Lista de significados y usos de los Verbos Modales
Como fue mencionado anteriormente, los verbos modales y half-modals expresan significado. A continuación
tienes una lista de ellos con sus significados y usos.
SIGNIFICADOS/USOS
EJEMPLOS
CAN
1. Habilidad
2. Permiso
3. Petición
4. Posibilidad
1. I can speak English.
2. Can I borrow your pen?
3. Can you open the window?
4. I can come next Monday.
COULD
1. Habilidad en el pasado
2. Petición formal
3. Permiso en Reported Speech
4. Posibilidad
5. Segundo condicional
1. I could run fast when I was a child.
2. Could you open the window, please?
3. Mary said she could go out tonight.
4. Where’s Mary? I don’t know, she could be in her office.
5. If it didn’t rain, we could go to the park.
WILL
1. Certeza
2. Futuro:
- decisiones espontáneas
- predicciones
3. Promesas
4. Ordenes
5. Primer condicional
1. He will definitely come to the party
2a. I will call Mary before she leaves.
2b. I think the economy will get better soon.
3. I will return your money tomorrow.
4. You will do as I tell you.
5. If it stops raining we will play football.
WOULD
1. Ofertas formales
2. Condicionales
3. Hábitos en el pasado
1. Would you like some cheese?
2. If I had a car I would change my job.
3. On Sundays we would go to the park to play football.
SHALL
1. Futuro
2. Promesas
3. Pedir consejo
4. Para ofrecer ayuda
5. Pedir instrucciones
6. Ordenes
1. I shall visit Mary next week.
2. I shall help you with your homework.
3. Shall I invite Jim to the party?
4. Shall I open the window for you?
5. Where shall I put this box?
6. You shall go there immediately
MAY
1. Posibilidad
2. Permiso
3. Petición formal
4. Ofertas formales
1. I may be able to take a day off.
2. May I use your phone?
3. May I have some more cake, please?
4. May I help you?
MIGHT
1. Posibilidad
1. We might be able to join you in London next week.
SHOULD
1. Recomendaciones
1. You should read this book, it’s great.
2. Perhaps we should consider a different option.
2.
3.
4.
Sugerencias
Suposiciones
Consejo
3. They should be at home by now.
4. You should see a doctor at once
OUGHT TO
1. Obligación moral
2. Recomendación
3. Probabilidad
1. You ought to do as you are told.
2. You ought to see the Picasso museum.
3. They ought to be home by now.
MUST
1. Obligación
2. Necesidad
3. Deducción/suposición
4. Invitación
1. You must wear protective glasses in the lab.
2. I must take my medicine.
3. They left at 8 o’clock, so they must be at home by now.
4. You must stay at my house when you come to the city.
HAVE TO
1. Obligación
1. I have to wear safety goggles in the lab.
NEED TO
1. Necesidad
1. I need to take my medicine with my breakfast.
Modales negativos
SIGNIFICADOS/USOS
EJEMPLOS
CAN’T
Certeza

Mr. Simpson can’t be dead, I saw him only 5 minutes
ago.
MUSTN’T
Prohibición

You mustn‘t smoke in a hospital.
DON’T HAVE TO
Innecesidad

You don’t have to go to the party if you don’t want to.