If you want to communicate that you can be somewhere later that week, or that you should be free (but you‘d have to check first).
Then you’d be using modal verbs, which are some of the most regularly used verbs in the English language.
What are modal verbs?
If you look up ‘modality’ on the internet, you’ll probably end up more confused than you already were (re: modality, “a particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed”).
We can attend the party.
It could rain later on.
I may open this jar.
I can open this jar.
So . . . it sounds like everything you could possibly conceive of counts as a ‘modality’. In that case, we’re moving on to our own exegesis.
Modal auxiliary verbs/modal verbs
Verbs like am, is, was, have/had and do oftentimes join ordinary/main verbs to form other aspects of tense (e.g., the present continuous, present perfect, past perfect, and so forth). We call them auxiliary verbs because they play a part in forming tense, but cannot do so on their own.
Modals, or modal auxiliary verbs, act similarly to regular auxiliaries that are non-modal in that they pair with participle verb forms (ending in –ing or the past participle, –ed/some other ending) to inflect its meaning. The most common modal verbs are:
- can
- may
- might
- could
- should
- would
- will
- must
We use modals before ordinary verbs to indicate meaning; such as, permission, ability, possibility, certainty and necessity.
Uses of modals can and may
To show ability or permission, we use can or may (though the latter can be formal):
- Can you open this jar?
- I can lift these boxes.
- We may go on a picnic later on.
Could and might are past equivalents of can and may:
- They said I could go.
- I thought they might be home by now.
Though in present tenses, we use could and might as less assertive or positive versions of can and may:
- We could attend the party (vs. I can attend the party)
- It might rain later on.
- Could I borrow these books?
Modal verbs, associate them with expressing possibility or ability; list examples like “can,” “could,” “may,” and “might” to solidify their usage.
Uses of the modal verb, “will”
We use ‘will‘ for all persons to express the future, intent for the future:
- We’ll be there on time. I promise.
- He will be attending university in the fall.
- They’ll have moved from the country by then.
Read more on the types of verbs
- Active vs. Passive Voice (Explained, With Examples)
- When to Use ‘Weren’t’ or ‘Wasn’t’? A Guide
- What’s Subject Verb Agreement? (Rules of Subject Verb Agreement)
- When to Use ‘A’ or ‘An’ (What’s an Article?)
- What is the Past Tense? (Forms of the Past Tense)
Sources
- “Exegesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exegesis. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.
Work Sheet
According to the post, what is a primary function of modal verbs?
Which of the following verbs is listed in the post as a common modal verb?
The post states that the modal verb ‘will’ is used to express what?
How do ‘could’ and ‘might’ function in present tense compared to ‘can’ and ‘may’, according to the post?
According to the post, which modal verb is described as “less common/more formal for ability”?
Modal verbs are also known as modal verbs.
According to the post, we use ‘can’ or ‘may’ to show ability or .
The post mentions that ‘could’ and ‘might’ are past equivalents of ‘can’ and .
We use modals ordinary verbs to indicate meaning like possibility or ability.
The post lists verbs like ‘am’, ‘is’, ‘was’, ‘have’, ‘had’, and ‘do’ as examples of regular verbs (that are non-modal).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are modal verbs?
+
How do modal verbs work?
+
What meanings do modal verbs show?
+
When do I use can and may?
+
How are could and might used?
+
Yash, D. "What Are Modal Verbs? (Explained, Plus Examples)." Grammarflex, Jun 15, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/what-are-modal-verbs-explained-plus-examples/.
