Introduction to Basic Modal Verbs

Modals help us to communicate about a request, an ability, a (future)possibility, or need.

Start with the three most basic modal verbs: can, will, must.

Can—A request (Can you hand me the book?) or an ability (She can walk to school.)

Will—A future possibility (I will eat dinner. /Will he finish in time?)

Must—A need (We must buy some food at the shop!)

 

Have students copy this basic table into their exercise books, or onto a sheet of paper. Today is a very basic introduction to these types of verbs.

 

A positive statement contains a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a main verb (what the subject is doing).

·         She sits on the bench.

To create a positive sentence with a modal verb, you must put the modal in between the subject and the main verb.

·         She can sit on the bench. (Note: here the main verb is in its infinitive without ‘to’.)

 

 

A negative statement has the same formula as a positive statement, but the modal verb is followed by ‘not’ or the contraction n’t.

·         She mustn’t sit on the bench.

·         She will not sit on the bench.

 

Unlike Ukrainian and Russian where there is not always a specified word order, in English, we adhere to specific word order when asking a question. With modal verbs it becomes very easy. The modal simply goes to the front of the sentence.

 

Further example:  (Practice)

·         We must answer all the questions.

·         (-) We must not answer all the questions.

·         (?) Must we answer all the questions?

 

Student Work: (Application)

Students must write the following 5 sentences, and then write them again in (A) negative and then in (B) question format, like the above example.

1.       I must go to the bank today.

2.       They will finish the test in time.

3.       Janet can play the piano.

4.       We will walk to school.

5.       You can call your teacher tonight.