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Modal Verbs in English

Modal verbs such as may, can, must, should, and need express possibility, permission, desire, and other conditions for performing an action (I may, can, must swim). Since many modal verbs cannot be us

Modal verbs are for example may, can, must, should, need. They express possibility, permission, desire and other conditions for performing an action (I may, can, must swim).

Many modal verbs cannot be used in all verb tenses in English. This means we need to know what the substitutes for these verbs are.

Modal Verb
Substitute
Example
must
to have to
I must swim. = I have to swim.
must not
not to be allowed to
I must not swim. = I am not allowed to swim.
can
to be able to
I can swim. = I am able to swim.
may
to be allowed to
I may swim. = I am allowed to swim.
need
to have to
I need to swim. = I have to swim.
need not
not to have to
I need not swim. = I don't have to swim.
shall / should/ ought to
to be supposed to / to be expected to / to be to
I shall / should / ought to swim. = I am supposed to swim. / I am expected to swim. / I am to swim.

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