MODAL VERBS
MODAL VERB
|
MEANING/USES
|
EXAMPLES
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CAN
(poder/ saber/ tener la habilidad)
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- ability
- permission
- possibility
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- He can speak English
- Can I open the door?
- Anybody can make mistakes
|
CAN’T
(No se puede, porque es imposible)
|
- impossibility
|
- I can’t find my keys, I’ve lost them.
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COULD
(Pudo, podría)
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- past ability
- present or future permission
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- I could never play the piano
- Could I smoke in here?
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MAY
=MIGHT
(Poder/ es posible
|
- Permission (more formal than can)
- Possibility
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- You may borrow my car if you like
- The road may be blocked
- What you say might be true
|
SHOULD
=OUGHT TO
(debería/ consejos)
|
- advice
|
- You should do as he says
- You should go to the doctor
- You ought to start now
|
MUST
(tener que/ tener la obligación)
|
- obligation (imposed by the speaker)
- certainty/deduction
|
- You must be back by 12 o’clock
- There must be a mistake
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HAVE TO
(tener que/ tener la obligación)
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- obligation (imposed by other person)
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- I have to be back at 12 o’clock
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DON’T HAVE TO
(no es necesario/ no tienes que…)
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- absence of obligation
|
- You don’t have to go to school in the afternoon
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MUSTN’T
(no se debe… está prohibido)
|
- prohibition
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- You mustn’t park on the yellow lines
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NEED
(Es necesario)
|
- necessity
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- You need have a passport to travel abroad
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