TEMA 6: LOS MODALES – CAN, COULD, MUST Y SHOULD

 CAN, COULD, MUST y SHOULD son modales. Estos verbos:

- Siempre van seguidos de un verbo en la forma base: “I can sing”.
- No añaden –s en la 3ª persona del singular: “He must clean his room”.
- Forman la negativa solo con not o con la contracción n’t: “They shouldn’t
come”.
- Y la interrogativa poniendo el sujeto detrás del modal: Could you help me?

 CAN significa “saber” cuando expresa habilidad o capacidad de hacer algo y

“poder” cuando expresa posibilidad. En interrogativa se usa para pedir permiso o
un favor. La forma negativa más frecuente es can’t.
- Ejemplos: Our teacher can dance very well (Nuestro profesor sabe bailar
muy bien).
I’m sorry, I can’t go with you. (Lo siento, no puedo ir contigo).

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

I can swim I can’t swim Can I swim?
You can swim You can’t swim Can you swim?
He can swim He can’t swim Can he swim?
She san swim She can’t swim Can she swim?
It can swim It can’t swim Can it swim?
We can swim We can’t swim Can we swim?
You can swim You can’t swim Can you swim?
They can swim They can’t swim Can they swim?

 COULD es el pasado de can, así que expresa habilidad y posibilidad en el

pasado. La forma negativa es couldn’t y en interrogativa también sirve para
pedir permiso, pero de forma más educada que con can.
- Ejemplos: I couldn’t wash the dishes. (No pude lavar los platos).
Could I borrow your pencil? (¿Podrias prestarme tu lápiz?)
 AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
I could drive I couldn’t drive Could I drive?
You could drive You couldn’t drive Could you drive?
He could drive He couldn’t drive Could he drive?
She could drive She couldn’t drive Could she drive?
It could drive It couldn’t drive Could it drive?
We could drive We couldn’t drive Could we drive?
You could drive You couldn’t drive Could you drive?
They could drive They couldn’t drive Could they drive?

 MUST significa “deber” y expresa la necesidad, conveniencia u obligación de

hacer algo. En negativa, MUSTN’T expresa lo que no debemos hacer porque no
está bien o porque está prohibido.
- Ejemplos: We must finish our exam right now. (Debemos terminar el
examen ahora mismo).
We mustn’t eat noisily. (No debemos comer haciendo ruido).

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
I must study I mustn’t study
You must study You mustn’t study
He must study He mustn’t study
She must study She mustn’t study
It must study It mustn’t study
We must study We mustn’t study
You must study You mustn’t study
They must study They mustn’t study

 SHOULD es el modal con el que damos consejos y significa “deber / tener

que”. La forma negativa es shouldn’t y significa “no deber / no tener que”.
- Ejemplos: You should eat more vegetables. (Deberías comer más verduras).
You shouldn’t drink a lot of coffee. (No deberías beber mucho café).
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
I should clean I shouldn’t clean Should I clean?
You should clean You shouldn’t clean Should you clean?
He should clean He shouldn’t clean Should he clean?
She should clean She shouldn’t clean Should she clean?
It should clean It shouldn’t clean Should it clean?
We should clean We shouldn’t clean Should we clean?
You should clean You shouldn’t clean Should you clean?
They should clean They shouldn’t clean Should they clean?

 HAVE TO es el mismo modal que must y significa tengo que. Indica

obligación. La negativa de have to es don’t have to y significa no tengo porque,
es decir, ausencia de obligación.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

I have to clean I don’t have to clean Do I have to clean?
You have to clean You don’t have to clean Do you have to clean?
He has to clean He doesn’t have to clean Does he have to clean?
She has to clean She doesn’t have to clean Does she have to clean?
It has to clean It doesn’t have to clean Does it have to clean?
We have to clean We don’t have to clean Do we have to clean?
You have to clean You don’t have to clean Do you have to clean?
They have to clean They don’t have to clean Do they have to clean?