24 Modal Aauxiliary Verbs List and Example Sentences

24 Modal Aauxiliary Verbs List and Example Sentences

Modal Auxiliaries

 What Are Modal Auxiliaries?

Auxiliary verbs are a type of modal verb. They make it easier to indicate potential, anticipation, permission, capacity, possibility, and duty with the primary verb.

Modal verbs do not finish in -s for the third-person singular when used with the main verb. The form of a modal auxiliary verb does not change, but the past tense has a different form.

 

Present Tense	Past Tense
Will	Would
Can	Could
Must (have to)	(Had to)
May	Might
Should (ought to) (had better)	Should (ought to)

Will – Would

The word “will” denote a desire to do something in the future. The negative version of “will – will not (won’t)” denotes a lack of willingness to accomplish something (refusal, reluctance).

• I will give you another chance.
• I will play with you tomorrow.
• They will arrive at 9 AM.
• She won’t come to the class today.

 

“Would” denotes prior broad or recurring willingness. It also expresses a current preference.

• If you did not give up, I would be proud of you so much.
• Whenever I had to go anywhere with her, she would send photos to her ex.
• We thought that people would buy this phone.
• If I were you, I would not do this.

Can – Could – May – Might

These modals convey the concepts of possibility and capacity.

The word “can” denotes capability. “Could” denotes a capability with a choice.

• He can do it. (The subject ‘He’ is sure about his ability)
• He could do it. (The subject ‘He’ is not sure about his ability)
• We cannot do it. (present)
• We could not do it. (past)

 

“Can & could” also indicate possibility.

• The temperature can get low this month.
• She can’t go too far by now.
• It could snow later.

 

“May” and “might” both convey the potential of something, but “might” can imply that it is less likely than “may.”

• It may snow later.
• It might snow later.
• She may come back tomorrow.
• She might come back tomorrow.

 

Must

“Must” indicates necessity.

• We must leave to catch the bus now.
• He must study hard for his finals.
• Ally must go home by 7.00 pm.

 

“Have to” is comparable to “must,” but it conveys a lower level of urgency.

• I have to leave right now.
• He has to study hard for his finals.
• Ally has to go by 7.00 pm.
• I had to leave then. (past)
• He had to study hard to pass his finals. (past)

 

 

Should

“Should” indicates obligation and probability.

• You should come home early today.
• You should not smoke in the classroom.
• We should visit my parents more often than usual.
• There should be an extra key for the lock. (probability)
• She should have reached. (probability)
• I should have done that to her mother. (Obligation in the past)

 

“Should” is occasionally replaced by “ought to” and “had better.”

• You ought to come home early today.
• We ought to have taken a car. (Past)
• We had better leave for now. (Had better is generally used in spoken English.)