Modal Verbs
They often indicate
➧ possibility
➧ necessity
➧ permission
➧ ability
➧ obligation
Unlike regular verbs, modal verbs do not have infinitive or participle forms, and they do not usually take an "-s" in the third person singular form.
Here are the main modal verbs in English
Can
Ability➧ She can speak Spanish fluently.
Possibility
➧ It can rain later.
Permission
➧ Can I borrow your pen?
Request
➧ Can you help me with this?
Could
Past ability➧ When I was younger, I could run very fast.
Polite request
➧ Could you please pass the salt?
Possibility
➧ It could be expensive.
May
Permission➧ You may leave the room now.
Possibility
➧ It may rain tomorrow.
Polite request
➧ May I ask you a question?
Might
Possibility➧ He might come to the party tonight.
Uncertain future
➧ I might go to the gym later.
Must
Obligation➧ You must finish your homework before going out.
Necessity
➧ We must find a solution to this problem.
Strong recommendation
➧ You must try this new restaurant.
Deduction
➧ She must be tired after working all day.
Should
Advice➧ You should eat more vegetables for better health.
Recommendation
➧ We should book our tickets in advance.
Expectation
➧ He should be here by now.
Obligation
➧ Students should attend all classes.
Would
Polite request➧ Would you please pass me the salt?
Hypothetical situation
➧ If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
Habit in the past
➧ When we were kids, we would play outside every day.
Will
Future action➧ I will call you later.
Intention
➧ We will start the project next week.
Promise
➧ I will always support you.
Prediction
➧ It will rain tomorrow.
Shall
It's often used in formal contexts or in legal or contractual language.Suggestions and Offers
➧ Shall we go for a walk?
➧ Shall I help you with your bags?
Formal Requirements or Laws
➧ All employees shall wear safety gear at all times.
➧ The contract specifies that payment shall be made within 30 days.
Future Actions or Intentions
➧ I shall call you when I arrive.
➧ We shall meet again someday.
Commands or Directives
➧ You shall not enter this area without authorization.
➧ Thou shalt not steal. from more formal or archaic contexts
Predictions or Proposals
➧ The weather forecast suggests it shall rain tomorrow.
➧ Shall we proceed with the plan?
Ought to
It suggests that something is the right thing to do or the proper course of action.Expressing Obligation or Duty
➧ You ought to finish your homework before watching TV.
➧ We ought to help those in need.
Expressing Moral or Ethical Standards
➧ She ought to apologize for what she said.
➧ He ought to be more considerate of others.
Giving Advice or Recommendations
➧ You ought to see a doctor if the pain persists.
➧ They ought to invest in renewable energy for a sustainable future.
Making Suggestions or Expressing Probability
➧ He ought to arrive soon; he left early.
➧ It ought to rain today based on the forecast.
Past Obligation or Regret
➧ I ought to have studied harder for the exam.
➧ She ought not to have trusted him.
More Lessons ➧ Here
About Blossomings
Blossomings is an educational platform dedicated to providing high-quality
learning materials, worksheets, and structured lessons for learners worldwide.
Our goal is to make learning simple, engaging, and accessible for everyone.