Modals

Modals

1. STRONG OBLIGATION

   • Other ways: - To make someone do something - To be compulsory.
   • Present/Future
     • Must
       • Obligations imposed by the speaker
       • You must brush your teeth before you go to bed
     • Have to/Have got to
       • Obligations not imposed by the speaker
       • I´ve got to do some homework tonight (my teacher says so) I have to do some homework tonight
   • Past
     • Had to
       • Past and reported obligations
       • We were told we had to get a visa before we left on holiday

2. WEAK OBLIGATION

   • Present/Future
     • Should do/Ought to
       • No difference in meaning
       • You ought to/should write home more frequently
   • Past
     • Should have done/Ought to have done
       • For criticism or regret, because an action didn´t happen.
       • We should have bought/ought to have bought your sister a car for her birthday

3. ASKING FOR AND GIVING PERMISSION

   • Other ways: - To allow someone to do - To permit someone to do - To let someone do
   • Can/Could/May
     • Can: More usual Could: a bit more polite May: Quite formal
     • Can/May/Could I borrow your bike? Yes, you can/may

4. PROHIBITION

   • Other ways: - To forbid someone to do something - To ban someone from doing something . To not allow someone to do something - To not permit someone to do something - To not let someone do something Imperative: - Don´t cycle on the pavement!
   • Present/Future
     • Musn´t/Can´t
       • When something is forbidden
       • You musn´t cross the road without looking
       • Eliza can´t go out this evening (her father says so)
   • Past
     • Was not to/Couldn´t

5. SPECULATION AND DEDUCTION

   • Speculate about something the speaker in unsure
     • Could/Might/May
       • I could be a sea eagle, though the feathers look too dark
   • Certainty
     • Must
       • The car must be doing eover 50 mph at least!
   • Certainty, in relation to impossible ideas and situations
     • Can´t/Cannot/Couldn´t/Could not
       • They couldn´t possible be here before lunchtime
   • Questions, to speculate about something
     • Couldn´t/Could not
       • Couldn´t it be a computer error?
   • Uncertainty, in the past
     • Could have/Might have/May Have
       • I think I may have met you before
   • Certainty that something in the past was impossible or didn´t happen
     • Couldn´t have/Can´t have
       • It can´t have been raining, as the path is completely dry
   • Near-certainty about something in the past
     • Must have
       • It must have been cold that winter

6. MAKING A SUGGESTION

   • It´s time.../It´s about time.../It´s high time... Always in simple past, even when we are talking about the present or the future - It´s time you went to bed (you need to go to bed now) Infinitive with "to" after "it´s time...", if we are speaking in general termsIt´s time to go (everybody needs t go now)
   • I suggest...
     • ...(that) you (should) cut down on coffee
     • ...cutting down on coffee
   • I recommend...
     • ...(that) you (should) relax a little more
     • ...relaxing
   • What about/How about...
     • ...doing some reading?
   • Why don´t you try...
     • ...doing some reading?
   • Have you thought of...
     • ...playing a musical instrument?

7. GIVING ADVICE

   • You should...
     • ...try to watch what you eat
   • You ought to...
     • ...get some rest
   • You´d better...
     • ...book a place in the gym
   • If I were you...
     • ...I´d try to do more exercise
   • My advice to you is...
     • ...to go to the doctor´s