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.
What Are 'Modals'?
'Modals' (also called modal verbs 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.
Modal Verbs in English
Modal verbs in English are:
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as 'tense division' for modals, we mean, some of them can be used in past form and present form.
General Rules of Modal Verbs
How to Conjugate Modals with Different Subjects?
The only way to conjugate modal verbs with all persons is the basic form of them; in other words, they never change, we mean the rules of adding s, -ing, or -ed only dedicate to main verbs not modal verbs.
Nikolai
I
She
using the modal 'will' in a sentence
Can They Stand Alone?
Actually, modals do not complete the meaning of a sentence on their own. Therefore, they need another verb to make sense. The rule of adding verbs to modals is to add the basic form of the verb.
I
I might to my house, if doesn't rain makes no logical sense, in this example.
I
She
You
How to Make Negative Sentences with Modals?
In order to make a modal verb negative, all you have to do is to add 'not' to the modal verb.
Alina
If I were you I
You
Tip!
Sometimes, by contracting negative modal verbs, we have a change in the main appearance of the verb. Such as:
He
Here in this example, 'won't' is the contracted form of 'will not'.
The modal verb 'can', has two negative forms, one is can not and the other is cannot which is used as a single term in formal writings. Remember we are not allowed to write cann't for contraction; the correct form is can't.
David
My sisters
Researchers must do more to ensure that human cells
However, it is rare to use shan't in informal and daily speaking English, it is the technical contracted form of 'shall not.'
I
How to Make Questions with Modals?
Modals are also used when making questions. In this case, we put the modal verb at the beginning of the sentence. In wh- questions we put the interrogative word at the beginning of the sentence followed by a yes/no question.
How Modals Work in Tag Questions?
'Modals' can appear in tag questions as well. They are made without the main verb being expressed (Can he?, Would they?). Generally, when the main sentence is affirmative the following tag question must be negative and vice versa.
He can speak Italian,
They wouldn't follow us,
You cannot be more patient,
I shouldn't call him,
Punctuation
You must have a comma before tag questions.
You won't never ever leave me, will you?
Jake should start practicing for the big match, shouldn't he?
Are Modal Verbs Different from Auxiliary Verbs?
Modals are a special kind of auxiliary verbs. That is why they are also called modal auxiliary verbs.
| modal verbs | auxiliary verbs | |
|---|---|---|
| making the tense/voice | ✘ | ✔ |
| can be conjugated | ✘ | ✔ |
| making the inversion/negation | ✔ | ✔ |
| being used more than once | ✘ | ✔ |
For example:
It
'Been' and 'have' are auxiliary verbs. So it is possible to have more than one auxiliary verbs in a sentence.
When there are both auxiliary verbs and modal verbs in a sentence, the modal is used for negation or interrogation. Look:
I
She
Review
Modal verbs precede the main verb to give more information about the function of a verb. These verbs are used to express probability, possibility, ability, obligation, advice, permission, prohibition, lack of necessity, habits by using the following words as modal verbs:
- can
- could
- may
- might
- must
- will
- would
- shall
- should
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