Modals

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Modal verbs 

(modale werkwoorden)

modal verbs

Modal verbs

A special auxiliary verb

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must

It's snowing, so it must be very cold outside.

He could have got stuck in traffic.

"she’s the murderer” or “she must be the murderer” or “she might be the murderer.”

Grammar in context

 write down all modal verbs (& context) in the text

As he rose to his feet he noticed that he was neither dripping nor panting for breath as anyone would expect after being under water. His clothes were perfectly dry. He was standing by the edge of a small pool—not more than ten feet from side to side—in a wood. The trees grew close together and were so leafy that he could get no glimpse of the sky. All the light was green light that came through the leaves: but there must have been a very strong sun overhead, for this green daylight was bright and warm. It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others—a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive. When he tried to describe it afterwards Digory always said, "It was a rich place: as rich as plum-cake."

As he rose to his feet he noticed that he was neither dripping nor panting for breath as anyone would expect after being under water. His clothes were perfectly dry. He was standing by the edge of a small pool—not more than ten feet from side to side—in a wood. The trees grew close together and were so leafy that he could get no glimpse of the sky. All the light was green light that came through the leaves: but there must have been a very strong sun overhead, for this green daylight was bright and warm. It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others—a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive. 

As he rose to his feet he noticed that he was neither dripping nor panting for breath as anyone would expect after being under water. His clothes were perfectly dry. He was standing by the edge of a small pool—not more than ten feet from side to side—in a wood. The trees grew close together and were so leafy that he could get no glimpse of the sky. All the light was green light that came through the leaves: but there must have been a very strong sun overhead, for this green daylight was bright and warm. It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others—a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive. When he tried to describe it afterwards Digory always said, "It was a rich place: as rich as plum-cake."

As he rose to his feet he noticed that he was neither dripping nor panting for breath as anyone would expect after being under water. His clothes were perfectly dry. He was standing by the edge of a small pool—not more than ten feet from side to side—in a wood. The trees grew close together and were so leafy that he could get no glimpse of the sky. All the light was green light that came through the leaves: but there must have been a very strong sun overhead, for this green daylight was bright and warm. It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others—a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive. 

Modal verbs

They never change their form. You can't add "s", "ed", "ing"...

They allow speakers to express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity, ability

present tense: modal + infinitive (without "to")

e.g. I can run fast

past tense: modal + have + past participle, had

 can --> could, will --> would

e.g. He must have been rich, 

he must leave --> he had to leave

using modal verbs

applying the grammar in writing

Form a phrase - use 'must' & 'to find'

form a phrase in the past tense- use 'should' & 'to go'

Exercise

Continue the story

write in the past tense

use modals 

You get 7 minutes

continue the text:
use modals, write in the past tense

Modal verbs:

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must

They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

SB:63 & WB:50

Write in the past tense, using modals
you can use the picture for inspiration