GRAMMAR

MODALS
Introduction
Modals are those auxiliary or helping verbs which are used before primary verbs and express the mode or
manner of the actions indicated by the primary verbs. They form a separate class as they do not have the
ing form. They express mode such as permission, ability, possibility, probability, certainty etc.
Following are modal auxiliaries:
shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must, mustnt, ought to, used to,
need, dare and have to.
General Characteristics of Modals
(1)
Modals does not change with number or person of the subject.
Eg.
I can learn.
He can learn.
They can learn.
(2)

Modals have no- ing, or ed form and dont add s to the III person singular.

(3)

Modals are not used in tenses. But when used it work as Principal Verb.
Eg.
I need a pen.

(4)

Modals when joined with not to form a negative can be contracted

Eg.
I cant swim.
Use of Modals

I.

Will
Will is used:
(i)
To express simple future with the Pronouns of the Second and Third Persons.
You will be sixteen next week.
They will leave for Calcutta tomorrow.
She will easily solve this question.
(ii)

To express an invitation or request when the subject is the Pronoun of the Second Person.
Will you have a cold drink? (Invitation)
Will you please give him the message? (Request)

(iii)

To express something that happens again and again and is likely to reoccur again.
He will often go to the roof of his house and enjoy kite flying.
She will often sit on the bank of the river composing poems.

(iv)

To express willingness or offer.

My servant will carry your luggage to the railway station.
The drive of my car will drop you near the post-office.

II.

III.

(v)

To express the speakers intention, determination, promise or understanding. Here the

subject is the Pronoun of the first person.
We will fight to the last.
I will return your money next week.

(vi)

We use will not (or wont) when we talk about unwillingness to do something (e.g. reluctance
or refusal.)
He wont return the money.
This idea wont fit into our scheme.

Shall
Shall is used:
(i)
To express simple future when the subject is the Pronoun of the First Person.
I shall write a letter to my father tomorrow.
We shall hold a meeting in the evening.
(ii)

To express an offer or suggestion.

Shall I close the door?
Shall we shift to the new house next week?

(iii)

To express assurance, promise, command, order, determination or threat when the subjects
are the pronouns of the Second and Third Persons.
If you work hard, you shall pass.
You shall do it.

Would
Would is used:
(i)
To express a polite request or suggestion.
Would you be kind enough to lend me your book?
Would you please shut the door?
(ii)

To express customary action in the past time.

He would visit his parents every other weekend.
Whenever we went to our uncles house, we would go out for long walks.

(iii)

To express a wish, concerning the future action of another person.

I wish he would reach here soon.
I wish our hockey team would win the Olympic Championship again

(iv)

To express a wish.
I would like you to do me a favour.
She says that she would like to buy a new pen.

(v)

To express a desire politely.

I would like to recite a poem.
I would like to stay here for the night.

(vi)

To express preference.
He would rather resign than submit to injustice.
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I would die rather than beg.

(vii)

To express intention or determination.

I would carry out your orders at all costs.
She would like to have her say.

(viii) To express an unreal condition.

If he were here, he would come at once.
Had she worked hard, she would have passed.
IV.

V.

Should
Should is used :
(i)
To express the Past Tense of shall.
The Principal told the peon that he should reach the office on Sunday.
I told him that I should miss the bus.
(ii)

To express duty or obligation.

You should help the needy.
She should not have told a lie.

(iii)

To express logical necessity or probability.

Breakfast should be ready by eight.
She should be with her mother at this time.

(iv)

To express (a request for) permission.

I should like to inform you of my inability to reach in time.
I should like to say that I have not stolen the watch.

(v)

To giving advice or making a recommendation.

He should be given this responsibility.

(vi)

With lest should expresses fear.

Walk fast, lest you should miss the train.
Work hard, lest you should fail.

Can
Can is used :
(i)
To express ability or capacity, temporary or permanent.
I can solve this question.
I can swim across this channel.
(ii)

To grant or seek permission.

You can go now.
Can I go home now?

(iii)

To express possibility.
Anything can happen to her on the way.
Any one can commit mistakes.
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VI.

VII.

Could
Could is used :
(i)
As the Past Tense of can.
I asked her if she could spare her pen.
(ii)

To express past ability.

He could jump over the wall easily.

(iii)

To express a polite request.

Could you please lend me your pen?

(iv)

To express permission in the past.

He could come to my house at any time. (He had the permission)

May
May is used :
(i)
To seek or grant permission.
May I occupy this seat? Yes, you may.
(ii)

To express possibility.
He may be here in a few minutes.
It may rain today.

(iii)

To express a wish.
May you be happy and prosperous!
May the departed soul rest in peace!

(iv)

To express a purpose.
She works hard so that she may pass.
We eat so that we may live.

VIII. Might
Might is used :
(i)
To express the past tense of may.
She thought that she might be wrong.
I asked her if I might help her.

IX.

(ii)

To express a doubtful possibility or a remote possibility.

He might come to consult me today.
It might rain today.

(iii)

To express a purpose.
He worked hard so that he might win a scholarship.

Must
Must is used :
(i)
To express obligation, compulsion, necessity etc.
You must reach home at once.
We must work hard for the progress of our country.
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X.

(ii)

To express very emphatic advice.

You must obey your elder brother.
She must speak the truth.

(iii)

To express determination.
I must win the scholarship.
You must run fast to catch the train.

(iv)

To express a possibility.
She must have received the invitation.
The baby must be feeling hungry.

(v)

To express logical necessity or expectation.

There must be some wrong entry somewhere.
If you are sincere, you must apologise.

Ought to
Ought to is used :
(i)
to express duty or moral and social obligation.
You ought to respect your elders.
We ought to obey our parents.
(ii)

Ought to + have + III form expresses some duty or obligation that was not performed.
He ought to have taken all precautions before venturing out. (but he didnt)

(iii)

to give advice
You ought to practice for more than two hours.

XI.

Have to
Have to is used :
(i)
To express compulsion or necessity
I have to cook my own meals.
I have to help my mother in the domestic affairs.

XII.

Used to
Used to is used :
(i)
To express a habit in the past, it doesnt have a present tense form. It is used
in past tense only.
When I was young I used to work very hard.
He used to observe fast on every Tuesday.

XIII. Need
Need is used :
(i)
As a Principal Verb need means to stand in need of or require. It has, then the forms :
need, needed and needed.
She needs money.
She needed money.
She will need money.
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XIV. Dare
Dare is used :
(i)
As a Principal Verb dare means to challenge and admits of forms dare (dares), dared
and dared
She dares to go into the dark.
She dared to go into the dark.
(ii)

It means to take courage or venture and it admits of dare, durst (dared), durst. It is used
only in the Negative or Interrogative sentences.
I dare not oppose him.
How dare you open my letter?

Uses of Modals
S. No.

Modal

CAN

Usage
To Express
Ability, permission, request, possibility

COULD

Ability, request, possibility

SHALL

Promise, Suggestion, determination.

SHOULD

Obligation, advice, necessity, permission

WILL

Willingness, prediction, intention, requests in questions.

WOULD

Request, habit in past, preference, wish, unreal condition.

MAY

Purpose, permission, possibility, wish.

MIGHT

Doubtful possibility, Purpose

MUST

Compulsion, emphatic advice, possibility

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MUSTNT

Prohibition, negative command.

11

OUGHT TO

Duty or moral, social obligation, advice.

12

USED TO

Habit in past.

13

NEED

Requirement, necessity or obligation.

14

DARE

Challenge, to take courage

15

HAVE TO

Compulsion or necessity.

Exercises for Practice

Exercise-1
Q.1

Fill in the blanks with suitable modals:

(a)

If you do not listen to me, you .suffer.

(b)

The school remain closed tomorrow in honor of the inspectors visit.

(c)

I.. prefer to keep quiet.

(d)

In a democracy everyone. obey the laws of the country.

(e)

Accidents..happen at any time on this busy road.

(f)

I lost my purse, I borrow some money from a friend.

(g)

I.. not come yesterday since, I was too busy.

(h)

..his soul rest in peace!

(i)

He have reached home by now.

(j)

You. start your work in right earnest.

(k)

Candidates.. write their name or address anywhere in the answer books.

(l)

Students. prepare their lessons well.

(m)

At Lahore I walk by the Ravi.

(n)

You.. not see him. Just write a letter to him.

(o)

How. you say so?

Exercise-2

Q.2

Make corrections wherever necessary:

(a)
Ans.

Shall you shut the door, please?

...................................................................................................................................................

(b)
Ans.

None will leave the class.

...................................................................................................................................................

(c)
Ans.

I shall rather die than beg.

...................................................................................................................................................
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(d)
Ans.

I will not say anything against him.

...................................................................................................................................................

(e)
Ans.

When we were students we smoke regularly.

...................................................................................................................................................

(f)
Ans.

Shall you live long!

...................................................................................................................................................

(g)
Ans.

He may come to consult me today.

...................................................................................................................................................

(h)
Ans.

You will keep your teeth clean.

...................................................................................................................................................

(i)
Ans.

Will you lift more than 100 kg of weight?

...................................................................................................................................................

(j)
Ans.

All the traitors may die.

...................................................................................................................................................
Exercise-3

Q.3

Complete the following conversations using modals:

(a)

Tourist: I wish to buy a saree.

Shopkeeper: .. you like to buy a silk saree?
Tourist: I if I like it.
Shopkeeper: I.. show you cotton sarees too.
Tourist: You.. not show any more.. you accept payment through a credit card?
Shopkeeper: No. I not. You pay cash.

(b) Waiter: Good evening, .. you like to give your order?

Amar: I. like to wait a little,.be half an hour later.
Waiter: Very well, Sir. Meanwhile, . I bring you something to drink?
Amar: If you bring a drink without sugar.
Waiter: Yes, Sir. You.. try our lime juice with soda.
(c)

We............................... think that the weight of our equipment.................. make walking or

climbing very arduous, but as soon as we set foot on the soil of the moon, we...................
find that the contrary is the case. We find we ..................... carry heavy weights, we...............
jump to great heights. We................... even want to break our own jumping records.

(d)

Fitness is a matter of prime importance. We................... be aware to the dos and donts of
keeping fit. We............. take care of our diet. If we eat too much we................ fall ill. If we
eat nutritious food we................ build up our strength. Rules of fitness............... to be taught
at home and at school.

(e)

I ..................... have a new dress for the party. My mother says I................. not buy as the
dresses I have are very good. I think my friends................. also attend the party, therefore I
................ look my best. I ................... to think of expenses too, my mother feels.
Exercise-4

Q.4

The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect
word and the correction in your answer sheet. Remember to under line the word that you have
supplied.
Incorrect Word
Correction
(a)
You could not worry about my health,
(a) .
I would recover soon enough. However,
(b) .
you must do me a favour if you dont
(c) .
tell everyone you met, about my ill-health
(d) .
you know how irritating it should be
(e) .
to answer the same questions time and again. I dared
(f) .
not annoy the people and yet I needed peace
(g) .
I know I would answer all questions of the doctor
(h) .
but why could others trouble me?
(i) .
Perhaps I can be impolite in it
(j) .
but then the sick need be excused for their ill manners.
(k) .

(b)

Q.5

Metros entry in the walled city can have

reduced congestion but we may to work
on a development plan for Chandni Chowk.
There shall be financial difficulties.
Many formalities ought to be cleared.
There may be more room for
pedestrians. Rickshaws might remain
off the main carriageway. Minibuses can be
the mainstay. Cameras and sensors shall to be
put for detecting violations.

Incorrect word Correction

(a) .........................................
(b) .........................................
(c) .........................................
(d) .........................................
(e) .........................................
(f) .........................................
(g) .........................................
(h) .........................................

In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word
along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after against the correct blank
number. Underline the word that forms your answer.
(a)

Parents not be equipped to

offer sound career advice.
They force their child in an
unwanted direction. They to analyse
their childs interest, otherwise they commit
gross mistakes. If forced, children be
dissatisfied with their studies and
careers and lose self-esteem. Therefore,
parents to be very sensitive.
They to be more aware.

(a) .
(b) .
(c) .
(d) .
(e) .
(f) .
(g) .
(h) .
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(b)

We say with conviction that nature is the best teacher.

One be having any type of question,
nature give an answer at once. One
to sit in the lap of nature for some time
and think about ones question in relation
to nature. After sometime the answer
come up in the mind. That answer be
difficult to understand but it be the only
real answer. One try oneself for it to test
the truth.

(a) .........................................
(b) .........................................
(c) .........................................
(d) .........................................
(e) .........................................
(f) .........................................
(g) .........................................
(h) .........................................
(i) .........................................

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