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Modals

The English modals are may, might, can, could, will, would, shall, should, must and ought. Dare and need sometimes behave like modals.

Unlike the primary auxiliaries (be, have and do) modals have no participles, gerunds or infinitives. They also don't take '-s' in the third person singular.

Modal auxiliaries are used with other verbs to add various meanings, mostly to do with degrees of certainty or obligation.

• She can do it.
• You ought to obey the rules.
• I must leave now.