Modals


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In today's lesson we continue our unit on modals.  Today's topic is: How do you indicate time reference using modals?

Before you begin the activities, you may want to begin with the first unit in this chapter, What Is a Modal?, also in our Library. (This lesson is open to members only but membership is free!)

Modals and Time Reference

A modal is a helping verb.  Thus, sometimes it is called a 'modal auxiliary.'

There are several challenges to using modals correctly:

  1.  Knowing which modal to use and

  2. how to use it to indicate the desired time reference.

There are two ways in which a modal may convey time reference, and these are:

  • The modal itself changes

  • The verb form after the modal changes

1) The modal changes

We begin by looking at the examples of the modal can (to indicate ability) and will (to indicate the future).


can ability
in the present,
looking at the present		 can ~/can't ~ (cannot ~)
A lot of people are sick and they can't sit or stand any more.
from the present,
looking to the past		 could ~/couldn't ~
A lot of people were sick and they couldn't sit or stand any more.

will future, high degree of certainty
in the present,
looking at the near or distant future		 will ~/won't ~
I will be moving to New York and she won't be seeing me for a long time.
from the past.
looking to the future		 would ~/wouldn't ~
I would be moving to New York and she wouldn't be seeing me for a long time.

 

2) The Verb Form Following the Modal Changes

Sometimes the verb form after the modal changes to indicate a change in time reference.

could request or permission  
in the present and the future could
Could you please tell me how to order this?
in the past could have + past participle ~
/couldn't have + past participle~
I could have told her but I didn't.

should obligation  
in the present and the future should ~/shouldn't ~)
I should take her advice.
in the past should have + past participle
/shouldn't have + past participle
I should have taken her advice, but I didn't.

Next... The Most Commonly Used Modals

We discuss the most commonly used modal and their uses.

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