MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs, or modal verbs, are those English verbs that help a sentence have a better
meaning thanks to its function. You can use them when you want to give another meaning
to a sentence. For example, if you want to ask permission to speak or to know if they could
come looking for you.

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that cannot function as a main verb, unlike the auxiliary
verbs "be", "do" and "have" that can function as a main verb.

Modal verbs express modality, ability, possibility, need or other condition. We use them for
the future and the conditional.

As complementary verbs that are, modal verbs do not work without another verb. This
other verb always goes after the modal verb and is in the base form (the infinitive without
"to"). Modal verbs are not conjugated and have no time.

Then, these verbs that serve as auxiliary verbs, seek to give a specific meaning to certain
actions

MAY

Usos más importantes de may

1. Permiso, sobre todo en preguntas:

- May I disturb you for a moment? / ¿Puedo molestarle un momento?

- May I put the light on? / ¿Puedo encender la luz?

Nota:
Para expresar poder de permiso con may, puede utilizarse también can y could en
el lenguaje más informal.

May not puede usarse para denegar permiso y para prohibir en el estilo formal:

Students may not use the staff car park / Los estudiantes no pueden usar el
aparcamiento del profesorado.
Nota:
Must not también se emplea para prohibir. Es más fuerte y enfático que may not:
Students must not use the staff car park

'May I borrow your car?' 'No, you may not.' / '¿Me prestas tu coche?' 'No, no te lo
presto.'

2. Posibilidad:

We may go to Paris this summer. / Puede que vayamos a Paris este verano.
You may be right. / Puede que tengas razón.

Nota:
It may not be true. – Puede que no sea verdad.
It can’t be true. – No puede ser verdad. (imposibilidad)

Para preguntar por la posibilidad de algo no se suele usar may, sino can:

Can it be true? - ¿Puede ser verdad?

3. Peticiones corteses:

May I have some more cake, please?

¿Puedo tomar más pastel, por favor?/¿Me das un poco más de pastel, por favor?

En frases interrogativas, el uso de may” es más educado que “can” o “could”.

Ejemplos:

May I have a glass of water?(¿Podría tomar un vaso de agua?)

May I leave now?(¿Podría salir ahora?)

4. Matiz concesivo:

It may be a longer route, but it’s much quicker.

Puede que sea un camino más largo, pero es mucho más rápido.

MIGHT

Usos más importantes de might

1. Posibilidad: El empleo de might en lugar de may indica que la probabilidad es

más remota:

I may go to Barcelona tomorrow. (Tal vez una posibilidad del 50%)

Juan might come with me. (Tal vez una posibilidad del 30%)
2. Permiso o peticiones corteses:

Might I open this bottle of wine? / ¿Podría abrir este botella de vino?

Nota:
En este tipo de expresiones es más frecuente emplear may

3. Matiz concesivo:

It might be a longer route, but it’s much quicker.

Puede que sea un camino más largo, pero es mucho más rápido.

4. En estilo indirecto, equivalente a may en el directo.

'May I sit down?', she asked? / '¿Puedo sentarme?', preguntó

(estilo directo)

She asked if she might sit down – Preguntó sí podía sentarse.

(estilo indirecto)

would

Would is an auxiliary verb - a modal auxiliary verb. We use would mainly to:

 talk about the past

 talk about the future in the past
 express the conditional mood

We also use would for other functions, such as:

 expressing desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope, wish and regret

Structure of would

The basic structure for would is:

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb

would

Note that:
  The auxiliary verb would is invariable. There is only one form: would
 The main verb is usually in the base form (He would go).
Look at the basic structure again, with positive, negative and question sentences:

subject auxiliary not main verb

would base

+ I would like tea.

- She would not go.

? Would you help?

Note that the main verb is sometimes in the form:

 have + past participle (He would have gone)

 be + -ing (He would be going)

Se usa “would” para declarar una preferencia y para preguntar por algo educadamente.

Ejemplos:

She would like to go to New York someday.(Le gustaría ir a Nueva York algún día.)

I would like a beer and my wife would like a glass of wine please. (Me gustaría una cerveza
y a mi mujer le gustaría una copa de vino por favor.)

Would you like some coffee? (¿Le gustaría un cafe?)

Would you help me please? (¿Me ayudas por favor?)

When would you like to go to the movies? (¿Cuándo te gustaría ir al cine?)

Nota: Se usa “would” en frases condicionales. Ver la lección sobre frases condicionales para más
información sobre el uso de “would”.
Could

Como pasado de can, could se traduce al español por pretérito indefinido o pretérito
imperfecto.

- She couldn’t phone you. / No te pudo llamar.

- He could play the piano. / Sabía tocar el piano.

Pero could, frecuentemente, expresa aspectos que nada tienen que ver con el tiempo
pasado, así que debe traducirse entonces al español por condicional o por pretérito
imperfecto de subjuntivo, según los casos.

- Could you pass the salt, please? / ¿Podrías pasar la sal por favor?
- I’d marry her tomorrow, if I could. / Me casaría con ella mañana si pudiera.

Usos mas importantes de could

1. Poder hacer algo:

I tried, but I couldn’t open this bottle / Intenté pero no pude abrir esta botella.

2. Saber hacer algo:

I could speak German when I lived in Germany. / Sabía hablar alemán cuando vivía en
Alemania.

Nota:
Al igual que can, could significa saber sólo en el sentido de tener habilidad para
hacer algo; en el sentido de tener conocimiento de algo se emplea to know:

I knew she had been with another man / Sabía que había estado con otro hombre.

3. Peticiones corteses:

Could you do me a favor? / ¿Podrías hacerme un favor?

Nota:
Como en español, could resulta más cortés que can

(podrías es más cortés que puedes)

4. Estilo indirecto, equivalente a can en el directo:

"I can see you next Thursday", she said. / "Puedo verte el jueves que viene", dijo ella.
(estilo directo)

She said that she could see me next Thursday. / Dijo ella que podría verme el jueves
que viene.
(estilo indirecto)

5. Permiso (más informal que 'may'):

Could I make a phone call? – ¿Podría hacer una llamada?

6. Posibilidad

He could be out at this time of the afternoon. / El podría estar fuera a esta hora de la
tarde.
Activity

Test your understanding with these 20 sentences.

1.- I think that I _______ help you with this homework next week.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

2.- Start eating without me, I ____ be late.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

3.- I ____ like to learn English someday.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

4.- Glen ____ come with us to the movies if he finishes his work.
a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

5.- ____ you like to go a see a movie?. It will premiere at Mar Plaza: Terminator
Dark Fate.
a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

6.- I ____ eat my dinner last night, my stomach hurt.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) couldn't
7.- Start eating without me, I ____ be late.
a) could
b) would
c) might
d) couldn't

8.- Nobody knew that one day he _____ be rich.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

9.- My father _____ run faster when he was younger.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

10.- It’s cloudy, It _____ rain

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

11.-I _____ be your teacher, if you paid me more than you expert.
a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

12.-I _____ finish the report today. It is only decision and will.
a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

13.- _____ you hand me that please? I urgently need some work.
 a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

14.-She _____ listen, if you talked to her

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

15.- If you lend me some money, I _____ go with you

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

16.- _____ you agree with someone like me?

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

17.-It _____ rain later. I will take an umbrella.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

18.-I _____ not have the time to help you.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

19.-Without the natural equipment of hearing. Even though he _____ hear and
speak.
a) could
b) would
c) might
 d) may

20.-It was an idea which anyone _____ have developed.

a) could
b) would
c) might
d) may

ANSWERS
1) c
2) c
3) b
4) d
5) b
6) d
7) c
8) b
9) a
10) d
11) b
12) a
13) a
14) b
15) a
16) b
17) d
18) d
19) c
20) c