English Lessons - Intermediate - 3 of 5

18

Ok, let's look at a little bit more specific language.

We're going to look at Modal verbs.

So these are specific verbs that have a certain job

and we use them in a certain way for certain tasks.

The most common one that you're probably familiar with is;

for „Ability“.

Things that you are able to do or that you can do.

So we have the verb „can“ and the verb „(to be) able to“.

So I can…play the trumpet.

I can speak English.

I'm able to play sports.

I'm able to swim.

So these are positives, things we can do.

What about the negative?

Do you know the negative of these verbs?

Things that you can't do, that's right.

Things that you can't do and what about the negative of this

„to be able to“.

The negative; to be „not able to“.

S I am not able to speak Japanese.

I can't speak Portuguese.

I can't make bread.

I can't speak seven languages.

So we have these two verbs

„can“ and „able to“ for ability,

positive and negative.

What about advice.

When you want to give people advice.

Maybe someone has a problem and

we want to tell them;

„Well if it was me… this is what I would do“

or if someone is sick and we want to give

them some advice to help them.

We're going to use the verb „should“.

You should take medicine.

You should go to the doctor.

You should speak to your parents.

You should drink more water.

We can also use a verb with should „I think“

I think you should go to the doctor or

I think you should speak to your parents.

If it's negative we can say

„should not“ or „shouldn't“.

You shouldn't drink so much water.

You shouldn't stand on that wall.

You shouldn't play on the road.

Or we can say „I don't think you should“.

This is very common to use „I think“ and

„I don't think“ with the verb should.

Positive „I think you should“ the

negative „I dont't think you should“

the modal verb doesn't change.

It's the „think“ verb changes to „don't think“.

Lets look at another modal verb.

Lets look at obligation.

So an obligation is something

that you don't have a choice

or something that you feel

you should do or that you must do.

We have „Must“ and we have „Have to“.

These are positive.

I have to study.

I must collect the children.

I have to collect the children.

I must do my homework.

I have to do my homework.

Now the negative of these modal

verbs is a little different.

Because, lets look;

the negative of MUST is

MUSTN'T (must not)

But mustn't isn't a modal verb

of obligation, it's a modal verb of prohibition.

So let's talk about this in a moment.

What is the negative of „have to“?

That is right, it is „Don't have to“.

So, the negative of the modal verbs of obligation

„must“ and „have to“ is „don't have to“.

I don't have to wake up early on Saturday.

I have to wake up at seven o'clock on Monday.

He doesn't have to go to schoole on Sunday.

She has to wake up now or she has to

do her homework.

So, this is obligation,

positive and negative.

What was the modal verb of prohibition

I just mentioned a moment ago?

That's right… it's „mustn't“.

You mustn't do something or

you aren't allowed to do something.

So this is telling the person

or the listener that it's not ok.

They can't do this, they shouldn't do this,

they mustn't do this. Prohibition.

It's not advice, it's not ability, it's prohibition.

We can also use „you can't“;

You can't go to the shop.

You aren't allowed to go to the shop.

You mustn't go to the shop.

Obviously mustn't feels a little bit stronger than the other two.

We normally see this with rules.

You mustn't smoke.

You mustn't speak English.

Or you must speak English, more an obligation.

You mustn't drink alcohol on the streets.

So these are 4 different categories

of modal verbs.

We have „can“ for ability,

that's the most common.

We had „should“ for advice.

We had „must“ and „have to“ for obligation and

We had „mustn't“ for prohibition.