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ENGLISH 112 (Language Structures and Drills II)

Peter Lambe, Spring 2015

CHAPTER 7

Modal Auxiliaries

(Supplementary Notes)

Overview of English Verbs

Primary Auxiliary Verbs

be (main verb and helping verb)

have (main verb and helping verb)

do (main verb and helping verb)

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modals with a Fixed Form

Verb Patterns

Features of Modals with a Fixed Form

Phrasal Modals with be and have

Verb Patterns

Features of Phrasal Modals with be and have

Summary Chart of Modals and Similar Expressions (Azar)

Summary of Language Functions

(1) ability

(2) possibility

(3) permission

(4) polite questions with I

(5) polite questions with you

(6) advice

(7) necessity

(8) lack of necessity

(9) prohibition

(10) logical conclusions

(11) giving instructions

(12) making suggestions

(13) stating preferences

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OVERVIEW OF ENGLISH VERBS

(be, have, do)

(Helping Verbs)

(will, would, can, …)

(be able to, have to, …)

Main Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs

English verbs can be divided into two main groups: main verbs and auxiliary verbs (helping

verbs). In the underlined phrases below, the main verb is in bold and the helping verbs are in

italics.

Ali eats lots of fruit and vegetables.

Ali ate an apple one hour ago.

Ali is eating lunch right now.

Ali was eating breakfast at 7:30 this morning.

Ali has eaten kapsa many times.

Ali had eaten breakfast before he left home.

Ali will eat dinner when he gets home this evening.

Ali has been eating a sandwich for two minutes.

Ali had been eating for several minutes before the phone rang.

Ali will be eating lunch at noon tomorrow.

Ali will have eaten by the time his taxi arrives at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Ali will have been eating for fifteen minutes by the time we join him.

Main Verbs

Auxiliary Verbs

Verbs Primary Auxiliary Verbs

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modals

Phrasal Modals

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Notice in the examples above that each underlined phrase contains one main verb, which is at

the end of the phrase. This main verb carries the most important information. In the first two

sentences, the verb phrase consists of only the main verb (and no helping verbs).

In the remaining sentences, helping verbs have been added before the main verb. These helping

verbs (or auxiliary verbs) add extra information to the main verb. For example, the helping

verb be tells us that the action is in progress. The helping verb have tells us that the action is

completed by a certain reference time. The helping verb will tells us that the action is in the

future, etc. Notice that it is possible to have one, two or three helping verbs before the main

verb. It is also possible to have a main verb without any helping verbs.

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Primary Auxiliary Verbs and Modal Auxiliary Verbs

The helping verbs can be further divided into two groups called primary auxiliary verbs and

modal auxiliary verbs. The primary auxiliary verbs consist of the helping verbs be, have

and do.

In addition to these three primary auxiliary verbs, we have another family of helping verbs called

modal auxiliary verbs, which are used to express modality. Modality is a special way in which a

speaker can view an action (e.g. as ability, possibility, permission, advice, necessity, prohibition, etc).

Modality can be expressed by modals with a fixed form (which include the single words will, would,

shall, should, can, could, may, might and must, and the forms had better, ought to and used to) and by

phrasal modals with be and have (such as be going to, be about to, be able to, be supposed to, be to,

have to, have got to, etc.).

Modals (with a Fixed Form) Phrasal Modals with be and have

will be going to ( = will)

would be about to ( = will soon)

can be able to ( = can)

could be supposed to ( = should/must)

shall be to ( = must)

should

may have to ( = must)

might have got to ( = must)

must

had better*

ought to*

used to*

*Note: Even though had better, ought to and used to are not single word modals, they

are normally included with this group because they have only one fixed form.

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PRIMARY AUXILIARY VERBS

be

have

do

The verbs be, have and do can be used as main verbs and as primary auxiliary verbs.

The verb be

The verb be can be used as a main verb.

I am a student in this university.

You are late for class today.

Fahad is in the cafeteria right now.

I was a high school student several years ago.

Ibrahim and Talal were on vacation last month.

The verb be can also be used as a helping verb.

I am sitting in my office right now.

Peter is teaching grammar this semester.

Menahi and Nowaishi are camping in the desert this weekend.

Nadia was using the Internet an hour ago.

My friends were driving to Dammam at 7:00 pm.

I have been living in Riyadh for ten years.

Sami has been working in the hospital since July.

We have been studying modal auxiliary verbs for a week.

Bader will have been waiting for the bus for ten minutes.

Rice is grown in India and China. (passive)

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The verb have

The verb have can be used as a main verb.

We have four grammar classes per week.

Saud has a new car.

Hussain had a heart operation in our hospital last month.

The verb have can also be used as a helping verb.

I have eaten lunch.

Omar has returned from Egypt.

Jamal had turned the lights off before he left the room.

We have been waiting for a taxi for twenty minutes.

Ghazi had been working for two hours before he took a break.

Tareq will have finished his duty by four o’clock.

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The verb do

The verb do can be used as a main verb.

Anas and Faraj do grammar homework every evening.

Maryam does the dishes immediately after she eats.

Mohammed did well on his last exam.

The verb do can also be used as a helping verb in questions and negatives in the simple present

and simple past.

Rami does not drive a Toyota.

Khalid and Mansour do not live in Manfuha.

Laila did not visit her relatives yesterday.

Does Rami drive a Toyota?

Do Khalid and Mansour live in Manfuha?

Did Laila visit her relatives yesterday?

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MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

Modals (with a Fixed Form)

will

would

can

could

shall

should

may

might

must

had better

ought to

used to

Verb Patterns (Using Modals with a Fixed Form)

The twelve modal auxiliary verbs in the list above all follow the same pattern as will.

They have one fixed form that never changes (i.e. we never add –s, ed, or -ing, to them.)

Modal will

I will eat we will eat

you will eat you will eat

he

she will eat they will eat

it

In the same manner, we can construct verb phrases with would, can, could, shall, should,

may, might, must, had better, ought to and used to. For example:

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Modal would

I would eat we would eat

you would eat you would eat

he

she would eat they would eat

it

Modal can

I can eat we can eat

you can eat you can eat

he

she can eat they can eat

it

Modal had better

I had better eat we had better eat

you had better eat you had better eat

he

she had better eat they had better eat

it

The other modals (could, shall, should, may, might, must, ought to and used to) follow

the same pattern.

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Features of Modals

The twelve modal auxiliary verbs (will, would, can, could, shall, should, may, might,

must, had better, ought to and used to) all share common features:

(1) They are always helping verbs. They can never be main verbs.

We should eat more vegetables.

Those students can speak English quite well.

You ought to get more rest.

(2) They do not have -s forms (or -ing forms or past participial forms).

Hani could give you a ride if your car isn’t working. (Don’t add –s to could.)

Nadia might be late for the meeting tomorrow. (Don’t add –s to might.)

Yasser had better drive carefully in this weather. (Don’t add –s to had better.)

Abdullah ought to change the oil in his car. (Don’t add –s to ought to.)

(3) They are always followed by a verb in the simple form (e.g. give, be, drive,

change, etc.)

(4) When a verb phrase contains a modal auxiliary verb, the modal must always

be placed at the beginning of the phrase.

(5) A verb phrase can contain only one modal.

(6) All modal verb phrases can be negated, and most of them (except for had

better and ought to) can be converted into questions.

The plane will not arrive until late afternoon. (negative)

Will Fuad meet his friends at the airport? (question)

The teacher would not allow us to talk during the exam. (negative)

Would you please lock the door when you leave? (question)

Khalid cannot speak Hindi. (negative)

Can you swim very well? (question)

Mustafa could not join us for lunch yesterday. (negative)

Could you open the door for me, please? (question)

You should not drink a lot of caffeine in the evening. (negative)

Should I meet you outside the library later? (question)

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I may not go out this evening. I’m very tired. (negative)

May I help you? (question)

Mona is busy today. She might not attend the meeting. (negative)

*Might I smoke in here? (*rarely used in questions)

You must not drive without a license. (negative)

Must you be so noisy? (question)

You had better not disturb the manager. He’ll get angry. (negative)

. . . (*not used in questions) . . .

*Ali ought not to park his car in that place. (*rarely used in negatives)

. . . (*not used in questions) . . .

Did must be used to form negatives and questions with used to:

I didn’t use(d) to play tennis when I was a teenager. (negative)

Did you use(d) to climb trees when you were young? (question)

(Note: In negatives and questions, the frozen form used to or use to (without –d)

can be used.)

Note: Most of the modal auxiliary verbs in the list above have more than one meaning.

Certain meanings are restricted to past time, while others are restricted to non-past time

(i.e. present or future). For example:

can (Meaning #1: ability/possibility in the present/future)

(Meaning #2: informal permission in the present/future)

(Meaning #3: informal polite request in the present/future)

could (Meaning #1: ability/possibility in the past)

(Meaning #2: polite request in the present/future)

(Meaning #3: suggestion in the present/future)

(Meaning #4: less than 50% certainty in the present/future)

(Meaning #5: impossibility in the present/future – negative only)

For a complete list of all of the different uses of the modal auxiliary verbs (and similar

expressions), refer to Chart 10-10 (Summary Chart of Modals and Similar Expressions)

in Betty Azar’s Understanding and Using English Grammar.

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Phrasal Modals with be and have

In addition to the twelve modal auxiliary verbs in the list above, English also has an

alternative set of expressions that can be used to express modality. These expressions

begin with the verb be (be going to, be about to, be able to, be supposed to and be to) or

the verb have (have to and have got to), and end in to.

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Phrasal Modals with be and have

be going to ( = will)

be about to ( = will soon)

be able to ( = can)

be supposed to ( = should/must)

be to ( = must)

have to ( = must)

have got to ( = must)

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Verb Patterns (Using Phrasal Modals with be and have)

The expressions above (be going to, be about to, be able to, be supposed to, be to, have to

and have got to) have meanings which are similar to the modal auxiliary verbs. However,

since these expressions start with be or have, they must change form depending on the

person and number.

be going to ( = will)

I am going to eat we are going to eat

you are going to eat you are going to eat

he

she is going to eat they are going to eat

it

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be about to ( = will soon)

I am about to eat we are about to eat

you are about to eat you are about to eat

he

she is about to eat they are about to eat

it

be able to ( = can)

I am able to eat we are able to eat

you are able to eat you are able to eat

he

she is able to eat they are able to eat

it

be supposed to ( = should/must)

I am supposed to eat we are supposed to eat

you are supposed to eat you are supposed to eat

he

she is supposed to eat they are supposed to eat

it

have to ( = must)

I have to eat we have to eat

you have to eat you have to eat

he

she has to eat they have to eat

it

have got to ( = must, have to) informal

I have got to eat we have got to eat

you have got to eat you have got to eat

he

she has got to eat they have got to eat

it

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Negatives and Questions

All of the expressions with be and have (except for have got to) can be negated or converted

into questions.

I am not going to study this evening. (negative)

Is Saud going to travel to Jeddah tomorrow? (question)

The teacher is not about to give the answer. (negative)

Are you about to leave the building? (question)

Khalid is not able to speak Hindi. (negative)

Are you able to operate that machine by yourself? (question)

We are not supposed to eat in the classroom. (negative)

Is Ziyad supposed to submit his homework today? (question)

Employees don’t have to wear their badges outside the hospital. (negative)

Does Ibrahim have to get a sticker for his car? (question)

Past Forms

Phrasal modals with be and have can also be changed to the past. (The only exception is

have got to, which does not have its own past tense form.) For example:

(was/were) going to (unfulfilled intention)

I was going to eat we were going to eat

you were going to eat you were going to eat

he

she was going to eat they were going to eat

it

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(was/were) about to

I was about to eat we were about to eat

you were about to eat you were about to eat

he

she was about to eat they were about to eat

it

(was/were) able to (past form of can = could)

I was able to eat we were able to eat

you were able to eat you were able to eat

he

she was able to eat they were able to eat

it

(was/were) supposed to (unfulfilled expectation = should have)

I was supposed to eat we were supposed to eat

you were supposed to eat you were supposed to eat

he

she was supposed to eat they were supposed to eat

it

had to ( past necessity = past form of have to/have got to/must)

I had to eat we had to eat

you had to eat you had to eat

he

she had to eat they had to eat

it

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Negatives and Questions (Past Forms)

Imad was not going to join us at first. Then he changed his mind. (negative)

I saw you at the bank. Were you going to deposit some money? (question)

Waleed was not about to miss class just because he had a cold. (negative)

Were you about to call Mansour? (question)

Nadia was not able to contact her brother in Cairo. (negative)

Were you able to find Faris yesterday? (question)

They were not supposed to drive on that road. (negative)

Was Bandar supposed to attend class yesterday? (question)

Maryam didn’t have to make an appointment with her dentist. (negative)

Did Mohammed have to go to the bank yesterday? (question)

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Features of Phrasal Modals with be and have

The phrasal modals with be and have share the following features with the modals:

(1) They have meanings which are directly equivalent. (e.g. be going to = will)

(2) They are always followed by a verb in the simple form.

Hussain is able to swim because he has taken lessons.

= Hussain can swim because he has taken lessons.

The phrasal modals with be and have are different from the modals in the following ways:

(1) The first element (be or have) must change for person or number (am, is, are,

have or has).

Modals, on the other hand, are frozen and never change form.

(2) The first element (be or have) can be changed to the past (was/were or had).

Modals, on the other hand, have a fixed time associated with each meaning. If

you want to change from present/future to the past, you need to use a different

modal.

(3) In the formation of negatives and questions, the first element (be or have) acts

like a main verb.

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Negatives

Adel is not able to speak Japanese.

His sisters are not able to play the piano.

His uncle was not able to travel to Dubai.

We do not have to wear our badges.

Naif does not have to wear a labcoat.

Imad did not have to wear goggles in the chemistry lab.

Questions

Is Adel able to speak Japanese?

Are his sisters able to play the piano?

Was his uncle able to travel to Dubai?

Do we have to wear our badges?

Does Naif have to wear a labcoat?

Did Imad have to wear goggles in the chemistry lab?

(4) The phrasal modals with be and have can be used in combination with the fixed

modals or with each other.

Fahad is putting on his coat. He must be going to leave.

Ali is approaching the microphone. He could be about to announce something.

Nora just bought a French newspaper. She must be able to read French.

I’m sorry, but I might have to leave the meeting early.

You have to be able to speak English to qualify for that job.

In order to be a good swimmer you have got to be able to hold your breath.

__________________ Peter Lambe Spring 2014

SUMMARY OF LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

(Covered in Chapter 7)

Modal Language Function

ability (present/future)

1. can Ali can swim. (He has learned this skill.)

possibility (present/future)

We can buy newspapers in the Gift Shop. (It is possible.)

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ability (past)

2. could Omar could ride a bicycle when he was six. (He had learned this skill.)

possibility (past)

You could take computer classes here last year. (It was possible.)

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50% possibility (present/future)

3. may Khalid may be in the library right now.

It may rain tomorrow.

might = Khalid might be in the library right now.

It might rain tomorrow.

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giving permission (present/future)

4. You may You may sit in this desk now/tomorrow. (formal)

You can = You can sit in this desk now/tomorrow. (informal)

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possibility (present/future)

5. could I’m not sure where Hamza is right now. He could be in the library.

(possible now)

The flight from Nairobi could arrive late.

(possible in the future)

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suggestion (present/future)

6. could If you have a bad headache, you could take some aspirin.

(suggestion for now or later)

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asking permission with ‘I’ (present/future)

7. May I May I borrow your dictionary, please? (formal request)

Could I Could I please leave class early? (formal request)

Can I Can I speak to Abdullah, please? (informal request)

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polite request with ‘you’ (present/future)

8. Would you Would you please open the door for me?

Could you Could you please lend me some money?

Will you Will you please turn off the lights when you leave?

Can you Can you answer the phone for me, please?

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advice (present/future)

9. should It’s cold in the auditorium. You should bring your sweater.

(advice for now or later)

ought to = It’s cold in the auditorium. You ought to bring your sweater.

(advice for now or later)

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strong advice/warning (present/future)

10. had better There is going to be a sandstorm. You had better close the windows.

(strong advice for now or near future)

You had better wear your seatbelt, or the traffic police could fine you.

(warning for now or future)

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necessity (present/future)

11. have to All of the students in this course have to take three midterm exams.

have got to I have got to renew my license soon, or I won’t be able to drive my car.

must Employees must wear their badges when they are in the hospital.

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prohibition (present/future)

must not You must not drive through a red light, or you will receive a fine.

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lack of necessity (present/future)

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12. don’t have to I don’t have to take a taxi. I can catch the bus instead.

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lack of necessity (past)

13. didn’t have to I didn’t have to go to the supermarket yesterday. It wasn’t necessary.

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logical conclusion (present/future)

14. must Dalal keeps sneezing and coughing. She must have a cold!

(Non-modal constructions)

suggestion (future)

15. Let’s Let’s go to an Italian restaurant tonight.

Why don’t Why don’t we order spaghetti this evening?

Why don’t you invite your cousin to come along with us?

(Non-modal constructions)

Stating preferences

16. prefer (noun phrase) to (noun phrase)

I prefer herbal tea to coffee.

prefer (…-ing) to (…-ing)

Tameem prefers swimming to playing tennis.

like (noun phrase) better than (noun phrase)

Hanan likes novels better than action movies.

like (…-ing) better than (…-ing)

She likes reading books better than watching films.

would rather (simple verb) than (simple verb)

Nasser would rather go to the desert than sit at home. ______________________

Peter Lambe- Spring 2015

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Chapter 7 Summary of Modal Auxiliaries By / Ziyad Abdulaziz H. Al Hammad, Pre Dental, Batch 2 - March 24, 2012

Polite Questions

Advice Lack of

Necessity Prohibition

Logical Conclusion

Suggestion Necessity Possibility Permission Ability

Can Less Formal

should don’t have

to must not must

Let's Activities you

and Me

has /have to

Speech & Writing

may Present &

Future

can Informal

can

Present & Future Ability

Would ought to must not

Why don’t you..?

Friendly Advice

has/have got to

Informal Conversation

might Present &

Future

may Formal

could Past Ability

Could

had better Warns Against

Bad Consequences

must

Instruction

could Present &

Future

Will had to

Past

maybe At the

Beginning of a Sentence

May Not used

when (you) is the subject

# Modal auxiliaries with ‘to’ : have to and have got to – has to and has got to – had to – ought to

# When we give instructions, we can use ( please ) in the beginning or in the end of the sentence to make it a polite request.

Noun to

Noun prefer

Gerund Noun (v + ing) Gerund Noun (v + ing)

Noun

better than Noun

like Gerund Noun (v + ing) Gerund Noun (v + ing)

Simple Form of a Verb than ( to express preference )

or ( to express choices ) Simple Form of a Verb would rather