Modal Verbs
by John muñoz
1. may
1.1. to indicate possibilities in the future.
2. might
2.1. "Might" is used to indicate possibilities in the present or the future. In these cases, it is a synonym of "may".
3. shall
3.1. "Shall" is used as "will" to form the future tense. The use of "shall" is much more common in the United Kingdom and is generally more educated.
4. ought to
4.1. "Ought to" is a synonym for "should" although it is less common.
5. would
5.1. "Would" is used to declare a preference and to ask for something politely.
6. can
6.1. indicates ability or possibility. In these cases it can be translated as "power" in Spanish.
7. could
7.1. indicates possibility or ability in the past.
8. will
8.1. "will" is used to form the future tense.
9. should
9.1. "Should" indicates an obligation or recommendation. Reflects an opinion about what is right. It is translated as the conditional of "duty" in Spanish.
10. must/have to
10.1. "Must" indicates an obligation, prohibition or necessity. You can also use "have to" in affirmative sentences.
