MODAL VERBS (verbos defectivos)

All modal verbs are followed by an infinitive: Mary can dance classical ballet You must listen to the teacher The negative is: Mary can’t dance… You mustn’t listen to the teacher The short answer is: Can Silvie play cards? - Yes, she can Must I go now? - Yes, you must

VERB CAN (puedo, sé) 1. polite request 2. present ability 3 VERB CAN (puedo, sé) 1. polite request 2.present ability 3.present possibility

CAN 1. Polite request (ask something properly, with good manners)

Can you spell your name, please? Can I have a cola/ lemonade? Can you tell me the time, please? Can you tell me the way to the Odeon Cinema?

2. Present ability (physical capacity and training to do something) CAN 2. Present ability (physical capacity and training to do something)

I can drive Jack can speak three languages- English, Italian and French Can you play golf?

CAN 3. Present possibility (there are conditions for things to be done)

Can you come to the party tomorrow? I can be at the station at 6:30 to see Mary off My family can come and see me at the show

COULD (podía, sabía) Polite request Past ability Past possibility

1. Polite request (ask something properly, with good manners) VERB COULD (podía, sabía) 1. Polite request (ask something properly, with good manners)

Could you give me change, please? Could I have a double cheese burger and a large orangade? Could you help with the homework? Could you make your bed before noon?

2. Past ability (you were able physically in the past, not now) COULD 2. Past ability (you were able physically in the past, not now)

I could cycle when I was five I couldn’t speak English very well last year My grandpa could hike in the mountains for hours Maradona could play football fantastically

COULD 3. Past possibility (there were conditions for things to be done)

I couldn’t go to the cinema last weekend, I had lots of homework She could arrive on time to catch the plane My dad couldn’t come and collect me from school yesterday

MUST / MUSTN’T /HAVE TO vs DON’T HAVE TO MUST = debo, tengo que = Obligación MUSTN’T = no debo, está prohibido= Obligación HAVE TO = debo, tengo que= Obligación DON’T HAVE TO= no hace falta que, no es necesario= Ausencia de obligación

Obligación: -I must arrive on time - You mustn’t drive at more than 120 km/h -I have to eat healthy to feel well Ausencia de obligación: -I don’t have to do the shopping- my parents do it -I don’t have to get up early at the weekend

similar to MUST and HAVE TO= It’s necessary for you to do something VERB NEED similar to MUST and HAVE TO= It’s necessary for you to do something (es necesario que, necesitas)

You need to stay calm in the exam You need to put your safety belt Sally needs to study harder

NEEDN’T = DON’T HAVE TO= I’ts not necessary to do something= Ausencia de obligación= (no es necesario que, no hace falta que)

You needn’t give me a lift, I’ll take the bus You needn’t climb the stairs, there’s a lift We needn’t go to school on Saturday

VERBS SHOULD and OUGHT TO = It’s a good idea to do something. I advise you to do something = Advice, recommendation (deberias hacer)

We should all try and use less petrol You look very ill, you should go to the doctor Ought I to dye my hair to look younger? We ought to hurry or we’ll miss the train

There’s a chance that something happens = VERB MAY/ MIGHT = There’s a chance that something happens = (puede que)

It may rain tomorrow We might go for a picnic if it’s sunny Fernando Alonso may win his next race I may study engineering, I’m thinking about it

Something is impossible= VERB CAN’T = Something is impossible= Negative certainty (no puede ser que)=

You can’t speak seriously That can’t be Joe, he’s much taller Henry didn’t steal anything; it can’t be him

VERB MUST = Something is sure= Positive certainty= (tiene que ser)

Those vegetables must be fresh, they are very green and crunchy That handwriting must be Sonia’s That must be Jill, she dresses exactly like her

THE MODAL PERFECTS CAN MUST SHOULD MAY WOULD COULD … + Perfect infinitive= have done * The modal presents refer to the present or the future: Jimmy may come to the party (today, tomorrow) Alison could stay at our place (today) *The modal perfects refer to the past: Some students ought to have sat the test (the test was done) We needn’t have brought wine, there was a lot to drink (the dinner is finished)

Examples (translate yourself) I might have come earlier = Pude haber venido antes He could have carried his luggage= Pudo haber cargado con su propio equipaje I would have lent you the book but you didn’t ask for it= Te habria prestado el libro pero no lo pediste They should have left earlier They needn’t have menaced us The film might have been better. Ought we to have told you? Mr Olson can’t have been the been in the crime scene

HAD BETTER affirmative: had better do negative : had better not do ADVICE = synonym of should WARNING = be careful ! You had better study for the exam right now, there’s little time They had better save money in case they lose their jobs The congress organisers had better finish the preparations You had better shut up your mouth! They had better not complain any more! She had better not dare to speak!