Материал: doichik_oia_modal_verbs_theory_and_practice

To express courage / lack of courage we

use dare.

*

* Note

Modal:

dare can be used as a modal verb:

Dare you do it? – I daren’t do it.

- dare / daren’t / don’t dare + V1

Dared you do it? – I dared not.

(present reference)

I hardly dare(d) tell him about it

- dared / dared not / didn’t dare +

Anomalous forms:

V1 (past reference)

Do you dare tell him? – I don’t dare tell

dare can be used as a regular verb:

him.

- dare to / don’t dare to + V1

Did you dare tell him? – I didn’t dare

(present reference)

tell him.

- dared to / didn’t dare to + V1 (past

Regular verb:

reference)

Do you dare to tell him?

Did you dare to tell him?

daren’t / don’t dare (to) is used in the

I‟d like to ask for the day off but I

present (to refer to present or future) in the

daren’t / but I don’t dare (to) (= I‟m

meaning „be afraid to‟

afraid to).

I wanted to ask for the day off but I

didn’t dare (to).

She is the only one who dares (to) enter

that dark room.

To express challenging we use dare as a

I dare you to jump off that wall

full verb

I didn‟t want to do it, but he dared me

(to).

** Note

Daresay (or dare say) is used in the 1st

I daresay, this won‟t be easy

person in the present tense in the meaning

I dare say, this restaurant is expensive.

„I suppose / I believe‟

Ability.

Present

can

I can speak English, but I cannot

Capability

am/is/ are able to

speak French

Despite her poor eyesight she is able

to read a lot.

Past

could

Barbara could/couldn’t sing very

was/were able to

well when she was younger

Jim was able to/was unable to run

fast when he was a boy

Possibility

Present

can

Generally possible things:

Impossibility

could

Drinks in restaurants can be very

may

expensive

Antibiotics may lead to stomach

disorders

It can (could) be quite cold in Cairo

in January

Possibilities according to the

circumstances:

He can’t talk with you now. He‟s

busy

Impossible things:

You cannot get blood out of a stone

Past

could

Generally possible things:

It could be quite cold in Cairo in

January when I lived there

Future

can

It can / could be quite cold when

could

you get to Cairo

Probability

Present

could

Take your coat it could / may /

Improbability

may

might rain

(based on

might

Don‟t phone me at 11. I could / may

guessing and

/ might be sleeping

speculation)

can’t

couldn’t

He can’t / couldn’t / may not /

may not

mightn’t be at home

might not

Past

could have + V3

John could / may / might have sent

may have + V3

the message, I‟m not sure

might have + V3

They could / may / might not have

heard the news yet.

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Strong

Present

must

The shoes must be very expensive

Probability

should

He‟s been running, he should be

Certainty

very tired now.

Past

must have + V3

He must have paid a lot for the

shoes

Future

should/shouldn’t

She‟s been studying very hard, she

will / won’t

should pass the exam

Will you come in time? – No, I think,

I should be late

It will rain tomorrow

He won’t come so soon

Logical

Present

must + V1

She must be French, she speaks

Deduction

can’t + V1

French so well

(based on

They can’t be English. They don‟t

evidence)

know the language

You must be joking. It can’t be the

truth.

Past

must have + V3

He must have heard it before. He

can’t have + V3

knows all the details

She can’t have fixed the phone. It‟s

not working

Deduction

Present

can’t + v1

She can’t be the winner. It‟s

(Surprise,

couldn’t + v1

impossible!

Astonishment,

He couldn’t be a famous sportsman!

Doubt,

Disbelief)

Past

can’t have +V3

He can’t have done it. He is too

couldn’t have + V3

polite

She couldn’t have done it! I thought

she‟s too weak.

Present

Can it be that…?

Can it be that she has forgotten

/ Past

It cannot be that…

about my BD? / It can’t be that she

has forgotten about my BD

Can it be that she hasn‟t read this

book? / It can’t be that she hasn‟t

read this book.

Advice.

Present

should

You should be more attentive

Advisability

ought to

You ought to vote

Recommen-

had better

He‟d better see a doctor

dation

must (emphatic)

You really must watch this film

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shouldn’t,

You shouldn’t behave like that

oughtn’t,

You oughtn’t to park there

had better not

You‟d better not lift heavy things

Past

should(n’t) have +

You should have come to the office

V3

at 9 (but you didn‟t)

ought(n’t) to have

He shouldn’t have said so (but he

+ V3.

did)

He ought to have helped us (but he

didn‟t)

Obligation

Present

should

You should wear a uniform

Duty

have to

He has to report twice a week

must

You must be always ready

Past

had to

I had to report about my trip

Necessity

Present

must

She must lose weight

have to

I will have to read it again

need to

He needs to type it again

Past

had to

I had to leave at 9

needed to

I‟ve had to call her several times

already

Future

will have to

You will have to work much harder

will need to

Absence of

Present

don’t have to

I needn’t be there so early

Necessity

don’t need to

He doesn’t have to come until

needn’t

tomorrow

Past

didn’t have to

I didn’t have to go / didn’t need to

didn’t need to

go to the office yesterday (=it was

needn’t have + V3

unnecessary, so I didn‟t go)

I needn’t have gone to the office

yesterday (=I went there, but it was

unnecessary)

Future

will not have to

You won’t need to come here again

will not need to

Permission

Present

can / could

Can / could / may / might I borrow

may / might

your umbrella (please)?

Could I (possibly)?

Could I possibly use your phone?

Do you think I

I wonder if I might bother you for a

could/might …?

moment

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