Prepared by Ms. K.Rajalakshmi Therich selvam

A modal is a helping verb. It expresses a mood. It comes before the main verb generally.

The Modals are : Shall – Should. Will – would Can – Could May – Might Must, need, dare, used to, ought to.

Shall – Futurity, Compulsion.Ex – I shall go to Chennai tomorrow.You shall do it.Should – Compulsion.Ex – You should submit the Record today.Will – Futurity, Certainty.Ex – Prem will come soon.I will pass the exam.

Would – Habitual action, wish.Ex – I would get up at 6 am.I would like to dance.Can – Present ability, asking for help,

offering help.Ex – She can dance well.Can you help me.We can lift this.Could – Past ability, request.Ex – He could walk for a long distance.Could you help me?

May – Polite request, possibility.Ex – May I come in sir.It may rain today.Might – PossibilityEx – He might do it.Must – need, obligationEx – You must take rest.We must obey law.Need – NecessityEx – Need I come there?

Dare – boldness, angerEx – I dare not do such things.How dare you talk like this?Used to – Past habits.Ex – I used to walk for one hour every

morning.Ought to – Moral obligation.Ex – We ought to help the poor.

Fill in the blanks with suitable Modal auxiliary.

1. A good teacher _______ make even boring lessons interesting.

2. In the army soldiers ________ obey their officers.

3. The patient is very critical, but who knows he __________ recover.

4. I _______ smell something burning in the kitchen. It _______ be the meat in the oven.

5. _______ I come in sir? Yes, of course You __ .

6. One ______ always keep his promises.7. All citizens _______ obey the laws of the land.8. Visit us tomorrow. My mother ______ be

happy to see you.9. Don’ t worry. This _____ happen to anyone.10. ______ God bless you.11. Law makers _______ not be a law breakers.12. God ________ not be everywhere. So he

made ‘mothers’.13. Give me a fish I _____ live for a day. Teach

me to fish, I ________ live for a life time.14. You _______ not study all the essays.15. I _______ to play with marbles and tops.

Answers A good teacher _____can__ make even boring lessons

interesting.In the army soldiers ___must / should_____ obey their

officers.The patient is very critical, but who knows he __may /

can________ recover.I ____can___ smell something burning in the kitchen. It

___may____ be the meat in the oven.__May_____ I come in sir? Yes, of course You _can_ .One ____must__ always keep his promises. All citizens _____must__ obey the laws of the land. Visit us tomorrow. My mother ____will__ be happy to see

you. Don’ t worry. This _may____ happen to anyone. ____May__ God bless you. Law makers ___should____ not be a law breakers. God _____may / can___ not be everywhere. So he made

‘mothers’. Give me a fish I __will___ live for a day. Teach me to fish,

I ___can_____ live for a life time. You ___need____ not study all the essays.I _____used __ to play with marbles and tops.