Must + be + verb + ing for a true deduction about a current action.Ĭan’t + be + verb + ing for an untrue deduction about a current action. May / might / could + be + -ing for something happening right now or a possible future arrangement. This is the one you learnt in the basic course. Might / may / could something is possibly true. You’d better stop looking at my girlfriend! You should shave your chest hair, you look like a gorilla. I should tidy my room but I want to piss my mum off. You need not worry about taxis…I’ll pick you up. I might turn into a pumpkin at 12 midnight. May I use the bathroom…I have mega gastro-enteritis?īarcelona may get hit by a meteorite tomorrow! When I was younger I could drink all night. You must not smoke crack in the classroom.ĭrinking too much can destroy your health. He must be angry: his wife has three lovers. You must study more! (‘ Have to – versus ‘must’ – shows an obligation comes from somebody else: a law etc.

Expressing feelings about the past: would have, could have, should have.Modals and certainty (+ adverbs and adjectives of speculation.).In spite of the fact that it rained, we played tennis. In spite of it raining, we played tennis. In spite of is used exactly as despite is used. We can use despite with a noun following, a gerund verb or the expression 'despite the fact that'.ĭespite the fact that it rained, we played tennis. Nevertheless is used exactly as however is used. However is used at the start of a second sentence. Though is used exactly as although is used.Įven though is used exactly as although is used. This can come at the beginning or in the middle of one sentence. But each one has its own particular set of rules. There are many ways in English of joining two contrasting ideas together. She must have accepted his marriage proposal. We use must when we are convinced, totally sure about something. We are not sure if it is true or not, but it is possible.

May, Might and Could can be used to say something is possible. Your teacher phoned me to see where you were! Winston can't be at the theater tonight, I saw him in a café ten minutes ago. We use can't in these situations to say that something is not possible: Here are examples in the present and past using each of these modals:

The modal verbs we use in these sentences are can't, may, might, could and must. We can use modal verbs to express doubt and certainty in certain situations in the present and past.

Modal verbs exercises advanced