Modals in English Grammar
In the country of verbs, 'modals' is one of its states where its population are special kinds of verbs. They have their own rules and behave differently.
Modals
Modal verbs are also known as modals and are used to give additional information about the main verb. Let us learn more about them.
Can and Could
Talent shows are a big thing now in our pop culture. If you want to participate in them, you should know how to talk about your abilities. Learn about it here!
May and Might
May and Might are modal verbs. Some people think they are interchangeable, especially in speech, but is there really no differences between these two?
Will and Would
These two modals are often confusing for learners, because they are used in quite similar situations. But they're different.
Shall and Should
'Shall' and 'Should' are like relatives, because 'Should' is the past tense of 'Shall', but they have different functions despite their similarities.
Must and Have to
'Have to' and 'must' have the same meaning and are used to express obligations. However, they are used in different situations and are not interchangeable.
Semi-modals
Semi-modals are the subcategory of modal verbs. So it is good to learn the difference between modal verbs and semi-modal verbs to use them properly.
Ought to and Had Better
'Ought to' and 'Had Better' are used for giving advice and recommendations. These are used differently and they can have different meanings. Start learning!
Dare and Need
'Dare' and 'need' have characteristics of both modal verbs and main verbs. Because of this, they are called semi-modals. In this lesson, we'll learn about them.
Used to
One of the functions of this expression is to talk about repeated actions in the past which we don't do in the present.
Talking about Prediction
There are many ways to talk about prediction in English. In this article, we want to learn how to predict future events.
Talking about Willingness
In every language, there are ways to express your feelings. Let us learn how to express willingness in English.
Talking about Abilities
When you want to socialize with strangers, you can talk about your abilities. What does it mean? Should we use our abilities or talk about them? Learn more.
Giving and Asking for Permission
Asking permission is a social skill that is a need in any culture. On the other hand, being able to allow someone to do something is another skill. Read more.
Talking about Possibilities
There are different ways to talk about possibilities in English. Each way has its own function. We can also express our thoughts through possibilities.
Talking about Necessity
Some structures in English imply something that is not optional and there is a need to do them.
Giving Advice
'Giving advice' actually refers to expressing your opinion about a particular thing. In this case, you express something could happen in a better way.
Talking about Deduction
'Deduction' means to make guesses based on former information about something. In this article, we learn how to make deductions about events.
Talking about Habits
Habits are things that we do regularly, from the past to the present time. Sometimes we can use some modals and semi-modals to refer to habits.
Making Offers
There are some modal verbs that can be used to make offers in English. In this article, we will learn about them. Click here to read more.
Making Requests
You might know that there are two kinds of requests in English. Direct requests and indirect requests. In this article, we will focus on indirect requests.
Talking about Assumptions
The term assumption is derived from the verb assume. In this article, we will focus on the modal verbs to learn to talk about assumptions.
Modal Expressions
Modal expressions are not modal verbs. But they can imply the same concept as modal verbs do. These expressions are used to indicate a special mood. Read more.
Modals in Indirect Speech
Modal verbs change when they are used in indirect speech. In this lesson, we will learn about their structure and uses.
What Are Modals and Semi-modals?
Modal verbs (also called modals or modal auxiliary verbs), are special verbs that give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows them. Modals have a wide variety of communicative functions (i.e. modality).
Some verbs share only some of the characteristics of the modals. These verbs are called semi-modals (or pseudo-modals or quasi-modals).
