Se utiliza para expresar habilidad u oportunidad, para solicitar u ofrecer permiso y para mostrar posibilidad. La forma negativa de "Can" es "Can't".
Examples
Habilidad:
I can speak French.
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Imposibilidad:
I can't help you.
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Solicitud:
Can you give me those bags?
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Posibilidad:
We can go to the cinema this weekend.
Permiso:
You can leave now.
El pasado de "Can" es "Could". Podemos usar "be able to" en lugar de "Can" para hablar sobre el pasado o el futuro.
Examples
She could run fast when she was young.
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Cars will be able to fly in the future.
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She was able to run fast when she was young.
They were able to win a game in the 90's.
Se utiliza para hablar de una habilidad en el pasado. También podemos usar "was/were able to" en vez de "Could".
La forma negativa de "Could" es "Could not" y su contracción es "Couldn't".Examples
Tom could jump higher 10 years ago.
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Tom was able to jump higher 10 years ago.
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She couldn't sleep well when the baby was born.
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I could run a marathon in my twenties.
Se puede utilizar para hablar de una posibilidad o probabilidad. También se utiliza para hacer sugerencias y peticiones.
Examples
Sugerencia:
Rose could help you if you want to.
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Posibilidad:
I could go with you.
Probabilidad:
It could rain tomorrow.
Solicitud:
Could you close the door, please?
Se utiliza para hablar de posibilidad. También se puede utilizar para hablar sobre una posibilidad en el futuro, como el Modal "Could".
La forma negativa de "May" es "May not".
Examples
It may rain today.
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It may not be good.
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We may go to the cinema.
It may snow tomorrow.
Emma may want to have a drink now.
Puede utilizarse "May" para dar permiso o instrucciones. En la forma interrogativa, el uso de "May" suena mas cortes que "Can" o "Could".
Examples
May I have a coffee?
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You may use your cell phone now.
She may arrive at 10 p.m.
May I leave now?
"Might" es otro Modal verb con el mismo significado que "May", pero este ultimo indica mas certeza o probabilidad.
Ten en cuenta que también utilizamos "Might" en lugar de "May" para hablar del Pasado. La forma negativa de "Might" es "Might not".
Examples
They might not visit you tonight.
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She might win the race.
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He might have gone out last Saturday.
You might try tomorrow.
Se utiliza para hablar sobre el futuro, hacer promesas y ofertas, expresar decisiones espontáneas, planes y predicciones.
La forma en pasado de "Will" es "Would".
Su forma negativa es "Will not" y la contracción es "Won't" (esta ultima es mas usada).
Examples
Oferta:
I will help you with those bags.
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I won't tell anyone, I promise.
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Plan:
We will go on vacations next summer.
Decisión espontánea:
I will go with you.
I will use the stairs.
Promesa:
I will help you with your homework.
Predicción:
Cars will fly by 2050.
"Shall" tiene el mismo significado que "Will" pero es mas formal, por lo que utilizamos "Shall" para hablar con un superior, una persona desconocida o una autoridad.
Es común utilizar "Shall" cuando queremos pedir consejo u opinion.
La forma negativa de "Shall" es "Shall not".
Examples
Shall I tell her?
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He shall not be fired.
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I'm cold. Shall I close the window?
I shall never forget you.
"Should" y "Ought to" tienen un significado muy similar. Los utilizamos para hablar sobre obligaciones y recomendaciones.
Escribimos "Should" y "Ought to" seguido por la forma infinitiva del Verbo. Sus formas negativas son "Shouldn't" y "Oughtn't".
Examples
They should do it now.
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You ought to study every day.
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He oughtn't call her like that.
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He shouldn't call her like that.
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You look tired, you should go to bed.
It should be cloudy tomorrow.
You shouldn't eat sweets before dinner.
Hay algunas diferencias sutiles entre "Should" y "Ought to".
"Should" se utiliza a menudo para dar consejos, mientras que "Ought to" tiene que ver con el deber moral.
Ten en cuenta que "Should" es mas utilizado, especialmente en la forma negativa o interrogativa.
Examples
You should tell him the truth.
Emma shouldn't go out so late at night.
You ought to visit your grandpa more often.
Should I call the doctor?
Children ought to respect old people.
"Must" y "Have to" son bastante similares, se utilizan para hablar sobre obligaciones y son seguidos por la forma infinitiva del Verbo.
Hay algunas diferencias de significado, utilizamos "Must" para expresar opiniones personales sobre lo que debería ser hecho, en cambio, "Have to" se utiliza para expresar una obligación externa impuesta por otra persona.
utilizamos "Must" para hablar sobre una probabilidad o suponer algo.
Examples
We must leave now.
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They have to study a lot for tomorrow.
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Obligación Personal:
I must brush my teeth every day.
Suposición:
John must be at home.
Impuesto por la ley:
You have to use the seatbelt when driving.
Dicho por el docente:
You must study for tomorrow.
La forma negativa de "Must es "Mustn't". La forma negativa de "Have to" depende del sujeto, "Don't/Doesn't have to". Hay diferencias de significado.
utilizamos "Mustn't" para hablar de prohibiciones pero utilizamos "Don't/Doesn't have to" cuando no hay una obligación.
También se utiliza "Must" para hacer preguntas retóricas.
Examples
No hay necesidad:
I don't have to cook dinner.
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Prohibición:
You mustn't smoke in public areas.
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No hay obligación:
You don't have to come if you don't want to.
Pregunta retórica:
Must she talk to you in that way?
"Would" se utiliza para hablar sobre el pasado o sobre el futuro en el pasado, es el pasado de "Will". También utilizamos "Would" en las oraciones Condicionales.
También se utiliza para expresar deseo, opiniones o hacer pedidos con cortesía.
Generalmente utilizamos "Would" seguido por la forma infinitiva del verbo principal.
Examples
Opinion:
I would call Tom if I were you.
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Futuro en el pasado:
Last Saturday I would have gone with you.
Pedido con cortesía:
Would you help me with the shopping bags, please?
Pedido con cortesía:
Would you like to go to the theatre?
Deseo:
If I had money I would buy a plane.
La forma corta de "Would" es ('d). Su forma negativa es "Wouldn't".
Examples
I wouldn't go there.
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She'd work harder if she had time.
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If I had my wallet, I'd pay for the pizza.
We wouldn't eat that.
He'd like to go to New Zealand some day.
1 Modals are complementary verbs.
2 The sentence "I think it could rain tomorrow" is an example of…
3 "Should" and "Ought to" have very different meanings.
4 The negative form of Would is…
5 Which of the following sentences sounds more polite?
6 The Past form of Can is…
7 We also use Would in the Conditional sentences.
8 Which of the following Modal verbs is used to express ability?
9 Which of these Modals is more formal?
10 We use Mustn't to talk about prohibitions.
11 Which of the following Modal verbs is used to talk about an ability in the past?
12 Which of the following sentences expresses a prohibition?
13 The verb after the Modal verb is generally written in the…
14 Which of the following sentences is a request?
15 Will is used to make promises.
