Modal Verbs And Auxiliary verbs

Modal Verbs and Auxiliary verbs

Modal verbs are verbs that are used in combination with a normal verb. They express meanings such as permission, certainty, possibility and necessity.  

Auxiliary Verbs are verbs that help the main verb to express tense, grammatical aspect, voice, etc.

While auxiliary verbs help make questions and negatives and put a verb in a particular tense, modal verbs add a special meaning.

MODAL VERBS

The commonly used modal verbs are can, could, may, might, will(shall), would, should, must, and ought to.

CAN

Can usually expresses ability.

1. I can swim for 1 hour without stopping.
2. We can do it.

 COULD

1. ‘Could’ is used as the past tense of can

1. I could swim across the river when I was young.
2. We could not do it on time.

Note: Don’t use ‘çouldn’t’ and ‘able to’ together.

2. ‘Could’ is also used formally for polite request.

3. Could you pass me the salt?
4. Could you explain this lesson to me?

3. Future Possibility 

5. Interest rates could rise next year depending on economic conditions.
6. We could meet in the weekend if our schedules allow.

4. Conditional Future

‘Could’ is used in conditional sentences to talk about hypothetical future situations.

If I won the lottery, I could buy a new house.

MAY

1. May is used to take permission.

1. May I come in?
2. When may I call you?
3. May I borrow your car?

B.   May is also used to express possibility in affirmative sentences. Can is used in the corresponding   negative or interrogative sentences.

1. It may rain as it is cloudy.
2. It may be true.
3. It can’t be true.
4. Can it be true?

C.   May is used to express hope or wish.

1. May you find happiness.
2. May God bless you.
3. May you succeed in all your endeavours.

MIGHT

1.  Both ‘may’ and ‘might’ are used to express a possibility or uncertainty about present or future events.

1. I might (or may) go to the party tonight if I finish my work on time.
2. It might (or may) rain later, so you should take an umbrella.
3. She might (or may) be busy right now, so I'll call her later.
4. He’s worried he might (or may) be late.

2. ‘Might have’ can also be used to express past possibilities.

5. She might have taken a different route and avoided the traffic.
6. Where’s my wallet? – You might have left it in your jacket.

3. Might can imply a hypothetical situation.

7. If he had known, he might have reacted differently.
8. If he had studied harder, he might have passed the exam.

SHALL

In modern English, will is preferred. Shall is used in one manner- Questions with shall I/we are used to take advice.

1. Shall I open the window?
2. Where shall we go?
3. Which car shall I buy?

SHOULD

1. Should is the past form of shall. It is used to express duty or obligation.

1. We should respect elders.
2. You should keep your promise.
3. Children should study and play.
4. Everyone should speak the truth.
5. All citizens should perform their duties towards the nation.

B.  Should is also used to express probability

1. He should be in the library now.

C.   Should have indicates that something required has not been done.

1. You should have been more careful.

2. The teacher should have known the answer.

3. The officer should have done this on time.

MUST

‘Must’ gives more stress than ‘should’ when you are talking of an obligation.

1. Must is used to express obligation or necessity. It is used to talk about an action which, if not done, may cause harm. Must is used for the present or the near future. It has no past form.

1. You must improve your handwriting.
2. We must follow traffic rules.
3. People must help one another in difficult times.

2. Must can also express logical certainty.

1. Living in such crowded conditions must be difficult.
2. She must have left already.
3. You must have felt nervous speaking in front of 200 people.

OUGHT TO

1. Ought to expresses moral obligation or desirability.

1. We ought to love our neighbours.
2. We ought to help him.
3. You ought to know better.

2. Ought to can also be used to express probability.

1. Prices ought to come down soon.
2. This book ought to be very useful.

WOULD

‘He would’ can also be written as He’d

1. Would is used as the past tense of will.

1. We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn't go to sleep.
2. Dad wouldn't lend me the car, so we had to take the train.

2. Would is also used to talk about typical behaviour, things that we did often in the past:

1. When I was young, I would climb trees in my father’s farm.
2. When they were children, they used to spend their holidays at their grandmother's at the seaside. They would get up early every morning and have a quick breakfast. Then they 'd run across the road to the beach.

3. Would is used to make requests.

1. Would you please be quiet?
2. Would you take down the notes?

4. Would is used to make hypotheses.

1. It would be very expensive to stay in a hotel.
2. She would be too tired to work after a busy day.
3. I wish I would be the principal of college.

5. Would is used in conditionals in past tense.

1. If I had the money, I'd buy a new car.

2.   You would lose weight if you took more exercise.

3.  If he got a new job, he would probably make more money.

6. Would can indicate a future action from a past perspective.

Here, we are talking about an action that was in the future at the time of speaking or thinking, but which is now in the past. This is often seen in reported speech or narrative contexts.

1. Direct Speech (Present): "I will be here before 8:00pm.”

Reported Speech (Past): He said that he would be there before 8 pm.

2. Direct Speech (Present): "I will finish the project by tomorrow."

Reported Speech (Past): He said that he would finish the project by that day. (you can mention the date).

AUXILIARY VERBS

Auxiliary means ‘helping’. These are helping verbs. They help to express the tense and voice of the verb. They include- be, have and do.

Be- is, am, are, was, were, will be

Have- have, has, had

Do- do, does, did

Need, dare, used to, is to.

BE

Is, am, are, were, was

The auxiliary be is used

1. In the formation of Continuous tenses

1. He is working.
2. I am eating.
3. They are talking.
4. He was driving.
5. We were enjoying.

2. In the formation of Passive Voice.

1. The gate is opened by the gatekeeper.
2. The thief was caught.
3. Rice was distributed.
4. Work was done on time.
5. All were gone.

HAVE

Have, has, had

1. ‘Have’ is used in the formation of Perfect tenses

1. He has worked for 7 hours
2. We have rested the whole day.
3. She had gone home after finishing her work.
4. I will have read (3rd form) this book by evening.
5. Does she have a car?

2. Have is used with the infinitive (to+ verb) to indicate obligation or necessity.

1. She has to be there by 8am.
2. They have to submit the report today.
3. He had to move the furniture himself.

3. In the negatives and the questions, have to and had to are used with do, does, did.

1. He doesn’t have to go.
2. They don’t have to work.
3. She didn’t have to attend the meeting.
4. Does he have to catch the bus?
5. Do we have to report to the head office?
6. Did she have to go to the office?

DO

Do, does, did

1. ‘Do’ is used to form the negative and the interrogative of the simple present and the simple past tenses of verbs.

1. He doesn’t work.
2. They don’t work.
3. He didn’t work.
4. When does the next train arrive?
5. Did he work?

2. To avoid the repetition of the verb.

1. Do you know him? Yes, I do.
2. Kavita Krishnamurthy sings well. Yes, she does.
3. He eats wafers and so do I.

3. ‘Do’ is also used to emphasize

1. You do look pale.
2. I told him not to go but he did go.
3. She does understand but she can’t act.

EXERCISE:

Choose the correct alternative

1. I don’t think I (will, should, can) be able to go.
2. He (will, dare) not pay unless he is compelled.
3. You (should, would, ought) be punctual.
4. I wish you (should, would, must) tell me earlier.
5. (Shall, Will, Would) I assist you?
6. (Shall, Should, Would) you please help me with this?
7. You (ought, should, must) to pay your debts.
8. He said I (can, might, should) use his telephone at any time.
9. If you (shall, should, would) see him, give him my regards.
10. He (need, dare, would) not ask for a rise, for fear of losing his job.
11. I (needn’t to see, needn’t have seen, didn’t need to see) him, so I sent a letter.
12. (Shall, Might, Could) you show me the way to the station?
13. To save my life I ran fast and (would, could, was able to) reach safely.
14. I (would, used, ought) to be an atheist but now I believe in God.
15. You (needn’t, wouldn’t, mustn’t) light a match; the room is full of gas.
16. The prime minister (would, need, is to) make a statement tomorrow.
17. You (couldn’t wait, didn’t need to wait, needn’t have waited) for me; I could have found all the way right.
18. I was afraid that if I asked him again, he (can, may, might) refuse.
19. She (would, dare) sit outside her garden gate for hours at a time, looking at the passing traffic.
20. (Should, Would, Shall) you like another cup of coffee?
21. I wish he (should, will, would) not play his wireless so loudly.
22. I (am to leave, would leave, was to have left) on Thursday. But on Thursday I had a terrible cold.
23. He (used, is used, was used) to play cricket before his marriage.
24. (Shall, Will, Would) I carry the box into the house for you?
25. He (will, can, might) come but I should be surprised.