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Grammar patterns following modal verbs and semi-modal verbs.
Modal verbs combine with particular verb forms to express different meanings and grammatical relationships.
Core modals are normally followed by the base form, while more complex constructions use forms such as be, have, and past participles.
She can swim.
Она умеет плавать.
Modal + base form.
They must be tired.
Они, должно быть, устали.
Modal + be + adjective.
He may have left already.
Он, возможно, уже ушёл.
Modal + have + past participle.
A core modal is normally followed by the base form of the main verb without to.
For example, She can swim, You should wait, and They might arrive soon.
She can swim.
Она умеет плавать.
Can + base form.
You should wait.
Тебе следует подождать.
Should + base form.
They might arrive soon.
Они, возможно, скоро приедут.
Might + base form.
A modal can be followed by be to describe a state, identity, location, or ongoing condition.
For example, She may be tired, They must be at home, and He could be right.
She may be tired.
Она, возможно, устала.
Modal + be + adjective.
They must be at home.
Они, должно быть, дома.
Modal + be + prepositional phrase.
He could be right.
Он, возможно, прав.
Modal + be + adjective.
A modal can be followed by be and a present participle to describe an ongoing activity.
For example, She may be working, They must be waiting, and He could be sleeping.
She may be working now.
Она, возможно, сейчас работает.
Modal + be + present participle.
They must be waiting outside.
Они, должно быть, ждут снаружи.
Deduction about ongoing activity.
He could be sleeping.
Он, возможно, спит.
Possibility about ongoing.
A modal can be followed by have and a past participle to refer to a past situation.
For example, She may have left, They must have forgotten, and He should have called.
She may have left.
Она, возможно, ушла.
Modal + have + past participle.
They must have forgotten.
Они, должно быть, забыли.
Strong deduction about past.
He should have called.
Ему следовало позвонить.
Criticism about past.
A modal can be followed by have been to describe a past state or situation.
For example, She may have been ill and They must have been at home.
She may have been ill.
Она, возможно, болела.
Modal + have been + adjective.
They must have been at home.
Они, должно быть, были дома.
Strong deduction about past state.
He could have been right.
Он, возможно, был прав.
Past possibility about state.
A modal can be followed by have been and an -ing form to describe an ongoing activity in the past.
For example, He may have been sleeping and They must have been waiting for hours.
He may have been sleeping.
Он, возможно, спал (в течение какого-то времени).
Modal + have been + present participle.
They must have been waiting for hours.
Они, должно быть, ждали несколько часов.
Deduction about ongoing past activity.
She might have been studying all night.
Она, возможно, училась всю ночь.
Possibility about past ongoing.
A modal can be followed by be and a past participle to form a modal passive construction.
For example, The work must be finished today and The application should be submitted online.
The work must be finished today.
Работа должна быть закончена сегодня.
Modal + be + past participle.
The application should be submitted online.
Заявление должно быть подано онлайн.
Modal passive.
The door can be opened from outside.
Дверь можно открыть снаружи.
Possibility passive.
A modal can be followed by have been and a past participle to form a perfect modal passive.
For example, The report should have been completed yesterday and The documents may have been lost.
The report should have been completed yesterday.
Отчёт следовало завершить вчера.
Modal + have been + past participle.
The documents may have been lost.
Документы, возможно, были потеряны.
Past possibility passive.
The letter must have been sent to the wrong address.
Письмо, должно быть, было отправлено не по тому адресу.
Past deduction passive.
Some modal passive constructions can describe a required or possible state rather than emphasizing an action.
For example, The door must be closed can describe a requirement concerning the state of the door.
The door must be closed.
Дверь должна быть закрыта.
State requirement: modal + be + past participle.
The windows should be open in summer.
Летом окна должны быть открыты.
Expected state.
A modal can be followed by be and an adjective complement.
For example, The answer may be correct, She must be tired, and They should be ready.
The answer may be correct.
Ответ, возможно, правильный.
Modal + be + adjective.
She must be tired.
Она, должно быть, устала.
Strong deduction.
They should be ready.
Они должны быть готовы.
Expectation.
A modal can be followed by be and a noun phrase that identifies or classifies the subject.
For example, He may be the new manager and She must be a doctor.
He may be the new manager.
Он, возможно, новый менеджер.
Modal + be + noun phrase.
She must be a doctor.
Она, должно быть, врач.
Deduction about identity.
A modal can be followed by be and a prepositional phrase that describes location, circumstance, or another state.
For example, They may be at home, She must be in the office, and He could be under pressure.
They may be at home.
Они, возможно, дома.
Modal + be + prepositional phrase.
She must be in the office.
Она, должно быть, в офисе.
Location deduction.
He could be under pressure.
Он, возможно, под давлением.
Circumstance.
A modal can be followed by a lexical verb and modified by an adverb.
For example, She may arrive soon, He could probably help, and They will definitely come.
She may arrive soon.
Она, возможно, скоро приедет.
Modal + adverb + base verb.
He could probably help.
Он, вероятно, может помочь.
Modal + adverb.
They will definitely come.
Они определённо придут.
Adverb with will.
Certain constructions combine modal verbs with verbs that themselves select a bare infinitive.
For example, She can make him leave and They might let us stay.
She can make him leave.
Она может заставить его уйти.
Modal + make + object + bare infinitive.
They might let us stay.
Они, возможно, позволят нам остаться.
Modal + let + object + bare infinitive.
Core modals are normally not followed directly by to, but semi-modal expressions commonly are.
For example, be able to, have to, need to, ought to, and be supposed to require to in their standard patterns.
I am able to help.
Я в состоянии помочь.
Be able to + to-infinitive.
You have to leave.
Тебе нужно уйти.
Have to + base form (which is the infinitive without to in this pattern).
She ought to apologize.
Ей следует извиниться.
Ought to + base form.
Modal constructions can contain be as the auxiliary for progressive and passive meanings.
For example, She may be working and The documents must be signed.
She may be working.
Она, возможно, работает.
Auxiliary be for progressive.
The documents must be signed.
Документы должны быть подписаны.
Auxiliary be for passive.
Modal constructions use have in the perfect pattern when referring to an earlier situation.
For example, She could have won, He must have forgotten, and They should have arrived.
She could have won.
Она могла бы выиграть.
Modal + have + past participle for past possibility.
He must have forgotten.
Он, должно быть, забыл.
Past deduction.
They should have arrived.
Им следовало приехать.
Past expectation/criticism.
Core modals form questions directly by moving the modal before the subject.
For example, Can you swim? Should we leave? and Might they come later?
Can you swim?
Ты умеешь плавать?
Question with can.
Should we leave?
Нам следует уйти?
Question with should.
Might they come later?
Возможно, они придут позже?
Question with might.
Core modals form negative structures by placing not directly after the modal.
For example, cannot, should not, might not, must not, and would not.
I cannot swim.
Я не умею плавать.
Cannot.
You should not go.
Тебе не следует идти.
Should not.
They might not come.
Они, возможно, не придут.
Might not.
Core modal verbs normally form questions and negatives without do, does, or did.
For example, Can you help? and You should not go. Do-support is not normally used with core modals.
Can you help?
Ты можешь помочь?
No do in question.
You should not go.
Тебе не следует идти.
No do in negative.
Core modals do not take -s in the third person singular.
For example, He can swim and She must leave, not He cans swim or She musts leave.
He can swim.
Он умеет плавать.
No -s after can.
She must leave.
Она должна уйти.
No -s after must.
Core modal verbs generally cannot be directly combined with another core modal verb.
Instead, English uses alternative expressions such as be able to, have to, be allowed to, or be likely to when more than one meaning is required.
She will be able to come.
Она сможет прийти.
Use be able to instead of will can.
We have to be able to finish.
Мы должны суметь закончить.
Have to + be able to avoids double modal.
He must be allowed to enter.
Ему должны разрешить войти.
Be allowed to instead of must can/may.
A single modal construction can express several interacting meanings depending on context.
For example, She must be working can express both strong deduction and an ongoing activity.
She must be working.
Она, должно быть, работает (сейчас).
Must (deduction) + be + -ing (ongoing).
He might have been sleeping.
Он, возможно, спал (в течение какого-то времени).
Might (possibility) + have been + -ing (past ongoing).
Complex modal constructions are common in formal, academic, and professional writing.
Examples include may be required to, should have been considered, and is likely to have been affected.
Applicants may be required to provide additional documentation.
От кандидатов могут потребовать дополнительные документы.
Modal + be + past participle + infinitive.
The matter should have been considered earlier.
Этот вопрос следовало рассмотреть раньше.
Modal + have been + past participle.
The results are likely to have been affected by the change.
На результаты, вероятно, повлияло изменение.
Be likely to + have been + past participle.
Use the correct verb form after the modal and distinguish core modal patterns from semi-modal constructions.
Common mistakes include adding to after a core modal, using do-support with a modal, adding -s in the third person, confusing have and have been, and combining two core modals directly.
She can to swim.
Она умеет плавать.
Incorrect: no to after can; use "can swim".
Do you can help me?
Ты можешь мне помочь?
Incorrect: no do-support with modals; use "Can you help me?"
He cans swim.
Он умеет плавать.
Incorrect: no -s after modal; use "can swim".
I will can come.
Я смогу прийти.
Incorrect: do not stack modals; use "will be able to come".