English Language Arts

Modals

Concept sheet | English Language Arts

Grade

2-5

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Types of Modals
Modals of Ability: Can & Could
Modals of Advice: Should & Could
Modals of Obligation: Must & Have To
Shall & Ought To
Modals of Possibility: May, Might & Could
Modals of Request: Can, May, Could & Would
Modal Forms—Reminder
Affirmative Form
Negative Form
Question Form
See Also

Definition

A modal is an auxiliary verb used with a main verb. Modals affect the main verb's meaning and tense.

Modals accompany verbs and add to their meaning.

Types of Modals
Modal Forms—Reminder

Types of Modals

Modals can be organized into types. These types indicate the meaning added to a verb.

Modals of Ability: Can & Could

Can is used to express:

present abilities and skills

Could is used to express:

past abilities and skills
conditional abilities and skills

Examples

A superhero jumps over a building. Description

Present ability: She can jump very high.

An old superhero remembers when he could lift a car.

Past ability: “When I was younger, I could lift a car with only one hand.”

Conditional ability: “Maybe I could still lift a car, if I trained very hard.”

Modals of Advice: Should & Could

Should is used to:

give advice
make a recommendation

A superhero crashed on the ground and another tells him to practice his landing.

“You should practice your superhero landings.”

Could is used to:

give advice
suggest a solution to a problem

A superhero has a very long cape and another one tells him it could be shorter.

“The cape could be shorter.”

Modals of Obligation: Must & Have To

Must is used:

to express an obligation in the present

Have to is used:

to express an obligation
to express present, past and future tenses
with other modals

Examples

A monster is destroying a building and a superhero is ready to defend his city.

“I must defend my city!”

A superhero is badly hurt and another advises him to be more careful.

Present: “You have to be more careful.”

Past: “You had to land on your feet, not your face!”

Future: “You will have to take it easy for a few days.”

Be careful!

The modal have to is different:

it can be used in several verb tenses and change forms
it can be used with other modals

Other modals (can, could, should, etc.):

never change forms
always use a single modal with the main verb

Have to uses:		Examples:
Present	have to	We have to team up against that supervillain.
Present	has to	She has to practice her superhero landing.
Past	had to	They had to run away because their enemy was too strong.
Future	will have to	I will have to wash my costume after my fight with Skunk-Man.
Conditional	would have to	We would have to build a new secret base if you hadn’t defended it.
Possible Obligation	may have to	You may have to fight that bad guy again: he escaped last night.

Shall & Ought To

Shall indicates obligation. Less common in American English and more common in British English.

→ Example: You shall use your power with great responsibility.

Ought to indicates a moral obligation according to laws, directives, expectations and duties. It can replace should in a context reflecting these situations.

→ Example: As a superhero, you ought to save the city from evil.

Modals of Possibility: May, Might & Could

May is used to express:

a good probability the action will happen or is true

Might is used to express:

a fair probability (not as probable as may)
a possibility in the past (past form of may)

Could is used to express:

a possibility the action will happen or is true

Examples

It may take a long time to learn to fly properly.

A man does a risky scientific experiment.

Present: He might accidentally get super powers.

Past: It might have worked, if there had not been any problems.

A superhero explains his plan to another.

“I think this plan could work.”

Modals of Request: Can, May, Could & Would

Modals of request (also called modals of permission) are used in the interrogative form. They begin a question.

Can is used to:

ask permission with very familiar people
make a request with very familiar people
offer your help

→ Use it moderately.

May is used to:

ask permission in a formal situation or with someone you’re a little less familiar with (like your teacher!)

→ Use in most cases.

Could is used to:

make formal or informal requests
ask permission

Would is used to:

make formal requests

Example

A cat is stuck in a tree and a superhero asks a girl if he can help.

“Can I help you with your cat?”

A superhero has a utility belt in hand. Another seems angry and answers no.

“May I borrow your utility belt?”

A superhero asks another if he can hold a piano.

“Could you hold this for me?”

A man is attached to a chair and asks a superhero to save him.

“Would you please save me?”

Modal Forms—Reminder

Affirmative Form

Structure of an affirmative sentence with a modal verb.

Negative Form

Structure of a negative sentence with a modal verb.

Modals can be used in their long form or their contracted form.

Long form	Contracted form
could not	couldn't
should not	shouldn't
would not	wouldn't
cannot	can't
will not	won't
must not	mustn't*
might not	mightn't*
shall not	shan't*