Modal Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, and

Adverbs

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

a. determine the forms and functions of modals;
b. differentiate modal verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs; and,
c. communicate ideas using the different forms and functions of modals.

Write O if the statement expresses obligation, R if recommendation, P if

possibility, N if necessity, or C if certainty.

1. _ It is necessary for parents to guide their children in homeschooling.

2. We should try this new restaurant.
3. It is possible that they are siblings because of their resemblance.
4. You must be her younger sister.
5. This must be thrown away.
6. She surely doesn’t remember who I am.
7. _ You should always respect your elders.
8. Teachers don’t necessarily have to meet their students face to face.
9. _ Elie might not want to join us anymore next time.
10. The probability that the rain would stop tonight is low.

Identify the meaning of the words in bold letters through context clues. Write the
letter of your answer before the number.
1. No one is certain about where Covid-19 started. Even the World Health
Organization failed to identify it.
2. Face masks have become a necessity now. You will not be allowed to
enter establishments without it.
3. Many got scared of a high probability of new COVID-19 wave when
Metro Manila shifted to General Community Quarantine too soon.
4. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused breaks in our food chain,
resulting in scarcity of products like beef and pork in some stores.
5. With our strength as Filipinos, we will definitely overcome COVID-19,
just as how we overcame a lot of challenges in the past.

a. Without a doubt c. essential e. abundance

b. Sure d. possibility f. shortage

1
 Karen is the new school girl. After a week, her class adviser wants to know how
she is getting along with her classmates, so she asks some of her classmates
separately during their free time.

Adviser: Are you friends with Karen?

Student A: We are not friends, but we are not enemies either. We know each
other’s names. She’s the new girl in our class, right?
Student B: We can be friends. We are not friends at the moment but it is easily
possible. We just haven’t had the chance to be together yet.
Student C: We might be friends someday. We belong to different circles and have
spoken to one another occasionally.
Student D: We may be friends. She and I have been groupmates several times
already and she is nice to me, but we have no real bonding moment or
affirmation until now.
Student E: We will be friends. I’m sure of it. We have a lot in common: personality,
interests and hobbies.
Student F: We should be friends, too bad if not…
Student G: We must be friends. We need each other’s help all the time. I’m weak at
those subjects she’s good at, and vice versa. We complement each other.
Student H: Yes, we are friends. We ate lunch together every day and we know
each other very well. We share secrets.

The underlined words are called MODAL VERBS. They are added to the
main verb to further clarify its meaning. Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that
express probability (from impossible, possible to certain) or urgency of an
action or state of being. It allows a speaker to be precise with meaning even if he
does not intend to be categorical, since words are not always absolute, having
varying shades of meaning. Modality like the “gray” between black and white and
the “maybe” between Yes and No.

Here are some characteristics of modal verbs:

• They never change their form. You cannot add “s”, “ed”, or “ing” to it
• It is followed by an infinitive but without the word “to”.
• They appear before the base form of the main verb like play, work, run, or

Guide Questions:
1. Among those asked by Karen’s adviser, who is her actual friend?
2. Which modal expresses ability?
3. Which modals express levels of possibility? _
4. Which modal expresses certainty of futurity?
5. Suggestion or advice? _
6. Necessity or a strong belief?

2
 VIEWING WITH PARENTS

To learn more about the functions of modal verbs,

watch the following educational YouTube videos.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk9nQwoCFig
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oumWdjA9hM

Image: pngwing.com

NOTE TO PARENTS: Please assist your child in completing the table below based
on what they learned from the videos.

Functions Modal Verbs Own Examples

Rate the intensity of the modals in the conversation between Karen’s teacher
and her classmates from the lowest to the highest. Use the following symbols:
(lowest), (middle), and (highest). Be guided by the first item.

7. You (couldn’t / mustn’t / shouldn’t) eat so many hamburgers. They’re not

good for you.

8. You (can/ might/should) study during weekends.

9. You (may not/ must not /should not) worry. Everything will be okay.

33
 10. You (may/must/will) use your mobile phone in class

11. Diana looks happy. She (can/ will/ must) have heard some good news.

12. I’m not sure but I (cannot /could not/might not)be here tomorrow.

13. I (cannot / may not /might not) have left my mobile phone at school last
Friday, I still had it last night.

Apart from modal verbs, there are also modal nouns, modal adjectives and
modal adverbs. They express the following:
a. probability, doubt and certainty
b. degree or intensity
c. acceptance, belief, affirmation and urgency.

Modal Noun Modal Adjective Modal Adverb

ability able ably
certainty certain certainly
necessity necessary necessarily
probability probable probably
(im)possibility (im)possible (im)possibly
scarcity scarce scarcely
totality total totally

A. Modal Nouns are used as a subject, direct object, subjective

complement and appositive.

Examples:
a. The ability to adjust to any situation is typical of a Filipino.
(subject- the one being talked about in a sentence, usually at the
beginning)
b. The government mitigates the scarcity of medical supplies.
(direct object- receives the action “mitigates”)
c. One of the fears of the graduates is the uncertainty of finding a job.
(subjective complement- completes the meaning of the subject “fear”)
d. Everyone is praying for the cure or vaccine, a necessity to return to
normal lives.
(appositive- gives an additional information about the noun that it
follows “vaccine; an appositive is set off by a comma)

B. Modal Adjectives usually come before the noun it modifies,

Examples:
a. Certain drugs are given to a victim of the virus as supportive therapy.
b. Has anyone reported the total cases today?

34
 c. Scientists are tracing the probable origin of the virus.
d. All inactive but able health workers are called for duty.

Modal adjective may also describe the subject as a subjective complement.

The subjective complement comes after the linking verb.

Examples:
a. Alcohol is scarce due to hoarding
b. Daily sanitation of common areas is necessary.
c. Developing a vaccine within the month is impossible.

C. Modal Adverbs usually come before adjective or the verb it modifies.

Some Modal adverbs may also be considered adverbs of degree or
affirmation. Some modals have adjective and adverb forms only.

Adjective Form Adverb Form

(un)questionable (un)questionably
Absolute Absolutely
Apparent Apparently
Complete Completely
Definite Definitely
Obvious Obviously
Occasional Occasionally
Potential Potentially
Rare Rarely
serious Seriously
Sure Surely

Examples:
The mayor is elected for his unquestionable character.
His constituents unquestionably support him.

Trying out vaccines without FDA approval is potentially dangerous.

A newly discovered drug is considered a potential cure.

Annie has a rare blood type.

Doctors rarely find a person with the same blood type as Annie.

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with a suitable modal verb. MODAL VERBS
1. You not drive on the pavement. It’s illegal. can may
2. You not say that. It is not nice. could might
3. I _ go to work tomorrow because it’s a public holiday. will must
4. I buy this CD but I’m not sure. would
5. He’s not here. He _ have gone out. shall
6. You eat more vegetables. They’re good for you. should
7. You be 18 before you can buy liquor.

3
 Exercise 2. Write the sentences again without changing the meaning. Use
modal verbs.
8. It’s possible Mary didn’t see him
Mary _
9. I am certain to see Peter today.
Peter
10. My advice is that you stop.
You
11. Maybe London is one of our destinations.
We
12. I am sure Pierre is French
Pierre
13. It is not possible that Peter and Helen had a big fight last night.
Peter and Helen

Exercise 3. Complete the sentence with the correct modal, then write on the blank
before the number if it is a noun, adjective or adverb.
(ability, able, ably)
1. Amy is an _ leader
2. She performed her duties as class president.
3. She has the to lead the class.

(doubt, doubtful, doubtfully)

4. Romy is of his answer.
5. _ sometimes helps us to be more careful of our thoughts.
6. Neo _ chooses the blue pill.

(apparent, apparently)
7. The change in the appearance of the city is brought about
by the programs of the new mayor.
8. The window was forced open.

(complete, completely)
9. The teacher accomplishes a lesson for a week.
10. The students answered the lesson exit slips.

(definite, definitely)
11. Angelica has improved her reading skills.
12. She shows a improvement in reading.

(absolute, absolutely)
13. Regine and Lea rendered an brilliant performance.
14. Their concert was an success.

(total, totally, totality)

15. The _ of the stars in the universe can only be loosely
guessed at.
16. We have witnessed a eclipse this month.
17. We have a different teaching-learning setup.

(occasional, occasionally)
18. The proofreader found errors in the news article.
19. The proofreader found errors in the news article.

4
(obvious, obviously)
20. The suspect was lying.
21. The suspect shows signs of lying.

(serious, seriously)
22. The students took the entrance exam.
23. It is a matter.

Exercise 4. Think about these situations and write sentences using modal verb
(MV),modal adjective (MAdj), modal adverb (MAdv), and modal noun
(MN).

A. Students still need to continue their studies despite

the pandemic. What do they need to do or have?
(Use modals of necessity)
1. MV-
2. MAdj-
3. MAdv-

Image: freepik.com 4. MN-

B. Some students may be worried about going to school

because of the pandemic. What can you assure
them?
(Use modals of certainty.)
5. MV- _
6. MAdj-
7. MAdv-
Image: freepik.com
8. MN-

a. A modal verb is a type of _ verb that expresses a variety of

functions such as (give only four) _ , ,
_, and _.

Aside from modal verbs, there are also other modalities to express these
functions, and these are through , _,
and _.

b. Cross out which is not a characteristic of modal verb.

It never changes its form
It is followed by an infinitive but without the word “to”.
It is followed by the base form of the main verb.
It can be found after the main verb.

5
 c. Complete the table below with the correct form of the word.

Modal Noun Modal Adjective Modal Adverb

ability ably
certainty certain
necessary necessarily
probability probable probably
(im)possible (im)possibly
scarcity scarce scarcely
totality totally

Directions: Write a short essay about the theme: The Need for Continual
Learning amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Develop your essay using the following key words: online classes, Zoom meetings,
stagnation, boredom, face to face classes, new normal.

Remember to use modal verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.

Name: Gr. & Sec.: Date:

6
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of modal based on the function inside
the parenthesis.

As people around the world are taking precautions to protect themselves

from COVID-19, it is still 1. (necessity) that children 2.
(obligation) continue to learn in an environment that is
welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and supportive to all.
This is the reason why a lot of schools quickly thought of new solutions to
address the needs of their students at the time of pandemic. In only a matter of
weeks, COVID-19 has changed how students are educated around the world, and
these news ways 3. (probability) change the education system
for the better (or worse) in the long run.
There are 4. (certainty) people who 5. (possibility)
have difficulty embracing the new normal in education and it is
understandable, as this pandemic has 6. (certainty) caused us a
lot of discomfort especially in adjusting to the new teaching-learning setup. But to
find a silver lining in the situation, this pandemic has taught us a lot of life lessons.
It has reminded us of what is 7. (degree) essential, and of the
skills the students 8. (necessity) 9. (degree)
develop to face whatever form of threat that may come their
way. And these skills are decision-making, problem solving, and above all,
adaptability. When they get to master these skills, they 10. (certainty)
definitely become resilient people who can survive life.

Word Bank
truly certain sure
really certainly surely
will certainty sureness
should possibly necessity
must possible necessary
might possibility necessarily
could

7
 Name: Grade and Sec.

Directions: Share your reflections as you went through this module by completing
the following statement:

The activity I The things I learned

This module on Coping from this module
with Challenges enjoyed most in this
module is… are…
guides me to reflect
on …

The values I learned The part/s of the To explore and learn

that I could share to lesson I’m still having more about the topic, I
my family and friends difficulty should…
are… understanding is/are…