MODAL VERBS

Os verbos modais são diferentes dos demais e, por isso, exigem atenção.  

Eles não possuem infinitivo, não tem particípio e não aceitam auxiliares para negativas e interrogativas. No presente, eles não ganham "+s" quando aparecem depois de he, she ou it.

Além disso, nunca usamos "to" após os verbos modais. A maioria dos modais, na negativa, pode ser contraído (can + not = can't, por exemplo)

Estrutura:

AFIRMATIVA: PRONOME + MODAL + VERBO PRINCIPAL

NEGATIVA: PRONOME + MODAL + NOT + VERBO PRINCIPAL

INTERROGATIVA: MODAL + PRONOME + VERBO PRINCIPAL?

MODAL VERB	USE	EXAMPLES
CAN	ü  ABILITY ü  POSSIBILITY / SUGGESTION ü  REQUEST	He can swim very well. You can take a taxi. Can you lend me your pen?
CAN’T	ü  PROHIBITION	You can’t smoke here.
COULD	ü  PAST ABILITY ü  POSSIBILITY / SUGGESTION ü  POLITE REQUEST	I could swim very well when I was younger You could go to the park today. Could you open the door, please?
MUST	ü  OBLIGATION	You must be back by 10 o’ clock.
MUSTN’T	ü  PROHIBITION	He mustn’t drink and drive.
SHOULD	ü  ADVICE ü  OPINION	You should go to the doctor. She should study harder.
WOULD	ü  HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS / CONDITIONAL ü  VERY POLITE REQUESTS	if she had money, she would travel. Would you help me, please?
MAY	ü  FORMAL REQUESTS ü  PERMISSION . ü  POSSIBILITY	May I go to the bathroom? Ok, you may come in. It may rain tonight.
MIGHT	ü  POSSIBILITY	She might be at home, I’m not sure.