In this blog, we would be learning about Modals. Let us see these sentences :

 

1. I could swim across the river when I was young
2. We must get up early
3. May you live happily and long.
4. He shall not enter my house again.

 

What are Modal Verbs?

 

All these sentences have to help verbs such as can, could may and might. These verbs can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must, and ought are called modal verbs or modals. They are used before ordinary verbs and express meanings such as permission, wish, ability, command possibility, certainty, and necessity.

 

For example,
in Sentence �I could swim across the river when I was young.� Modal �could� is expressing an ability.
in Sentence �We must get up early.� Modal �must� is expressing a necessity or obligation.
In the sentence �May you live happily and long.� Modal �may� is expressing a wish.
in Sentence �He shall not enter my house again.� Modal �shall� is expressing a command

 

It is also important to remember that �Need and dare� can sometimes be used as modal verbs.

 

For example, He need not go.

 

Let us now study modal verbs in detail

 

CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT

 

Can usually express ability or capacity; for example in sentences
I can swim across the river.
Can you lift this box?
�Can� is showing the ability or capacity.

 

Can and may are used to express permission.
For example in sentences
You can/may go now.
Can/May I borrow your umbrella?

 

�Can/May� are used to express permission.

 

May/Can is used to express possibility in affirmative sentences. Can is used in the corresponding interrogative and negative sentences.

 

For example in sentences
It may rain tomorrow
Can this be true?

 

May/can is expressing possibility. However MODAL �may� has been used in an affirmative sentence, whereas modal �can� has bee used in an interrogative sentence.

 

In very formal English, may is also used to express a wish, for example in sentences:
May you live happily and long!
May success attend you!
Here the word �May� is expressing a wish.

 

Could and might are used as the past equivalents of can and may : I could swim across the river when I was young. (Ability)

 

Could, as in this sentence, express only the ablility to do an act, but not the performance of an act.

 

More importantly, we should use was/were able to for ability +action in the past.

 

Let us see this sentence

 

I thought he might be at home. (Possibility). Here modal �might� is been used to show a possibility in the past. In present-time contexts could and might are used as less positive versions of can and may; as,

 

I could attend the party. (Note, this sentence is Less positive and more hesitant than I can attend the party'.) Hence, we have used modal verb �could� rather than can.

 

It might rain tomorrow. (Note, this sentence is Less positive than �It may rain�.) Hence, we have used the modal verb �might� rather than may. Might is also used to express a degree of dissatisfaction or reproach; for example in the sentence. You might pay a little more attention to your appearance. Here the word �Might� is expressing a degree of dissatisfaction.

 

Read More: What is a Modal Verb? Use of Shall, Should, Will, and Would