Can Could May Must Mustn`t Should Would

1. Os “modal verbs” são verbos auxiliares que se utilizam para atribuir um
significado particular ao verbo. São os seguintes:
Modal
Verb
Functions (modos de utilização)
Examples
Expresses (Exprime):
Can
 ability (capacidade natural ou
She can play the guitar.
aprendida);
 request (pedido - informal);
 offer (oferta);
 permission (permissão - informal).
Can I borrow your pencil?
Can I help you?
You can leave earlier.
Expresses (Exprime):
 ability (capacidade natural ou
Could
aprendida - no passado)
 permission (pedir permissão - mais
formal)
 request (pedir um favor - mais
formal)
I could swim when I was five.
Could I use your phone?
Could you open the window?
Expresses (Exprime):
May
 permission (permissão - forma
You may go outside.
educada);
 request (pedido - forma educada);
 probability (probabilidade).
May I open the window, please?
It may rain tomorrow.
Expresses (Exprime):
Must
Mustn’t
 obligation (obrigação);
 necessity (necessidade).
You must obey the rules.
I must stay at home because it’s
raining.
Expresses (Exprime):
 prohibition (proibição).
You mustn’t speak.
Expresses (Exprime):
Should
 advice (conselhos),
 moral duty (dever moral).
You should study more.
We should protect the environment.
Expresses (Exprime):
Would
Your
 offer (oferta);
 invitation (convite).
Would you like some tea?
Would you like to go to the cinema?
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2. Os “modal verbs” não têm –s na 3ª pessoa
She can swim very well.
3. As formas interrogativa e negativa não são feitas com “to do”
May I go to the board?
You must not go out.
4. Depois dos “modal verbs”, utiliza-se o “infinitive” sem “to”
modal verb + infinitive (sem “to”)
5. No verbo “can”, a negativa pode fazer-se da seguinte forma:
can’t
Your
ou
cannot
- repara que nunca se escreve can not (separado)
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