REVIEW OF MODAL VERBS-2

Good morning! Today we will continue with modal verbs.

In English there are 9 one-word or "pure" modal verbs:

CAN-COULD
MAY-MIGHT
MUST
WILL-WOULD
SHALL-SHOULD

There are also "semi-modals" or "periphrastic modals." Below are a few examples:

OUGHT TO
HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO

Remember, as we said yesterday, all of these modals combine with an infinitive verb to add an additional "mode" or "attitude" to the main verb. A modal verb may express the attitude of obligation, ability, necessity, probability or logical deduction, among others. Remember, they always combine with the bare infinitive (without the particle to).

Example 1 (Obligation):
I have to go to work every Monday through Friday.

Example 2 (Obligation):
I must go to work every Monday through Friday.

During the next couple of days, we will concentrate on some of the more common modals. Below is a simplified summary of the most common "mode" or "attitude" meanings that these modal verbs add to the main verb; many of them have more than one possibility.


-Can --> Ability or Permission
-Could --> Ability or Permission
-May --> Probability or Permission
-Might --> Probability
-Must --> Obligation or Probability
-Will --> Future
-Should --> Obligation
-Have to --> Moral obligation
-Be able to --> Ability

Of course, in reality the context and intention of the speaker can create lots of other possibilities. Over the next few days we will look at different examples that will hopefully clarify any doubts that you may have about modal verbs.

Tomorrow we will begin to look at specific examples of these modal verbs. If you have any questions about today's content, please don't hesitate to contact me. And if you have any specific modal-verb questions, by all means ask! I'll try to work them into this week's summary.

Enjoy the rest of your day!