MODALS IN THE PAST FORM
¶ What is a modals?
Modals or Modal auxiliaries are used before main verbs
to add meaning to the main verbs.
ÿ EXAMPLE:
1. I will go to your
house next week. (Will is a modal, it adds meaning to main verb “go”)
2. Could I break your
gate now? (Could is a modal, it adds meaning to main verb “break”)
› What the patterns about the modals?
Positive => S + Modals + verb base + O/C
Negative => S + Modals + not + verb base + O/C
Interrogative => Modals + S + verb base + O/C ?
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PRESENT
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PAST
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CAN
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COULD
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MAY
|
MIGHT
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WILL
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WOULD
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SHALL
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SHOULD
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1 What
the functions about some modals in present?
1.
Can + Verb Base
\
To express abilities
Example : You can speak English
\ To give informal permissions
Example : You can leave the meeting now
\
To express polite informal requests
Example : Can I come to your house tonight
\
To express impossibilities (negative)
The news can’t be true
2.
May + Verb Base
\
To express polite request
Example : May I borrow your book?
\
To give formal permissions
Example : You may pick the roses
\
To express certainty (less than 50%)
Example : I don’t see Brian. He may be in the teacher room
3.
Will + Verb Base
\
To express certainty (50%)
Example : I will to Jakarta next moon
\ To express willingness
Example : The phone is ringing. I will pick it up
\ To express polite request
Example : Will you give me some cake, Risa?
4.
Shall + Verb Base
\
To ask for a suggestion politely
Example : Shall I close the door?
\
To express future tense for subject “I” and
“We”
Example : We shall gather in the school hall tomorrow.
0 What
the functions about some modals in past?
1. Could + Verb Base
\ To express ability to do something
Example: I could speak English
\
To express ability, subject to certain
conditions which probably do not exist
Example: I could go now, if I wanted to ( I don’t want to)
To express polite questions
Example: Could I go to cinema, please?
\
To express polite request
Example: Could you wait the moment, please?
\
To express polite offer
Example: I could lend you my car till tomorrow
\
To express polite suggestion
Example: Could we visit Grandma at the weekend?
\
To express possibility
Example: It could get very hot in Montana
2.
Might + Verb Base
\
To tell possibility
Example: It might rain tonight
I might accompany you, but it doesn’t
appear very likely
\
To express polite requests
Example: Might I borrow you brush?
\
To express hesitant offer
Example: Might I help you?
\
3. Would + Verb Base
To
express wish, request (more polite than will)
Example: Would you shut the door, please?
\
To
express habits in the past
Example: Sometimes he would bring me some
flowers
\
Insert
rather into the pattern and use this expression to express preferences
Example: I would rather visit Italia than
Somalia
4. Should + Verb Base
\
To give
definite advice (advisability)
Example: You should drive carefully in bad
weather
\
To
express the subject’s obligation or duty
Example: You should switch off the light when
you leave the room
