Modal Meanings - Which modal should you choose?
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Meaning |
Modal |
Phrasal Modal |
Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
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Polite request or Permission |
can may could will would |
-- |
Can I play tennis? (informal) May I play tennis? Could I borrow your pen? Will you please help me? Would you please pass the salt? (very polite) |
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Necessity |
must
|
have to have got to |
I must go to work tomorrow! I have to go to work tomorrow! I have got to work hard tomorrow! |
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Advice or Suggestion |
could (weaker) should (stronger)
|
-- ought to had better (strongest) |
She could have chicken or fish for dinner. She should / ought to accept the invitation. She had better get to work on time today. |
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Obligation or Expectation |
-- |
be supposed to |
Parents are supposed to take care of their children. She is supposed to come over to help me tonight. |
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Ability |
can (present)
could (past) |
be able to (present or past) |
John can run fast. (present) John is / was able to run fast. John could run fast when he was a child. (past) |
|
Repeated actions in the past |
would |
used to |
My mother would read stories to me when I was young. My mother used to read stories to me when I was young. |
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Click here to watch a video about degrees of certainty with modals |
will (strongest) must should might may could (weakest) |
be going to -- ought to -- -- -- |
I will / am going to succeed if I try my best! (99-100%) The grass is wet. It must be raining. (95%) His plane should arrive at 9:00 pm. (90%) His plane might arrive at 9:00 pm. (<50%) We may see a movie tomorrow. (<50%) We could see a movie or go to the beach tomorrow. (<50%) |
After you study the list above, try the Drag N Drop Activity to test your knowledge.
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Practice with the MEANINGS of modals. Drag the sentence from the bottom to the column on the right next to its meaning. |
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