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MODAL VERBS 101

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  • Name as many MODAL VERBS as you CAN
    1CAN 2COULD 3MAY 4MIGHT 5MUST 6HAVE TO 7 OUGHT TO 8SHALL 9SHOULD 10WOULD 11 WILL
  • HAVE TO and MUST have the exact same use. True or false?
    False. When expressing obligation, "MUST" is used exclusively in the present tense, for self-imposed obligations and laws/rules.
  • MV conjugations are tough to learn. True or false?
    FALSE! There are no conjugations for MV. No musting, no canning, no woulding ;)
  • A MV sometimes requires another verb. True or false?
    FALSE! A MODal verb MODifies another verb. So you ALWAYS need a MV + Verb. (I SHOULD DRINK more water).
  • Form the negative by simply adding NOT. True or false?
    TRUE! You must NOT forget this! No, you CAN'T! (You can also use the contraction)
  • Can you come up with a rephrasing for "You mustn't park here".
    Parking here is forbidden. You are not allowed to park here.
  • COMPLETE: You __________ try fish and chips! Amazing!
    MUST. Yes, if you want to emphasize your recommendation, it's a MUST!
  • They are always followed by the bare infinitive ("play": not "to play")
    Yes... but not exactly! Remember we have a couple of exceptions "OUGHT TO" AND "HAVE TO"
  • FACT ABOUT MODAL VERBS: Shall, ought to and may aren't very popular nowadays. True or false?
    TRUE. The use of these 3 modal verbs has dropped dramatically in the last 40 years. Curious fact: they all are rather formal
  • SHALL is only used with "We" and "I". True or false?
    True. It's often used to make an offer.
  • SHOULD and OUGHT TO have the same meaning
    Yes... but not exactly. "Ought to" is a bit more formal. Perfect for your essays, reports and letters of application.
  • The "d" in the following sentence stands for "would": YOU'D BETTER!
    Nope! It's YOU HAD BETTER (més et val). Very informal and rather threatening!
  • We can use 2 MV together to make a sentence. True or false?
    FAAALSE! Never ever ever 1MV + 1V (I MIGHT EAT pizza this evening)
  • Questions with MV use the "inversion". You put the modal at the the front. True or false?
    True: CAN you believe this? ;)
  • MAY, MIGHT AND COULD can be used to express doubt and uncertainty.
    Yes! You might be a good student after all ;)
  • Is this sentence correct? I must leave the hotel room by noon.
    Yes! When speaking about RULES, you ought to use "must".
  • COMPLETE: We __________ watch an old video at school today. So dull!
    HAD TO. No past tense for MUST. No: "musted" doesn't exist! Duh
  • COMPLETE: You ____________ not to eat so much junk food.
    OUGHT (did you notice the "to"?)
  • "SHOULD + HAVE + PARTICIPLE" expresses regret or critisism. True or false?
    YES! You should have listened to me, I told you so... ;)
  • COMPLETE! You ____________ get your eyes tested.
    should
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