Modal |
Used in: |
Present |
Past |
can |
ability |
I can drive a car. |
|
possibility |
I can go to the zoo or visit my friends today. |
permission |
You can play now. |
request |
Can I play now? |
could |
ability |
|
I could sing when I was 6. |
request |
Could someone help me? |
|
suggestion |
We could help you. |
We could have helped you. |
possibility |
We could win this game. |
We could have won this game. |
permission |
Could I play now? |
|
may |
request |
May I have a cup of coffee? |
He may have been ill. |
permission |
May I start playing now? |
|
possibility |
He may be ill. |
|
might |
possibility |
He might be at home. |
He might have left his house. |
would |
request |
I'd like a cup of coffee. |
|
preference |
I'd rather sleep now. |
I'd rather have slept earlier. |
repeated past action |
|
We would go fishing every weekend ten years ago. |
must |
(+)necessity |
You must study harder. |
|
(-)prohibition |
You mustn't turn right here. |
|
possibility |
He must be at school |
He must have been at school. |
have to |
(+)necessity |
You have to leave now. |
He had to leave yesterday. |
(-)no necessity |
You don't have to leave now. |
He didn't have to leave yesterday. |
should |
advice |
You should try harder. |
You should have tried harder. |
possibility |
This should be fine. |
That should have been fine. |
ought to |
advice |
He ought to call soon. |
He ought to have called before. |
possibility |
The players ought to be tired. |
The Players ought to have been tired. |
had better |
advice |
You had better study harder. |
|
be able to |
ability |
He is able to play the piano. |
He was able to play the piano. |
supposed to |
(+)expectation |
I'm supposed to wait. |
I was supposed to wear uniform. |
(-)no necessity |
I'm not supposed to wait. |
I was not supposed to wait. |
allowed to |
(+)permission |
You are allowed to leave. |
You were allowed to leave. |
(-)prohibition |
You aren't allowed to leave. |
You weren't allowed to leave. |
be to |
(+)expectation |
I'm to prepare the document. |
I was to prepare the document. |
(-)prohibition |
I am to not leave early. |
I was to not leave early. |
used to |
repeated past action |
|
We used to go fishing every weekend. |
be used to |
habituation |
We are used to cold winters. |
We were used to cold winters. |