What Are Modals in English Grammar, Use of Modals, Modals Exercise With Examples
What Are Modals in English Grammar, Use of Modals, Modals Exercise With Examples
What Are Modals in English Grammar, Use of Modals, Modals Exercise With Examples
Examples
Modals Definition: Modals are special verbs that are different from normal verbs. They are never
used alone and are always followed by a principal verb. They provide additional information
about the principal verb. They are used to express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation,
necessity and ability.
The List of the Modals with their Positive and Negative forms is given below:
Positive Negative
3) The third and last use of Modal ‘will’ is that it tells about the characteristic, habit, assumption,
invitation or request and insistence.
1) The first rule for the use of Modal ‘Shall’ is that it expresses pure future with the first person
as the subject.
2) The second rule for the use of Modal ‘Shall’ is that it is used to ask for advice, suggestions,
requests, etc. with the first person in the interrogative.
3) The third rule for the use of Modal ‘Shall’ is that it is used to express command, threat,
warning, promise, assurance, determination, etc. with the second and third person as the subjects.
1) The first rule for the use of Modal ‘Should’ is that it is used to express duty, obligation,
advisability or desirability.
2) The second rule for the use of Modal ‘Should’ is that it is used to express logical interference,
supposition, assumption, possibility or probability.
3) The third rule for the use of Modal ‘Should’ is that it is used to express a purpose after ‘lest’.
Examples of Modal ‘Should’ are given below:
6) Leave on time, lest you should miss the train. (should after lest)
The rule for the use of Modal ‘May’ is that it is used to express possibility, permission, wish,
faith, hope or a purpose.
The rule for the use of Modal ‘Might’ is that it is used to express less possibility, permission or a
guess.
The rule for the use of Modal ‘Can’ is that it is used to express permission, possibility, ability or
capacity.
The rule for the use of Modal ‘Could’ is that it is used to express ability or capacity in the past,
polite request or a possibility under certain circumstances.
1) He could run very fast in his youth. (Ability/ Capacity in the past)
3) If we had money, we could have bought a house. (Possibility under certain conditions)
The rule for use of Modal ‘Must’ is that it is used to express obligation/ duty, necessity,
compulsion, prohibition, emphatic advice, determination, assumption, conclusion/ interference,
certainty/ strong probability.
The rule for the use of Modal ‘Have to’ is that it is used in the sense of must, to give advice or to
recommend something.
The main rule for the use of Modal ‘Need’ is that it chiefly shows the absence of necessity or
compulsion in the negative and interrogative sentences.
The rule for the use of Modal ‘Will’ is that it is used to express the subjects obligation or duty
and also it is used to give advice.
3) You ought to practise for more than 2 hours a day if you want to clear the exam.
Uses of Modal ‘Dare’
The rule for using the Modal ‘Dare’ is that it is used at places where we need to show courage. It
is generally used in negative and interrogative way.
The rule for the usage of Modal ‘Used to’ is that it is used to express past habits and to express
the existence of something in the past.
2) There used to be a door at this place long ago.(Existence of something in the past)