Download Modals of Probability

Modals of Probability
Could, might, may, must
Form: Present time or
future time
Subject


+
modal
+
verb (basic form)
The modal NEVER changes form
The main verb that follows is ALWAYS
the basic form of the verb.
This might belong to a teacher!
This must belong to a witch!
There’s no candy left in the store!
Tomorrow must be Halloween!
To form the negative….
Subject
+
modal
+
NOT
+
The modal NEVER changes.
The witch may not like her hat.
She might not wear it on Halloween.
He couldn’t be a ghost! He’s not
dead!
verb
Modals: in the past
Subject
+ modal +
have
+
verb (past participle)
The modal NEVER changes…have never changes
The MAIN VERB is the Past Participle
(Click here for a quick review of past participles)
She might have lost her hat and broom.
Someone might have hidden them.
Her wicked sister must have
stolen them! Look! There she is!
The negative form in the
past…
To form the negative in the past, put not AFTER THE
MODAL.
Subject
+
modal + not
+
have
+
past participle
Example: Did you see your friends?
No. they might not have arrived yet.
Note: In spoken conversation, not and have are pushed together.
It sounds like “No, they might not’ve arrived yet.”
This is ONLY in spoken English, not written English.
What do you think about
this picture?
It must be Halloween! That “ghost” might be a hungry man.
He must have used a bed sheet for his costume. He will
probably get a lot of candy!
Modals: Continuous action
(progressive)
Subject
+
modal
+
be
+
verb+ing
The modal NEVER changes.
The verb is progressive…use BE and verb+ing
The witch might be looking for her
hat and broom.
What do you think about
this picture?
This must be a haunted house! The ghosts could be
making a lot of noise. The house might not be
occupied. The owners must have moved.
What do you think?
Who is she talking to? What did the person on the phone tell her?
What will she do when she hangs up?
One more….
This is Tom. He’s in a
dormitory room at
UCI. It’s 1:00 in the
afternoon on Saturday.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tom ____________________ (be) a student.
He ____________________ (use) his laptop for homework.
He ______________________ (eat) his lunch earlier.
He ________________________ (live) at home with his parents.
What is he going to do tonight? (answer this Q using a modal)
What are past participles?
For REGULAR verbs, the past participle is the same as the simple past
tense, which uses the –ed ending on the basic verb.
Basic verb
Simple past
Past participle
play
played
played
walk
walked
walked
For IRREGULAR verbs, the past participle is not the –ed form.
Basic Verb
Simple past
Past participle
eat
ate
eaten
go
went
gone
Back to Past Modals slide