Modal verbs

Modal verbs

Have to & Must

They are followed by infinitive

We use them to talk about obligation or something that it is necessary to do or strong recommendations:

• We have to wear the seatbelt in the bus.

• They must be here at 9pm

• You must watch this series, it is amazing!

• I have to work up early on Saturdays

Have to & Must

Must only exist in present

Have to is a normal verb and exits in all tenses:

• I had to go to the pharmacy

• She has to stop the car when the light is red

• They will have to wait there

The difference is:

• Have to: general/external obligation like laws or norms

• Must: specific or personal obligation

Multiple Select

Must and have to are used for...

There are more than one correct option

• Obligation

• Strong recommendation

• Advice

• Possibility

Multiple Choice

Have to is used for external obligations like the law

• True

• False

It is prohibited and against the law:

• You mustn't steal

• They mustn't park here

We can use can't or not allowed instead of mustn't

Mustn't

It is not necessary or obligatory:

• You don't have to drive, we can get a bus.

• We don't have to wait, we can go now.

Don't have to

Don't have to & Mustn't

Can

It is used to express; ability, opportunity, a request, to grant permission, to show possibility or impossibility.

• You can play the violin

• Can I take that pen?

• We can learn Russian in school

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Might & May

Affirmative: might/may + infinitive

Negative: might/may + not + infinitive

To express possibility. The main difference is that might is used to less probable situations:

• It might snow

• I may come to your party

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​May is also used to ask for permission:

• May he come?

Multiple Choice

If I say It might be sunny

• We have no doubt, the sun will come out

• There is no chance that the sun comes out

• There is a little possibility that it will be sunny

• There is a big possibility that it is going to be sunny

Should

Affirmative: should + infinitive

Negative: should + not + infinitive

To give advice or to say that we think something is better:

• You should buy this book

• We should take that rout, is faster

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We can use ought to or ought nor to instead of should

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Open Ended

Your friend is going to take a plane for the first time, give her/him and advice using should