Transcript MODALS - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

MODALS
-Does not change by any person.
-Never are followed of TO. ( TO CAN)
-Only are present except
can
could
MODALS OF ABILITY
To express ability we can use:
• Can / be able to (is a semimodal since it can
conjugate)
• Could
EX: You CAN it ravioli if you like pasta.
(Puedes comer ravioles si te gusta la pasta)
She COULD run fast when she was a child.
(Ella podía correr rápido cuando era una
niña)
MODALS OF PERMISSION, POLITE REQUEST
These are used for interrogative sentences.
There are three possibilities:
• (?) Can (informal).
• (?) Could (formal).
• (?) May (more formal)
Ex: CAN you call me tonight?
COULD you help me with the suitcases?
MAY I join this team?
MODALS OF ADVICE
These three modals we use when we want to
give advice:
• Should / ought to (deberías)
should is the most used
• Shouldn´t (no deberías)
EX: You SHOULD /OUGHT TO improve your
pronunciation.
You SHOULDN´T go out this night.
MODALS OF OBLIGATION
These modals are only used with the present time:
• Must (debes)
people with authority use it.
• Have to (tienes que)
everybody can use it. (is a
semimodal ,like be able to ,since it can conjugate)
We also have NEED TO, that is not a modal but is used in
affirmative like HAVE TO, and it express obligation and
necessity.
EX: You MUST bring your books to class.
I HAVE TO buy the tickets today.
MODALS OF PROHIBITION
To ban something we use:
• Mustn´t (no debes)
EX: You MUSTN´T exceed the speed limit.
(No debes pasarte del limite de velocidad)
MODALS OF LACK OF OBLIGATION
To express something that is not necessary, we
use:
• Don´t /doesn´t have to (no es necesario que)
• Needn´t (no necesito).
EX: On Sunday I DON´T HAVE TO get up early.
You NEEDN´T bring anything to the party.
MODALS OF POSSIBILITY
We use them to express possibility:
• Might (- probable)
• Could (+ probable)
pudiera ser que
podría ser
quizás
• May ( ++ probable) tal vez
puede que
• Can (+++ probable)
EX: It MAY / MIGHT rain tomorrow.
I CAN meet you later.
Modals of positive deduction
To show that something is true we will use:
• Must.
EX: she got a great job. She MUST be very
happy.
Modals of imposibility
To expresss that something is impossible we will
use:
• Can´t (no puede…)
EX: I CAN´T eat a whole cake by myself.
For offerings and suggestions
To offer something we can use:
• Would
• Shall
• Can
EX: You CAN eat ravioli if you like pasta.
Would you like something to drink?
Shall I help you with your homework?
MODALS PERFECTS
• MUST HAVE + P.P.(3ª columna)
It expresses a logical conclusion about a past
event.
Ex: He must have spent all his money.
He hasn’t got any money left.
• MAY/ MIGHT HAVE + P.P.
It is used to make a assumption about
something on the past.
Ex: She may/ might have taken the wrong bus.
• COULD HAVE + P.P.
It shows ability to do something in the past
which in the end was not done.
Ex: He could have broken his leg.
• COULDN’T HAVE + P.P.
It shows certainty that something did not
happen.
EX: Ela couldn’t have broken the vase, She
wasn’t at home.
• WOULD HAVE + P.P.
It shows desire to do something in the past
which in fact could not be done.
Ex: I would have gone to the party but I was too
busy.
• SHOULD/ OUGHT TO HAVE + P.P.
It shows criticism or regret after an event.
EX: You should have told me earlier.
• SHOULDN’T HAVE + P.P.
It shows criticism or regret after an event.
Ex: I shouldn’t have drunk so much.
• NEEDN’T HAVE + P.P.
It expresses an unnecessary past action.
Ex: She needn’t have bought anything.
• HAD BETTER/ SHOULD
It is a very colloquial way of expressing what we think
should be done.
-Afirmative: after the subject we put:
Had better + infinitive es mejor que + subjunctive
-Negative: after the subject we put:
Had better + not + infinitive
-There are not interrogatives sentences.
It also has a other use than SHOULD and which is also used
to express a warning and means: Será mejor…, más vale
que… Ex: You had better tidy your room now!
You had better not take my car!
Choose the best modal
• It’s Jenny’s birthday next week. We shouldn’t/couldn’t forget to buy her a nice
present.
Shouldn’t
• This is number 11 Chelsea Road, so we can’t/aren’t able to be far from Helen’s
house. She lives at number 14.
Can’t
• In many countries, you could/must be at least 18 to buy alcoholic drinks.
Must
• I can’t/needn’t go to the club tonight because I promised to babysit for my
neighbour.
Can’t
• In my opinion, you may/should eat more vegetables and fewer sweets.
Should
• Yes, of course you might /may borrow this book after I read it.
May
Choose the sentences that is closer in meaning to the original
1- I can’t find my library book. I may have lost it.
a) It’s possible that I lost the book.
b) I’m sure I lost the book.
2- Jim should have told us he would be late.
a) It was nice of Jim to tell us he would be late.
b) Jim didn’t tell us he would be late.
3- Thanks for your help. We couldn’t have fixed the car by ourselves.
a) The car was eventualy fixed.
b) It was impossible to fix the car.
4- She shouldn`t have told him about the surprise.
a) It was wrong of her to tell him about the surprise.
b) It was good that she told him about the surprise.
5- The children could have smiled when the photographer took their picture.
a) The children smiled when the photographer took their picture.
b) The children aren’t smiling in the photograph.
1-a 2-b 3-a 4-a 5-b
Correct the errors using a suitable modal
• The music is so loud that we mustn’t talk to each other.
-The music is so loud that we can’t talk to each other.
• Last night’s concert was great! You should be there!
-Last night’s concert was great! You should have been there!
• Ask for directions to Karen’s house or you can get lost on the way.
-Ask for directions to Karen’s house or you may get lost on the way.
• I took an umbrella with me because I thought it might have rained.
-I took an umbrella with me because I thought it may have rained.
• I would apologise but I didn’t know you were upset.
-I would have apologised but I didn’t know you were upset.
• There’s nobody home. They ought to have gone out.
-There’s nobody home. They must have gone out.
END
Ángela Lloret and María Martí