: You should have done the work. You should have done it. You shouldn’t have told her. It was a secret. You shouldn’t have told him. It was a confidential matter.

• That dress doesn’t suit you; you should buy another.
• My cousins did not help when I was in deep trouble. But they should have helped me then
• Before you entered the classroom, you should have sought the teacher’s permission.

Can/Could: Can expresses power or ability in the present tense. Can is also used to ask permission. For example-

• I can do the work. (current capacity)
• Can I use your pen? (permission)

The past form of can is could, which means permanent ability in the past. Note that be able to can be used instead of can/could. Cannot be used in conjunction with can/could in that case.

Could: Can be used to make a polite request in the present tense.

• I have a headache. Could you buy some aspirin for me?

Could have + past participle form of verb could have + verb Past Participle is used to mean that something could have been done in the past but was not done.

• You could have done the work.
• I could have beaten you.

But for…….would have + V3: (…) without, otherwise, not + But for is used in non-finite verb sense. But for follows the following structure. But for + noun phrase, Subject + would have +V3 or would (not) +be + Extension. Example : But for his timely assistance, I wouldn’t be here-. I would not be here today without your help.

• But for your help, I would have failed in my attempt.
• But for your help we would have been in trouble.

Semi-Modal Verb: Need, Dare and Used to are called Semi-Modal Verb. Because, they can be used both as Principal Verb and Modal Auxiliary Verb in the sentence. When they are used as modals they are not joined by s, es or ing and are not followed by to.

Remember

(i) In Negative Sentence, Need must be Modal Verb then do not/does not/did not use need not/needn’t and the next Verb will be in V1 Form.

• Example: He need not go there.

(ii) Dare is generally used as Modal in Negative and Interrogative Sentence but can be used as Affirmative and Modal.

• Example: Dare I say this? I dare not say this. I dare say this.

Note: Main verb don’t /doesn’t +to+ base verb : You don’t need (main verb) to mention it.

(iii) Used to: Used to is used to indicate past practice. In this case, the base form of the verb sits after Used to. That is, Subject + used to + Vg+……but in the usual sense, if the Subject is followed by be Verb/get/become+ used to, then ing is added to the Verb. So, Used to (do) – some work was done regularly in the past, but now it is not done anymore.

• Our ancestor used to exchange gifts on Eid day.
• Most Bangladeshis are used to eating rice every day.
• We went to Rajshahi last month to see the house where we used to live in the 1960s.

Rule-01: When need and dare are used as Auxiliary Verbs in Negative and Interrogative Sentences, they are used as Modal Auxiliary. So they are not followed by to and preceded by do not, does not, did not etc. and s/es are not added to them and are not Past Form.

• He dare not do it. He need not wait for us.
• How dare you break the rule?

Rule-02: If the subject of need, want, require is objective then Gerund (Verb + ing) sits or Passive Infinitive (to be + Past Participle) sits. Example: My car needs fixing./ My car needs to be fixed.

• These shoes need mending.
• The grass is very long. It needs cutting.