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Modal verbs of ability & possibility

Modal verbs of ability

Modal verbs of possibility

The modals of ability are...

can and can't

could and couldn't

be able to

Manage

Refers to ability but is not a modal verb.

We use be able to just like can. But it's more formal.

We use to talk about someone's skill or general abilities.

We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or the future,

We use to talk about a skill or ability in the past.

We use it to talk about abilities.

We use was/were able to when speaking about something someone succeeded in doing or one particular occasion.

There are 9 pure modal verbs.

- Must

- Might

- May

- Will

- Would

- Can

- Could

- Shall

- Should

How do I use modal verbs?

There are 5 General rules for all modal verbs.

1.- Modals do not change.

2.- Modals are followed by infinite without to.

3._ Negative modals use not or n't.

4.- In questions, the subject and the modal are inversed.

5._ Modals have no past form.

The most important thing about modal verbs is to understand that they can change their meaning depending on the context in which they are used.

May, might and could are all used to say something is a possibility.

"Could" changes meaning in the negative.

It could be true means that it's possible that is true.

However you can only use "might" in unreal situations.

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