MODAL AUXILIARIES

MODAL AUXILIARIES

Meaning added to the verb by the modal auxiliaries	Present time	Past time	Future time
ABILITY
can	can offer	Could offer	Can offer
Be able to	Am ( able to offer ) Is ( able to offer ) Are ( able to offer )	Was ( able to offer ) Were ( able to offer )	Shall ( able to offer ) Wall ( able to offer )
PERMMISSION
may	May ( offer ) Might ( offer )	Might offer	May ( offer ) Might (            offer )
can	Can ( offer ) Could ( offer )	Could offer	Can ( offer ) Could ( offer )
OBLIGATION ADVISIBILITY
should	Should offer	Should have offer	Should offer
ought to	Ought to offer	Ought to have offer	Ought to offer
NECESSITY
Must	Must offer	Had to offer	Must offer
Have to	Have ( to offer ) Has ( to offer )	Had to offer	Will ( offer ) Shall ( offer )
POSSIBILITY
May	May ( offer )	May ( have offer )	May  ( offer )
	Might ( offer )	Might ( have offer )	Might ( offer )

EXAMPLES :

        I.            ABILITY

a.       Can you type ?

b.      When I was young, I could/was able to climb any tree in the forest.

c.       Our baby will be able to walk in a few weeks.

      II.            PERMMISSION

a.       I may leave the office as soon as I have finished.

b.      Can I have a drink of water ?

c.       May I bring may my niece to your party tomorrow night ?

d.      In those day, anyone could enroll for this course.

    III.            OBLIGATION ( WHAT ONE IS EXPECTED TO DO )

a.       You should/ought to do your homework everyday.

b.      John should have gone to the dentist yesterday.

Ket : should and ought to, used for obligation, normally have the same meaning but should is the more usual form.

    IV.            ADVISIBILITY ( WHAT IS WIRE FOR ONE TO DO )

a.       She should/ought to eat less if she wants to lose weight.

a.       You shoukd/ought to study hard if you want to pass that examination.

        I.            NECESSITY

a.       This is an excellent book,you must/have to read it.

Ket : must is generally felt stronger than have to.

      II.            POSSIBILITY

a.       Tom may lend you the money.

b.      If you invinted him, he might come.

c.       If we had taken the other road, we might have arrived earlier.