Friday, December 2

Grammar tips

Today we will take a look at modal verbs. They can change the entire meaning of a sentence, which makes their comprehension a key element for your CACD preparation, in both the 1st and 2nd phases.

What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs include: can, could, may, might, shall, should, ought to, need to, must, have to, and will.

These verbs are used before the infinitives of other verbs and add specific kinds of meaning connected to the level or degree of certainty – from possibility to advice to necessity to obligation to absolute certainty.

Here are the basic degrees of certainty, using the same sentence as an example:

Absolute certainty: Health care will be a civil right in the new Constitution.

Obligation: Health care must/has to be a civil right in the new Constitution.

Necessity: Health care needs to be a civil right in the new Constitution.

Advice/Suggestion: Health care should/ought to be a civil right in the new Constitution.

Option/Choice: Health care could be either a personal civil right or a duty of the state in the new Constitution.

Possibility: Health care might/may be a civil right in the new Constitution.

Although there are other uses and some exceptions to these rules, these are the most common uses of each of the modal verbs. 

In a future CACD Newsletter we will take a closer look at the subtle differences in the terms, for example: will x shall; have to x must; need to x  must; can x may/might, etc.

Stay tuned for more incredible grammar tips in our CACD Newsletter!