MODALS

MODAL VERBS OF ABILITY AND POSSIBILITY

5 RULES:

1. MODALS DON´T CHANGE: "I/YOU/HE MUST.."

2. MODALS ARE FLOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE WITHOUT "TO": "IT MUST RAIN".

3.NEGATIVE MODALS USE NOT OR "N´T".

4. IN QUESTIONS, SUBJECTS AND MODALS ARE INVERTED: "COULD IT RAIN?".

5. MODALS DON´T HAVE PAST FORM.

POSSIBILITY:

"-WHERE IS SUE?

-SHE MAY BE IN THE GARDEN./SHE COULD BE AT WORK./ ASK TONY, HE MIGHT KNOW."

MAY: "I MAY BUY IT".

MIGHT: FOR UNREAL SITUATIONS. "IF I WHERE IN YOUR POSITION, I MIGHT..."

COULD= POSSIBLE.

ABILITY:

CAN/ CAN´T: FOR SKILLS OR GENERAL ABILITY. TO TALK ABOUT ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING IN THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE. WE CAN ALSO USE IT WITH THE SENSES, BUT CAN´T BE USE AFTER ANOTHER MODAL.

COULD/COULDN´T: TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE HAD THE ABILITY/ OPPORTUNITY BUT DIDN´T DO IT.

BE ABLE TO: = CAN, BUT IT´S MORE FORMAL AND WE ALSO USE IT WHERE CAN CAN´T BE USE. WE USE WERE/ WAS ABLE TO WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE SUCCEEDED IN DOING SOMETHING ON ONE PARTICULAR SITUATION. IT´S FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE.