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Modals: grammar, pronunciation and contractions

Modal verbs differ from ordinary verbs in several ways.

Grammar​

Modal verbs have no -s in the third person singular.

  • She may know his address. (not She mays …)

Questions, negatives, tags and short answers are made without do.

  • ‘Can you swim?’ (not Do you can swim) ‘Yes, I can.’
  • He shouldn’t be doing that, should he? (not He doesn’t should …)

After modal auxiliary verbs, we use the infinitive without to of other verbs. Ought is an exception, (see here).

  • I must water the flowers. (not I must to water …)

Progressive, perfect and passive infinitives are also possible (see here).

  • I may not be working tomorrow.
  • She was so angry she could have killed him.
  • The kitchen ought to be painted one of these days.

Modal verbs do not have infinitives or participles (to may, maying, mayed do not exist), and they do not normally have past forms. Other expressions are used when necessary.

  • I’d like to be able to skate. (not … to can skate.)
  • People really had to work hard in those days. (not People really musted work …)

Could, might, would and should usually have present and future reference, but they can sometimes be used as past tenses of can, may, will and shall.

Certain past ideas can be expressed by a modal verb followed by a perfect infinitive (have + past participle).

  • You should have told me you were coming.
  • I think I may have annoyed Aunt Mary.

For details of these uses, see the entries on particular modal verbs.

There is quite often used as a preparatory subject with modal verbs, especially when these are followed by be (see here).

  • There may be rain later today.

Pronunciation and contractions​

Several modals have weak pronunciations, used when they are not stressed: shall /ʃəl/, should /ʃəd/, can /kən/, could /kəd/, must /məst/. For more about weak pronunciations, (see here). Ought to is generally pronounced /ˈɔːtə/ (‘oughta’) in conversational speech; should have, could have and might have are often pronounced /ˈʃʊdə/, /ˈkʊdə/ and /ˈmaɪtə/. Can’t is pronounced /kɑːnt/ in standard British English and /kænt/ in standard American English.

Contracted negatives are won’t, wouldn’t, shan’t (BrE), shouldn’t, can’t, couldn’t, oughtn’t, mightn’t (BrE) and mustn’t (mostly BrE). Will and would also have contracted affirmative forms (’ll, ’d). For more about contractions, (see here).