English Modal Verbs with examples

Modal verbs

• Modal verb is a helping verb showing possibility, probability, obligation, ability or necessity
• Modal verb does not take -s or –es
• Modal verb does not use do to form a question
• Modal verb is followed by the infinitive without to (except ought to)
• Modal verb does not have an infinitive or participle form

Modal verb	Use	Numbers	Sentence
Can	Ability	–	You can go to UK
Could	Advice	–	You could go to UK
Shall	Fact or promise	–	You shall go to UK
Should	Obligation	100%	You should go to UK
Will	Promise	100%	You will go to UK
Would	Most probably	More than 50%	You would go to UK
May	Less chances	More than 25%	You may go to UK
Might	Very less chances	Less than 10%	You might go to UK
Ought to	Suggestion		You ought to go to UK
Must	Necessary	100%	You must go to UK

 

Can

Use can for ability

Use can for events which are possible

Use can to make a suggestion or offer

Could

Use could for ability in the past

Use could for events which were possible in the past

Use could to make a suggestion or offer

Use could to make a request

Use could to criticize people

May

Use may to ask for permission

Use may to say there is possibility of something happening

Use may to talk about real possibilities that happen around a specific situation

Might

Use may to ask for permission

Use might to say something which has very less chances of happening

Shall

Use shall to say about a fact

Should

Use should to recommend things

Use should to say that something is likely to happen because it is usual or logical

Use should and the perfect infinitive to talk about past event that did not happen

Will

Use will to say about something which will happen for certain

Use will to make a promise

Would

Use would to talk about something which will most probably happen

Ought to

Use ought to recommend things

Must

Use must to show obligation

Use must in the present and future

Use must to show the idea that something is certain

Use must to make definite conclusions about the past