ABILITY CAN 1AB students can speak three languages. COULD They could draw beautifully when they were at the primary school. BE ABLE TO (future and rest of tenses) They will be able to study a degree in two years time.
ADVICE SHOULD You should go to bed earlier during the exam’s week. OUGHT TO A ll st u d e nt s o u g ht to d o t h e i r homework. It helps to pass the exams.
PERMISSION CAN’T You can’t go to the toilet during the class. COULD Could you give me your compositions, please? MAY May I clean the blackboard? POSSIBILITY
OBLIGATION MUST (personal circumstance) You must study harder when you have an exam. HAVE TO (external circumstance) All tenses Students have to arrive to the lessons on time.
MODAL VERBS
MAY/CAN MIGHT/COULD (not quite sure) You may go to the school trip next year if you pass. You might pass all the subjects this term if you study a little bit harder.
DEDUCTION
PROHIBITION MUSTN’T You mustn’t smoke in the school.
NO NECESSITY NEEDN’T You needn’t read Shakespeare’s plays to pass English. DON’T HAVE TO. Students don’t have to be rich to study at Son Pacs.
MUST (certainty that sth is true) CAN’T (certainty that sth isn’t true) MAY/MIGHT/COULD (uncertain) Situation: The teacher hasn’t arrived after 10 min. She must be missing because she’s never so late. She can’t be at school or she would tell somebody she will be late. She may be asking for some copies. She usually asks before the lessons. She might be in the bar because she hasn’t heard the bell.