Modal verbs are helping/auxiliary verbs that give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows. They express attitudes such as ability, possibility, permission, and suggestion.
Suggestion: e.g., Students should start working on essays early.
Necessity: e.g., They must buy their tickets today.
Possibility: e.g., She may be sick.
Modals in the English Language
- Can/could/be able to
- May/might
- Shall/should
- Must/have to
- Will/would
How to Use Modals
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Never use –s, –d, or –ing endings with modals. | Participants can respond |
| Use the infinitive without to after modals (except in ought to). | Participants might |
| Use inversion to turn a sentence that uses a modal into a question. |
Sentence using a modal: Participants can be between the ages of 13-15. Question using a modal: Can participants be between the ages of 13-15? |
| Add not after the modal to make it negative. | They could not understand the research question. |
| Never use two modals together. | The treatment group might |
Modal Tenses
|
Simple Modals |
Show present or future time |
modal + base form Present: e.g., We can study now. Future: e.g., He should leave soon. |
|---|---|---|
|
Progressive Modals |
Express an activity in progress at the moment of speaking Show an action in progress at the specific time in the future |
modal + be + present participle Present progressive: e.g., They must be sleeping. Future progressive: e.g., She should be leaving soon. |
|
Perfect Modals |
Express a past action |
modal + have + past participle Present perfect: e.g., I should have studied last night. |
|
Perfect Progressive Modals |
Express an activity in progress at a specific time in the past |
modal + have been + present participle Present perfect progressive: e.g., You might have been sleeping when I called. |