Mastering Modal Verbs, Phrasal Verbs, and Vocabulary

Modal Verbs

Modal Verbs do not have a third person singular form (no “s”), and questions and negatives are formed without “do”.

Obligation, Advice, and Prohibition

Modal Verbs: Obligation-Advice-Prohibition:

  • We all must/have to obey the law.
  • A good citizen should/ought to be considerate.
  • You don’t have to/needn’t know much about the law to know what is right and wrong.
  • In the UK, you mustn’t/can’t smoke in pubs.

Ability and Permission

Modal Verbs: Ability-Permission:

  • I can drive; I passed my test last year.
  • Could/Can/May I go out tonight?
  • You can smoke in smoking rooms.
  • I could do the splits when I was younger.

Remember: In the future and perfect tenses, use be able to, not can, for ability.

Obligation and Advice in the Past

Obligation and Advice in the Past:

  • I think they should have/shouldn’t have called the police.
  • According to the conditions of her ASBO, she had to be back at home every day before dark.
  • They needn’t have sent her to prison.

Speculation and Deduction

Modal Verb: Speculation-Deduction:

  • He broke the conditions of his ASBO, so he must be in prison now.
  • This policy could/may/might represent a danger to individual liberty.
  • That woman can’t be the granny from hell. She is in prison.

Speculation and Deduction in the Past

Modal Verb: Speculation and Deduction in the Past:

  • Someone’s stolen my bag! It may/might/could have been that man over there.
  • No, it can’t have been him; he’s not carrying anything.
  • Someone must have been who stole it; let’s ask those people there.

Other Modal Verbs

Will: prediction-willingness

Shall: offers-suggestions

Dare: courage to do something-indignation at some actions (interrogatives and negatives)

Ought to: advice-duty

Total 12 Modal Verbs!

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs:

  • Prepositional verb: at-from-of-with
  • Phrasal verb: verb + adverbial particle (intransitive/transitive)
  • Phrasal-prepositional verb: verb + adverbial particle + preposition

Common Phrasal Verbs

  • Turn down: reject/lower
  • Go on: continue/happen
  • Tell off: scold
  • Deal with: treat someone/face something
  • Get over: overcome
  • Break down: stop working/fail
  • Give out: distribute
  • Get into: arrive/get on/get involved in
  • Set up: raise/assemble
  • Work out: solve
  • Let in: allow to enter and exit
  • Get out of: exit/avoid
  • Talk into: convince
  • Run out of: run short of
  • Blow up: explode
  • Put off: postpone
  • Put away: store something
  • Get away: leave
  • Call for: require
  • Stand for: signify/support/tolerate
  • Hold on: hold on tightly
  • Fill in: complete
  • Bring back: restore/remind
  • Turn up: show up
  • Hand out: distribute
  • Rub out: erase/rub
  • Put up with: tolerate someone
  • Take off: succeed
  • Leave out: omit
  • Hang out: spend time
  • Walk alone: walk alone
  • Come up: arrive
  • End up: finish

Vocabulary

Theme 2 Vocabulary

  • Threatening: threat
  • Behaviour: behavior
  • Comply with: comply with
  • Take part in: take part in
  • Ban: prohibit
  • Be unable to: unable to
  • Issue an order: issue an order
  • Allowed: allowed
  • Forbidden: forbidden
  • Hanging out: hanging out
  • Disrupt: disrupt
  • ASBO: people thought the authorities should do something, and the government came up with the Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

Theme 3 Vocabulary

  • Committed: committed
  • Courageous: brave
  • Determined: determined
  • Dependable: reliable
  • Humble: humble
  • Proud: proud
  • Confident: self-assured
  • Focused: focused