 
				
| 9-G) Modal verbs (Smrt English) |   | (Canada) | UNIT 9 lesson G | 
Learn how English speakers use modal verbs to add meaning to a verb or sentence. Read the explanations and then watch the rest of the videos in this lesson.
There are two kinds of verbs in English: special verbs & normal  verbs. There are  13 special verbs, all the rest are normal verbs.
 
 NORMAL VERBS
 They can only make affirmative sentences. For all the other things, they need  DO:
 affirmative  I live in London
 I live in London
 negative  I don't live in London
 I don't live in London
 interrogative  Do you live in London? Yes, I do.
 Do you live in London? Yes, I do.
 
 SPECIAL VERBS
 They never use DO, they can do everything. Most of them can use contractions.
 affirmative  I can speak English
 I can speak English
 negative  I can't speak English
 I can't speak English
 interrogative  Can you speak English? Yes, I can.
 Can you speak English? Yes, I can.
 
 The special verbs are: to be, have, do, can/could, will/would, shall/should,  may/might, must, ought to
 
 There are two kinds of special verbs: auxiliaries and modals.
 
 AUXILIARY VERBS (or HELPING VERBS)
 
 The auxiliaries verbs in English are: to be, have, do, will, would.
 
 They help a normal verb to make some tenses. A normal verb only has  present and  past tense, but we can make more tenses using auxiliary  verbs:
 
 present: I live in London
 past: I lived in London
 present perfect : I have lived in London  auxiliary: Have.
 auxiliary: Have.
 future: I will live in London  auxiliary: Will.
 auxiliary: Will.
 conditional: I would live in London  auxiliary: Would
 auxiliary: Would
 present continuous: I am living in London  auxiliary: Be.
 auxiliary: Be.
 passive voice: I am called Tim  auxiliary: Be.
 auxiliary: Be.
 present perfect continuous: I have been living in London  auxiliaries: Have & Be.
 auxiliaries: Have & Be.
 negative: I don't live in London  auxiliary: Do.
 auxiliary: Do.
 etc.
 
 To Be  to make continuous forms and the passive voice: I am writing a letter  -   The window was broken
 to make continuous forms and the passive voice: I am writing a letter  -   The window was broken
 Have  to make the present perfect: He has lived here for 5 years
 to make the present perfect: He has lived here for 5 years
 Do  to make negatives, interrogatives, etc: I don't like tennis / do you know him?  Yes, I do.
 to make negatives, interrogatives, etc: I don't like tennis / do you know him?  Yes, I do.
 Will  to express future: They will come to visit me
 to express future: They will come to visit me
 Would  to make conditionals: If you had problems, I would help you.
 to make conditionals: If you had problems, I would help you.
 
 MODAL VERBS
 
 Modal verbs are used to express ideas such as possibility, intention, deduction,  suggestion, obligation, etc. 
 Modal verbs never change, they don't add an -S for the 3rd person  singular and  they don't use TO before or after them (exceptions: to be,  ought to):
 normal: I live here, he lives here
 modal: I can swim, he can swim
 normal: I want to go
 modal: I may go
 
 POSSIBILITY: May & Might
 - It may rain today because it is very cloudy.
 - If you go to Hollywood you might see some famous actors in the street.
 
 PERMISSION: Can, May
 - Can I go to the toilet?
 - May I go to the toilet? (more polite)
 
 ABILITY: Can (past tense and conditional tense: Could)
 - I can play the guitar
 - When I was a child I could play the guitar, but now I can't.
 
 ADVICE: Should
 - If you want to be a doctor you should study more.
 
 INTENTION: Will (past: Would)  [yes, this verb can be a modal or an  auxiliary for the future)
 - Don't worry, I will help you.
 - He said that he would help me.
 
 INVITATION: Will
 - Will you come to my party tonight?
 - Sure, I will.
 
 DEDUCTION:  Must ("can't" for the negative)
 - Who's that? - That must be John, because he is very tall.
 - No, that can't be John, John is younger.
 
 SUGGESTION: Shall
 - Shall we go to the cinema?
 
 OBLIGATION: Must
 - You must stay here and you mustn't speak to anyone until I come back home
 
 PROHIBITION: Can (in the negative)
 - I'm sorry, you can't park here, there is a yellow line on the road.
SUMMARY
 
 The 3 No's: Remember this simple rule for the use of special verbs (modals &  auxiliaries): NO -S, NO TO, NO DO
 
 NO –S  I can/ she can
 I can/ she can
 NO TO  I can walk / no infinitive
 I can walk / no infinitive
 NO DO  you can / you can’t / can you?
 you can / you can’t / can you?