Modal verbs Level of probability
Look at this chart to see different levels of probability and modal verbs used
MODAL VERBS USED TO SHOW LEVELS OF PROBABILITY
LEVEL OF
PROBABILITY
|
MODAL
VERB
|
TIME =
PRESENT & FUTURE
|
TIME =
PAST
|
CERTAINTY
|
WILL (Be)
|
He'll be here by Friday.
|
That will / would have been Susan who called.
|
CERTAINTY
|
WON'T (Be)
|
She won't be here.
|
It won't / wouldn't have been John, I think he's in São Paulo.
|
IMPOSSIBILITY
|
CAN'T Be
COULDN'T Be
|
It can't be Fred, he's in the USA.
It couldn't be right.
|
He can't / couldn't have written this, he doesn't speak Arabic.
|
PROBABILITY
(LOGICAL)
|
MUST (Be)
|
He must be right, he's an expert in this area.
|
He must have finished by now, he's a fast worker.
|
PROBABILITY
(LOGICAL +
PREFERENCE)
|
SHOULD (Be)
|
He should be finishing now, he's a fast worker.
|
He should have finished by now, the exam's nearly over.
|
POSSIBILITY
|
MIGHT (Be)
|
They might win, but I doubt it.
|
If they had played better, they might have won.
|
POSSIBILITY
|
MIGHT NOT (Be)
|
It's very cloudy, but I might not rain.
|
If I hadn't read that book I might not have passed the exam.
|
POSSIBILITY
|
MAY (Be)
|
We may go to Greece for our holidays.
|
She may have got lost.
|
POSSIBILITY
|
MAY NOT (Be)
|
I may not arrive on time.
|
He may not have done it.
|
POSSIBILITY
|
COULD (Be)
|
You could be right, but I doubt it.
|
He could have had an accident even though he's a very good driver.
|
MODAL VERBS USED TO PERFORM SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS
FUNCTION
|
MODAL
VERB
|
TIME =
PRESENT& FUTURE
|
TIME =
PAST
|
COMPULSION
|
MAKE SB (Do)
|
She makes them tidy their room.
|
The teacher made them write it out six times.
|
PROHIBITION
|
CAN'T/NOT ALLOWED TO
|
My dad says that I can't see you anymore.
|
She wasn't allowed to see him anymore.
|
PERMISSION
|
MAY (Be)
|
May I go now?
|
I was allowed to go.
|
STRONG
OBLIGATION
|
MUST (Do)
|
I must remember to pay the phone bill.
|
I had to apologize.
|
STRONG
OBLIGATION
|
MUSTN'T (Do)
|
Mother: "you mustn't play with matches."
|
The children weren't allowed to play outside.
|
NO OBLIGATION
|
DON'T HAVE TO (Do)
|
I don't have to wake up early on Saturdays.
|
I was happy that I didn't have to see him again.
|
NO OBLIGATION
|
NEEDN'T (Do)
|
You needn't pay it now if you don't want to.
|
You needn't have done it, but I'm glad you did.
|
NO OBLIGATION
|
DON'T NEED TO (Do)
|
I don't need to study French anymore.
|
He didn't need to revise for the exam.
|
DUTY
|
SUPPOSED TO
|
Your supposed to arrive at work at 8am.
|
You were supposed to have done this by now.
|
DUTY
|
NOT SUPPOSED TO
|
You not supposed to be here!
|
I wasn't supposed to have been at the meeting.
|
FORMAL
ADVICE
|
WOULD (Do)
|
I'd arrive on time if I were you.
|
I would have arrived on time if I'd been him.
|
FORMAL
ADVICE
|
WOULDN'T (Do)
|
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
|
I wouldn't have done that if I'd been him.
|
INFORMAL
ADVICE
|
SHOULD (Do)
|
You should always dress well at interviews.
|
You should have dressed well at the interview.
|
INFORMAL
ADVICE
|
SHOULDN'T (Do)
|
You shouldn't speak to him like that.
|
You shouldn't have spoken to him like that.
|
INFORMAL
ADVICE
|
OUGHT TO (Do)
|
You ought to be here earlier.
|
You ought to have been there earlier.
|
INFORMAL
ADVICE
|
NOT OUGHT TO (Do)
|
You didn't ought to touch that.
|
You didn't ought to have done that.
|
REQUESTS
|
CAN (I/you)
|
Can/Could you help me, please?
|
I asked him to help me.
|
ABILITY
|
CAN (Do)
|
I can speak English.
|
I could speak English when I was five.
|
ABILITY
|
BE ABLE TO (Do)
|
Will you be able to come?
|
She was able to answer all the questions.
|
ABILITY
|
MANAGE TO (Do)
|
Does he manage to get here on time?
|
He managed to rescue her.
|
NORMAL
BEHAVIOUR
|
WILL
|
She'll always do her homework.
|
She would always do her homework.
|
OFFERS
|
WILL
|
I'll help you with that.
|
I'd have helped you.
|
OFFERS
|
SHALL
|
Shall I give you a hand.
|
I should have helped you.
|
SUGGESTIONS
|
SHALL (LET'S)
|
Shall we meet at 9pm?
|
I suggested meeting at 9.
|
WILLINGNESS
|
WON'T (Do)
|
I won't do it!
|
She wouldn't do it.
|
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