Auxiliary verbs are a fundamental part of the English language. Everyone uses modal verbs in day-to-day conversations and their writings. But what are they? Why are auxiliary verbs important to speak English fluently? If you want to speak better English, you must learn the Modal auxiliary verbs and how to use them in sentences. In this blog post, we will focus on two sets of modal auxiliary verbs: “can, ” “could, ” and “may, ” “might, ” and “must. ”
Modal verbs, also known as helping verbs/auxiliary verbs help to clarify what is meant by the principal verb’s tense. In English, an auxiliary is a small group of verbs, which includes modal verbs and some others. They express various shades of meaning and indicate the speaker’s attitude or mood, such as ability, possibility, suggestions, and permission. Although their definitions vary, they generally are regarded as having a modified meaning when combined with another verb.
“Can” and “could” are two of the most commonly used modal auxiliary verbs in the English Language. They are used to indicate a thing’s ability to do something, the possibility of an action, and ask/refuse permission. “Can” is the present tense form, while “could” is the past tense form.
When we use “can” to express ability, we are saying that someone is capable of doing something. For example, “I can sing” means that I am able to sing. “She can speak Japanese” means that she has the ability to speak Japanese.
When we use “could” to indicate capacity, we are talking about the past. For example, “I could swim when I was younger” means that I had the capacity to swim in the past.
We use “Can” if we want to show that something has a strong possibility, and “could” refers to something with a weak possibility. For example, “It can rain later today” means that there is a possibility of rain later today. “It could have been worse” means that the situation was already bad, but it could have been even worse.
Both “can” and “could” can be used to request permission. We commonly use “can” instead of “could, ” but could often sound more polite than can. For example, “You can borrow my book” means that I give you permission to borrow my book. “Could I leave early today?” is a polite way of asking for permission to leave early.
“May, ” “might, ” and “must” are another three important modal auxiliary verbs that are commonly used in conversations. They are also used to express that how certain you are about something, such as possibility, probability, and necessity.
We can use “may” to ask, give/ refuse permission, and say that something is possible or that it is moderate. We can use “may” for the present and the future. “May” is a more formal choice to use. For example, “It may rain later today” means that there is a possibility of rain later today. Similarly, “You may see some wildlife if you go hiking” means that there is a possibility of seeing wildlife if you go hiking.
“Might ” used the past tense of “may, ” but it is less certain than “may. ” For example, “It might rain later today” means that there is a possibility of rain later today, but it is less likely than if we had used “may. ” “She might be at the gym” means that there is a possibility that she is at the gym, but we are not sure.
“Must” is used to show necessity or obligation. For example, “You must study hard if you want to pass the exam” means that it is necessary to study hard in order to pass the exam., “I must finish this project by tomorrow” means that there is an obligation to finish the project by tomorrow. It can also be used to express probability. For example, “He must be tired after running a marathon” means that it is probable that he is tired after running a marathon.
By mastering these modal auxiliary verbs, you can become more confident to speak English fluently. Want to learn more grammar and practice spoken English? Sign in with us, and make sure to check out all of our blogs.
1. _____ I use your phone?
A. Can B. Could C. May
2. _____ I join you?
A. Could B. Can C. May
3. You ___ go to work on time.
A. Can B. May C. Must
4. The story ____ be true, I suppose.
A. Could B. Can C. Might
5. She’s not at home. She ____ be at the gym.
A. Could B. May C. Must
6. Your life ___ be fun if you don’t take it seriously.
A. Can B. Must C. Might
7. My name is Sara, and I ___ draw well.
A. May B. Might C. Can
8. I love reading books. ___ I borrow your new one?
A. Could B. Might C. May
9. I ____ swim when I was younger.
A. Can B. Could C. Must
10. David is an engineer, but he ____ work as a taxi driver.
A. Could B. Can C. Might
| 1. Can | 6. Can |
| 2. May | 7. Can |
| 3. Must | 8. May |
| 4. Might | 9. Could |
| 5. Must | 10. Could |
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