C1 Modal Verbs

C1 Modal Verbs

1. may

   • weak probability
   • ask for permission politely

2. might

   • weakest possibility
   • ask for permission 'more politely'

3. should

   • to give advice
   • sth is likely because we have planned it or expect it to happen

4. ought to

   • to give advice
   • not common in questions or negative sentences
     • Ought we to make such a sacrifice for the benefit of future generations?
     • We oughtn’t to have let that happen.
     • We ought not to have let that happen.
   • sth is likely because we have planned it or expect it to happen

5. have to

   • obligation
     • I have to wear a uniform (employee)
   • I've got to study
   • I gotta study*
   • I didn't have to study

6. must

   • strong probability
   • obligation
     • You must wear a uniform (boss)
   • not common in questions
   • more formal than 'have to'
   • predictions
     • He must be 30
     • He can't be 30

7. will

   • predictions
     • Tomorrow it will rain
       • no evidence
     • Tomorrow it's going to rain
       • evidence
   • inanimate objects
     • The computer won't let me print documents
   • invitations
     • Will you marry me?
     • Will you come to my party?
   • Request
     • Will you take me to the airport?
   • Disapproval
     • I tried to help him but he won't listen

8. need to

9. needn't

   • We needn't fasten our seatbelts
   • no need in the present
   • The event organisers expected the bad weather to affect ticket sales. However, they need not have worried, as every ticket was sold. (=they worried but it wasn't necessary

10. dare

    • I dare you
    • But no one would have dared (to) climb up the outside of the building
    • daren't
    • I daren't tell him I've got another job (sin to)
    • Does anyone dare (to) go there? (ordinary verb)
    • Dare anyone go there? (semi-modal verb)
    • Doesn’t he dare (to) go there? (ordinary verb)
      • Daren’t he go there? (semi-modal verb)
    • Don't you dare

11. had better

    • You had better go
    • You'd better go
    • spoken English
    • You'd better not go
    • Hadn't we better ring the school?
    • Had I better go ...?

12. to be allowed to

    • I am allowed to smoke
    • Smoking is not allowed / forbidden

13. to be supposed to

14. probability

    • 1. might
    • 2. may
    • 3. could
    • 4. can
    • 5. must

15. He must be doing

    • He must have done

16. shall

    • suggestions
      • Shall we go to the cinema?
      • I / We
      • Shall I start?
    • shan't
    • offers
    • seeking for advice
    • More formal intentions / decisions / predictions

17. ability

    • can
      • present / future
      • verbs of sense (present)
    • to be able to
      • more formal than can / could
      • I was able to / I'll be able to / I must be able to
        • He hates not being able to leave the house
          • We've been able to contact him
      • past achievement
        • I was able to climb the mountain
        • I managed to unlock the door
    • could
      • past
      • conditional sentences
      • verbs of sense (past)
    • Passive tense
      • The news can/could be read on our website

18. would

    • If I were a boy, I would turn off my phone
    • things that are true now or were true in the past
      • Many passengers would get seasick during the crossing.
    • used to / would - to talk about things that happened repeatedly in the past
      • The crossing would / used to take over an hour at least