⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Might’:
- The rule for the use of Modal ‘Might’ is that it is used to express less possibility, permission or a guess.
Example of Modal Might are given below:
1) It might rain today. (Less possibility)
2) Might I go to get the files? (Permission)
3) That might be the new guard. (Guess)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Can’:
- The rule for the use of Modal ‘Can’ is that it is used to express permission, possibility, ability or capacity.
Examples of Modal ‘Can’ are given below:
1) Can I go to the market? (Permission)
2) Anyone can be the thief. (Possibility)
3) He can stay awake for 2 days. (Ability/ Capacity)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Could’:
- The rule for the use of Modal ‘Could’ is that it is used to express ability or capacity in the past, polite request or a possibility under certain circumstances.
Examples of Modal ‘Could’ are given below:
1) He could run very fast in his youth. (Ability/ Capacity in the past)
2) Could you wait for him? (Polite request)
3) If we had money, we could have bought a house. (Possibility under certain conditions)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Must’:
- The rule for use of Modal ‘Must’ is that it is used to express obligation/ duty, necessity, compulsion, prohibition, emphatic advice, determination, assumption, conclusion/ interference, certainty/ strong probability.
Examples of Modal ‘Must’ are given below:
1) The children must obey their parents. (Duty)
2) We must not steal money from anyone. ( Duty)
3) You must follow the orders of your boss. (Obligation)
4) I must reach work on time. (Necessity)
5) He must do as I say. (Compulsion)
6) You must not smoke in public places. (Prohibition)
7) You must see a dentist at once. (Emphatic advice)
8) We must not go before they come back. (Determination)
9) The students must be in their classes at this time. (Strong Probability)
10) He must be 40 years old. (Assumption)
11) He must have left by now. (Certainty)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Have to’:
- The rule for the use of Modal ‘Have to’ is that it is used in the sense of must, to give advice or to recommend something.
Examples of Modal ‘Have to’ are given below:
1) I have to reach there by 9:30 pm. (in the sense of Must)
2) You have to start working soon. (Advice)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Need’:
- The main rule for the use of Modal ‘Need’ is that it chiefly shows the absence of necessity or compulsion in the negative and interrogative sentences.
Examples of the Modal Need are given below:
1) You need not worry about work.
2) Need I talk to her.
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Ought’:
- The rule for the use of Modal ‘Will’ is that it is used to express the subjects obligation or duty and also it is used to give advice.
Examples of Modal ‘Ought’ are given below:
1) I ought to love my parents. (Obligation/ Duty)
2) We ought not to cheat anyone. (Duty)
3) You ought to practise for more than 2 hours a day if you want to clear the exam.
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Dare’:
- The rule for using the Modal ‘Dare’ is that it is used at places where we need to show courage. It is generally used in negative and interrogative way.
Examples of Modal Dare are given below:
1) I dare not fail in my exams. (Negative)
2) How dare you interrupt us? (Interrogative)
⇨ Uses of Modal ‘Used to’
- The rule for the usage of Modal ‘Used to’ is that it is used to express past habits and to express the existence of something in the past.
Examples of the Modal ‘Used to’ are given below:
1) I used to go swimming every morning. (Past Habits)
2) There used to be a door at this place long ago.(Existence of something in the past)
Exercise
Fill in the blanks with correct modals.
1) He knew that he _______ (Would/ must) be able to reach office in time.
2) You ______ (dare/ could) not enter my house again.
3) I thought he ______ (should/ would) be at school.
4) Raman _____ (can/ should) speak in two voices.
5) I _____ (can’t/ couldn’t) write what you spoke.
6) You _____ (should/ can) have told me earlier.
7) _____ (Can/ Should) i get something to drink, please? I am very thirsty.
8) _______ (Can/ Should) I use your car, please?
9) You ______ (can/ would) go in now and meet the doctor.
10) I _______ (would/ should) love to teach these children.
11) I ______ (could/ can) eat 5 bananas at a time when i was young.
12) You _____ (must/ will) see the lawyer at once.
13) ______ (May/ Might) god protect you from the pain and agony.
14) My mother ______ (can/ could) watch T.V for hours even now.
15) It _______ (would/ may) be cold in the evening, who knows?
Answers:
1) Would
2) Dare
3) Would
4) Can
5) Couldn’t
6) Should
7) Can
8) Can
9) Can
10) Would
11) Could
12) Must
13) May
14) Can
15) May