English Idioms

New Idioms Idiom List Idiom Categories Search Idioms

Phrasal Verbs

New Phrasal Verbs Phrasal Verb List Phrasal Verb Quizzes Search Phrasal Verbs

General English Reference

English Grammar Glossary Irregular Verb List English Dictionaries

ESL Forum

Ask a Teacher! ESL Forum

Tools

Email This Page Print This Page

Do you have a question about the English language?

Get our newsfeeds

WhiteSmoke's Dictionary

Home > Reference > Glossary > M > Modal Verbs

Term: Modal Verbs

Definition:

Modal verbs are used to express ideas such as possibility, intention, obligation and necessity.

CAN, COULD, WILL, WOULD, SHALL, SHOULD, OUGHT TO, DARE and NEED are some examples.

eg: I would have told you, if you had wanted me to.

eg: Yes, I can do that.

See Also: Auxiliary Verb; Deontic Modality; Dynamic Modality; Ditransitive Verb; Dynamic Verb; Epistemic Modality; Finite Verb; Inchoative Verb; Intransitive Verb; Irregular Verb; Non-finite Verb; Phrasal Verb; Regular Verb; Stative Verb; Transitive Verb; Verb Group; Verb Phrase

'Modal Verbs' - Related Links

Grammar Topic: Modals

Browse the following links to other content related to 'Modal Verbs' from the 'Modals' grammar category:

Glossary Entries

Quizzes

Beginner:

Must & Can

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Modals

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

E-mail this page