Modal verbs have specific meanings, but like auxiliary verbs, they need to be combined with other words to form the predicate of a sentence. Additionally, modal verbs do not change according to person or number, and they must be followed by the base form of a verb. To help students better understand, Teacher Wang has compiled a detailed summary of the usage of modal verbs in English for seventh grade: can, may, and must. Remember to save it.
1. Usage of can:
(1) Indicates ability, permission, and possibility. When indicating ability, it is generally translated as “can” or “be able to”, meaning having a certain ability, especially an innate one. For example: She can swim fast, but I can’t. 她能游得很快，但我不能。
I can see with my eyes. 我用眼睛看。 Could is the past tense of can, indicating past ability.
Be able to do sth. often refers to being able to do something after effort, time, and labor. is/am/are able to do sth.
was/were able to do sth.
(2) Indicates permission, often used in spoken language. For example: You can use my dictionary. 你可以用我的字典。
(3) Indicates speculation and possibility, meaning “may”. It is often used in negative sentences and questions, where can’t translates to “impossible”. For example: Can the news be true? 这个消息会是真的吗？ —Can it be our teacher? 那个人有可能是我们老师吗？ —No, it can’t be our teacher. 不可能。咱们老师正在游览长城呢。
[Example] —I think Miss Gao must be in the library. She said she would go there. —No. She __be there, I have just been there. A. can’t B. mustn’t C. needn’t D. wouldn’t
[Analysis] Based on the following text “I just went there,” it should be “impossible,” so can’t indicates speculation. [Answer] A
Usage of could:
(1) The past tense of can, meaning “could” or “was able to”, indicating past ability. For example: He could write poems when he was 10. 他十岁时就会写诗。
(2) Could in questions indicates a polite tone, and does not carry a past tense meaning. For example: Could you give me a hand? 你能帮我个忙吗？ —Could I use your pen? 我能用一下你的钢笔吗? —Yes, you can. 可以。（用could问，不能用could答。）
2. Usage of may:
(1) Indicates requests and permission, more formal than can. For example: May I borrow your bike? 我可以借你的自行车吗？ You may go home now. 现在你可以回家了。
[Example] —_______ I borrow your MP3? —Sure. Here you are. A. May B. Should C. Must D. Would
[Analysis] Here it indicates a request, meaning “is it okay to do…”. Answer: A
(2) Indicates speculation, discussing possibility, meaning “may” or “perhaps”, usually used in affirmative sentences. For example: It may rain tomorrow. 明天可能会下雨。 She may be at home. 她可能在家呢。 May not translates to “may not”.
(3) The past tense of may is might, indicating speculation with lower possibility than may. For example: He is away from school. He might be sick. 他离开学校了，可能是他生病了。
(4) Indicates hope, prayer, or wish, often translated as “wish”. Usually used with may + subject + verb, for example: May you have a good time. 祝你过得愉快。 May you be happy! 祝你幸福！ May you succeed! 祝你成功！
3. Usage of must:
(1) Must indicates a subjective opinion, meaning “must” or “certainly”. For example: You must stay here until I come back. 在我回来之前你必须呆在这儿。 Must I finish my homework right now? 我必须现在交作业吗？ (Questions introduced by must)
A positive answer: yes, you must.
A negative answer: No, you needn’t/ don’t have to.
(2) Its negative form mustn’t means “must not” or “absolutely don’t”. For example: You mustn’t play with fire. 你不许玩火。 You mustn’t be late. 你一定不要迟到。
(3) Must indicates a strong assumption, used in affirmative sentences, indicating 100% certainty. For example: The light is on, so he must be at home now. 灯亮着，他现在肯定在家。
(4) Must and have to both mean “must”, but with different emphases:
Must emphasizes the speaker’s subjective opinion.
Have to emphasizes the necessity due to external forces, also translated as “have to”.
I must go to school and learn some knowledge. 我必须会学校上课学一些知识。（自己要回）
I have to go to school because the holiday is over. 假期结束了我不得不回学校上课了。
② Must has no changes in person and number, while have to has a third-person singular form:
Has to and the past tense: had to
Future tense: will have to
Must not = mustn’t indicates prohibition…
When asked with must, the positive answer uses must. The negative answer uses needn’t and don’t have to.
4. Usage of need:
(1) When need acts as a modal verb, it means “need” or “must”, mainly used in negative sentences and questions, with the negative form being needn’t, meaning “no need, not necessary”.
When asking with need, the positive answer is must, and the negative answer is needn’t or don’t have to. For example: —Need I do my homework now? —Yes, you must. 是的。 —No. you needn’t /don’t have to. 不， 你不必。
(2) Need can also act as a lexical verb, which changes according to person, number, and tense.
If the subject is a person sb.:
sb. need(s) sth. 某人需要某物
sb. need to do sth. 某人需要去做某事
Need in third person singular: needs. Past tense: needed. The negative form uses don’t/doesn’t/didn’t.
For example: I need to pass the exam. 我需要通过这次考试。 He needs to learn English. 他需要学习英语。
If the subject is a thing sth.:
Sth. need doing 某事需要被做= need to be done
In this case, pay attention to two points:
①. The active form of the gerund doing has a passive meaning;
②. The gerund can be changed to its infinitive passive form without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example: Your car needs washing. = Your car needs to be washed. 你的车需要洗了。
5. Usage of shall:
Shall indicates seeking the other person’s opinion (mostly used in first and third person), for example: Shall we go out for a walk? 我们出去散步好吗？
In English, we can use various ways to make our suggestions or seek the other person’s opinion.
Shall means “shall we…?” or “is it okay to…?” used in the first person, indicating the future, while will can be used for any person.
(1) Use “Let’s do…” to make a suggestion. For example: Let’s go for a walk after supper.
(2) Use “What/How about…?” to make a suggestion; “about” is followed by a noun or a verb in the -ing form. For example: What about/How about a drink? What about/How about taking Tom with us?
(3) Use “Why not…?” to make a suggestion, meaning “why not…?” “not” is followed by the base form of the verb. “Why not…?” is actually a shortened form of “Why don’t you/we…?”. For example: Why not meet at the school gate at eight? Why don’t we stay here another day?
(4) Use “Would you like…?” to make a suggestion, meaning “would you like…?” “Would you like” can be followed by a noun or an infinitive. For example: Would you like a cup of tea? Would you like to go and see her?
Therefore, if we say: “Shall we go swimming?” in English, we can express it in several ways:
Shall we go for a swim?
Let’s go for a swim, shall we?
What about/How about going swimming?
Why not go for a swim?
Would you like to go for a swim?
What do you think of going for a swim?
6. Usage of should:
Should means “should”, indicating advice, suggestion, obligation, and responsibility. For example: We should protect ourselves.. 我们应该保护自己。
Should not = shouldn’t + base form of the verb
Usage of had better:
Had better means “had better”, with no changes in person, followed by + base form of the verb, and its negative form is: had better not. For example:
We had better go home now. 我们最好现在回家。
You had better not go home now. 你最好现在不要回家。
Should and had better can be interchangeable.
Should not = shouldn’t and had better not can be interchangeable.
7. Usage of will:
Will indicates willingness, intention, or plan, and can be used for various persons. For example: I will help you if I’m free this afternoon. 今天下午如果我有空，我就会帮你。
Will is the “marker word” for the simple future tense.
Note:
1. The form of will in the sentence pattern “there be” and its sentence transformations.
Since the structure of the “simple future tense” can be represented by “will + base form of the verb”, the form of the simple future tense in the “there be” sentence pattern is “there will be”. (It must not be said as “there will have”)
For example: There are many students in our school. →There will be many students in our school. There will be a sports meeting next week. 一定不能说：There will have a sports meeting next week.
2. The difference between will and be going to do sth:
①. Be going to indicates an intention, plan, or arrangement to do something, or a sign that something will happen soon.
Will indicates a time further into the future. For example: He is going to Beijing on National Day.
He will write a book someday.
②. Be going to indicates something that is subjectively judged to definitely happen in the future, while will indicates something that is objectively bound to happen in the future.
For example: I am going to be a teacher.
He will pass the exam because of hard work.
③. In the main clause of a conditional sentence, generally be going to is not used, while will is often used, for example: I will go to school if I feel better.
1. For questions introduced by may, the following responses are possible: Yes, you may. Yes, of course. Yes, certainly. Sure.
No, you mustn’t. No, you can’t.
2. For questions introduced by must, the response is: Yes, …must. No,… needn’t/ don’t have to.
3. Could in questions indicates a polite tone, and does not carry a past tense meaning. For example: Could you do me a favour? 你能帮我个忙吗？ —Could I use your pen? —Yes, you can. 可以。（回答不用could）
4. Questions introduced by shall are used in the first person, indicating seeking the other person’s opinion or polite requests. Possible responses include:
Yes, please. All right. No, thank you.
5. Responses to would you… include: Yes, I will. (No, I won’t.) Sure. (I’m sorry, I can’t.) All right/ OK/ With pleasure. Certainly. (No, thank you.) Yes, please.
[Example] —Would you give me a hand and pass my thanks to Lily? —________.
A. That’s right B. With pleasure C. It doesn’t matter D. No trouble
[Analysis] A means “that’s right”, B means “I’m glad to help”, C means “it doesn’t matter”, D means “no trouble”. Answer: B
6. Responses to questions introduced by will you…? can use yes,…../no…… or I’d be glad to…..
1. (1) Can’t can be translated as “cannot”, for example: I can’t play basketball. 我不会打篮球。
(2) When the sentence expresses speculation, can’t indicates “impossible”, for example: He can’t be ill. He is playing chess with Tom. 他不可能病了，他正和Tom 下棋呢。
(3) Can’t can also be used to answer questions like “May I…?” For example: May I come in? 我可以进来吗？ No, you mustn’t. / can’t. 不，你不能。
(4) Can’t can also be used in fixed expressions. Can’t help doing means “cannot help but”, … 情不自禁… Can’t wait to do sth means “can’t wait to do something”, for example: She can’t help crying. 她不禁大哭起来。 The children can’t wait to open the box. 孩子们迫不及待地想打开盒子。
2. May’s negative form is may not, translated as “may not”, for example: He may not be at home. 他也许不在家。
3. (1) Mustn’t means “must not” or “forbidden”. For example: He mustn’t leave his room. 他不许离开他的房间。 You mustn’t talk in class. 你们不可以在课上说话。
(2) Mustn’t can also be used in negative responses to requests expressed by may. For example: —May I stand here? 我可以站在这里吗？ —No, you mustn’t (can’t). 不，不行。
4. Needn’t means “not necessary”. For example: You needn’t meet him unless you’d like to. 你不需要见他，除非你愿意。
5. Shouldn’t means “should not”. For example: You shouldn’t feel so unhappy over such little things. 对于这种小事，你不应该感到这么不高兴。
1. “Modal verb + base form of verb” indicates speculation about the present.
1. Must indicates strong speculation with 100% certainty, usually used in affirmative sentences.
For example: He must be at home because the light is still on.
2. Should indicates a higher possibility of speculation, less than must.
For example: It is already 10 o’clock now they should be there.
3. Can indicates speculation and is generally used in negative sentences or questions.
For example: Who is knocking at the door? Can it be the postman?
Could indicates speculation, with a weaker tone than can, leaving room for the speaker.
—Could it be an animal?
—It could not be, because it is not moving.
4. May indicates speculation, used in affirmative sentences. Might can also indicate speculation, but with a lower possibility than may.
For example: The man may be your new teacher.. 那个人可能是你新老师。
—Where is Mr Li?
—He might be working in his office. 他可能在办公室工作。
Confusing Point 1: Can and be able to:
Both indicate ability with the same usage, but can only has the base form “can” and the past tense “could”. In other tenses, be able to is used to indicate ability. Additionally, be able to often refers to being able to do something after effort, time, and labor.
For example: Jim can’t speak English. 吉姆不会说英语。
He could speak English at 5. 他五岁时就会说英语。
We’ll be able to see him next week. 下星期我们将会见到他。
He has been able to drive. 他已经会开车了。
I’m sure you’ll be able to finish it quickly. 我相信你能迅速地完成。
We were able to reach the top of the mountain at noon. 我们能在中午到达山顶。
Confusing Point 2: Can and May
1. Both can and may can be used to seek opinions or permission, meaning “can”, generally interchangeable.
For example: Can/ May I help you? 我能帮助你吗？
2. The difference between can and may when indicating speculation/possibility:
Can indicates a lack of certainty, while may does not imply doubt.
In affirmative sentences, use might, may, must, and do not use can. For example: She may be in the classroom. 她可能在教室里。
In negative sentences, use can’t (impossible), and do not use may or must.
In questions indicating speculation, use can, and do not use might, may, or must.
Where can they be now? 他们现在可能在哪儿？
That can’t be true. 那不可能是真的。
Confusing Point 3: May be and maybe
| Usage Difference | Common Position | |
| May be | May is a modal verb, be is the base form of the verb | In a sentence, as the predicate |
| Maybe | Adverb, meaning “perhaps”, equivalent to “maybe” | At the beginning of a sentence, as an adverbial |
For example: He may be wrong, but I’m not sure. 也许他错了，但我也不确定。
Confusing Point 4: Can’t and Mustn’t
1. Can’t can be translated according to its basic usage:
(1) Cannot, for example: I can’t speak English. 我不会说英语。
(2) Cannot, indicating impossibility, for example: The man can’t be our teacher because he is much younger than our teacher. 那个人不可能是咱们老师，他年轻得多。
2. Mustn’t means “forbidden” or “must not”, used to express commands and indicates strong tone. For example: You mustn’t play football in the street. It’s too dangerous. 你不可以在街上踢足球，太危险了。
Confusing Point 5: Must and Have to
1. Must emphasizes personal will and subjective necessity. Have to emphasizes objective necessity, and can be used in present, past, and future tenses.
For example: I know I must study hard. 我知道我必须努力学习。
My brother was very ill, so I had to call the doctor in the midnight. 我弟弟病得厉害，我只得半夜里把医生请来。
I haven’t got any money with me, so I’ll have to borrow some from my friend. 我身上没带钱，只好向朋友借点了。
He said they must work hard. 他说他们必须努力工作。
2. Have to can be used in various tenses, while must is only used in the present or future.
For example: The composition is due to hand in this morning, so I had to finish it last night. 作文今天早晨到期，因此我不得不昨天晚上完成。
1. —________ you pass me a pen? I’d like to write down the phone number. —Sure. Here it is.
A. Can B. Need C. Might D. Must
[Analysis] Based on the question, it indicates a request for permission. Answer: A
2. —May I go to the cinema, mum? — Certainly, but you ________ be back by 11 o’clock.
A. can B. may C. must D. need
[Analysis] Based on the question, here it does not indicate speculation, but a requirement posed by the mother, thus the answer is C, meaning “must”. Answer: C
3. You ______ get there by bus. A. don’t need B. needn’t to C. don’t need to D. need don’t to
[Analysis] Based on option A, need is a lexical verb, thus to should be added for correctness. Option B needn’t is a modal verb, thus to should be removed, so the answer is C.
4. You _______ worry about me. It’s nothing serious. A. can’t B. mustn’t C. needn’t D. won’t
[Analysis] Based on the statement “It’s nothing serious,” it can be inferred that the first sentence means “you don’t have to worry about me,” thus the answer is C. This question is easily mistaken for B, since mustn’t means “forbidden,” which is incorrect. Answer: C
5. —Excuse me. Is this the right way to the Summer Palace? —Sorry, I’m not sure. But it _______ be.
A. might B. mustn’t C. can’t D. must
[Analysis] It tests the usage of the modal verb might to indicate speculation. “I’m not sure” indicates that the speaker’s tone is uncertain, so might should be used. Answer: A
6. The man in the office___be Mr. Black, because he went home just now.
A. mustn’t B. may not C. can’t D. needn’t
[Analysis] Based on the text “he went home just now,” it can be inferred that the person in the office cannot be Mr. Black. Thus the answer is C.
7. —Can you go surfing with us this afternoon?
—I’d like to, but I __ look after my sister at home, because my mother is ill.
A. need B. must C. have to D. should
[Analysis] Based on the statement “my mother is ill” indicates an objective requirement, thus the answer is C.
8. —May I take this book out of the reading room? —______. Please read it here.
A. Certainly B. No, you needn’t C. No, you mustn’t D. No, you may not
[Analysis] The negative response to “May I…?” is “No, you can’t/mustn’t.”; The negative response to “Must I…?” is “No, you needn’t/don’t have to.”; In oral communication, one must understand the emotional differences in the sentences. Answer: C
1. John___ come to see us tonight, but he isn’t very sure yet.
A. may B. can C. has to D. must
2. They ___ do well in the exam.
A. can be able to B. be able to C. can able to D. are able to
3. —May I take this book out? —No, you___.
A. can’t B. may not C. needn’t D. aren’t
4. You___ go and see a doctor at once because you’re got a fever.
A. can B. must C. dare D. would
5. —Can you speak Japanese? —No, I____.
A. mustn’t B. can’t C. needn’t D. may not
6. —He___ be in the classroom, I think.
—No, he ___ be in the classroom. I saw him go home a minute ago.
A. can; may not B. must; may not C. may; can’t D. may; mustn’t
7. —Shall I get one more cake for you, Dad? —Thanks, but you___, I’ve had enough.
A. may not B. must not C. can’t D. needn’t
8. Even the top students in our class can’t work out this problem, so it __________ be very difficult.
A. may B. must C. can D. need
9. He isn’t at school. I think he ___ be ill.
A. can B. shall C. must D. has to
10. ___ I take this one?
A. May B. Will C. Are D. Do
11. The children___ play football on the road.
A. can’t B. can C. mustn’t D. must
12. You ___ be late for school again next time.
A. mustn’t B. needn’t C. don’t have to D. don’t need to
13. —Must I do my homework at once? —No, you___.
A. needn’t B. mustn’t C. can’t D. may not
14. His arm is all right. He___ go and see the doctor.
A. has not to B. don’t have to C. haven’t to D. doesn’t have to
15. You’d better___late next time.
A. not to be B. not be C. won’t be D. don’t be
16. You’d better ___ your hair ___ once a month.
A. had; cut B. had; cutted C. have; cut D. have; cutted
17. You___ ask that man over there. Maybe he knows the way.
A. had better not to B. had not better C. had better D. had better not
18.—Shall we go and visit the History Museum next Sunday? —________
A. Here you are B. Sorry , I can’t C. Yes, please D. Let me try
19—Why don’t you ask Mike to go with us? —Thanks, ___.
A. I will B. I won’t C. lean D. I may
20. —___ I take the newspaper away? —No, you mustn’t. You____read it only here.
A. Must; can B. May; can C. Need; must D. Must; must
21 Excuse me. ___ you please pass me that cup?
A. Do B. Should C. Would D. Must
22. ___ you like to have another try?
A. Could B. Will C. Would D. Do
23 —Would you like to go boating with us? —Yes, ___.
A. I’d like B. I want C. I’d like to D. I do
24.You___ worry about your son. He will get well soon.
A. needn’t B. can’t C. mustn’t D. have to
25.The poor man needs our help, ___ he?
A. need B. needn’t C. does D. doesn’t
26. —Must we do our homework first? —No, you___. You may have a rest first.
A. mustn’t B. needn’t C. may not D. can’t
[Reference Answers]
1—5. A D A B B 2—10. C D B C A 11—-15. C A A D B 16—20.C C B A B
21-25.C C C A D 26.B
Seventh Grade English [Midterm Test Paper] + Answers, can be printed and downloaded to test your abilities in advance
Middle School English 5 types of [basic sentence patterns], learning grammar needs to start from sentences
Seventh Grade English common error points, modal verbs can and could, an opportunity to fill in the gaps
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