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MODALS

Modals: are the words used to express the mode of action in a sentence. The common modals
are: will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, used to, has to, have to, had to, ought
to, need, & dare.
->Modals are never used alone.
->Modals do not change according to the number of person of the subject.
->Modals have no Infinitive, Present Participle or Past Participle form.

* Use of Modals *

WILL /SHALL

WILL is used -
(I) to express simple future:
a. She will leave for Ambala tomorrow.
b. Lata will sing a song.
c. You will study in the evening.
(II) to express an invitation or request:
a. Will you care for a cup of tea?
b. Will you please lend me your pen?
(III) to express a command in an informal or impersonal manner expecting that it will be
surely obeyed:
a. All new boys will report for medical check up.
b. “You will not leave the class before completing your home work” said the teacher.
c. Officers will appear properly dressed in public places.
(IV) to express something that happens again and again and is likely to recur:
a. The old women will sit in the park and sing songs.
b. Vinod will go to the coffee house and discuss politics.
c. Some persons will walk in the middle of the road.
(V) to express quantity or capacity:
a. This jug will hold two liters of water.
b. Two hundred people will be seated in this tent.

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(VI) to express prediction:

a. It is too close.
b. It will rain.
c. You will fall ill, if you eat all that.
(VII) as a principal verb:
a. God willed otherwise. We waited under different clocks and could not meet each other.
Will with the first person is used -
(I) to express willingness or offer:
a. I will help you as far as possible.
b. I will carry that parcel for you.
(II) to express intention or promise:
a. I will go home to see my mother.
b. We will come in time.
(III) to express threat:
a. I will beat you.
b. I will teach him a lesson.
(IV) to express determination:
a. I will lay down my life for my country.
b. I will not take eggs; I am a strict vegetarian.
SHALL is used -
(I) to express simple future:
a. We shall leave for Delhi tomorrow.
b. I shall go for a long drive this evening.
(II) to express the plan or intention of the speaker:
a. We shall shift to our new game house next week.
(III) to express command:
a. You shall do it.
b. He shall report on duty on 9:30 am.
(IV) to express threat:
a. You shall be punished for your misdeeds.
(V) to express promise:
a. You shall get a computer if pass.
(VI) to express permission:
a. Shall I go home?
b. Shall I bring you some books?

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CAN/COULD

CAN is used -
(I) to express permission:
a. You can go now.
b. You can not touch the flower.
(II) to express ability:
a. I can swim
b. He can speak Sanskrit.
(III) to express possibility:
a. Anyone can make mistakes.
b. Accidents can happen to anyone.
(IV) Can‘t help is an idiom it means can’t avoid; e.g.
a. He has a bad cold. He can‘t help sneezing.
b. The boys can’t help laughing on seeing the clown.
COULD is used to express ability, permission and possibility when the main verb is in the
past tense:
a. I could swim well when I was younger.
b. Could you lend me some money, please?
c. Could you tell me the time, please?
d. Could you wait for a few minutes?

MAY/MIGHT

MAY is used -
(I) to express or to seek permission:
a. You may go.
b. May I come in sir?
c. Student may not bring any book or paper in the examination hall.
(II) to express possibility:
a. It may rain.
b. He may come to day.
(III) to express a wish:
a. May he live long!
b. May she enjoy good health!

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(IV) to express purpose;

a. He works hard so that he may pass.
MIGHT is used -
(I) to seek permission:
a. Might I use your phone?
b. Both express the same idea, but the second sentence is more polite.
(II) to express possibility (remote or doubtful):
a. It might rain.
b. He might come today.
(III) to put forward a suggestion (hesitantly):
a. You might try again.
b. You might wait.
(IV) in conditional sentences:
a. If you work hard, you may pass. (Possibility)
b. If she had left early, she might have reached by now.
Might must be used when the main verb of the sentence is in the past tense
(I) to express permission:
a. He said that I might borrow his car.
b. The teacher said that the boy might go.
(II) to express speculations (guess) about past actions. “might have” is used for past time
a. He told me that she might have finished her work.
b. This medicine might have cured your cough.

WOULD/SOULD

Would is the past tense of ‘will’. ‘Would’ is used -

(I) to denote the past tense of will/shall in indirect speech:
a. He said that he would go.
b. The officer said that he would look into the matter.
(II) to express a habitual or customary activity in the past:
a. He would go for a swim in the sea every morning.
b. She would sit in the sun and talk all day.
(III) to make a polite request (with the second persons):
a. Would you spare some time for me?
b. Would you mind telling me the way to the post office?

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(IV) to denote courtesy:

a. Would stay for dinner?
b. Would you take a cup of tea?
(V) to express a wish:
a. Would that I were a film star!
b. Would that I were rich!
(VI) to express a performance; as-
a. I would like to ask you something.
b. I would rather than beg.
(VII) to express improbable or unreal conditions:
a. If I won a lottery prize, I would build a hospital.
b. If I were an astronaut, I would take you to mars.
c. Had you helped her she would have succeeded.
Should is the past tense of shall, it is used -
(I) to denote the past tense of shall in indirect speech:
a. I said that I should go.
b. He said that they should report for duty on Monday.
(II) to express obligation or advice:
a. We should respect our elder.
b. You should do your job well.
(III) to express purpose:
a. She works hard lest she should fail.
b. He worked hard so that he should pass the examination.
c. Hire a taxi, so that you should not miss your train.
(IV) to express probability or likelihood:
a. Should they play well, they will win.
b. If they should play well they will win.

MUST

Must is used -
(I) to express compulsion or necessity:
a. A servant must obey his master.
b. Every member must participate in the discussion.

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(II) to express duty or a very strong obligation:

a. We must work for the country.
b. You must practice virtue.
(III) to express emphatic advice:
a. You must reach home before sunset.
b. You must use seat–belt while driving a car.
(IV) to express determination:
a. I must see you again before the meeting.
b. You must qualify the test.
(V) to express possibility or inference:
a. She must be at least fifty years old.
b. Nina must have reached the station by now.
(V) to express negation (must not):
a. He must not waste is time in street plays.
b. You must not be rude to your elders.
(VI) to express prohibition (must not):
a. You must not jump traffic rules.
b. One must not smoke in presence of ladies.

OUGHT TO

Ought to is used -
(I) to express sense of duty or moral obligation:
a. Student ought to prepare well for their examinations.
b. You ought to maintain communicable harmony.
c. We ought to love our neighbours.

HAVE TO

Have to is used -
(I) to express compulsion or necessity from without:
a. I have to cook my own meals these days.
b. She has to help her mother in domestic affairs.

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NEED

Need is used -
(I) as a regular verb ‘need’ expresses requirement:
a. She needs money for a camera.
(II) as modal auxiliary, need is used to express necessity or obligation:
a. It is used only in the present tense:
b. Need I go there?
(III) Needn’t implies absence of necessity or obligation:
a. You needn’t go there again:
b. She needn’t wait for me.

DARE

(I) as a regular verb ‘dare’ means ‘challenge’ .it is used in all tense.
a. He dares to go into the forest.
b. She dares to go the forest.
c. She dared go alone.
(II) as a modal auxiliary it means ‘to take courage’ or ‘venture’.
a. She dare not oppose me
b. He durst not open my letter.
c. He dare not enter my room.

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