Contents
1. What are Modals
Modal : It is verb which Expresses the mood or attitude of sentence . Modals may express request, permission, duty, obligation, possibility, prayer, wish, suggestion, advice, ability, necessity, prohibition, etc.
Here are some commonly used Modals
Can, could, shall, should, may, might, have to , had to, ought to, Be to (am to , was to, is to) need, dare, used to, will, would, must, etc
Examples:
(a) You should go to morning walk daily. (Advice)
(b) May you live long ! (Prayer)
(c) You may go now. (Permission)
(d) May I use your pen. (Request)
2. Use of May, Might and Must
Rule 1 :
May is used to show possibility.
(a) It may rain today.
(b) I may go to the party.
Rule 2 :
May is used for Wish or prayer
.
Such sentences are called opatative sentences.
(a) May god help you !
(b) May he live long !
It is incorrect to write “lives” here.
Note : In such sentences exclamations marks ( ! ) is used and Verbs are used in first form V1
Rule 3 :
Might is used to show less possibility .
(a) He might pass but it is not certain.
Rule 4 :
May is used with so that to show purpose.
(a) He works hard so that he may pass the exam.(✓)
(b) He eats so that he might live.(X)
👉Use may in place of might for present tense.
(c) She came her so that she may talk to me.(X)
👉Use might in place of may for past tense.
Rule 5 :
May is used to show Permission/Request.
(a) May I come in ? (Request)
(b) You may go now. (Permission)
Rule 6 :
Use of possibly or likely .
Possibly or likely is not used with may or might. Because they also show possibilities. Sentence will become superfluous.
(a) He may possibly come tomorrow.(X)
👉Remove possibly.
(b) I will likely come tomorrow.(✓)
Rule 7 :
Use of May have or Might have
.
May have or Might have is used to express the possibility in the past. They both have same meaning they can be used interchangeably.
(a) He may have left the station.
(a) He might have passed the examination.
(c) You might not have revealed the secret.
Rule 8 :
Must is used for strong possibility
.
(a) He always travels in the first class. He must be very rich.
Rule 9 :
Must is used to express the Order/Compulsion.
(a) You must follow my instructions.
(b) He must not leave now.
Rule 10 :
Must is used to for obligation and strong determination.
(a) I must help the poor.
(b) I must study hard.
Rule 11 :
Must Have is used to show past compulsion or order that was not completed.
(a) You must have followed the instructions.
(But you did not)
(b) I must have helped him.
(But I did not)
3. Use of "Can" and "Could"
Rule 1 :
Can and Could can be used to show ability.
(a) She can run 4 km in 30 minutes. ( Present)
(b) He could play football before his accident accident. (Past)
(c) I can come tomorrow (Future)
Rule 2 :
‘be able to’ is not used with can/could to show ability. Because they mean the same.
(a) He can be able to do this.(X)
👉He is able to do this.
👉He can do this.
(a) He can not be able to come tomorrow.(X)
👉He will not be able to come tomorrow.
👉He can come tomorrow.
(b) I have been able to do it.(✓)
Rule 3 :
Can is used for permission, order, offer or friendly request.
(a) You can come in. (permission)
(b) You cannot enter my room.(order)
(c) Can I get you some fruits? (Offer)
(d) Can you come with me ? (Friendly request)
Rule 4 :
Can and Could can be used to show remote possibility.
(a) Everyone can make a silly mistake.
(b) She could be his wife.
(c) There could be a bomb in your car.
Rule 5 :
Could is used for formal request.
(a) Could you please send me an email?
(b) Could you please help the team?
Rule 6 :
Could + Have is used to show past possibility that was not completed.
(a) I could have revealed the secret.
(But I did not.)
(b) The Police could have arrested the criminal.
(But they did not)
4. Use of "Shall" and "Will"
Rule 1 :
Shall is used in simple future sentence with first person (I and We ) where as Will is used with second and third persons ( you, he, they it, etc.) But in Modern English Will can be used with first, second or third person. However in case of Interrogative sentences Shall is used with I and We only.
(a) I shall/will go to Mumbai tomorrow.(✓)
(b) You will study tomorrow.(✓)
(d) Shall we go ?(✓)
(d) Will I go ? (X)
👉Shall should be used.
Rule 2 :
To show Command, threat, determination, promise, advice, compulsion etc. Shall is used with second and third persons (You , she, he, they , it etc) and will is used with First persons ( I , We )
(a) I will help you in this situation. (Determination)
(b) You shall leave the room now. (Order)
(c) Trespassers shall be prosecuted. (Threat)
(d) You shall be rewarded. (Promise)
Rule 3 :
Shall is used in the question tags of sentences starting with Let us/ Let’s .
(a) Lets go to the party. Shall we ?
Rule 4 :
If two actions are ongoing in future and second action is dependent on the first action. The sentence (with condition) will be in simple present tense while other sentence will be in simple future tense.
(a) If I will come to Jaipur, I will meet you.(X)
👉If come to Jaipur, I will meet you.
(b) I will not do this work unless you will help me.(X)
👉I will not do this work unless you help you.
5. Use of "Should" and "Would"
Rule 1 :
Should is used to give suggestion/Advice.
(a) You should study regularly.
(b) You should not laugh at someone’s mistake.
Rule 2 :
Should is used with Lest to show negative purpose. First form of verb (V1) is used.
(a) Walk carefully lest you should fall.(✓)
(Walk carefully so that you may not fall.)
(B)Help him lest he fall.(✓)
Help him so that he may not fail.
(c) Take care lest she falls ill.(X)
👉Use fall (V1) in place of falls.
(d) Help him lest he should fall.(✓)
(Help him so that he may not fail.)
Rule 3 :
Should is used to show duty or obligation.
(a) You should stand by your wife in her difficult times.
(b) Promises should be kept.
Rule 4 :
Should is used as past form of Shall.
I said to him “ I shall go with you” (Direct)
I told him that I should go with him. (Indirect)
Rule 5 :
Should is used in sense of if.
(a) Should you work hard, you will get success.
(If you work hard, you will get success.)
Rule 6 :
Should + Have is used to show past Duty/ obligation that was neglected in the past.
(a) You should have replied politely.
(But you did not.)
(b) You should have been present at the party.
(But you did not.)
Rule 7 :
Would is used for polite request.
(a) Would you please help me?
Rule 8 :
Would is used to describe a past habit.
(a) He would go to school by bus.
Rule 9 :
Would is used to express preference , choice or wish.
(a) I would rather die than surrender.(choice)
(b) I would rather take tea than coffee.(Preference)
(c) I would rather stay.(wish)
(d) I would like to talk to you.(wish)
(e) If I were a bird, I would fly In the sky.(wish)
(f) If only you would stay with me. (wish)
Rule 10 :
Would is used to show possibility.
(a) He would be sleeping now.
(b) She would be his sister.
Rule 11 :
Would is used as the past form of will.
I said to him “ he will go there.” (Direct)
I told him that he would go there. (Indirect)
6. Use of "Ought to"
Rule 1 :
Ought to is used for moral obligation or duty. We can also use ought to in place of should and must if there is strong sense of moral duty, moral obligation or moral advice.
(a) you ought to serve you motherland.
(b) You ought not to take unhealthy food.
Rule 2 :
Ought to + Have is used in relation to past duly or obligation that was neglected or not fulfilled.
(a) You ought to have taken care of your mother.
(b) You ought not to have smoked in the train.
7. Use of "Used to"
Rule 1 :
‘Used to’ is used to express past routine action, it can be used In place of would. Uses to can not be used for present routine actions.
(a) He used to to go to school by bus.(✓)
(b) He used not go there.(✓)
(c) He did not use to go there.(✓)
(d) Used he to go there?(✓)
(e) Did he use to go there?(✓)
(f) He uses to come here regularly.(X)
Rule 2 :
Used to + Gerund is used to denote a habitual action or addiction.
Gerund : [Verb + Ing ] is called gerund. It can be used as a Noun or a Verb. It is fourth form of verb (V4).
Examples : Walking, smoking, Eating, etc.
(a) He is used to sleeping late.
(b) He was used to smoking.
(c) He is used to taking dinner early.
8. Use of "Need" and "Dare"
Rule 1 :
Need can be used as an ordinary verb or an auxiliary verb. In case of auxiliary verb it is used in negative and interrogative forms with direct infinitive.
Direct Infinitive : [ To + V1 (First form of verb) ] is called direct infinitive. Example : to go, to write, to work, etc.
As an auxiliary verb:
(a) He need not go there.
(b) Need he go there?
(c) You need not do this work.
As an ordinary Verb :
(a) He needs to go there .
(b) He does not need to go there.
(c) Does he need to go there?
Rule 2 :
Need not + have is used to denote an action which was not necessary but was performed.
(a) You need not have gone there.
Rule 3 :
Dare can be used as an ordinary verb or as an auxiliary verb. In case of auxiliary verb it is used in negative and interrogative forms with direct infinitive.
As an auxiliary verb :
(a) He dare not touch her again.
(b) Dare he not touch her?
(c) I dare not go outside in this weather.
(d) Dare he say so?
As an ordinary verb :
(a) He dares to abuse his rivals.
(b) He does not dare to abuse his rivals.
(c) Does he not dare to abuse his rivals?
Note : ‘S’ is not used with Need and Dare when used as an auxiliary verb.
9. Use of "be to"
Rule 1 :
Be to + Infinitive is used to express a plan, duty, obligation, order etc.
Different forms of Be are :
V1 ⇨ be, is, are, an
V2 ⇨ was, were
V3 ⇨ been
V1 ⇨ be, is, are, an
V2 ⇨ was, were
V3 ⇨ been
Infinitive: It is made of two words [to + V1 ]. It acts as a Noun, Adjective or Adverb. Example: to make, to do, to give, to write, etc.
Examples:
(a) I am to make speech tomorrow.(plan)
(b) She was to leave for the marriage ceremony.(past plan)
(c) Students are to wait outside. (Order)
(d) I am to die for my motherland. (Duty/obligation)
Rule 2 :
Be to + have is used to express an action that could not take place in the past.
(a) He was to have attended my marriage but fell ill.
10. Use of "Have to / Had to"
They are used to express compulsion.
(a) I have to leave for Delhi today.
(b) I will have to get up early in the morning.
(c) He had to go to the doctor’s clinic.
(d) He does not have to go there.
(e) She has to face the entire trauma alone.
(f) He will have to suffer for his mischief.
| Verb forms | Examples |
|---|---|
| V1 (Present or Basic Form) | Speak, Awake, etc. |
| V2 (Simple Past form) | Spoke, Awoke, etc. |
| V3 (Past Participle form) | Spoken, Awaken, etc. |
| V4 (Present Participle or Gerund form) | Speaking, Awaking, etc. |
| V5 (Simple Present or s/es form) | Speaks, Awakes etc |
👉If you have gone through all the rules and concepts of this chapter , you can always practice questions based on this chapter for better understanding and clarity.