Booster Modal Verbs | Lesson | MET

Booster Modal Verbs | Lesson | MET

Modal Verbs — English Booster (MET)

Grammar Foundation • Version V10–V11

🎯 Objective

Understand and practice modal verbs to express: ability, permission, advice, obligation, and possibility/probability — a frequent grammar target in the MET.

📌 Daily Reminder:
Review your vocabulary and complete your on-demand practice based on your available time.

Consistency beats intensity.

📘 What Are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs used to show the speaker’s attitude about an action: how possible, necessary, or recommended it is. They do not describe the action itself — they describe the meaning around the action.

✅ Spanish idea: Los verbos modales expresan habilidad, permiso, consejo, obligación y posibilidad. No cambian de forma y siempre van con el verbo en forma base.

🧱 Core Grammar Rules (Must-Know)

  1. No conjugation: modals never change form.
    ❌ She cans swim
    ✅ She can swim
  2. Base verb only: modal + base form (no “to”).
    ❌ must to go
    ✅ must go
  3. No “do/does/did”: modals form questions/negatives directly.
    ❌ Do you should study?
    ✅ Should you study?

📊 Modal Verbs — Quick Table

Modal Use Example (EN) Meaning (ES)
can Ability / Permission She can swim. / Can I leave? Puede (habilidad / permiso)
could Past ability / Polite request He could run fast. / Could you help me? Podía / Podrías
may Formal permission / Possibility May I come in? / It may rain. Permiso formal / Puede que
might Weak possibility I might go. Quizás
must Obligation / Strong advice You must stop. / You must try this. Debes (obligación / consejo fuerte)
shall Suggestion (formal/UK) Shall we go? ¿Vamos?
should Advice You should rest. Deberías
will Future decision / Promise I will call you. Te llamaré
would Polite request / Preference Would you like coffee? ¿Te gustaría…?
👉 MET tip: Modals test meaning (permission/advice/obligation), not only grammar.

⚖️ Key Meaning Differences (High-Yield)

must vs should

must = strong obligation / rule
should = advice / recommendation

Example: You must wear a seatbelt. (rule)
Example: You should drink water. (advice)

may vs might

may = real possibility
might = weaker possibility

Example: It may rain. (possible)
Example: It might rain. (less likely)

can vs could (requests)

can = neutral request
could = more polite request

Example: Can you help me?
Example: Could you help me?

🧠 MET Strategy — How to Choose the Correct Modal (Step-by-Step)

  1. Identify the intention: Is it ability, permission, advice, obligation, or possibility?
  2. Check strength level: strong (must) → medium (should) → weak (might).
  3. Look for context clues: rules/signs/requirements → must; recommendations → should; uncertainty → might/may.
  4. Confirm the structure: modal + base verb (no “to”, no conjugation).
  5. Final check: Does the answer match what the speaker wants to communicate (not just grammar)?
✅ Fast rule: If it feels like a rule → must. If it feels like advice → should. If it feels uncertain → might/may.

❌ Common Mistakes (Fix Them Fast)

❌ She must to go
✅ She must go
❌ He cans swim
✅ He can swim
❌ Do you should study?
✅ Should you study?

Modal verbs = meaning + precision.

Next step: complete the Modal Verbs Simulators to build speed and accuracy for MET.