Modals and Semi-modals

Ability & Permission

100

Complete with a modal of ability: "Olga ___ speak English."

can (Olga can speak English.)

200

Find and correct the error: "Olga can to speak English."

Olga can speak English. (Modals are followed by the simple form of the verb, without "to".)

300

Change to past ability: "I can run fast." (when I was a child)

I could run fast when I was a child.

400

Which modal expresses FORMAL permission? "You ___ leave the room."

may (You may leave the room.)

500

"Can" has no future form. Complete: "I will ___ help you tomorrow."

be able to (I will be able to help you tomorrow.)

Possibility & Certainty

100

100% certainty (future only): "He ___ be here at 6:00."

will (He will be here at 6:00.)

200

Name the THREE modals that express less than 50% certainty. ("Where's John?" "He ___ be at the library.")

may, might, could

300

95% certainty: "Mary isn't in class. She ___ be sick."

must (She must be sick.)

400

Change to the PAST: "He might be at the library." (yesterday)

He might have been at the library. (modal + have + past participle)

500

Impossibility (negative only): "That ___ be true!" Give TWO possible modals.

can't / couldn't (That can't be true! / That couldn't be true!)

Advice & Necessity

100

This modal of advice is followed by "to": "I ___ study tonight."

ought to (I ought to study tonight.)

200

Advice with a threat of a bad result: "You ___ be on time, or we will leave without you."

had better (You had better be on time...)

300

Change to the PAST: "I have to go to class today." (yesterday)

I had to go to class yesterday.

400

Explain the difference: "You must not open that door." vs. "You don't have to open that door."

must not = prohibition (it is forbidden); don't have to = lack of necessity (it is not necessary)

500

Past advisability (regret): "I ___ (study) last night, but I didn't."

should have studied / ought to have studied

Requests & Preferences

100

Polite request: "___ you please pass the salt?"

Will / Would / Could (Would you please pass the salt?)

200

Polite question to make a suggestion (with "I" or "we"): "___ I open the window?"

Shall (Shall I open the window?)

300

Preference: "I ___ go to the park than stay home."

would rather (I would rather go to the park than stay home.)

400

Polite way to say "want": "I ___ an apple, please."

would like (I would like an apple, please.)

500

Repeated action in the past: "When I was a child, I ___ visit my grandparents every weekend."

would (I would visit my grandparents every weekend.)

Semi-modals: Need & Dare

100

Use semi-modal NEED (no obligation): "You ___ take off your shoes."

needn't (You needn't take off your shoes.)

200

Find and correct the error: "How dare you to suggest she was lazy!"

How dare you suggest she was lazy! (no "to" after semi-modal dare)

300

Make a question with semi-modal NEED (no do/does/did): we / write this down

Need we write this down? (Not: Do we need write this down?)

400

In "Go on, I dare you." is DARE a main verb or a semi-modal? Why?

Main verb: it means "challenge somebody" and it has an object (you).

500

Rewrite using DARE as a semi-modal: "Doesn't he dare to go there?"

Daren't he go there?