REVISION OF MODAL VERBS-2

Good morning! Today we will continue with modal verbs.

In English there are 9 one-word or "pure" modal verbs:

CAN-COULD
MAY-MIGHT
MUST
WILL-WOULD
SHALL-SHOULD

There are also "semi-modals" or "periphrastic modals." Below are a few examples:

OUGHT TO
HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO

Remember, as we said yesterday, all of these modals combine with an infinitive verb to add an additional "mode" or "attitude" to the main verb. A modal verb may express the attitude of obligation, ability, necessity, probability or logical deduction, among others. Remember, they always combine with the bare infinitive (without the particle to).

Example 1 (Obligation):
I have to go to work every Monday through Friday.

Example 2 (Obligation):
I must go to work every Monday through Friday.

Over the next several days, we will concentrate on some of the more common modals. Below is a simplified summary of the most common "mode" or "attitude" meanings that these modal verbs add to the main verb; many of them have more than one possibility.


-Can --> Ability or Permission
-Could --> Ability or Permission
-May --> Probability or Permission
-Might --> Probability
-Must --> Obligation or Probability
-Will --> Future
-Should --> Obligation
-Have to --> Moral obligation
-Be able to --> Ability

Of course, in reality the context and intention of the speaker can create lots of other possibilities. On Monday we will begin to look at specific examples of these modal verbs.

Please post any questions about today's Daily Vitamin in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website. If you have any questions about how to use the Daily Vitamin Plus! section or would like to receive a Daily Vitamin Plus! manual, please contact us.

Enjoy the rest of your day and have an excellent weekend.