Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, ability, or obligation. Understanding modal verbs and their equivalents is essential for the ЕГЭ English exam, as they are frequently used to express various degrees of certainty, possibility, and necessity. This guide will help you master modal verbs and use them correctly in different contexts.
Modal verbs in English include can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, and need. They are used with the base form of the main verb (without "to") to express various meanings such as ability, permission, possibility, necessity, and obligation. Modal verbs have several special characteristics: they do not take -s in the third person singular, they form questions and negatives without do/does/did, and they do not have infinitive or -ing forms. Understanding the correct usage of modal verbs and their equivalents is crucial for achieving a high score in the ЕГЭ English exam.
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Ability (present) | I can speak three languages. She can swim very well. |
| Ability (past) | I could swim when I was a child. He could play the piano at the age of five. |
| Permission (present) | You can use my phone if you need to. Can I open the window? |
| Permission (more polite) | Could I borrow your pen, please? Could I ask you a question? |
| Possibility | It can be very cold in winter. Accidents can happen at any time. |
| Possibility (less certain) | It could rain later today. She could be at home now. |
| Request | Can you help me with this? Could you pass me the salt, please? |
| Suggestion | We could go to the cinema tonight. You could try asking her again. |
The negative forms are "cannot" (often contracted to "can't") and "could not" (often contracted to "couldn't"):
I can't swim. (inability)
You can't smoke here. (prohibition)
She couldn't come to the party yesterday. (inability in the past)
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Permission (formal) | You may leave the room now. May I come in? |
| Possibility (present or future) | It may rain later today. She may be at home now. |
| Possibility (less certain) | It might rain later today. She might be at home now. |
| Suggestion (formal) | You may want to consider another option. We might try a different approach. |
The negative forms are "may not" and "might not" (sometimes contracted to "mightn't"):
You may not enter this area. (prohibition)
It might not rain after all. (possibility that something will not happen)
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Obligation (speaker's authority) | You must be home by 10 o'clock. Students must wear uniforms. |
| Obligation (external authority) | I have to work on Saturdays. She has to take care of her younger brother. |
| Logical necessity/deduction | You must be tired after your long journey. He must be very rich to afford such a car. |
| Strong recommendation | You must read this book; it's excellent. You must try the chocolate cake at this café. |
The negative form of "must" for prohibition is "must not" (often contracted to "mustn't"):
You mustn't tell anyone about this. (prohibition)
The negative form of "must" for absence of obligation is "don't have to" / "doesn't have to":
You don't have to wear a tie. (absence of obligation)
The negative form of "must" for logical deduction is "can't":
He can't be at home; his car isn't there. (logical deduction that something is not possible)
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Advice | You should see a doctor about that cough. You ought to apologize to her. |
| Expectation | The package should arrive tomorrow. The train ought to be here by now. |
| Obligation (less strong than must) | Students should respect their teachers. We ought to help those in need. |
| Recommendation | You should visit the new museum; it's fascinating. You ought to try the new restaurant in town. |
The negative forms are "should not" (often contracted to "shouldn't") and "ought not to" (rarely contracted to "oughtn't to"):
You shouldn't work so hard. (advice not to do something)
You ought not to speak to your parents like that. (advice not to do something)
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Future prediction | It will rain tomorrow. The economy will improve next year. |
| Willingness | I will help you with your homework. She will babysit for you tonight. |
| Promise | I will call you as soon as I arrive. We will never forget your kindness. |
| Request | Will you help me with this? Would you mind closing the window? |
| Habit (past) | When I was a child, we would go to the beach every summer. He would always bring me flowers on my birthday. |
| Conditional | I would buy a car if I had enough money. She would travel more if she had more time. |
The negative forms are "will not" (often contracted to "won't") and "would not" (often contracted to "wouldn't"):
I won't be able to attend the meeting. (future prediction)
She wouldn't tell me her secret. (past refusal)
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Future (first person, formal or British English) | I shall be 30 next month. We shall arrive at 6 o'clock. |
| Suggestion/offer | Shall we go to the cinema tonight? Shall I help you with your bags? |
| Promise/threat | You shall have your money back tomorrow. They shall regret their decision. |
The negative form is "shall not" (often contracted to "shan't" in British English):
I shan't be attending the meeting. (future, formal or British English)
"Shall" is less common in American English, where "will" is generally used instead.
| Function | Examples |
|---|---|
| Necessity (as a modal verb, mainly in questions and negatives) | Need I finish this today? You needn't worry about it. |
| Necessity (as a regular verb) | I need to finish this report by tomorrow. She needs to practice more. |
As a modal verb, "need" is mainly used in questions and negatives, and it's more common in British English:
Need I come tomorrow? (question)
You needn't come early. (negative)
As a regular verb, "need to" is used in all forms and is common in both British and American English:
I need to study. (affirmative)
Do you need to leave now? (question)
She doesn't need to work today. (negative)
Modal verbs themselves do not change form to express different tenses. Instead, the form of the main verb that follows the modal verb changes.
| Structure | Examples |
|---|---|
| Modal + base form of verb | I can swim. (present ability) It might rain tomorrow. (future possibility) |
| Structure | Examples |
|---|---|
| Modal + have + past participle | She must have forgotten about the meeting. (deduction about the past) They could have won the match. (past possibility) |
| Structure | Examples |
|---|---|
| Modal + be + -ing form | He must be working now. (deduction about the present) They might be waiting for us. (present possibility) |
| Structure | Examples |
|---|---|
| Modal + have been + -ing form | She must have been working all night. (deduction about the past continuous) They could have been waiting for hours. (past continuous possibility) |
Since modal verbs have limited forms (no infinitives, no -ing forms, no past tense except for "could" and "would"), we often need to use equivalent expressions.
| Modal | Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| can (present) | be able to | I can swim. = I am able to swim. |
| could (past) | was/were able to | I could swim when I was a child. = I was able to swim when I was a child. |
| can (future) | will be able to | I will be able to help you tomorrow. (no modal equivalent) |
| can (perfect) | have been able to | I have been able to speak French since I was a child. (no modal equivalent) |
| Modal | Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| can/may (present) | be allowed to | You can/may use my phone. = You are allowed to use my phone. |
| could (past) | was/were allowed to | We could leave early yesterday. = We were allowed to leave early yesterday. |
| can/may (future) | will be allowed to | You will be allowed to drive when you're 18. (no modal equivalent) |
| can/may (perfect) | have been allowed to | They have been allowed to use the facilities since last month. (no modal equivalent) |
| Modal | Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| must (present) | have to / need to | You must be home by 10. = You have to / need to be home by 10. |
| must (past) | had to / needed to | I had to / needed to work yesterday. (no modal equivalent) |
| must (future) | will have to / will need to | You will have to / will need to study harder next term. (no modal equivalent) |
| must (perfect) | have had to / have needed to | I have had to / have needed to work extra hours this week. (no modal equivalent) |
| Modal | Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| should (present) | ought to / had better | You should see a doctor. = You ought to / had better see a doctor. |
| should (past) | should have / ought to have | You should have seen a doctor. = You ought to have seen a doctor. |
| Modal | Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| may/might (present) | be possible that / perhaps / maybe | It may/might rain. = It is possible that it will rain. / Perhaps/Maybe it will rain. |
| may/might (past) | may/might have | She may/might have missed the train. (no direct equivalent) |
Choose the correct modal verb to complete each sentence.
Answers:
1. You must be tired after your long journey. (logical deduction)
2. Can I borrow your pen, please? (asking for permission)
3. You mustn't smoke in the hospital. (prohibition)
4. She can speak three languages fluently. (ability)
5. It might rain later today, so take an umbrella. (possibility)
Rewrite each sentence using a modal verb equivalent.
Answers:
1. I can swim.
2. She may come to the party.
3. You must finish this today.
4. You should see a doctor.
5. We can't park here.
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
Corrections:
1. I will be able to help you tomorrow. (cannot use two modal verbs together)
2. She must study harder. (modal verbs do not take -s in the third person singular)
3. Can you speak French? (do not use do/does with modal verbs)
4. They should arrive soon. (do not use "to" after modal verbs)
5. He doesn't have to go to school today. (for absence of obligation, use "don't have to")
In the ЕГЭ English exam, modal verbs are often tested in multiple-choice questions, gap-filling exercises, and error correction tasks. Pay special attention to the function of the modal verb in the context, the difference between "mustn't" and "don't have to," and the correct use of modal verb equivalents when expressing different tenses. Remember that modal verbs express the speaker's attitude toward the action (certainty, possibility, necessity, etc.), so the choice of modal verb can significantly change the meaning of a sentence.