All sections
Foundations
The verb system
Describing and connecting
- 09 Adjectives and adverbs
- 10 Prepositions
- 11 Conjunctions
- 12 Building longer sentences
- 13 Punctuation and capital letters
Words and sounds
Practice and progress
08Core
Modal verbs
A modal adds an attitude to the main verb: ability, permission, obligation, advice or probability. They are simple to form, because they never change and never take to.
| Modal | Meaning | Example | Urdu |
|---|---|---|---|
| can | ability, informal permission | I can speak three languages. Can I sit here? | صلاحیت / اجازت |
| could | past ability, polite request, possibility | I could read at four. Could you help me? | کر سکتا تھا / برائے مہربانی |
| may | formal permission, possibility | May I come in? It may rain today. | اجازت / امکان |
| might | a weaker possibility | She might arrive late. | شاید |
| must | strong obligation from the speaker, or a certain conclusion | You must submit it today. He must be tired. | لازمی / یقیناً |
| have to | obligation from a rule or an outside authority | I have to renew my passport. | کرنا پڑتا ہے |
| should | advice, the right thing to do | You should practise every day. | چاہیے |
| ought to | advice, slightly more formal | We ought to tell the teacher. | چاہیے |
| will | future, promise, offer | I will call you. | گا / گی |
| would | polite request, imagined situation | Would you like tea? I would study abroad if I could. | گا (فرضی) / برائے مہربانی |
| shall | offers and suggestions (formal) | Shall we begin? | کیا ہم…؟ |
| need to | necessity | You need to bring your passport. | ضرورت ہے |
Five rules that cover every modal
- A modal is always followed by the bare V1: She can swim. not She can to swim.
- A modal never takes s: He can go. not He cans go.
- Two modals cannot sit together: He will can come. → He will be able to come.
- Make the negative on the modal: You should not wait.
- Must not means it is forbidden. Do not have to means it is not necessary. These are opposites, not the same.
Check yourself
Choose the right modal, or correct the sentence.
- You ___ practise every day if you want a good band. (advice)
Show the answer
should
- ___ you help me with this form, please? (polite)
Show the answer
Could / Would
- Passengers ___ show their passport at the gate. (a rule)
Show the answer
must / have to
- It ___ rain later; take an umbrella. (possibility)
Show the answer
may / might
- Fix: She can to speak French.
Show the answer
She can speak French.
- Fix: He cans drive.
Show the answer
He can drive.
- Fix: I will can come tomorrow.
Show the answer
I will be able to come tomorrow.
- What is the difference between you must not go and you do not have to go?
Show the answer
Must not = it is forbidden. Do not have to = it is not necessary, but you may.