MODAL VERBS How To Use Can, Could, May, Might, Should, Must + Have To

English with Adriana

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Hello friends, welcome back. Are you struggling to learn and use modal verbs in English? In this video lesson

we'll learn how to use English modal verbs to better express yourself when speaking in English. Together

we'll look at how modal verbs, modal verbs such as

can, could, will, have to, might and may are used in sentences

to better help you understand the use of model verbs in English.

Now friends, before we go through exactly how to use the modal verbs, it's important to understand

what a modal verb is. A modal verb is an auxiliary verb

It's a helping verb that English speakers use to express ability

Possibility, permission or obligation. Now, depending on which modal verb is being used,

it will have a different use and purpose in that sentence.

That's exactly what we'll be going through in this lesson

Now before we go through the modal verbs in this lesson, I would love to hear from you friends

Tell me in the comments below this video. How are you currently learning English grammar?

Are you studying rules? Are your applying rules? Are you filling in banks? Tell me in the comments below this video.

How exactly are you currently learning English grammar?

Fantastic, let's move on and let's begin by looking at the modal verbs can and could. Now,

We use the modal verb can to make general statements about what is possible. Now,

the modal verb could is the past tense of can and we'll use could to

demonstrate that something is possible in a new future but not certain.

Let's go through a few examples so that you can better understand this. In the sentence here:

I can help you with your homework. Can is being used to express ability, something that is possible

It's something that can happen

But here in this sentence: Jack can't speak Spanish.

Here can not, the negative form of can is being used to express inability.

Looking at both of these sentences, we can see that the model verb can can be used both to express

ability as shown in this first sentence and

inability, to the lack of ability to do something.Can can also be used to express possibility.

For example: You can reach her at her office number. Here can is being used to express possibility.

It is possible for you to reach her at her office number. For this reason can is being used.

But it can also be used to express impossibility

Something that can't happen or can't be done

You can't enter that room. Here, can't, the negative form of the word can is being used to express

Something that is impossible and can't happen. Can can also be used for giving or asking for

permission. For example: You can borrow my car. Here, I'm giving you permission.

And for this reason I'm using the modal verb can. You can borrow my car.

But if you want to ask for permission in a nice way, in a polite way

then you should use the modal verb could.

For example, you're at a bank and you have some issues and you would like to speak to the manager.

But you need to ask for permission to speak to the manager in a polite way.

Instead of using the model verb can so the sentenc: Can talk to the manager, please?

Use a modal verb could: Could I talk to the manager, please? To express politeness, to be more polite,

asking requests in English. Other examples could be: Could I borrow your pen? Could you take me to school? Could you brush my hair?

These are all polite requests.

Could can also be used to express an ability you had in the past, do something you could do in the past,

but you can't do it anymore. For example: I could speak some Italian back in high school.

Here the model verb could is being used because it's not a skill.

It's not an ability that I have at the moment.

But it is an ability that I had in the past

For this reason use the modal verb could to express abilities you had in the past, but you don't have anymore.

Let's move on and have a look at the modal verbs may and might.

We use a modal verb may when we're not sure or certain about something

And we also use it for polite requests.

Might is also used in a very similar way and we use it when we are also not certain about something.

But we also use might for very very very very very polite requests.

So the main difference I want you to keep in mind is that might is very polite form of the modal verb may.

Let's go through a few examples so that you can better understand this. In the sentence:

You may start your exam now. Here, may is being used as a formal permission. If you're studying at uni,

or you're in high school or you're sitting a test,

you may hear the examiner or your teacher using this sentence, using the sentence as it's a formal permission.

Now may can also be used as a formal prohibition

So when you're not allowed, you're prohibited to do something, you can also use the modal verb may, for example,

maybe at the entrance of a church and you're in shorts, but the priests are not going to tell you you can't come in,

They're going to most likely use a sentence: You may not enter the church in shorts.

This is a formal prohibition. May can also be used for polite requests

For example the sentence: May I help you? May I help you?

This is a nice way to, nice polite way to request something from somebody . May can also be used to express

possibility, to talk about situations or circumstances that may happen. For example: We may go out to dinner tonight.

Do you want to join us? Here in this sentence, it's possible.

It's not a hundred percent certain that we will go out for dinner, but we may go for dinner

It's a possibility. May can also be used for negative

possibilities. For example: Mary may not attend your birthday party

as she is sick. Here it's a negative possibility

Both modal verbs may and might can be used for polite suggestions

For example, these two sentences: You may or you might like to try this salmon. Here,

this is a polite suggestion.

So if you're in a formal setting with maybe a dinner party

You may be at work and you want to suggest something really politely, you could use the modal verbs may or might in this

Remember friends. The modal verb might is more polite than the modal verb may

So it's up to you how polite you'd like to be, both are okay to be using when making planned suggestions in English.

Moving on to the modal verbs shall,

should and ought to. These modal verbs can be used to offer assistance or a polite suggestion.

You can also use them for predictions, expectations and to give advice.

Let's go through a few examples, so you can better understand this

For example, the sentence: Shall I answer the phone? Here, shall is been used to offer assistance and for a polite suggestion.

Friends, the modal verb shall is very very very formal. It's very polite.

You may not hear many English speakers using it, but some English speakers do use it.

It is good to know as it is a polite request,

suggestion and also great way to give advice.

The modal verb should can also be used to offer assistance or a polite suggestion.

For example, maybe you're sick and your friend wants to help you out. They want to suggest something.

So they can use a sentence: Should we go to the doctor?

Here should is being used to offer a polite suggestion.

They're giving you some assistance. Should can also be used for a prediction or an expectation.

For example the sentence here: I shouldn't be late. I'm on the train. Here

It's a prediction, it's an expectation as I'm already on the train.

I'm travelling, have a set time to get there, I should not be late.

Now if you want to give somebody advice in a polite way.

One way you could do this is by using the modal verb should, for example: My friend Mary,

she has this lovely dress and I never see her wearing it.

I saw her today for the first time wearing it and I told her, Mary you should wear that dress more often. Here,

I'm giving her polite advice. Use this modal verb should if you want to give advice to somebody in a nice and polite way.

Now the modal verb ought to is also very similar to the modal verb should.

Personally, I don't use the modal verb ought to that often when speaking or writing in English.

But it is also a modal verb

you do need to know as many English speakers do use it and they use it to give advice.

For example the sentence: You ought to get your car serviced before winter.

sentence ought to has a similar meaning and a similar use as the modal verb should and it's been used to give advice,

to provide a suggestion, to provide advice in a polite and a nice way.

Again, it is totally up to you whether you do or you don't use this modal verb.

I don't use it but it doesn't mean that you don't have to use it.

Moving on to the modal verbs must, have to and need to these modal verbs are very often used to express

necessity, to express requirement and can also be used for persuasion and for prohibiting something.

Let's go through a few examples so that you can better understand this.

For example the sentence: You must have a passport to cross the border. Here, it's a necessity.

It's a requirement, can't pass the border if you don't have a passport.

For this reason the modal verb must is used as it's a requirement.

If you want to talk about and express something in the past, a necessity, a requirement that happened in the past.

In this situation, you could use a modal verb have to, in its past form.

For example the sentence: I had to work last night. Here in this sentence

the modal verb had to is being used because it's something that was required from me in the past.

Now both the modal verbs have to and must can be used to persuade someone to believe or think something.

For example the sentence: You must go to that restaurant, the food's excellent. Or: You have to go to that restaurant,

the food's excellent. Here must and have to are being used as they are used to persuade someone into thinking

or doing something.

Please note, friends, in this sentence, in this situation, if we are trying to persuade someone into something that

must to is a little bit more stronger,

let's say, then have to.

Must is more demanding, have to is a little bit more polite and not so demanding, whereas must is more

demanding. Now, as must is a little bit more demanding, it can also be used to forbid or prohibit someone from doing something.

For example in this sentence: You must not sit on the grass. Here,

you must not, you can't, if you do it, something bad's gonna happen.

You're prohibited from sitting on the grass for this reason. The modal verb must is being used.

There you have it friends.

I hope this video lesson helped you to better understand, and most importantly, use modal verbs when speaking in English.

Friends, please, note that in this video lesson, we have only gone through some of the main uses of these modal verbs.

There are other uses that you do need to take into consideration

when speaking in English.

Remember friends to join the discussion in the comments below this video and share with us exactly

how you are learning and improving your English grammar skills. Now friends, if you liked this video lesson,

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Thanks for watching, thanks for being here, and I look forward to seeing you in the comments below this video. Bye for now