INTRODUCTION TO MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

Modal auxiliary verbs like can, could, may, might, must and should are always followed by the infinitive
without to.

They have got the same form for all subject pronouns: I/ You/ He/ She/ It/ We/ They might be late.

With may and might, we do not use contracted negative forms: You mightn´t be luchy. You mayn´t be
lucky.

COULD, CAN, WILL BE ABLE TO

AFFIRMATIVE
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
We could go without lunch. I can play the piano. He´ll be able to see them.
I could speak Italian. I can speak Italian. I´ll be able to speak Italian.
NEGATIVE
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
We couldn´t go without lunch. I can´t play the piano. He won´t be able to see them.
I couldn´t speak Italian I can´t speak Italian I´ll be able to speak Italian.
QUESTIONS
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
Could you go without luch? Can he play the piano? Will you be able to see them?
Could you speak Italian? Can hespeak Italian? Will you be able to speak Italian?
What could you do when you were How far can you run? How many hours will you be able
a child that you couldn´t do now? to resist without breathing
underwater?
far jump
much run ?
HOW high CAN YOU remember When you
COULD were…?
many English swim
words
fast speak
Use:
 They are used to express ability or possibility in the past, present and future. They
describe the ability to do something.
 We use them with the base form of the verb.
 They have the same form for all subject pronouns.
1) Choose the incorrect words.

Ex.: I always play football with Sam and Bill on d. Could/ Can you ride a bike five years ago?
Tuesdays, so couldn´t/ won´t be able to go to the e. I can´t/ couldn´t find the book that you
cinema with you next Tuesday. wanted so I stopped looking.
f. My mum couldn´t/ can´t drive. She hasn´t
a. I could/can swim ten years ago. I learnt got a driving licence.
when I was five g. It was too noisy in the room an I couldn´t/
b. People can/will be able to live on Mars can´t hear what the teacher was saying.
one day? h. I´m afraid I won´t be able to/ couldn´t
c. She reads the BBC website because she play tennis with you tomorrow. I´m going
can/could speak English. to meet muy cousin.

2) Choose the correct verb in brackets and complete the text with affirmative an negative forms of
could, can and will be able to.

ADVANCES IN MEDICAL SCIENCE.

Two hundred years ago, medical science was very basic and doctors could
perform (perform/suffer) only simple operations. They_______________
(cut/use) X-rays to see inside their patients until about 100 years ago. Doctors
______________________(cure/cause) most infections until the discovery of
penicillin in 1928.
Recently, there have been incredible advances in medical science. Scientists
___________________(experiment/clone) animals these days but they ________________________
(clone/prevent)humans yet.
In the future, doctors __________________________(operate/discover) on people___________________
(sleep/live) longer, perhaps 150 years, but we ___________________________(live/transplant) forever!

3) Complete the sentences with affirmative and negative forms of could, can and will be able to.

Ex.: We can´t speak Russian but we can speak ………………………………….play football next
German. weekend.
g. I………………………………………..drive a car one
a. I ………………………..speak English ten years day.
ago but now I can. h. I spoke to him last week, but I
b. I………………………...vote when I´m older. …………………………………………understand
c. Sorry, I ……………………………… help you what he was saying.
now. I´m busy. i. I´ve been having lessons for six months, so
d. I ……………………………write my name when I now I…………………………………………....play
was four years old. My mum taught me. tennis very well.
e. People…………………………………go withou j. I´m afraid that I
foor for a long time! ………………………………………………give you a
f. Next Tuesday I´m going to have an lift to the station tomorrow. You´ll have to
operation on my leg. I go by bus.
MAY, MIGHT, COULD, MUST, CAN´T

POSSIBILITY
Affirmative Negative
I may/might come later. I may/might not arrive on time.
They could be in the classroom.
CERTAINLY
Affirmative Negative
She must be the new teacher. You can´t be hungry already.

USE:

 May, might and could have got the same meaning. They are used to say that something is possible,
but not certain.
Ex.: This may/might/could be John´s new car, or it may/might/could be the black one over there. I´m
not sure.
 Must is used to say that something is certain.
Ex.: this must be John´s new car. It´s in front of his house.
 Can´t is used to say that something is impossible.
Ex.: This can´t be John´s new car. He wouldn´t buy a pink one!
 The negative forms couldn´t and mustn´t are not used to talk about certainty or possibility in the
present.
1) Complete the sentences with may/might/could, must or can´t.

Ex.: That boy can´t be Lee. He´s too tall, and Lee e. He´s wearing a white coat. He
never wears a baseball cap. ………………………. be a doctor, or he
…………………………..be a nurse.
a. The operation was successful! You f. I………………………go out later, it depends on
…………………. Be really pleased. the weather.
b. He´s very ill. He ………………… need a g. You´ve been driving all day. You
transplant. The doctor isn´t sure. ………………………………be tired.
c. Their umbrellas are wet. It……………….be h. “Is your phone ringing?” “ No,
raining. it……………..be mine. I left it at home this
d. It´s still dark outside. It………………….be 9 morning.”
a.m. yet.

2) Choose the correct words.

Ex.: “We´ve been cooking the omellette for

twenty minutes”.
It usually only takes fifteen minutes. I must/ may/ g. It´s sunny. It might/ can´t/may not be
can´t be ready now. warm outside.
a. It´s snowing. It can´t/ must/may be cold h. The train goes in the minutes. You must/
outside. might/can´t miss it if you don´t hurry up.
b. “Whose is this science fiction DVD?” “It i. You´re improving. Perhaps you might/ can
could/ might/can´t be my dad´s! He hates ´t play in the school team one day.
science fiction.” j. Her leg can´t/ might be broken. She can
c. Someone´s coming. It can´t/ could/must still walk.
be Sally. She sometimes gets home at this k. That experiment must/may work, but I´m
time. not totally confident.
d. You go to the gym every day. You must/ l. The treatment could/must be good. All
might/ can´t enjoy keeping fit. the patients are better.
e. No one answered the phone when I m. The weather is bad, but with luck it can
called. They can´t/ could/may be at ´t/might change.
home. n. Acupuncture might/ must help you. I´m
f. “I haven´t eaten all day!” “You can not sure, I´ve never tried it.
´t/might/must be hungry.