Exclusive Use of Modal verbs

Modal Verbs

Modal Verb	Picture	Example in a sentence
can: possibility and ability Click here for a YouTube video		This baby can crawl. I can crawl We can crawl You can crawl You can crawl He can crawl She can crawl They can crawl It can crawl negative contraction: can't crawl
will: future Click here for a YouTube video		He will go to the beach later today. I will go We will go You will go You will go He will go She will go They will go It will go negative contraction: won't go
shall: possibility and future possibility	This sounds so formal I'm going to recommend that you not use it. Shall is not popular. (One less word to remember!)	Your teacher recommends that you don't use shall if your interest is in American English. 98 % of the American public doesn't use it. It sounds very formal. In fact, it sounds too formal. (blech!)
may: possiblity and permission		1. (future possibility) They may walk their dogs this afternoon. 2. (Asking permission) A: May I walk your dog? B: Yes, you may. I may walk We may walk You may walk You may walk He may walk   She may walk They may walk It may walk   negative: may not walk (don't contract this one!)
could past tense of can--usually negative.      possibility and ability		When I went out to eat last night, I couldn't read the signs because they were in Chinese. I could read We could read You could read You could read He could read She could read They could read It could read negative contraction: couldn't read
would: past tense of "will"		She wouldn't touch the spider she saw earlier this morning because she's afraid of them. I would touch We would touch You would touch You would touch He would touch She would touch They would touch It would touch negative contraction: wouldn't touch
should: recommendation and good idea. (Related to "shall" but much better and easier to use.)		He should be careful on those rollerskates because he could fall. I should be We should be You should be You should be He should be She should be They should be It should be negative contraction: shouldn't be
might: possibility (use instead of "may" in some cases)		These eggs might break when they hit the ground. In fact, they'll probably break unless they land on something soft. I might break We might break You might break You might break He might break She might break They might break It might break negative: might not break (don't contract!)
must: necessary and important		They must attend this important meeting. I must attend We must attend You must attend You must attend He must attend She must attend They must attend It must attend negative: must not attend (a contraction here is okay, but it sounds formal and it sounds British. Most Americans try not to sound like they have a British accent, but you may use the contraction if you want to)
Remember: Modal verbs are followed by the main verb in the simple form. I must go He must be They should eat