{"id":1902,"date":"2026-03-26T23:00:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T23:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/?post_type=gramatica&p=1902"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:12:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T16:12:39","slug":"modal-verbs","status":"publish","type":"gramatica","link":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/gramatica\/grammatical-tenses-mood-and-voice\/modal-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Modal Verbs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \n will<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n would<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n can<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n could<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n must<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n mustn't<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n should = ought to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n needn\u2019t<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n may\/might<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There are four options to use the modal verbs according to the same rules seen for the tenses above. The form after the modal is always infinitive<\/span> (verb or auxiliaries \"be\" or \"have\").<\/p>

Might (not) <\/span>do<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Might (not) <\/span>be<\/span> doing<\/span><\/p>

Might (not) <\/span>have<\/span> done<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Might (not) <\/span>have<\/span> been<\/span> doing<\/span><\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n
\n \n Interrogative form<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Modal verbs work as auxiliaries:<\/p>

Will <\/span>you come<\/span> tomorrow? \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Would <\/span>she have<\/span> done<\/span> it?<\/p>

What must<\/span> teachers do?<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 What might<\/span> they be <\/span>doing<\/span>?<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Would <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n Conditionnal<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If I had the time, I would <\/span>do<\/span> lots of things. I would <\/span>hang out <\/span>with my friends and we would<\/span> play<\/span> football.<\/p>

They would<\/span> be<\/span> enjoying<\/span> with us right now if they had come.<\/p>

She wouldn't<\/span> have <\/span>accepted<\/span> if you had asked her.<\/p>

What would<\/span> you like <\/span>to drink? I'd<\/span> like<\/span> a coke, please.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n Past routine<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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At the beggining of August I started to train again and so I \u2018d\/would<\/span> do<\/span> mostly the same everyday. I \u2018d<\/span>\/<\/span>would<\/span> meet <\/span>my friends every morning and then I\u2019d <\/span>have<\/span> lunch at home. In the afternoon I \u2018<\/span>d<\/span> go<\/span> to the swimming pool and then in the evening I \u2018d<\/span> go<\/span> to train. After that, I \u2018d<\/span> go<\/span> back home, have <\/span>a shower and have<\/span> dinner. Finally, I \u2018d<\/span> meet<\/span> my friends until midnight and then go <\/span>to bed.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Will <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\ud83d\udcd8<\/div>\n
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Negative :\u00a0won't<\/strong>\u00a0(will not)<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n Future<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I will <\/span>tell<\/span> her tomorrow. She won't<\/span> be <\/span>expecting<\/span> it.<\/p>

Will<\/span> they have<\/span> left <\/span>by the time I come home?<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n
\n \n = accept, want<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Will<\/span> you marry<\/span> me? Yes, I will.<\/span><\/p>

I told him many times but he won't<\/span> do<\/span> it!<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Can\/could\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Can: Present
Could: Past simple and Conditionnal<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n
\n \n (Un)ability, (in)capacity, (im)possibility, (im)probability, prohibition<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I can\/could<\/span> play <\/span>the guitar but I can't\/couldn't<\/span> play<\/span> the piano. (ability\/unability)<\/p>

Can\/ Could <\/span>you lift <\/span>this stone? (capacity)<\/p>

This problem can't\/couldn't<\/span> be <\/span>resolved. (possibility)<\/p>

I could<\/span> have <\/span>helped<\/span> you if you had asked me (conditionnal possibility\/capacity)<\/p>

He can't <\/span>have<\/span> done<\/span> it, he wasn't there, (improbability\/impossibility)<\/p>

You can't <\/span>smoke<\/span> here! (prohibition, not allowed)<\/p>

\"Can\" has no future form so \"equivalents<\/strong>\" are used instead<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Equivalents<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n to be able to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n to be capable of<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n to be allowed to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n to be (im)possible<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n (im)probable<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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May\/might\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n 50\/50 probability (= maybe, perhaps, probable that\u2026)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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He may\/might <\/span>go<\/span> to the cinema tonight. (future probability)<\/p>

I might not<\/span> be <\/span>selected for the match tomorrow (future improbability)<\/p>

They may\/might<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> sleeping <\/span>when we called, (past probability)<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Must<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n High probability<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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He must<\/span> be<\/span> sleeping<\/span>, I can't hear him.<\/p>

You must<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> tired after that long journey.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n
\n \n Obligation <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You must<\/span> do <\/span>your homework!<\/p>

They must<\/span> do<\/span> their job, it's their duty.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Equivalents<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n to have to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n to be one's obligation to...<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mustn't\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n Obligation not to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You mustn't<\/span> cross <\/span>the street when the light is red!<\/p>

You mustn't <\/span>tell<\/span> lies!<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Needn\u2019t\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n No necessity <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You needn't<\/span> worry<\/span>, everything's fine!<\/p>

You needn't<\/span> have<\/span> brought<\/span> the book because I've got it.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Equivalents<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n not have to<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \n to be not necessary<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Should, ought to \n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n
\n \n Advice, reproach, regret<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You should <\/span>study <\/span>more for the exams, (advice)<\/p>

She shouldn't<\/span> do<\/span> that, it's dangerous.(advice)<\/p>

They should<\/span> have <\/span>told <\/span>me first! Now, it's too late! (reproach)<\/p>

We shouldn't <\/span>have<\/span> been<\/span> sleeping<\/span> at that moment, (regret, reproach)<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Exercises<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n Modals present 1<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modal present 2<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals past 1<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals past 2<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals past 3<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals past 4<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals present and past 1<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Modals present and past 2<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":150,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"idioma":[3,29],"class_list":["post-1902","gramatica","type-gramatica","status-publish","hentry","idioma-ingles","idioma-subpagina"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/1902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/gramatica"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/1902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1974,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/1902\/revisions\/1974"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"idioma","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/idioma?post=1902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}