Modal Verbs

23 guides, tagged by CEFR level.

• 'Dare' C1 The verb 'dare' functions as both a modal and a main verb to express courage or indignation. At the C1 level, it is primarily used in fixed expressions and negative modal forms.
• Ability: 'be able to' A2 The phrase 'be able to' describes ability or possibility. It functions similarly to 'can' but allows for more flexibility across different tenses.
• Ability: 'can' and 'could' A1 Use 'can' to describe abilities in the present and 'could' to describe abilities in the past.
• Advice: 'should' A2 Use 'should' and 'shouldn't' to give advice or express that something is a good or bad idea. This modal verb helps you suggest actions without being as forceful as a command.
• Can, could, may, must (review) B1 A comparison of modal verbs used to express ability, permission, obligation, and possibility. This guide clarifies the differences in formality and strength between can, could, may, must, and have to.
• Criticism and disapproval C1 Modal verbs 'might have' and 'could have' are used to express criticism or disapproval regarding past actions that were neglected or performed poorly.
• Deduction (past) B2 Past modals of deduction are used to express varying degrees of certainty about events or states in the past based on available evidence.
• Deduction (present) B1 Modal verbs of deduction allow speakers to express how certain they are about a present situation based on available evidence.
• Expressing expectations B2 Expressing expectations involves using modal verbs with the continuous aspect to describe what is likely happening now or what is anticipated in the future. These forms combine modal probability with the ongoing nature of an action.
• Had better B1 The phrase 'had better' is used to give strong advice or warnings about specific situations. It implies that if the advice is not followed, there will be a negative consequence.
• Hedging and distancing expressions C1 Hedging and distancing expressions allow speakers to avoid direct commitment to a statement, softening claims or attributing information to external sources.
• Modal perfect continuous C1 The modal perfect continuous expresses a logical deduction or a hypothetical situation regarding an ongoing action in the past. It combines a modal verb with 'have been' and the present participle to emphasize duration or process.
• Modals in the past B2 Modals in the past express degrees of certainty, obligation, or regret regarding previous events. They are formed using a modal verb followed by the perfect infinitive.
• Obligation & necessity (advanced) B1 Learn how to express obligation, necessity, and prohibition using modal verbs and semi-modals. This guide covers the functional differences between must, have to, and should at an intermediate level.
• Obligation and prohibition A2 Learn how to express obligation and prohibition using 'must' and 'have to', and how to describe a lack of necessity with 'don't have to'.
• Past habits: used to, get used to B1 This guide explains how to describe past habits using 'used to', and how to express familiarity with a situation using 'be used to' and 'get used to'.
• Permission: 'can/can't' A2 Use 'can' to say that something is allowed and 'can't' to say that something is forbidden or not allowed.
• Possibility: might, may, could A2 Use 'might', 'may', and 'could' to talk about things that are possible now or in the future. These modal verbs show that you are not 100% certain about a situation.
• Requests and offers A1 Use 'Would you like...?' to offer things to people and 'I'd like...' to ask for things politely.
• Requests: 'can/could/will/would' A2 Use the modal verbs can, could, will, and would to ask people to do things. These forms vary in levels of politeness and formality.
• Suggestion: 'could / let's / shall' A2 Use 'could', 'let's', and 'shall' to suggest ideas, make plans, or offer help to other people.
• The imperative A1 The imperative is used to give direct orders, instructions, or advice. It uses the base form of the verb and does not require a subject.
• Would rather / Would sooner B2 These structures express preference between two alternatives or indicate a choice in a specific situation. They function similarly to 'would prefer' but follow different grammatical patterns depending on whether the subject changes.