Modals Table, Modals in English
Possibility | Ability | Permission | Obligation | Offers | |
CAN | I can play the football. | Can I go out tonight? | |||
CAN’T | He can’t be her father. He’s too young. | I can’t speak French. | Can I help you? No, you can’t. | ||
MIGHT | It might rain tomorrow. | ||||
COULD | Mark could be the one who stole the money. | I could already read when I was five. | Could I borrow your book? | ||
MAY | It may rain tomorrow. | May I go to the bathroom? | |||
MUST | He must be her brother. | You must study today. | |||
HAVE TO | I have to wait. | ||||
SHALL | You shall pay on Saturday. | Shall I help you? | |||
HAD BETTER | I had better arrived earlier. |