Modal Verbs in Songs · "Modal Verbs Supplement"
*First -Validate and download Lesson Document April 25, 2026
*Second - Validate and download Lesson Document 2 May 2026
English Lesson · Modal Verbs
Modal Verbs
Learn how to express obligation, advice, ability, and prohibition like a native speaker!
MUST
SHOULD
CAN
CAN’T
Modal verbs are special helping verbs that add meaning to the main verb. They express necessity, advice, ability, or permission. They are always followed by the base form of a verb — no -s, -ing, or -ed!
Formula: Subject +
Modal Verb + Base Verb + ...
Example: She must study · He can swim · You should rest · I can’t fly
Example: She must study · He can swim · You should rest · I can’t fly
MUST
Use MUST when something is required or necessary. It is stronger than “should” — there is no choice. In the negative, must not / mustn’t = strong prohibition.
Positive — Affirmative
You must wear a seatbelt in the car.
Students must bring their ID to the exam.
She must finish her report before Friday.
We must respect traffic rules at all times.
You must wash your hands before eating.
He must take his medicine every single day.
Negative — Prohibition
You must not smoke inside the hospital.
Students must not use phones during exams.
She mustn’t miss her doctor’s
appointment.
You must not cheat on your assignments.
He mustn’t park in this restricted area.
We must not waste clean water.
Tip: MUST is often used in formal rules,
signs, and laws. Example: “Passengers
must fasten their seatbelts.”
SHOULD
Use SHOULD to give advice or recommendations. It is softer than MUST — the person has a choice. Think of it as saying “it would be a good idea to...”
Positive — Advice
You should drink at least 8 glasses of water
daily.
She should see a doctor about her headache.
You should try this restaurant — it’s
amazing!
He should apologize to his friend for being rude.
We should plan our trip in advance.
Children should eat vegetables every day.
Negative — Discouragement
You shouldn’t skip breakfast every morning.
She should not stay up too late before her exam.
He shouldn’t drive so fast in the rain.
You should not judge people by their appearance.
We shouldn’t waste food when others are
hungry.
They should not argue loudly in public.
Tip: MUST = no choice. SHOULD = good
idea, but the person can decide.
CAN
Use CAN to express what someone is able to do (ability), what is allowed (permission), or to make requests in an informal way.
Positive — Ability &
Permission
I can speak English and Spanish fluently.
She can run 10 kilometers without stopping.
Can you help me with this exercise, please?
Children under 5 can enter the park for free.
He can play the guitar absolutely beautifully.
You can borrow my umbrella if you need it.
Negative — Can’t /
Cannot
I can’t come to the party — I have to
work.
She cannot eat peanuts — she is allergic!
You can’t park here — it’s a
restricted zone.
He can’t understand the instructions in
English yet.
We cannot believe this incredible news!
They can’t open the restaurant on Mondays.
Tip: “Can” is also used for
polite requests: “Can you open the
window?” = “Please open the window.”
CAN’T / CANNOT
CAN’T (or CANNOT — both are correct!) expresses inability, prohibition, or something that is logically impossible. The difference vs. MUSTN’T is important!
⚠ CAN’T vs. MUSTN’T:
CAN’T = not able / not allowed | MUSTN’T = strongly forbidden by a rule
CAN’T = not able / not allowed | MUSTN’T = strongly forbidden by a rule
More CAN Examples (Positive
Context)
I can cook traditional Colombian arepas!
This computer can process millions of files per
second.
Can I use your phone for just one moment?
The dog can open the door by itself —
incredible!
You can sit anywhere you like in this classroom.
She can solve math problems very quickly.
CAN’T in Real Contexts
He can’t play football — he has an
injury.
I can’t believe she finished in only 10
minutes!
You can’t enter without a valid ticket.
The baby can’t walk yet — she is only
4 months old.
We cannot find a solution to this problem.
It can’t be true — he just called me
five minutes ago!
⚡ 24 Examples in Action
All four modal verbs — study each sentence carefully!
01MUSTYou
must wear a helmet when riding a bike.
02SHOULDYou
should study a little every single day.
03CANShe
can speak four different languages!
04CAN’TI
can’t swim, so I stay near the shallow
end.
05MUSTYou
must not smoke here — it’s a
hospital!
06SHOULDHe
shouldn’t eat junk food every single
day.
07CANCan you
close the window, please?
08CAN’TYou
can’t use your phone during the exam.
09MUSTAll passengers
must show their boarding pass.
10SHOULDWe
should recycle to protect our environment.
11CANI can cook
delicious traditional Colombian arepas!
12CAN’TShe
can’t believe she won the
competition!
13MUSTYou
must always respect your teachers and
classmates.
14SHOULDShe
should call her parents more often.
15CANBirds
can fly thousands of kilometers to migrate.
16CAN’TThey
can’t open the store — they lost the
key.
17MUSTNurses
must wash their hands between patients.
18SHOULDYou
should save some money for emergencies.
19CANYou
can sit anywhere in this classroom today.
20CAN’TIt
can’t be true — he called me 5
minutes ago!
21MUSTYou
mustn’t cheat on any test or
assignment.
22SHOULDDrivers
should not text while they are driving.
23CANMy little sister
can already read at only age 4!
24CAN’THe
can’t play today — he injured his
ankle.
易 Test Your Knowledge!
Select the best modal verb for each sentence. Can you get 10/10?
8 More Modal Verbs to Know
Expand your English! These modal verbs will take your speaking and writing to the next level.
WILL
Future intentions · Promises · Predictions
I will call you tomorrow morning, I
promise.
She will become a great doctor someday.
It will rain this evening — take an
umbrella.
I won’t give up, no matter what
happens.
He will not accept the offer from that
company.
They won’t be available until next
Monday.
WOULD
Conditional · Polite requests · Hypothetical
I would love to travel to Japan someday!
Would you like some coffee or tea?
If I were rich, I would travel the
world.
I wouldn’t eat that if I were you
— it looks bad.
She would not lie to her closest
friends.
He wouldn’t do that without a good
reason.
MAY
Formal permission · Real possibility
May I use your pen for a moment, please?
It may rain heavily this afternoon.
You may leave the room when you finish.
You may not enter without a written
permission.
She may not understand all the instructions
yet.
He may not arrive in time for the
meeting.
MIGHT
Lower possibility · Less certainty · Suggestions
He might come to the party — not sure
yet.
I might take a cooking class next month.
She might know the answer to your
question.
They might not win the championship this
season.
She might not finish the project on
time.
It might not be the best idea right now.
SHALL
Formal suggestions · Offers · Literary future
Shall we begin the class now?
I shall return before midnight, I
promise.
Shall I open the window for you?
You shall not pass! (formal / literary
use)
We shall not give up our principles for
anything.
He shall not be allowed entry without
ID.
NEED
Necessity · Often used in negatives
You need to register before Monday.
She needs to rest after her long
surgery.
We need to buy more supplies for the
project.
You needn’t worry — everything is
under control.
He need not bring any food to the event.
She didn’t need to buy a new one —
hers works fine.
DARE
Courage · Challenge · Taking a risk
Dare you speak in front of 500 people?
She dares to follow her biggest dreams.
How dare you speak to me like that!
I dare not tell him the whole truth yet.
He daren’t jump from that scary
height.
She didn’t dare to ask the teacher for
more time.
USED TO
Past habits · Things no longer true today
I used to walk to school every single
day.
She used to live in Cali before moving to
Bogotá.
We used to play outside until it got
dark.
He didn’t use to like vegetables as a
child.
I didn’t use to speak English at all
— now I can!
She didn’t use to wake up early on
weekends.
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