FUNCTIONS OF MODAL VERBS

FUNCTIONS OF MODAL VERBS

1. past possibility "puede que..."

   • MAY have.../MAY NOT have...
   • MIGHT
     • + well* more probability
   • COULD

2. present possibility "puede que..."

   • MAY/MAY NOT
   • MIGHT
     • It might rain because it is summer.
   • COULD

3. future possibility "puede que..."

   • MAY
   • MIGHT
     • You might be able to hand it on time.
   • COULD
   • alternative ways
     • possibility
       • There's EVERY/LITTLE/NO POSSIBILITY of me passing the CAE There's EVERY/LITTLE/NO POSSIBILITY that I will pass the CAE
       • We are going to investigate/look into the POSSIBILITY that all my students will pass their cae We are going to investigate /look into the POSSIBILITY of all my students passing their CAE
       • One cannot ignore /rule out/ exclude the POSSIBILITY that all my students will pass their CAE One cannot ignore/ rule out/ exclude the POSSIBILITY of all my students passing their CAE
       • You should not overlook the POSSIBILITY of all my students passing their CAE You should not overlook the POSSIBILITY that all my students will pass their CAE
       • In order to reduce the POSSIBILITY of  failing the CAE...... In order to reduce the POSSIBILITY that my students could fail...
     • chance
       • There's EVERY/LITTLE/NO  CHANCE OF me passing the CAE There's EVERY/LITTLE/NO chance that I will pass CAE
       • There's a  (very) DISTINCT/GOOD/REAL/REALISTIC/ STRONG CHANCE  of me passing the CAE There's a (very) DISTINCT/GOOD/REAL/REALISTIC/ STRONG CHANCE that I will pass the CAEThere's a (very) FAINT/ REMOTE/ SLIGHT CHANCE of me passing the CAE There's a (very) FAINT/ REMOTE/ SLIGHT CHANCE that I will pass the CAE
       • I have // stand EVERY/ A GOOD/ A FAIR CHANCE of passing the CAE I have //stand  LITTLE/ AN OUTSIDE/ A SLIM / NO CHANCE of passing the CAE
     • likelihood
       • There's EVERY/LITTLE/NO LIKELIHOOD of me passing the CAE There's EVERY/LITTLE/ NO LIKELIHOOD that I will pass the CAE
     • easily/conceivably/ well*
       • She could/may/might  EASILY/ CONCEIVABLY/ pass the CAE
     • likely
       • She is HIGHLY LIKELY to pass the CAE She's HARDLY LIKELY to pass the CAE She's HIGHLY UNLIKELY to pass the CAE It is HIGHLY LIKELY that she will pass the CAE It is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that she will pass the CAE
     • probable
       • It is HIGHLY PROBABLE that she will fail the CAE It is HIGHLY IMPROBABLE that she will fail the CAE
     • bound/certain/sure
       • My students are CERTAIN/BOUND/ SURe to pass their CAE

4. past possibility which did not happen

   • COULD have
     • you could have done your homework yesterday
   • MIGHT have
     • It might have gone worst but it didn't.

5. annoyance

   • COULD
     • you could at least say thank you to me
   • MIGHT have
     • You might have shut up because I was trying to see a film.

6. concession

   • MAY
   • MIGHT have

7. + as well no better alternative

   • MAY as well...
   • MIGHT as well

8. express permission/prohibition

   • in the present
     • CAN/CAN'T
     • MAY/MAY NOT
   • in the past
     • general
       • COULD/COULDN'T
         • In the past I couldn't ride horses because my father didn't allow  me to do it .
     • particular occasion
       • BE ALLOWED TO

9. make offers

   • MAY I...?
   • CAN I...?

10. make requests

    • CAN YOU...?
    • COULD YOU...?
      • Could you bring me a glass a water, please?

11. ask for permission

    • CAN I...?
    • COULD I...?
      • Could I go out tonight?
    • MAY I...?

12. make deductions

    • CAN'T
    • COULDN'T HAVE
      • He couldn't have been the killer because he was sleeping.

13. theoretical possibility

    • CAN

14. ability/inability

    • in the present
      • CAN/CAN'T
    • in the past
      • general
        • COULD/COULDN'T
          • I could swim that swimming pool when i was five years old.
      • particular occasion
        • BE ABLE TO/MANAGED TO/ SUCCEEDED IN
          • COULDN'T
            • I couldn't play the match because I broke my leg last week.

15. criticism

    • CAN