Modals general information

Polite request politeness (I)

Can I ➡ May I = Could I ➡ Might I

Polite request politeness (You)

Can you ➡ Will you = Would you ➡ Could you (possibility)

❗May you - не вживається

Asking for permissiom with Would you mind

Would you mind if I + Past Simple

Would you mind if I opened the window?

Asking smn to do smt with Would you mind

Would you mind + V-ing

Would you mind opening the window?

Necessity politeness

Have got to (spoken) ➡ Have to ➡ Must (urgent, stress importance)

Past necessity

Have (got) to/Must (Present or future) ➡ Had to (Past)

Lack of necessity

Do not have to = needn't

You don’t have to wipe the dust, I’ve already done it.

Prohibition

Must not

You must not smoke here.

Advisability

Should = ought to ➡ had better (not) (warning, threat or bad consequences)

Past of should

Should have + V3

You should have done your homework.

Suggestions

Let’s (let us)

Why don’t - spoken

Shall I/We (suggestion and asking for agreement)

Let’s

= let us

(-) Let’s not

shall we - tag question.

Could/Should suggestions

Should - gives definite advise

Could - offers suggestion/possibilities = Might

You should study hard.

You could ask you teacher for help, or you could reread paragraphs. Perhaps you could ask you parents for hiring a tutor for you.

Hindsight suggestions

Should have + V3 - hindsight advice

Could have + V3 - hindsight possibilities

You should have studied hard.

You could have asked you teacher for help, or you could have reread paragraphs. Perhaps you could have asked you parents for hiring you a tutor.

Expectations

Be supposed to - smn expect smt to happen

• scheduled events

• correct procedure

• behaviour

= be meant to

Past unfulfilled expectations

Was/were supposed to

Need to negative present

don’t need to - general necessity

don’t need to/needn’t to - specific necessity

Need to negative past

didn’t need to - sth wasn’t necessary and we didn’t do it

didn’t need to/needn’t have + V3 - sth wasn’t necessary but we did it

Reguest

Can I - May I - Could I - Might I

Can you - Will you - Would you - Could you

Would you mind if I + Past Simple

Would you might + Ving

Necessity

Have (got) to - Need to - Must - Had to(past)

Advisability

Should - ought to

Should have + V3

Suggestions

let’s - why don’t - shall I/we - Should(advice) - Could(suggestions) - Might

Expectations

Be supposed/meant to