Modal verb: Ought to

"..People ought to know several things about the recent history.."





Ought is different from other auxiliary verbs. It is used with to.
We can use ought to instead of should in some contests.
example:
- Do you think I ought to apply for this course in particular?
- Yesterday it was a useful lesson in the university. You ought to have come.
- He has been studying hard for the exam, so he ought to pass.

Ought expresses duty, necessity, desirability and similar ideas. It is often used to advise people: to tell them that they have a duty to do things. The meaning is similar to should, is not as forceful as must. 
examples:
- You ought to attend school regularly. (Duty)
- You ought to help the needy. (Moral obligation)
- We ought to buy a new car, the other one has broken down. (Necessity)


NOTE:
Note that to is dropped in question tags.
- You ought to love your girlfriend, ought not you? (NOT…ought not you to.) 

Ought does not have infinitives (to ought) or participles (oughting, oughted). Questions and negatives are made without do.


BUT:
Ought is rarely used in questions and negatives; should is generally used instead. A structure with think … ought is also common.
examples:
- We ought to help them, shouldn’t we? (More natural than ought not we?)
- Do you think I ought to consult a doctor? (More natural than Ought I to consult a doctor?) 
- Should we tell her? (Less formal than Ought we to tell her?)

Modal verb: Would

example situation:

 He would need to get a break....










Would is another auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb.
We use would mainly:

•  when we imagine a situation or action (like thinking to something that is not real):                                                                                                                            - It would be beautiful to live in a caste;                                                               - I would love to go on the moon;                                                                           - I would like to live in Spain 

• when would/wouldn't is the past of will/won't.                                    example:                                                                                                                                - I'll phone you on Saturday / He said he would phone on Saturday.                                                                                                                              - I promise I'll be on time / She promised she wouldn't be late

• in sentences with if:                                                                                                          - I would phone her if I had her number;                                                             - I would have phoned you if I had had her number                                   ..we will get back to this forms in some next Units..

• when we imagine actions or situations in the past that didn't happened:          - I didn't tell your brother you didn't go to school, he would have not been happy ;                                                                                                                                     - I am happy it didn't rain, otherwise the pic-nic would have been canceled.

COMPARE: 
Would (do) and Would have (done)
- I would invite Brian to my party, but he doesn't get along well with my sister after they broke up.. (now)
- I would have invited Brian to my party, but he wasn't a good situation for my sister too see him at the party..
(in the past) 

- I would cut my hair, if I have time. (now)
- I would have cut my hair, if I'd had time. (past) 


BUT:
We tend to use would especially when reminiscing about the past, telling a story or recollecting some regular or repeated thing we did long ago.

"When I was a child, we would visit my grandmother every Sunday afternoon. I would sit on my grandmother's knee and she'd sing me a song."

'Would' is more restricted in use than 'used to'.
..we will see these form in the next post..

Stay tuned!

Modal verb: Should

example:

Here the scientist suggests to his colleague:
"I think you should be more explicit here in step two..instead of writing then we need a miracle..."







You should do something = means it is the right thing (or a good thing) to do
Should is used to give advice or to give an opinion.
examples:
- Your English needs a review. You should study some grammar.
- The government should do something concrete to help this country.
- Should we invite Mark for my birthday? Of course, we should! 
- You shouldn't run, is very slippery.  (negative form)

• Should is not as strong as must or have to: - You should apologise to her (it would be a good thing to do) ; You must / have to apologise to her (you have no alternative)

• It is possible to use should when something is not right or what we expect: - I wonder where Matteo is. He should be already here by now; - The price of this book is wrong, it should be 10€ not 100€

• Should can be used to comment on something we expect: - There shouldn't be any problem on finding a Hostel in Barcelona in two weeks.

• Should is often used after some verbs like: DEMAND, INSIST, PROPOSE, RECOMMEND, SUGGEST

ALSO
Should is often used in the first conditional hypothetical constructions:                     if + should + infinitive:

example
- If you should happen to miss the train, I could drive you there myself.

- Should you wish to change your holiday arrangements, we will all we can to help.  (very formal situation, in written English)

we are going to review conditional situations a bit further

Modal verbs: Have to, Must

this guy was singing in 1965..


"..And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it..."
 



Have to do something means that it is necessary to do it: is used to express a strong obligation. 
examples: 
- I have to arrive at work before 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, I have a client at 8,30.
- You have to pass your last five exams get the bachelor degree.
- I have to send a my report by the end of the week.

- Matteo doesn't have to work on Saturdays. (negative form)

- Why did you have to go so early yesterday evening? (questions)

- I don't know if I can come to the seaside next weekend, I might have to work. (have to with might)

the same man has been telling us about another story saying:

"..How many roads must a man walk down,
before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail,
before she sleeps in the sand?
yes and how many times must a cannon ball fly.."

  

[...This lyrics excite abstract statements rather than particular and specific examples. They excite both the imagination and emotions, it enables you to unlock your own highly personal box of images, memories, connections and associations. Keep them in your mind as they are beautiful songs...] 

Must is similar to have to:
- You must come and see us again soon.
- You have to come and see us again soon. (is also possible)

• Must can be used to give your personal opinion, to say what you think is necessary or to recommend somebody to do something. But have to is also possible: - They must do something about it.  - I must say, I don't think you were very nice to her. 

• Must to show that we are certain something is true. Actually, we are making a logical deduction based upon some clear evidence or reason: - You must be worried that she didn't call you yet. - It must be nice to live in Marbella in summer. 

• Must is often used in written rules and instructions: - Application forms for the job must received by October the 10th. - In this exam, pencils are not allowed, you must write your answers in ink.

NOTE:

Have to to express a strong obligation. 

When we use have to this usually means that the speaker is not giving his personal opinion, but rather some external circumstance makes the obligation necessary:

- I have to work from 9 to 6 o'clock, every day. (this is a fact, not an opinion)

- I have to pass my last exam or the university won't accept me.

ALSO

Especially, in British English, have got to is used to mean the same as have to.

- Ciccio is a bartender. He's got to work mainly at weekends.

- Have I got to do it right now?

 

BUT

Mustn't and don't have to are completely different:

 

You mustn't do something = it is necessary that you do not do it:

- You must keep the secret! You mustn't tell anyone

- You mustn't phone me at work. We aren't allowed to receive any personal calls. 

You don't have to do something = you don't need to do it, but you can if you want:
- You don't have to tell them, but you can if want to.
- I don't have to go to lesson today, but I'll think I'll go anyway.

Modal verbs: Can, Could, Be able to

..unfortunately this won't an example but, a dedication..

  

 

Motorcycles racers can fly high..

                                                     #58

Can and could are modal verbs. 

They are used with other verbs to transmit ideas such as possibility, permission, etc.


Can

We use can to say that something is possible or allowed, or somebody has the ability:

• talk about possibility and ability. example: - I can ride a motorbike.  - He can speak three languages.

• make requests or give orders. example: - Can you buy me a pencil?  - Can you complete your job before you leave the office.

• ask for or give permission. example: - Can I borrow your mobile for a second?

Could 
We use could:

• as the past tense of can. example:  - Guys, Tom is on his way and he said she could get the pizzas for us.

• to show what was possible in the past. example:  - He could ride the bike since he was nine years old.

• to ask someone to do something. example:  - Could you hold this bag for a second, please?

• to ask if someone is able or allowed to do something. example: - My grandmother could speak Spanish.  - Could I ask you an information?

 We could use could especially with verbs like: SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE, FEEL, REMEMBER, UNDERSTAND
examples:- I could hear the sound of your voice from the upper floor.
- Yesterday afternoon was very hard to drive, I couldn't see anything.


Be able to
Be able to is used when we refer to somebody who has the ability to do something:
- Marta is able to drive, but she hasn't got a car.
- My grandfather was able to repair motorbikes.
- Applicants for the job, must be able to speak two foreign languages.


NOTE:
For general ability, the most common form is could.
But if we want to say that somebody did something in a specific situation, is possible to use was/were able to or managed to, rather than could.

examples: 
- I wanted to buy some bread, the first shop I went didn't have any, but I managed to go in another bakery.
- There was nobody to disturb me, so I was able to study the whole morning.


COMPARE:
- Marco was an excellent  motorcycle racer, he could drive really fast in races.
(Marco had the general ability to drive very well in competitions)

- Marco managed to win the Italian Minimoto Championship in 1999
(Marco won the title in that specific competition)

Modal verbs: May - Might

May and might are used to say that something is a possibility. 

May
The modal verb may is manly used in written and formal contests, is rather formal and not used very often in modern spoken English.

Is possible to use it:

• to ask for a permission:  

      May I have a cup of tea?  
        (this is the typical English contest we could imagine, like at 5 o'clock in the hall of a Lord's club)  
      May I borrow your pen? (in an office)

• to suggest something is possible:  

      I may not have time to do it today. (in an office)

Might
Might suggests a smaller possibility than may, there is basically just a little difference and is more usual than 'may' in spoken English.

• the modal verb might is used when the outcome is less probable or uncertain to happen:  

        Tom is not in the office, he might not work here anymore.
       (he is not in the office, but maybe he is just having a day off)


more examples, in past version as well:
- I can't find my wallet anywhere. I might have left it in the car.
- I might not go to the party.
- I wonder why Dave didn't answer the phone, he might have been sleeping.


MORE:
Could is similar to may and might:
- What you've just said is a weird story, but it could be true = (it may/might be true)
- You could have forgotten your wallet at home = (you may/might have forgotten)

BUT remember that couldn't is different from may not and might not, compare:
- Police said it couldn't have been an accident. (is propable that was something planned)

- He didn't answer me. I might not have been English. (is probable that he wasn't able to understand me)


more examples:
- I haven't decided where to go next weekend, i might go to Milan. 
  (perhaps I will go to Milan = future plans)

- I might not go out tomorrow evening, I don't feel good. 
  (perhaps I will not go out = future plans)

- Don't phone at my parents' house at 11 o'clock, they might be already sleeping = Don't phone at my parents' house at 11 o'clock, they will be already sleeping

Modal Verbs: Can - Could - Was able to

Can
The modal verb can is used to express:

• the ability to do something: I can speak English

• the possibility to do something: This evening i can go out, because tomorrow is my day off

• to say that something is probable: If you don't pay attention on the stairs, you can hurt yourself 

• expresses the permission to do something: You can take my car this weekend if you need it

Could 
The modal verb could is used to:

• express the conditional in sentences as the conditional form of can: If I had more time, I could travel around the world

• express possibility: You could to Rome by train, rather than the car.

• express past ability as well: I could run ten kilometers in one hour, when I was younger.

• make suggestions: You could spend your holidays in my house in Toscany, if you like.

• make polite requests: Good evening, Could I have something to drink? 

As we have specified above could is used to for general ability, but if you want to say that somebody did something in a specific situation, is good to use the form:
was/were able to or managed to

examples:
- You will be able to speak perfect English very soon. 
- I would like to be able to speak 5 languages.
- I have been able to ride the bicycle since I was 6.