Modals

Modals

1. Modals are complex and very challenging to present, and they are complex and challenging for students to learn, both conceptually and formally. They are a set of auxiliary verbs and are often called modal auxiliary verbs.

2. Modal verbs are used to enable the speaker to express feelings about, say, the probability of an event, or the ability of a person to carry out a certain action or the level of an obligation – but seldom the actuality (reality) of it happening. Other uses of modals are to express one’s attitude, politeness, or advice; modals are also used for making requests or giving permission.

3. Key points

   • Modals do not change their form at any time. They have no infinitive or past or present participle.
   • In the verb phrase, a modal verb must always be the first word. After a modal verb, we put the base form of the verb (the verb stem – without to).
   • As with the other auxiliary verbs (be, have, and do), modal verbs are of great significance in questions, negatives, and tags. A modal verb is placed before the subject in questions and can have not after it.
   • Modal verbs do not take -s in the third person.
   • Will and would have the written short forms 'll and 'd.
   • Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.
   • We can stress a modal if we want to emphasize its meaning i.e. you REALLY must
   • A modal verb does not typically include a tense. It can allude to the present or the future.
     • But in some contexts/situations, could, would, should and might are past forms of can, will, shall and may.
   • A modal verb can link with the perfect, the continuous, or the passive.
     • Perfect: She may have told you this before. Continuous: They may be waiting at the airport. Passive: We may be shown the proposals later. Perfect + continuous: You must have been distracted. Perfect + passive: The evidence must have been destroyed.
   • We cannot use two modals together. NOT You will must come soon. (Incorrect)

4. Common uses

   • See downloadable

5. Teaching modals

   • One of the best ways to teach modals is to use visual representations of the modals, where it's easier to show the degrees of probability, prediction, etc. This helps to keep the learners' attention when you are teaching this challenging topic.
   • Range of Probability expressed through Modals
     • See Downloadable
     • Past Form
       • Must have been
       • Should Have been
       • May have been
       • Could have been
     • degrees of prediction
       • Will
       • Should
       • May
       • Could
     • modals for giving advice
       • Must
       • Had
       • Should
       • Could