English Modals and Verb Patterns: A Core Grammar Reference

English Grammar Essentials: Modals, Gerunds, and Infinitives

Understanding Simple Modals: Structure and Usage

Modals are auxiliary verbs that express various meanings such as ability, possibility, permission, obligation, and more. They are always followed by the base form of the verb (infinitive without 'to').

• Can: to be able to / to have the capacity to... (expressing ability, permission, request, or possibility)
• Be able to: to know how to / to have the ability to... (expressing ability or possibility)
• Can't: to not be able to... (expressing inability, prohibition, or deduction)
• Could: (expressing past ability, polite question, polite suggestion, or possibility)
• Might: (expressing possibility, less probable than may)
• May: (expressing possibility, polite question, or asking for permission)
• Should / Ought to: (expressing advice or opinion)
• Need to: (expressing necessity or obligation)
• Have to: (expressing necessity or obligation)
• Must: (expressing strong obligation / necessity or strong belief / logical conclusion)
• Mustn't: (expressing prohibition)
• Don't have to: (expressing lack of obligation / necessity)
• Needn't: (expressing lack of obligation / necessity)
• Would: (expressing polite request / offer or desire)
• Might be able to: (expressing future possibility of ability)

Perfect Modals: Expressing Past Actions and States

Perfect Modals are formed with modal + have + past participle. They are used to talk about past events, deductions, or unfulfilled actions.

• Could have: (expressing ability to do something in the past, but it was not done)
• Can't / Couldn't have: (expressing certainty that something did not happen in the past)
• May / Might have: (expressing supposition about a past event)
• Must have: (expressing logical conclusion about a past event)
• Should / Ought to have: (expressing criticism or regret about a past event)
• Shouldn't have: (expressing regret or criticism about something that was done in the past and should not have been)
• Would have: (expressing a desire to do something that was not possible in the past, often in conditional sentences)

Gerunds: The V-ing Form

A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. It can be used in several ways:

• As the direct object of certain verbs:
  • consider
  • continue
  • detest
  • allow
  • dislike
  • enjoy
  • finish
  • hate
  • like
  • love
  • miss
  • prefer
  • recommend
  • suggest
• After prepositions.
• As the subject of a sentence.
• After specific expressions:
  • Be used to
  • Can't help
  • Can't stand
  • Don't mind
  • Feel like
  • It's no use

Infinitives: The To + Base Form

An infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually preceded by 'to'. It can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

• After certain verbs:
  • agree
  • appear
  • choose
  • decide
  • expect
  • hope
  • learn
  • plan
  • promise
  • refuse
  • seem
  • want
  • wish
• After the indirect object of certain verbs:
  • advise
  • help
  • invite
  • persuade
  • teach
  • tell
  • warn

Bare Infinitives: Without 'To'

Some verbs are followed by the bare infinitive (without 'to'):

• hear
• feel
• see
• make
• let

Verbs Followed by Both Gerunds and Infinitives

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, sometimes with a change in meaning, sometimes without.

• Verbs that can take both (often with little or no change in meaning):
  • begin
  • forbid
  • intend
  • propose
  • start
  • practise
• Verbs that change meaning depending on the form:
  • Forget + Gerund: (to indicate forgetting something that happened in the past)
  • Forget + Infinitive: (to indicate forgetting to perform an action)