modal auxiliary verbs
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs
AUXILIARY VERBS:
|
be, do, have; can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would |
Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs. They help form the tenses, moods, voices of other verbs.
In sentences, auxiliary verbs generally come before a main verb.
Auxiliary Verbs in Sentences
| Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb. |
Examples:
• I am reading a book on weight loss.
• You have passed the exam.
• The campers were stung by hornets.
• She will fly to Caracas tomorrow.
• They don’t listen.
• We must stop and rest.
See MAIN VERB.
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Modal auxiliary verbs are a group of auxiliary verbs that modify the main verb it accompanies. They include the following:
|
can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would |
The usual form of sentences with modal auxiliary verbs is
| Subject + modal auxiliary verb + verb-1 (base form). |
Examples of Modal and Modal-like Verbs
| A. Ability | |
| Can | I can lift a bowling ball. |
| B. Obligation | |
| Must (strong) | You must put away your toys. |
| Have to (strong) | He has to go to court on the 14th. |
| Had better (severe) | You had better apologize to them. |
| C. Lack of Obligation | |
| Don’t have to | She doesn’t have to work on Saturdays. |
| D. Permission | |
| May | May I go to the disco? Yes, you may (go to the disco). |
| Can | Customers can get a full refund. |
| E. Prohibition | |
| Mustn’t (strong) | You mustn’t feed the animals |
| Can’t (rule) | You can’t turn left here. |
| May not (rule) | Employees may not leave until 5:00. |
| Had better not (severe) | They had better not miss the boat. |
| F. Advice | |
| Should | He should write a book on bonsais. |
| Ought to | I ought to be going home now. |
| Shouldn’t | You shouldn’t associate with them. |
| G. Probability | |
| Must | He must have a rich uncle. |
| Could, May, Might | She could be a new professor. |
| Can’t, Couldn’t | That can’t be Hal; Hal’s blonder. |
| H. Prediction | |
| Will | They will forget us by tomorrow. |
| Won’t | The boss won’t change his mind. |
| May, Might | Take an umbrella; it might rain. |
| May/Might not | He may not ask about your education. |
Dual Purposes
The verbs be, do, and have serve a double function.
1. They function as auxiliary verbs:
Examples:
• We’re busy right now; we are gathering wild mushrooms. (present continuous)
• Supomo has lived here for 20 years. (present perfect
• Do you accept dollars? Yes, we do accept dollars, euros, pounds. (Yes-No Question)
• I was approached by some tourists today.
2. They also serve as independent verbs:
Examples:
• I am a locksmith. (linking verb)
• You are very fast! (linking verb)
• Lien-Hua has an antique gramophone collection.
• They do charity work.
• He did it completely wrong.
