Modals..CAN,MAY,MUST,HAVE TO

MODALS: CAN, MAY, MUST, HAVE TO CAN MUST 1) Ability I can drive 2) Possibility I can come 1) Obligation I must do my homework. 2) For an opinion that you think has a good possibility of being true. Look at his uniform. He must be a policeman. MAY HAVE TO 1) Probability She may come tomorrow. 2) In a very polite question May I open the window? 1) In the affirmative: HAVE TO has a meaning similar to MUST. I have to go to the school. 2) In the negative: HAVE TO has a different meaning: "you don't need to dot that" It's Sunday! I don't have to go to school.

TEST : Fill in the gaps with CAN/CAN'T, MAY/MAY NOT, MUST/MUSTN'T, HAVE TO/DON'T HAVE TO JOHN: "_________ you come to the match this afternoon?" PETER: "I'm sorry. I _________ . I _________ wash my father's car." JOHN: "But it's raining! You _________ wash it!" PETER: "I know, but my parents say the rain _________ stop soon. And I _________ go out with you tonight because I _________ go to my grandmother's birthday party and I _________ come back late."

ANSWERS JOHN: "CAN you come to the match this afternoon?" PETER: "I'm sorry. I can't . I MUST wash my father's car." JOHN: "But it's raining! You DON'T HAVE TO wash it!" PETER: "I know, but my parents say the rain MAY stop soon. And I CAN'T go out with you tonight because I MUST go to my grandmother's birthday party and I MAY come back late."

--------By courtesy of the ..tolearnenglish website