Developing strong writing skills is absolutely a high priority in your IELTS review preparation. Aside from attending review classes in the best IELTS review center, it is also crucial to seek different tips and techniques that can help enhance your writing skills. One of the best writing tips that you can apply in your IELTS training is learning about modal verbs.


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What Is a Modal Verb?

A modal verb is a type of auxiliary verb that is used together with the main verb to establish a condition in a sentence. These conditions include stating an ability, obligation or a possibility, making a recommendation or prediction, and asking permission or request. Do you want to know more? If you’re a test taker enrolled in an IELTS review Philippines, the following are the nine most commonly used modal verbs with their corresponding examples:

     1.    Can – expresses ability or polite request.
Meg can memorize her notes very quickly. (Ability)
Can you give me a discount? (Polite request)

     2.    Could – indicates ability in the past. It is also used to suggest a possibility in the future.
Who could forget his speech at last year’s meeting? (Ability in the past)
We could get more deals through better marketing strategy. (Possibility)

     3.    May – is used for asking permission or indicating a strong possibility.
May I have your autograph? (Ask for permission)
Some chemicals may cause environmental damage. (Strong possibility)

     4.    Might – is the past equivalent of may and is used to suggest a weak possibility.
We might be hiring more employees, but nothing has been decided yet.

     5.    Must – specifies a necessity or obligation.
You must go to the best IELTS review center, or else you’ll fail the test.

     6.    Shall – states a polite suggestion. It is also used to indicate future actions.
Shall we go to the mall now? (Polite suggestion)
I shall take literature and mathematics next semester. (Future action)

     7.    Should – is used to make a recommendation or to give a piece of advice.
I think you should leave the house now. (Make a recommendation)
You should check that document before you sign it. (Give a piece of advice)

     8.    Will – is a modal verb used to make a prediction or to do something in the future.
Joy will win the election. (Make a prediction)
I will go to the mall tonight. (Future action)

     9.    Would – expresses polite requests or past habitual actions.
Would you mind if we listen to some music? (Polite Requests)
When I was a kid, I would spend hours playing with my train set. (Past habitual action)

Do you want to know more? Enroll now in an IELTS review Philippines and subscribe to our blog for more exclusive writing tips and strategies!

REFERENCES:

"Modal Verbs." Simple Future | English Page. Accessed November 20, 2018. https://www.englishpage.com/modals/modalintro.html.

"Modals." Writingcenter.unc.edu. Accessed November 20, 2018. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/modals/.

“Verbs: Modals and Auxiliaries.” Pearson. Accessed November 20, 2018. http://wps.pearsoned.com/wps/media/objects/10705/10961975/Cornerstone_6-Modals.pdf

"What Is a Modal Verb? | List of Modal Verbs | Ginger." Ginger Pages. Accessed November 20, 2018. https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/modal-verbs/.