Class 10/9/8/7 - English Modal Verbs-Situations Table (#CBSENotes)

English Modal Verbs

Situations Table

Situation	Modal Verb	Example
requests (formal)	may	May I sit down?
requests (informal)	can	Can I sit down?
requests (polite)	would	Would you ind if I sit down?
permission (formal)	may	yoy may sit down
permission (informal)	can	You can sit down
obligation (full)	must	You must tell the police the truth.
obligation (partial)	should	You should tell your friends the truth.
obligation(partial) (less common)	ought to	You ought to tell your friends the truth.
logical conclusions (stronger than "should")	must	He left an hour ago,so he must be there already.
logical conclusions (weaker than "must")	should	He left half an hour ago,I believe he should be there already.
Possibility (general)	can	It can rain sometimes.
possibility (weaker than "may" and "might")	could	It could rain,but it is not very common in this part of the country.
possibility (weaker than "may")	might	It's not very cloudy yet,but it might rain.
possibility (stronger than "might")	may	It's starting to get cloudy-it may rain soon.
future actions/states/intentions	will	Look at the sky!It will rain soon.

✎Note: Check Online Quiz on Modals.