English Within Reach

MODAL VERB

FUNCTION

PRESENT/ FUTURE CONTEXT

CAN + BASE

INTELLECTUAL ABILITY

He can speak three languages.

PHYSICAL ABILITY

The athletes can run the mile in under four minutes.

POSSIBILITY= be able to / in position to / be possible to

I can lend you some money if you haven’t enough.

Can you attend the conference next week?

It can be very cold in winter.

PERMISSION= be allowed to

Daddy says we can go swimming.

Can I go to the birthday party?

ABILITY TO PERCIEVE= with hear, smell, feel, taste, see)

I can smell something burning.

Can you see anyone in the garden?

CAN’T + BASE

PHYSICAL/ INTELECTUAL INABILITY (=be unable to/ not be able to / not know how to)

Women can’t run as fast as men.

He can’t remember all the irregular verbs.

I can’t swim.

IMPOSSIBILITY

I can’t buy a new car this year.

He can’t come to the meeting.

DEDUCTION

It can’t be true.

They can’t be home yet; it is only four o’clock.

INTERDICTION/

PROHIBITION= not be allowed to

You can’t borrow more than three books at a time.

People can’t smoke inside the cinema.

You were not allowed to use the swimming pool yesterday.

She has never been allowed to travel alone.

CAN’T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

IMPROBABILITY IN A PAST CONTEXT

He can’t have taken his father car. He doesn’t know how to drive.

They can’t have given him the result. They haven’t finished marking the exam papers.

COULD + BASE

ABILITY IN THE PAST

When I was young, I could swim for hours. But now I can’t.

When he lived in France, he could speak French very well. (But he can’tnow.)

To refer to a specific action in the past, be able to or managed toreplace could:

He was able to mend the garage door alone.

They managed to get a good seat for the show.

POSSIBILITY (present and future)

It’s late, but the shop could still beopen.

Look at the clouds. It could rain later on.

That noise could be the neighbor’s motorbike. 

SUGGESTION (present and future)

If you miss the train, you could get a taxi.

We need a ladder. We could ask the neighbor to lend us his.

A POLITE REQUEST (present context)

Could you open the door for me, please?

Could I borrow your newspaper?

ABILITY TO PERCIEVE (past context) with see, smell, taste, hear)

We could hear them coming down the road.

I could smell the lunch cooking.

REPOROACH (present context) =expressing disapproval

You could do better than this, you know.

COULDN’T + BASE

INABILITY IN THE PAST

I couldn’t walk until I was a year old.

We couldn’t visit our grandfather when we were young. He lived too far away.

INABILITY ON A SPECIFIC OCCASION IN THE PAST

He couldn’t remember my address.

She couldn’t mend the lamp.

A SUGGESTION (present or future context)

If you need a ladder, couldn’t you borrow your neighbor’s? 

Couldn’t you repair the chair instead of throwing it away?

INABILITY TO PRECIEVE (past context)

It was so dark that we couldn’t seeanything.

I couldn’t taste the lemon in the cake. Could you?

COULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

POSSIBILITY (in past context)

I could have finished the exercises if I had had more time.

She’s lucky to be alive. She could have killed herself.

REPROACH AND REGRET (past context)

She could have told us she wasn’t coming! (Why didn’t she?).

You could have made more effort! (Why didn’t you?)

EXERCISE

SHALL + BASE

AN OFFER= would you like me/ us to... .?

Shall I get you another cup of tea?

Shall we do the shopping for you?

A SUGGESTION= I suggest….

Shall we invite our neighbor in for a drink?

Let’s invite our neighbors in for a drink, shall we?

Shall we try and get tickets for the cup Final?

Let’s try and get tickets for the Cup Final, shall we?

SHOULD + BASE

ADVISE/ DESIRABILITY (present or future context)

You should try to understand his point of view.

He is too fat. He should lose weight.

PROBABILITY (future context

They have trained hard for the match. They should win.

She has had good marks all the year. She should pass the exam.

OUGHT TO + BASE

DESIRABILITY/ MORAL OBLIGATION (present or future context)

He ought to apologize for what he said.

She ought to visit her sick grandmother.

PROBABILITY

He left early this morning, so he ought to be there by now.

Monica Seles ought to beat the unknown English girl in tomorrow’s match.

SHOULDN’T / OUGHTN’T TO + BASE

ADVICE / UNDESIRABILITY (present context)

Parents shouldn’t/ oughtn’t to lettheir children watch TV all day.

He shouldn’t/ oughtn’t to be so cruel to the cat.

PROBABILITY

I don’t know where he is, but he shouldn’t be far away.

You shouldn’t have any trouble finding his house.

HAD BETTER (NOT) + BASE

ADVICE / UNDESIRABILITY (present or future context)

You had better leave now if you want to catch the early bus.

You’d better not to forget your umbrella. It’s going to rain again.

SHOULD / OUGHT TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICPLE

A PAST OBLIGATTION THAT WAS NOT FULFILLED / REGRET

I should / ought to have apologizedto them. But I didn’t.

We should / ought to have gone to the meeting. But we didn’t. 

DISAPPROVAL / REPROACH (PAST CONTEXT)

You should/ ought to have offeredher something to drink. (Why didn’t you?

You should/ ought to have told us you were coming. Why didn’t you?

SHOULDN’T / OUGHTN’T TO + HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE

DISAPPROVAL/ REPROACH/ REGRET (past context)

You shouldn’t have been so cruel to the cat. (but he was).

You oughtn’t to have been so cruel to the cat. (but he was).

They shouldn’t have left the gate open. (Why did you?)

They oughtn’t to have left the gate open. (Why did you?)

I shouldn’t have said that. (But I did)

I oughtn’t to have said that. (But I did)

PROBABILITY

I expect they have already arrived. It shouldn’t have taken long to get there.

EXERCISE

WILL + BASE

STRONG PROBABILITY/ ASSUMPTION (present or future context). 

The phone rings. “That’ll be Jan. She said she’d phone this evening.”

I’m going to ask the secretary. She will know where the manager is

OFFER

Will you have a cup of coffee?

Will you help yourself to another cake?

REQUEST /INVITATION

Will you lend me your book, please?

Lend me you book, will you?

Will you come to the theatre with me tomorrow?

DETERMINATION

I will never go to that restaurant again!

We will go, whether our parents like or not!

PROMISE

I’ll give it back to you tomorrow. (I promise)

Don’t worry. I will help you.

WON’T + BASE

STRONG PROBABILITY (present or future 

It’s no use phoning Mary now. She won’t be home from work yet.

Don’t buy Tom that shirt. He won’t wear it.

REFUSAL

I won’t marry that awful man!

He won’t do anything for me.

PROMISE

I won’t be rude to you again. (I promise)

We won’t get into any more mischief.

WOULD + BASE

REQUEST

Would you lend me your pen, please?

Lend me your pen, would you?

Would you open the door, please?

Open the door, would you?

DETERMINATION

We tried to stop him, but he would go there. (He insisted on going)

I told her the peach wasn’t ripe, but she would eat it.

HABIT OR REPEATED ACTION (past context)

When he was a child, he would often stand on the bridge and watch the trains go by.

Her grandfather would often take her to the cinema when she was young.

WOULDN’T + BASE

REFUSAL (past context)

I invited her to the party, but she wouldn’t come.

I wanted to have a ride on his motorbike, but he wouldn’t let me.

WOULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

WOULDN’T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

MAY (NOT) + BASE

PERMISSION

May I borrow your ruler?

You may come in now.

PROHIBITION

Students may not take reference books out of the library.

Learners may not use the swimming pool after 7 p.m.

POSSIBILITY/ UNCERTAINTY (present or future context)

I’m not sure what to do on Sunday. I may go to the country.

He doesn’t know where his wife is. She may be in the garden.

You may or you may not be right.

MAY + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

POSSIBILITY (deduction about the past)

Betty didn’t come to our party yesterday.

She may have forgotten about it.

She may not have arrived home from work early enough.

She may have had something urgent to do.

(We don’t know the reason yet.)

MIGHT + BASE

UNCERTAINTY (present or future context)

I might go to the country on Sunday. (But I doubt it)

She might be in the garden. but I doubt it)

RISK

Don’t touch that dog. It might biteyou!

Don’t stay too long. You might missthe last train.

REPROACH

You might ask me when you want to borrow the car!

You might tell me when you know you’re going to be late!

MIGHT + HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE

UNCERTAINTY (past context)

He might have arrived by now, but I doubt it.

She might have phoned earlier, but I doubt it.

POSSIBILITY IN THE PAST WHICH DIDN’T MATERIALIZE

He was lucky to escape unharmed. He might have killed himself.

He might have won, but he didn’t play as well as usual.

REPROACH

You might at least have told me you were leaving!

You might have asked him what he wanted for his birthday instead of wasting your money on that awful tie!

EXERCISE

MUST + BASE

OBLIGATION/ NECESSITY (=have to)

Candidates must obtain an average mark of 10/20 to pass.

You must write your name clearly.

Must I finish this exercise now?

CERTAINTY/ DEDUCTION (present context)

The phone is ringing. It must beSusan. She usually phones at this time.

You must be tired after such a long journey!

Have to replaces must in other tenses

I will have to go to the doctor’s if I don’t feel better tomorrow.

I’ve had to buy a new watch. Somebody stole my other one.

He’d (would) have to borrow money from his parents if he didn’t have enough.

MUSTN’T + BASE

PROHIBITION/ INTERDICTION (=not be allowed to/ be forbidden to) (present and future context)

You mustn’t drive on the right-hand side of the road in England.

You mustn’t park your car in a no-parking zone.

Not be allowed to replace mustn’t in other tenses

They weren’t allowed to park in front of the theatre.

You won’t be allowed to visit him until he’s better.

NEEDN’T + BASE

ABSENCE OF OBLIGATION OR NECESSITY (present or future context)

You needn’t attend this meeting if you don’t want to.

We needn’t take our coats. It isn’t cold.

Must we finish the work today? Yes, you must    OR     No, you needn’t.

Need we finish the work today? Yes, you must    OR     No, you needn’t.

Doesn’t/ don’t have to may be used in place of needn’t

You don’t have to attend this meeting if you don’t want to.

He doesn’t have to work in the evening if he doesn’t want to.

EXERCISE

MUST+ HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE

PROBABILITY / DEDUCTION (past context)

He must have been very tired after his long journey yesterday.

They must have finished by now; it’s midnight!

Had to + base is used to denote obligation in the past

He must have gone to the doctors. (I’m almost certain he has gone to the doctor’s).

He had to go to the doctor’s. (He went to the doctor’s because he was ill- it was necessary).

She must have paid a lot of money for this vase. (It looks expensive, so I suppose she paid a lot for it).

She had to pay a lot of money for this vase. (It was, in fact, expensive, so she paid a lot for it).

NEEDN’T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

ACTIONS PEROFRMED UNNECESSARILY IN THE PAST

The train was late, so he needn’t have run to the station this morning. (But he did). 

We have got plenty of milk. She needn’t have bought this bottle. (But she did).

Didn’t need to denote an action that wasn’t performed because it wasn’t necessary.

He had some cash, so he needn’t have gone to the bank. (But he did).

He had some cash, so he didn’t need to go to the bank. (And he didn’t go).

I have solved the problem, so I needn’t have bothered you. (But I did).

I have solved the problem, so I didn’t need to bother you. (And I didn’t).

DARE + BASE

= HAVE THE COURAGE TO

It is used mainly in the interrogative and negative forms

I daren’t dive from this board. It is too high!

He daren’t disobey his father.

Dare we borrow the care without permission?

How dare he speak to me like that?

No one dare ask what really happened. (The verb is affirmative, but the implication is negative.)