Modals

Modals

Modal Meaning

Active Example

Passive Example

Modal	Condition	Present/Future Modal + Simple Form	Past	Present/Future Modal + "be" + participle	Past
CAN	Ability	I can speak English.	I could speak English when I was 3.	A piano can be tuned with a tuning fork.	A piano could easily be tuned in 1850.
CAN	Possibility	Temperatures can fluctuate rapidly in October.	It could have been cold yesterday.	The politician can be bribed.	He could have been bribed before he won the election.
MAY	Possibility	There may be an opening in French.	There may have been a fire.	She may be elected.	He may have been caught by the police.
MIGHT	Possibility	The block and tackle might be unsafe	There might have been a fire.	He might be forgotten.	He might have been caught by the police.
COULD	Possiblity	Three unsafe conditions could exist.	There could have been a fire.	You could be arrested.	He could have been prosecuted.
MUST	Logical Deduction	You must like to study. You have spent all day in the library.	There must have been a fire last night.	The building must be ruined after the fire.	The fire fighters must have been exhausted.
MUST	Necessity	Parents must provide for their children.	Our parents must have provided for us.	We must be notified.	XXXXX
HAVE TO	Necessity	I have to study for this test.	I had to study last night.	The lab has to be cleaned.	The police had to be notified.
BE TO	Necessity	The list is to contain all the names.	I was to go to the meeting.	The box is to be filled.	She was to be fired.
SHOULD	Advisability	You should work hard.	You should have studied.	The metal should be heated to 30 degrees.	The glühwein should have been cooled.
SHOULD	Expectation	The class should begin soon.	The bus should have arrived two hours ago.	XXXXX	XXXXX
SHOULD	Prediction	It should snow tomorrow.	XXXXX	XXXXX	XXXXX
OUGHT TO	Advisability Expectation Prediction	All citizens ought to vote.	The government ought to have encouraged the workers to vote.	The mixture ought to be heated for an hour.	The vehicle ought to have been serviced by now.
WILL	Intention Certainty	We will read chapter 5.	I would have repaired the circuit but I was busy.	Your orders will be followed to the letter.	The plans would have been completed.
WOULD	Intention Expectation	The colonies would develop after 1650.	The factory would have remained in operation.	In that tractor the battery would be located near the starter.	In the Roman Chariot, the brake would have been located near the railing.

SUPPOSED TO

Expectation

He is supposed to rectify the situation today.

Jerry was supposed to deliver the goods last week.

That job is supposed to be done today.

The strawberry muffins were supposed to be baked by noon.

Other modal constructions:

USED TO

past habit

Joe used to play the accordion before he met Nancy.