MODALS AND SEMI-MODALS

A) Los modales son verbos que actan como auxiliares y tienen unas caractersticas diferentes a los dems verbos. En este grupo incluimos: can, could, may, might, must, mustnt, neednt, should, ought to, will, would y shall. 1. Slo poseen una forma nica para todas las personas, por tanto, no aaden s en la tercera persona singular del Present Simple. 2. Carecen de algunos tiempos verbales. Para expresar la idea en los tiempos que les faltan tenemos que emplear otros verbos como: be able to, have to, etc. Ex: I cant swim now, but next year I will be able to swim. I must study today because yesterday I had to help my mother. 3. No necesitan ningn auxiliar para formar la interrogativa ni la negativa. Ex: He cannot speak English. May I come in? 4. Siempre van seguidos de otro verbo en la forma base. Ex: I must go now. He should listen to me. 5. No tienen infinitivo, es decir, nunca se nombran poniendo to delante de ellos. Ex: We are going to study the verbs can and may. Then well revise the verbs to be and to have. Esto significa que en caso de necesitarlo, tenemos que utilizar los otros verbos que los complementan. Ex: I want to be able to study. B) Los verbos semimodales, como need, son aquellos que pueden usarse a veces como modales y otras como verbos normales. Ex: He neednt come. (Aqu es modal y por tanto, no emplea auxiliar para negar, va seguido de otro verbo en la forma base y no lleva s en la tercera persona del singular del Present Simple.) He doesnt need to be here. (En este caso es un verbo normal, ya que utiliza auxiliar para negar, lleva s en tercera persona del singular y va seguido de un infinitivo con to.)

CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO

A) Habilidad, capacidad o conocimiento para hacer algo: saber, poder - He can see the sea from our window. - She could speak English at the age of three. - We will be able to understand everything next year. B) Posibilidad de hacer algo en afirmativa e imposibilidad en negativa - This year we can ski because it has been snowing a lot lately. - You cant buy fruit now. The shops are closed. C) Peticin. - Can I borrow your pen? (peticin informal) - Could you help me? (peticin educada) D) Sugerencias. - You can take a taxi if you are tired. - We could use my house for the party. E) Deduccin negativa a partir de los datos que se tienen. - They cant be working. Ive just seen them at the party.

MAY, MIGHT
A) Dar y pedir permiso o hacer peticiones educadas - You may only use a pen for the exam. - May I interrupt you? - May I see your tickets, please? B) Expresar posibilidad en el presente o en el futuro. Might indica que la posibilidad es ms remota. Se traducen como puede que/ quizs (may) o pudiera ser que (might). - He may invite us to his party. - They might win the match. C) Expresar posibilidad en negativa. - He may not be ready. - They might not be interested in our proposal. D) Sugerir algo educadamente cuando van seguidos de verbos como like y want. - You might like to drive us home. E) Expresar que algo pareca posible en el pasado, pero aqu slo empleamos might. - The car looked like it might explode at any time.

MUST
A) Expresar una obligacin (deber) o dar una orden. - I must revise the irregular verbs. - You must dress up for the party. B) Indicar una necesidad imperiosa de hacer algo. - You must visit the doctor. You are too thin. C) Expresar una deduccin afirmativa o sacar una conclusin lgica (deber de) - She has got such neat notebooks. She must be a good student.
Nota: Recuerda que para una deduccin negativa debes emplear cant. He cant be an artist.

D) Recomendar o aconsejar a alguien que haga algo. - You must go to England if you want to practise your English.
Nota: Must slo se puede utilizar para hablar del presente y del futuro, no tiene forma de pasado.

HAVE TO
A) Obligacin o tener que hacer algo. El sentido es prcticamente igual al de must, pero must lo suele emplear la persona que tiene autoridad mientras que have to se usa para expresar lo que hay que hacer porque no queda ms remedio. - You have to be on time. (es tu obligacin) - You must be on time. (yo te lo impongo) - Students have to wear uniforms. (es la regla) - Students must wear uniforms. (yo, el director, lo exijo) B) Imposibilidad de hacer una eleccin. - I have to study or else Ill fail my exam.
Recuerda: Must no tiene pasado, as que usamos had to para expresar obligacin y necesidad en el pasado y will have to para el futuro. I had to go to school very early when I was in England. We will have to go home soon.

MUSTNT, DONT HAVE TO / NEEDNT

Mustnt se usa para expresar una prohibicin y tambin para decir que no es conveniente o correcto hacer algo. - You mustnt drink beer. You are too young. A) En ocasiones no queremos prohibir sino expresar que algo no es obligatorio o necesario. En estos casos empleamos dont have to / neednt. - You dont have to / neednt drink all the milk if you dont want to. (no es necesario que / no tienes que) - He doesnt have to / neednt come so early. (no es necesario, pero no lo prohbo)
Nota: Fjate en que have to necesita el verbo auxiliar do para negar e interrogar.

SHOULD, OUGHT TO
Should y ought to son verbos muy parecidos en la mayor parte de sus significados y usos pero ought to no es tan frecuente en las formas interrogativa y negativa. Se traducen por debera y se utilizan para: A) Pedir informacin y consejo. - Should I do what Mary told me to do? B) Dar consejos u opiniones. - You should / ought to save money. You are spending too much. - You dont look well. Dont you think you should go to the doctor? C) Indicar, cuando van en forma negativa, que algo no debe hacerse por ser inaceptable o impropio. - You shouldnt yawn during the lecture. D) Indicar la probabilidad de que algo ocurra o expresar una prediccin. - Well call on them in the evening. They should / ought to be in after dinner. E) Sealar que algo no es correcto o no es lo que esperbamos encontrar. - He shouldnt be in bed now. He should / ought to be studying for his exams.

WILL
A) Hablar sobre el futuro y hacer predicciones. - She will telephone at 9.00 tonight. - He wont be interested in this book. B) Hacer peticiones o pedir favores. - Will you please close the window?

WOULD
A) Hacer ofrecimientos de forma educada. - Would you like me to help you? - Would you like more coffee? B) Decir educadamente lo que quieres. - I would / Id like some tea, please. C) Hacer peticiones educadas. - Would you mind saying that again? - Would you do me a favour? - Would you help me? D) Expresar acciones habituales en el pasado que ya no ocurren en el momento presente. En este caso would tiene el mismo sentido que used to. - We would (used to) play for hours on the beach at weekends when we were kids.

SHALL
A) Hacer sugerencias u ofrecer ayuda. Tambin para pedir instrucciones o consejos. Slo se usa en interrogativa y en la primera persona del singular y del plural. Su estructura es: Shall I? o Shall we? - Shall I open the window? - Shall we go out for dinner tonight? - What shall we do now?

Fill in the blanks with the affirmative or negative form of can, could or be able to. There may be more than one correct answer: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ... you please help me wash the car? I . go to Greece for my holiday. What do you think? We . visit him next week. Jessica .. speak French and also Italian. You . drink beer! Youre not 18 yet! I .. decide whether hes telling the truth. He take my car and bring it back later. I .. see you tomorrow because Im going away. Luckily, the firemen .. rescue the family from the burning building. 10. We .. sleep. You are making too much noise.

Fill in the blanks with the affirmative or negative form of may or might. There may be more than one correct answer: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mum said you . want me to go shopping for you today. They . bring their friends today although they promised to. She looked like she fall, so I held her arm. You .. like to visit the Prado while youre in Madrid. . I hang my hat here, please?

Fill in the blanks with affirmative or negative form of have to, mustnt, or dont have to / neednt. There may be more than one correct answer:

1. Pupils wear a uniform. Its optional. 2. I . go shopping yesterday. There was no food in the house. 3. You leave knives in places where babies can get hold of them. 4. We .. bring sandwiches. Food will be provided. 5. Jim see the dentist on Friday. He doesnt receive patients on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 6. People .. smoke in non-smoking areas. 7. I pay the telephone bill until next week. 8. We .. go to bed early tonight. We are leaving at 5.30 tomorrow. 9. We allow the killing of tigers to continue. 10. He . take an earlier flight. The later one was full.

Fill in the blanks with the affirmative or negative form of should or ought to. There may be more than one correct answer: 1. 2. 3. 4. People . check their tyres frequently. You really .. bite your nails. Its a disgusting habit. Why are you home so early? You be at work now. My bike has got a flat tyre. What .. I do? Take it to the garage or fix it myself? 5. You . tell him all your problems when hes feeling so ill.

Fill in the blanks with the affirmative or negative form of will, would or shall: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. You look cold. I get you a sweater? She .. arrive until much later. Theres no point in waiting. you like me to call the doctor for you? Helen .. come to the party. She promised to do so. you please put out your cigarette? Smoking is forbidden here.

Rewrite the following sentences using modals. Do not change the meaning of the original sentences. There may be more than one correct answer: 1. If you want my advice, get a good lawyer! You . . 2. A university degree isnt necessary for that job. You .. . 3. Perhaps my father will pick you up. My father . . 4. He can only leave work at ten oclock tonight. (able) He . . 5. Eating is forbidden in class. (eat) You . 6. Dont take the CD without asking permission. You . 7. Do you want to go to St Moritz this winter? (like) .? 8. I suggest you go and see a doctor. You . . 9. The boss allows the workers to have one afternoon off a week. The workers . 10. Perhaps Mike will be too busy to see us. (be) Mike .

Rewrite the sentences using words from the list from the box: didnt use to, neednt, would, didnt, ought to, might, must, can

1. She has got the ability to look after herself. She .. . 2. Its not necessary to help me. You . . 3. The teacher advises Jim to go to college. The teacher says Jim . 4. There was no reply to my letter from the college. The college .. . 5. There is a possibility of rain tonight. It . . 6. He is certainly tired after the long journey. After the long journey, he ... . 7. As children, it was our habit to walk to school every day. When we were children, we . 8. Tastes change. I like black coffee now. Tastes change. I .

Correct the mistakes: 1. He must to be there by six oclock. 2. Do you like to go out tonight?

3. You dont have to park here. Its forbidden. 4. You should talked to him. Hes very upset. 5. He can be able to speak three languages. 6. I had like some coffee, please. 7. You ought see a doctor. 8. Did you can finish your work last night? 9. Shall you go out tonight? 10.Will you like some coffee?

MODAL PERFECTS
Estructura: Modal + Have + Past Participle
En general, los modales perfectos expresan conclusiones, suposiciones y conjeturas que hacemos sobre hechos pasados. - He didnt come yesterday. He must have been ill. - She couldnt have won the race. She wasnt very fit. - Andrew looks upset. He may have failed his driving test. - I should have taken more lessons before the test. - He should not have been so sure of himself. MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE Se emplea para expresar que estamos casi seguros de que algo ocurri en el pasado y, por tanto, para sacar conclusiones lgicas. - Sheila was absent yesterday. She must have been ill. (debe de haber estado enferma, seguro que estuvo enferma). - There is no milk left. Mary must have drunk it all as she stayed up late. (debe
de habrsela bebido)

COULD / MAY / MIGHT HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

COULD HAVE + PARTICIPIO PASADO

A) Indica que hubo la posibilidad de hacer algo en el pasado pero que finalmente no se hizo. - He could have helped us, but he came too late. (tuvo la posibilidad) B) En negativa, expresa la incredulidad de que lo ocurrido sea cierto. - She couldnt have said those words. She never speaks like that. (seguro que no
las dijo) Nota: Recuerda que para una deduccin afirmativa se utiliza must.

C) Se usa para hacer una suposicin sobre algo pasado. - She didnt come to the party. She could have been ill.
MAY / MIGHT HAVE + PARTICIPIO PASADO

Expresan una suposicin sobre el pasado. - Call her again. She may / might not have heard you the first time. - They havent arrived yet. Their flight may / might have been delayed.
Nota: May se traduce por puede que y might por pudiera ser que.

SHOULD / OUGHT TO HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE A) Ambos se usan para lamentar que no se sigui un consejo en el pasado o que no se hizo lo que se debera haber hecho en el pasado. - She looks worse. She should / ought to have seen a doctor last week. B) Para lamentar que no se haya cumplido lo que esperbamos. - They should have been home by now. C) En negativa expresan nuestra opinin crtica sobre algo que no debera haber ocurrido. - Im very angry with her. She shouldnt have been so rude.
Nota: Tanto should como ought to se traducen por debera.

Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning of the original sentences. Use must have + past participle and the words given: 1. He hasnt contacted me. He probably thought I was unsuitable for the job. He . 2. I suppose she offered him a lift. She . 3. He visited us last year. Im sure you recognised him. You . 4. The train has left and she is still at the station. She . . 5. Her watch simply disappeared. Someone . .

Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning of the original sentences. Use may / might have + past participle and the words given: 1. He seems sad. He could have heard the bad news. He seems sad. He . . 2. Perhaps he visited us, but we were away. He .. . 3. Maybe the concert was cancelled because nobody bought tickets. The concert . 4. Maybe she didnt want to go out. She . . 5. Its possible the child broke the cup. The child .

In the following sentences, make statements about the past according to the situation given. Use should have + past participle and the words given: 1. They expected Janet to land an hour ago. She hasnt arrived yet. Janet . 2. Jill heard something about Sue. She didnt tell Sue. Now Sue is angry with her. She .. . 3. The floor is all muddy! Why didnt you wipe your feet? You . . 4. Peter didnt practise the piano before the concert, so he made a lot of mistakes. Peter . 5. It was silly of Barbara to be rude to her teacher. Barbara .