Unit 7 – modal verbs of ability, possibility and obligation

speaker feels.

Let’s look at:
Modal verbs of ability and possibility.
Modal verbs of obligation and no obligation.
How to use modal verbs in a sentence.

Modal verbs: when do we use them?

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weekend because I had to rest. I didn't want to do so many kilometres.

You don't have to ride the whole distance. You can stop at any time. Can you come next week?

Look at the conversation and use the modal verbs in bold to help complete the table.

can/can’t

could/couldn’t

have to

had to

don't/doesn’t have to

didn't have to

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weekend because I had to rest. I didn't want to do so many kilometres.

You don't have to ride the whole distance. You can stop at any time. Can you come next week?

We use doesn’t have to with the third person singular – he/she/it, e.g. ‘He doesn’t have to come.’

We use have to/had to to talk about general rules or things that are necessary.

Modal verbs: How do we make sentences with can/could?

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weekend.

You can stop at any time.

Look at the examples again. After can/could, do we use a verb infinitive or a verb -ing?

Can you come next week?

No. It is a bare infinitive.
I can swim.
I can to swim.

Does the verb infinitive use to?

A verb infinitive.

How do we make can/could negative?

Add ‘not’: cannot (can’t); could not (couldn’t).

Which question is correct: A or B?
A: You can dance salsa?
B: Can you dance salsa?

B. We invert the subject (‘you’) and ‘can’ to make a question.

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weekend.

You can stop at any time.

Can you come next week?

Verb infinitive is what you find in a dictionary. But remember, it is without to.
I can swim.
I can to swim.

We use the same structure with all subjects: I, you, he, she, it, we, they.

We don't stress the word can in the positive and question forms. Listen to how your teacher says it:
You can stop.

/kən/

What about have to?

Short answers are always:
Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they can/could.
No, I/you/he/she/it/we/they can’t/couldn’t.

can’t = cannot (one word)

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to ride the whole distance.

Look at the examples again. After have to/had to, do we use an verb infinitive or a verb
-ing?

A verb infinitive.

In the negative form, which auxiliary verb is added?

Do not (don't), does not (doesn’t), did not (didn't).

In the negative past, do we use do not, does not or did not?

Did not (didn't).

When do we use does not (doesn’t)?

Third person (he/she/it) in the present.

Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education  Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2

have to ride the whole distance.

Remember, this is the verb infinitive. It doesn’t change.

Careful with the changes in the third person (he/she/it) in the present!

Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education  Gold Experience 2nd Edition A2