Verbs - Auxiliary Modal

This lesson is all about modal verbs and this is a warning.

It will be a slightly longer lesson to modal auxiliary verbs who give them their full title.

I usually simplified either modal verbs or sometimes even just models and they use to modify the main verb by expressing modality some examples of what we mean by modality ability advice desires intent likelihood obligation offers permission possibility requests suggestions or willingness.

Again not an exhaustive list but the modal verbs that are the full modal verbs.

These are the complete list and it can could may might must shall should will and would add these modal verbs cannot be used in an infinitive form.

So I would never say to could or two must or two shall they’re not used that way negative sentence are formed just by adding not after the verb and the good news is is that questions can be formed by simple inversion of subject and verb reform negative sentences with modal verbs by adding not after the verb Mary can swim Peter can’t swim why can’t is the short form of cannot please note cannot.

Here is one word

John will help with the housework Paul won’t help with the housework a won’t is a short form of will not.

I might be late home this evening or putting it another way round I might not be on time this evening and we can form questions with modal verbs by simple inversion and by inversion we just swap subject and verb that Bob can swim or is a question Can Bob swim you should brush your teeth at least twice a day and this is the answer to the question How often should I brush my teeth.

or I will help you with your homework or the question Will you help me with my homework that we use can to express or question an ability most modern smartphones can connect to the Internet can you swim the length of the pool yet I can’t run very fast.

We also use code to indicate or question a past ability when I was younger I could eat what ever I wanted and stay slim Jim couldn’t read until he was ten years old and couldn’t is could and not together could you still keep in touch without social media there’s probably a question a young child or might ask her grandmother what it was like before the days of social media then we look at some advice examples we use should to give advice and also to ask for advice you should brush your teeth at least twice a day should I tell my boss about the missing money.

Asking someone for advice about what to do we use wood to politely offer advice about something I would apologize to her if I were you is really suggesting you should apologize but he’s phrasing it in a polite way I think it would be wise to think about your pension now again it’s wrapping it in a slightly more polite form it’s saying to the person you really should think about your pension now and you shell to politely ask for advice about a future decision as in Where shall we begin or who shall I invite to the party

of look at desires.

We use wood to express or ask about desires.

What would you like to do on our anniversary.

I would love to go to that new restaurant and while they’re there I would like my steak medium rare please.

and we use may to express wishes and future wishes in a formal way may our success continue in the year ahead.

May you both have a happy and healthy life together.

On AC May the Force be with you and please notice when we use may like this we sort of inverted.

Although it’s not a question it is you sort of rhetorically and when you’re giving speeches and and making bold statements.

But the fact that it’s inverted doesn’t make it a question look at intent we use must to make intent stronger I must get my car repaired.

This week I must remember my wife’s birthday I must make an appointment with the accountant to an all of these examples.

I have an intent to do something by saying I must do what I wanted to do it kind of strengthens the intent

I have likelihood to use will to express the likelihood of something in the immediate present.

For example the doorbell rings ding dong Oh that will be Jim.

He said he would pop around today.

It might not be Jim but you think it probably is who is that’s in the car.

Oh that would be Peter’s new girlfriend picking him up from work and we use wood to express the likelihood of something in the immediate past no shoes have been chewed up again.

That would be our dog.

Sorry about that that might not be the dog but they think it probably is you answered the door and there’s no one there.

No.

That would be the neighbor’s kids ringing the bell and running away or you should to express are likely or expected outcome the result should be back in a week and we expect them to be back by then this book should be interesting.

They are expected to be interesting maybe you’ve heard about or read other books by the author though you can to describe likely situations and occurrences you can be sure that this is probably a bad idea.

You can safely place a bet on that horse.

The worst advice ever

we used could indicate a possibility or likelihood this could cause you a lot of problems it looks like it could start raining at any time.

And we use might to indicate a weak possibility take an umbrella.

It might rain probably won’t and it might if we don’t leave now we might not arrive on time again I think we’ll be on time but we better make sure we use must to indicate a strong likelihood I must have left my keys at home Mr. Hope I did.

I haven’t lost them on the way.

You must be exhausted after running that race the obligation we use must to indicate obligation at the fire door must be closed at all times.

You must not tell anyone about this a forbidden or you should to express polite obligation.

I think you should pay for half the damages.

Why should she have to pay for her brother.

In both cases though expressing an obligation or questioning an obligation but in a polite way we also use shell to indicate obligation in formal situations or especially in legal documents that the supplier shall not be held liable for damages if the product has been used incorrectly the customer shall supply all necessary hardware.

These are typical sentences you will see in contracts but they really say expressing the liability for each party or the lack of liability in the first case.

And in normal everyday speech you don’t usually see Shell being used but you do see a lot in legal documents and contracts.

that we use.

The offers can and could make an offer of to do something for someone let’s say can I help you with the gardening.

Or could I help you with the gardening.

Can I give you a lift back to your flat.

Or could I give you a lift back to your flat.

Can and could similar can is slightly more direct and code is slightly more indirect but they both have a similar meaning.

That’s why we put them both together and we use will to make polite offers.

Will you have a cup of coffee or will your friend be joining us for dinner.

If you are being less polite you say is your friend going to be joining us for dinner.

Because we’re all polite here.

We use this construction.

Will your friend be joining us for dinner or use may to make polite offers.

May I be of assistance.

May I help you with your bags.

We’ll see you shall to make polite offers.

Shall I mow the lawn.

Shall I get you anything while I’m in town.

Again all very polite ways of asking if you can help somebody when we think about permissions we use can for permissions especially in questions or in this case a lack of permission.

You can’t have any ice cream until you’ve finished your meal.

Can I leave early today and we use could to ask for permission to do something and could is a little bit more polite than can.

Could I take next week off please.

Do you think you could approve the project budget now for being more polite.

We use may to ask for something and to formally deny permission as well.

May I borrow your black tie please.

Students may not leave the hall during the exam and we use might to add a little bit of extra politeness.

I wonder if I might bring a friend to the party which is the polite way of saying can I bring a friend to the party.

But we wrap it up in this way to make it more more polite a more indirect might be excused from the table please very very polite and slightly old fashioned way of asking if they can leave the table when we think of possibilities we use can to describe possible actions you can ask the librarian for a book recommendation

people can easily lose track of time when access and social media on their phone here we’re looking at can not as an ability.

It’s not like you have the ability to ask the librarian that you have a mouth and a tongue and you can speak the language.

That’s not meant here but you can ask her.

You have the possibility to ask her or help we use may and might to express uncertain possibility that we may or might run into problems if we don’t think ahead I am worried that it may start snowing soon or I am worried that it might start snowing soon and may and might.

There’s sort of similar in this case may is perhaps a little bit more polite and formal and might is probably what people will use in everyday speech.

We also use might to suggest a possibility to another person.

I thought you might like this ban so I bought you their latest C.D.

I was wondering if you might like to see a film with me and we’re making requests.

We use can to make a direct request.

Can you turn the music down.

I can’t reach that.

Can you get it for me now in this sentence.

The first count hasn’t been put in italics because that’s not the one we mean the first count is an ability type usage but I am too sure it’s up too high.

I can’t reach it but can you get it for me is a a way of requesting help.

And we use could.

Would and will to make polite requests.

Could you help me with my homework or would you help me or will you help me.

All polite ways of asking as is could would or will you put your dog on its lead.

Please

offer suggestions.

We use shell to politely ask for suggestions.

Shall we invite your parents over for dinner.

And of course that song.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor.

Don’t worry I won’t sing.

I’ll spare you the pain and we’ll use wood to ask for somebodies opinion or suggestion.

What would you suggest we do tomorrow.

Where would be a good place for a camping holiday.

You should give or ask for recommendation.

What should I see when I visit London next month.

We should go and see the new film.

I am sure you will like it

and we use could to suggest an option we could all go for a drink after work.

Very civilized idea.

I’m not sure if your boss will agree to this but you could try and use might to make polite suggestions you might want to have that checked by your doctor.

Well obviously a friend has seen something.

He’s worried by it and is suggesting it’s a good idea to go and see a doctor.

But he’s wrapped it up in a polite way you might try rebooting the computer and see if that helps.

Which is again a polite way of saying restart their computer and see if it helps or use must to emphasize suggestions or you must come and spend the weekend with us.

You must try that new restaurant in town so you’re making a suggestion to try the new restaurant by using must to really emphasize it and we use will to indicate an immediate willingness or unwillingness if you cook the meal.

I’ll wash the dishes and I’ll is the short version of I Will Emma won’t come out of the bathroom and here won’t as they can catch a nation of will not.

She’s unwilling to come out of the bathroom and we use wood in a similar way but for things in the past Paul wouldn’t come out of his room all day the car wouldn’t start this morning so annoying.