today I've got a grammar video for you

I know it's been a while since I did a grammar video

but a lot of you have asked for a video on modal verbs so here

it is today I'm going to introduce you

to modal verbs i'm going to tell you the

rules how to use them when to use them

do note that there are a lot of

different situations in which you need to use different modal verbs

and it would be impossible for me to go through them all

so this is an introduction and

hopefully you will leave the lesson

feeling a lot more comfortable when using modal verbs

let's get started

so firstly what are modal verbs well

they are part of a larger category called auxiliary verbs

and these are verbs that add meaning to another verb

now modal verbs are special because they follow a

strict set of rules and they are used in a very specific way

I'm going to talk about the nine modal verbs today don't

get them confused with the semi models

that only follow some of the modal verb rules

now if I ask you right now to tell

me the nine modal verbs

would you be able to tell me them

if you can that's great but for those who can't

I've got a really easy way of

remembering them we've got 3 m's 2 w's

two c's and two s' so when you

write them out in a pattern it's much

much easier to remember them all

so we've got the 3 m's we've got must

might and may we've then got the 2 w's will

and would we then got the 2 c's can and

could and then the two S's shall and

should remember will and would are

special in spoken and informal language

they can be contracted so will can turn

into ' Double L i will i'll and would

can turn into apostrophe D so we have

she would she'd

now the majority of these modal verbs express different

meaning depending on the context

so you really have to

understand the sentence or question as a whole

I'm going to help you with this today later

on in the video we can talk about the

different meanings that each modal verb

can express but firstly we need to go through the rules

what can you do with them what can't you

do with them without these rules you're

going to find it very difficult to use them

but the good news is that all of

these rules apply to the nine modal

verbs that we're looking at in this lesson

so rule number one

infinitives come after modal verbs but without to

ok so we're saying i might eat pizza

I can play football rule number 2

modal verbs take no s in the third person singular

she must leave or it might happen

rule number three modal verbs do not

change their form according to tense

so they've got no past form and they've got

no future form it just stays the same

so the easy way of remembering it is modal

verbs don't change they stay exactly as they are

so rule number four we use

modal verbs in negative sentences like

we do with other auxiliary verbs ie without the word do

so the way we use modal verbs in negative sentences is

subject modal verb not verb

let's look at some examples

you must not eat my food

you must not eat my food or

i can not speak French

I cannot speak French

so it's always in that order

just like we would with other auxiliary verbs

now remember you must learn the

contractions for the negatives which are

used quite frequently in spoken or informal language

might might not mightn't

must must not mustn't

may may not no contraction

can cannot can't could could not

couldn't will will not won't would

would not wouldn't shall shall not shan't

should should not shouldn't

ok so those were the negative contractions

number five

easy now we've looked at number four

with interrogative phrases modal verbs

are used like other auxiliary verbs

modal verb subject verb some examples

can you help me

can you help me will you let him

will you let him so those were the rules

now let's have a look at the individual

modal verbs and how and when we can use them

so firstly let's look at might

might can be used to show possibility

they might be eating lunch or

she might give us a discount then we have may

may can also be used to show possibility

the teacher may be late today

and it can also be used to ask for permission

may I leave now note that using may to ask for permission

can be seen as quite formal

then we have must must can be used to

show probability or to make a logical assumption

she must be stuck in traffic

must can also be used to show necessity

I must go home right now and it can also be used

to show prohibition you must not smoke here

then we have will will can be used

to indicate future time i will leave at seven o'clock

it can also be used to make a promise or

to show willingness i will give money to charity this Christmas

it can also be used to ask a polite question

will you help me with this for example

then we have would

again would can be used to ask a polite question

would you help me with this

it can also be used for invitations or

preferences or desires

i would like a cup of tea or would you prefer apples or oranges

then we have can can can be used

to show ability i can speak English

it can also be used to suggest a

possibility or give an option

for example you can call him tomorrow

it could also be used to show impossibility

that can't be her and it can also be used for a request

can you help me

could on the other hand can show past ability

i could do trigonometry five years ago

it can also be used to ask a polite question

could i call you

it can also be used to show possibility and impossibility

she could be here or she couldn't be here

and it can also be used to make a suggestion

you could try doing this

then we have should should is used to recommend

you should try this new bar

it can also be used to say what is correct

or right for example we should deal with this right now

it can also be used for an uncertain prediction

he should be home soon but i'm not sure

shall shall can be used to make an offer

shall i help you with that

it can also be used for confirmation

I shall meet you there at midnight

it can also be used for promises

you shall be the first person to know

ok so that was my very condensed video on modal verbs

so what can you do next

well firstly your homework is to comment below with

three sentences using modal verbs

I want one in affirmative one in the negative

and one in the interrogative

and up until midnight i will correct as many as

possible and then i would like you guys

to correct each other

don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media

remember I now upload lessons on mondays

wednesdays and saturdays so i will see

you for another lesson very very soon mwah