Modals One Shot - All Rules Explained with Examples | CBSE Class 9 & 10 English Grammar

[00:00:00][music] [music] Hello, namaskar, welcome. Welcome to win with Sudhir. My name is Sudhir Sahas Ran. We are going to continue with our grammar series where today's video is going to focus on models. Okay, what exactly are these and how do we use it?

[00:00:27]And this is an integral part of our entire language system. That is if you do not have them, it would be very difficult to actually construct a sentence. Now in your syllabus you have the model auxiliaries and their functions in expressing ability. Ability means to be able to do something.

[00:00:48]Obligation that is your obliged to do something. Permission seeking permission. Possibility and advice.

[00:00:56]These are the five things which are part of your syllabus. So what exactly are these? These are the helper verbs. These are things which have a very helping kind of a tendency that express the mood, the attitude or the intent. The intent means what is on the mind right of the speaker. That is what is on my mind that is conveyed with the help of these model auxiliaries.

[00:01:23]So what is the golden rule that you should always remember? Number one, they do not change form which means that they never take an s or an ed or an ing.

[00:01:36]Right? That is something which they do not go. Can go. Okay? It will never be can goes. That e s or an s or an ing is never added to the verb when you're using a model like can. They are always followed by the base form of the main verb. This is something which you need to know. Never make a mistake with this.

[00:01:59]If you make the mistake in the fundamental structure, you will go completely wrong. So as this boy is doing, he's keeping the base verb right and he's putting all this into the trash bin, right? So that is something which you need to know. Now let's start with each category. The first category is that of ability used to describe skill, physical power or general capability.

[00:02:28]Can means general ability in the present. Please remember he can do it.

[00:02:35]We are talking about in the present.

[00:02:38]Please lift that box. I know you can do it. Which means you're talking about something in the present. Right?

[00:02:45]Sonakshi can solve complex calculus problems in minutes. So she's pretty smart in mathematics. She can do it in a matter of minutes. So it is talking about her ability, her capability in a particular subject in a particular arena, right? He's he can he can defeat any competitor in wrestling, right?

[00:03:08]Which talking about his ability to do that. He can speak eight languages.

[00:03:14]Again, showing an ability. I hope this is clear.

[00:03:20]When you use could, what difference does that make when from can? It is talking about general ability but in the past tense. Examples, when Narin was a student, he could read 50 pages of a novel in an hour. Right? So, he was a very voracious reader. He was someone who could read very fast. He could read up to 50 pages in one hour when he was a student. So here we are talking about an ability. Yes, pretty similar to can. But the difference is that we are talking about in the past tense. I could Oh, when I was when I was your age, I could lift heavy weights very easily. Right?

[00:04:04]So you're talking about something in the past that may not be present now, but it was an ability in the past. Right? So you could say you know I am 13 years old now but when I was 10 years old I could do this very easily right so you're talking about an ability in the past okay what about would is to express a repeated action or routine again in the past. Now would is something which you can ch exchange with used to also.

[00:04:40]Instead of would if you use used to the meaning of the sentence will not change.

[00:04:47]Example when I was in school I would spend hours in the library reading autobiography. So that is something which I love to do. I used to spend time in the library. So if you use would I would spend or you interchange it with used to. I used to spend hours in the library reading autobiography. So in both case you're talking about something which you did in the past. You can use either would or used to. So it is talking about a repeated routine or action but in the past tense.

[00:05:22]Now what about be able to? Be able to is used to express ability in tenses where can or could do not fit. Like we are talking about future tense. Now if you practice right this is like the conditional clause. If you practice grammar sorry if you practice grammar daily you will be able to score full marks in the board examination you can get 100% like each one of you can by seeing these videos understanding it understanding it with the help of relevant examples and then testing yourself on a regular basis. you would be able to. So here used to express ability in sentences where can or could do not fit. So if you practice grammar daily, you can score full marks in the examination. But can is like absolute conference. Will be able to is conveying an ability. Okay? There's a difference in that we will be talking about it. But can is talked more about in present tense. but will be able to is speaking about the future tense.

[00:06:31]So the important difference is that if you practice grammar daily you will be able to score full marks in the board examination. This is a sentence right.

[00:06:41]What does it convey? It conveys certainty that if you practice that's a condition but if you do that I'm certain that you will be able to score full marks in the examination. So it conveys strong certainty, confidence, future guarantee, functions as a first conditional sentence setting up a realistic future prediction conditional clause. Right? The tone is that of confidence of being assured, encouraging and definite. Right? If you practice this, if you fulfill this condition, this is guaranteed. The message is that if you fulfill the condition, the future capability is guaranteed. The speaker is highly confident. that is what is being spoken about. So as I said we are talking about in the future.

[00:07:28]The second sentence using can. If you practice grammar daily you can score full marks in the board exam. Now what is the difference between be able to and when you're using can. The meaning is in the present. General capability and opportunity shifts focus from a future prediction to present potential. If you practice grammar daily, you can. You're talking about a present capability. Very subtle difference, but understand the difference. The tone is practical and its tone is factual. In the previous one, in the previous one, the tone was almost encouraging. If you practice, you will be able to, right? You will be able to top the school. You'll be able to come first in the entire state or the entire city. But here it is more of factual information. The message is daily daily practice unlocks the ability within you right now. It highlights that full marks are completely within your reach. It is something which you can achieve.

[00:08:27]The third sentence when you use could if you practice grammar daily you could score full marks in the board examination. How? What is the difference here? See with these three examples you will never make a mistake with be able to can and could. Here the meaning is the certainty is lower. You could means there is some doubt. You can but I'm not 100% sure which is why I'm using could.

[00:08:53]So lower certainty more polite possibility. It's a second conditional acting as a speculative kind of a model.

[00:09:01]It is a tone is a little tentative.

[00:09:03]Right? It's not a 100% guarantee. It is something which is you could right. So it is possible but depends on many variables. sounds less like a guaranteed promise and more like a gentle hypothetical suggestion that it is possible. I'm not saying it's not possible but I'm not 100% sure that you can also which is why I'm using could and not can. Okay.

[00:09:28]So how the helper verb changes the promise of scoring full marks right will be able to future guarantee highly confident. You will be able to do it. I know you will be able to do it. Second one talking about present potential you can do it right this in terms of confidence is a little less than will be able to which is a future guarantee here this is talking more about your present potential there is a very little subtle difference between these two could is even less on the guarantee scale where it is a little tentative it is more of a suggestion that you could do that why don't you try this you could do some you it could lead you to something right if If you try something, why don't you try this uh medication? It could help you improve your uh skin quality, right? It could help you avoid getting any kind of acne, right? So, you're giving some kind of an advice, right? And you're not 100% sure that it will, but you will be able to. But if you say if you do this, you will be able to ensure that this problem does not recur, right? So that means you are being very confident and you are giving a guarantee for the future.

[00:10:40]Let's move ahead.

[00:10:42]Let us now move to obligation and necessity. And this is a section which can be a bit confusing. So I want you to pay attention to it. I hope you're keeping your notebook and I want you to write it down in your own handwriting.

[00:10:56]Highlight it, underline it with some colored pens. It will be it will help you better in recall because visual memory is a great thing. So here we are talking about must, have to and should.

[00:11:07]What is the difference between these three? Now this is used to show duty rules or strong requirement. So when we are talking about must, it is used to convey strong obligation. That is there is a strong need to do something like this necessity or the speaker's firm opinion. You must write your answers using black pen or blue pen. Right? It is a rule of the board or the school management. In the case of have to. So therefore the strength is the strongest when you're using must. When you use have to, the strength is comparatively less in comparison to must. But it still conveys an obligation because of rules, laws or circumstances. When I take the examples, you will understand this better. Should is different. It is comp in terms of comparison. It's moderate and weaker compared to must and have to.

[00:12:05]It is more in the nature of advice or recommendation or some kind of moral duty. This is something which you need to do. The confusion between must and have to is the most. So you need to know under what circumstances you use which one.

[00:12:22]So must is a strong personal obligation.

[00:12:25]Must is used when the speaker feels something is absolutely necessary. There is no way you cannot do something like that. So formula is subject plus must plus the base form of the verb. You must wear a helmet while reading riding a bike. The speaker insists because the traffic department has said this. The transport department has said that every person who is riding a bike must wear a helmet. Right? That's the rule. Right?

[00:12:56]Why are we not using have to? I'll come to that. I must finish my homework tonight. We must protect the environment. You must not touch a live wire. You know, you are being told very clearly, you must not touch that. That's like, you know, you are playing with life. Uh if you actually do something like that because that would be life current. You must apologize to your teacher. I strongly think that you should. Right? So, you are stating a fact and there is no scope for anything else. You must you made a mistake you must apologize to your teacher. So remember the necessity comes from the speaker whoever is stating that particular desire or wish or order.

[00:13:40]Have to comes from an external obligation. Have to is used when the necessity comes from rules, laws or circumstances not from the speaker. Now you would say but sir the traffic rule I'll come to that. Just keep that in mind. Remember there are going to be exceptions to all this. I'll come to that subject plus have has to plus base verb students have to wear uniform right that's the students have to wear the school management when it says students must come every day wearing their uniform when the rule is being set by the school the board says everyone should write their role number on the first page it is a rule which has been stated by the council by the CBSC right it is being stated in so many words. The teacher can say please remember that you have to write your role number on the front page. The teacher is repeating the rule. The teacher is not the one who has set the rule. So when I am the one who is stating the order, when I am the one who is stating the rule, I use must. But if I am conveying something which someone else has said, then I use have to. I we have to stop because the signal is red. The traffic department will say all vehicles must stop when the signal is read at the traffic signal. The traffic department is stating the rule.

[00:15:06]I when I am driving I tell my driver or sorry when I am driving my child may tell me papa we have to stop at the traffic signal when the color is red. We have to because that's the law that is the traffic road. You understand the difference? There's a very subtle difference out here. I have to wake up early to catch the bus.

[00:15:29]She has to submit the form before Friday. I'll give you another example.

[00:15:34]The coach says all players must report to the stadium at 8:00 a.m. He's making the rule. I am the player. I tell another player, hey, we have to start from home at 6:00 so that we reach the stadium at 8:00 a.m. because we have to I'm not using must because the rule has been made by the coach. He will use must. But I am repeating the rule and saying that there is a strong external obligation. So we have to start at 6. So because it will take 2 hours so that we are there on time at 8:00 a.m. You understand the difference? Remember that the necessity comes from outside. The rules require it.

[00:16:16]Now let's compare. I must study today.

[00:16:18]It is my own decision. I am making the rule. It's Sunday. Everyone is having fun. But I must study today. Now where do I use have to? I have to study because the exam is tomorrow or because the exam is tomorrow. These are the external circumstances. I have an external obligation because if the exam was not tomorrow even I would go and have fun I will not study but I must study today that's my decision I have to study because the exam is tomorrow so if there is this part of the sentence the external obligations I use I have to what about should is used in the case of advice or recommendation recommendation should is used when something is good sensible or advisable but not compulsory. Subject plus should plus base verb. You should drink more water.

[00:17:10]You should stay hydrated. Very important. Irrespective of whether it is summer or winter, you should always stay hydrated. We should help the poor. You should not waste your time. Remember there is no compulsion but it is more in the form of an advice or recommendation.

[00:17:27]Now what exactly are the rules? Okay. When an authority figure writes an official instruction manual, an exam paper or a legal document and is therefore the creator of the rule, they use must to show that the action is absolutely mandatory or compulsory and not non-negotiable.

[00:17:55]You must file your income tax returns before the 31st of July. That's a rule made by the finance ministry. They will use must. I have to file my tax returns by the 31st of July. Now, I will not say must because I have not made the rules.

[00:18:12]I have to file the returns because the finance ministry has said July 31st is the last date, right? But the finance department will tell the income tax SSES you must file the tax returns on or before the 31st of July. You understand the difference, right? That's the main thing.

[00:18:33]You should file the returns by this thing. Now that's in the form of an advice, a recommendation. You f you should file the returns before the 31st of July. Don't keep it to the last date.

[00:18:43]Right? It's a direct command from the highest authority to the reader. So when a exam board prints an instruction booklet, they are the authority and therefore they write candidates must answer all questions in blue or black ink in the board examinations. Is this clear? I hope this is clear. Please write this is clear because I can't explain more clearly than this. Now you might wonder as I said why didn't we discuss using have to for rules? Why does a teacher say remember you have to reach the exam hall by 8:30 a.m.

[00:19:19]tomorrow or they won't let you in?

[00:19:22]Because the teacher did not make the exam hall timing rule. The board did because the teacher is just passing along an external rule. They use she uses have to that you reach there by 8:00 a.m. Another example, Arpita to her classmate. We have to write our role numbers on the cover page. I told this example but on the question paper the board will write students must write their role numbers on the cover page that is the right form of writing now let's do a quick comparison I just want you to be not having any doubts between the three you must study tonight the speaker insist you know the speaker is the one who is making the rules you have to study because the exam is tomorrow what I said you should study every day is an advice. You must wear a seat belt strong this thing. Now actually this is not the right one. Uh the traffic department says every car passenger must wear a seat belt. That would be the right one. Not you. Okay. It's a strong rule. It's an insistence. We you have to wear a seat belt because it is the law.

[00:20:31]Then you have to here just change that.

[00:20:33]The traffic police says we must wear a seat belt. Right. You should wear a seat belt for your safety which is more in the form I often advise. Now you must stop smoking. You have to take this medicine because the doctor prescribed.

[00:20:49]Okay. Uh here the sentence should better be you must not smoke in public places.

[00:20:56]Right? You should exercise regularly.

[00:20:58]Now this is a sensible kind of an advice which has been given. Let's move to the third category which is to do with permission. It is used when asking for or giving consent. Can informal permission with friends or family. Mom, can I go to the library to study with my friends? Now here you're not asking a person in authority in that sense because she's your mother. So you can use the word can. Right? Formal permission when you're asking a teacher or the principal or you know anyone in any kind of authority. May I come in sir? So here you will not use can because that's not considered polite.

[00:21:36]When you are in more informal kind of surroundings like as I said with friends or families or family members or relatives, you can use can. Can can I come? Can I come at 7 instead of 6:00 today? That's fine. But with this thing, may I seek your permission to come at 7 instead of 6 p.m. So there has to be certain element of formality or a formal request.

[00:21:59]What about would making an inquiry or request sound highly inform highly formal courteous assault? Would you mind passing the salt please? So you are at a formal dinner otherwise with you know you ask your brother or sister you'll say give me the salt right or can you give me the salt that's will fine but when you are in a formal dinner at a formal dinner and you do not know the other people so well so you would be a little more formal and polite and you know in a requesting kind of a tone.

[00:22:29]Would you mind passing the salt please?

[00:22:31]Would you like to participate in the drama where you are kind of a little more courteous and formal? What about could very polite request for permission. Could I borrow your science textbook for a moment? Right? So you are being very polite. Could I you know can I me can I would be like you know with your close friend can I take your book for an hour kind of thing. But when you are not sure, when you do not know the person and you need to be polite, could I borrow your book for an hour please?

[00:23:01]Right. Then the next category is that of possibility. It is used to describe how likely something is to happen. May, which is a reasonable possibility, approximately 50% chance. It may rain during the afternoon session. So carry an umbrella. It is a 50% chance that it may or may not. Might is a remote or lower possibility even lower than 50%.

[00:23:29]Right? If the student doesn't revise, he might forget the rules of reported speech. Right? So it's important that he revises so that he remembers it otherwise he might forget. So there is a chance that he might forget it. I'm not saying he'll definitely forget it. He might forget it. So it's in the best interest of the student to revise the rules of reported speech before the exam. What about would expressing an unreal or imaginary outcome that depends on an unfulfilled condition. If the student had studied well he would have scored full marks.

[00:24:03]So if he had done so the conditional clause if he had done that he would have scored full marks. He would have come first in the examination. What about could theoretical possibility it could happen but it's not certain the election results in that constituency could be surprising this year I'm not sure but could be that you know we could all be in for a surprise you know we are all expecting X to win but it's quite possible that Y could just about win right so we are not certain but it is a possibility in theory it is a possibility that it could happen so remember all these different ones for possibility. Let's now move to the advice category where we use it for offering suggestions or opinions. Should we just discuss the most common way to give advice? You should read the chapter twice before emptying the MCQs. You know, it's an advice. It's a suggestion.

[00:25:00]It's a recommendation. Ought to a little complicated please remember because we are using the preposition to with it similar to should but implies a moral obligation or social duty. We ought to protect the environment for the next generation. We ought to be careful. We ought to be careful before we close uh cross the road. We should be careful before we cross the road. It's fine. But we ought to makes it a little [clears throat] more kind of being careful and cautious. We ought to we ought to read the question twice before we start answering the question. Right?

[00:25:34]Um we ought to help any the any weak student in the class, right? I you know it's an obligation it's a moral duty it's something which you know is the right thing to do now had better a little more complicated strong advice with an implied warning of negative consequences how do you use it and this is something which many of you could actually go wrong when you're using listen to this carefully you had better finish your homework or your teacher will be disappointed right so we could have used you should finish your homework or your teacher will be disappointed. That would be in the form of an advice. But when you use had better, you had better finish your homework, it is like a warning. You it is like a warning key. You had better finish this. You had better your breakfast otherwise I will not allow you to go to school. You had better finish your homework otherwise you will not be allowed to go out and play. So it is in the form of warning of negative consequences. Now let me give you a tip for all win with Sudi students. Avoid double models. Never combine models. You cannot say he will can do it. Never ever do it. This is an absolute no no.

[00:26:51]Instead use he will be able to do it.

[00:26:54]Right? So here if you get this thing you you use will be able to. He will be able to do it. That's the way to do it. He will can do it. That is you cannot combine two models together in the same sentence. Then let's do a quick revision summary. Ability is can, could, obligation is must, should. Permission is may, can, and could. Possibilities may, might. Advice is should, ought to, and had better. Had better, of course, is with the form of an warning of negative consequences. So, it's slightly different from basic. It's giving advice, but advice with a different kind of a tone.

[00:27:35]Now let's look at this thing. Candidates it will be must write their role numbers clearly on the cover page of the answer script. So you will get a fill in the blank here and you will be asked to do this and you will be told whether it's strict obligation or rule. So it will be must right here though I would say you can have it have to if someone else is conveying it. This is an official mandatory rule set by the examination board. For strict unbendable regulation must is the correct choice. So candidates must but if it is something the teacher said that we have to do it right so she the teacher is repeating what has been conveyed by the board that is the basic difference don't worry about the missed bus if you take a cab right now you will be able to right so there is great confidence that if you do this you will be able to reach the examination center on time so the sentence already uses the phrase be able to show capability so we need to use we need to add will.

[00:28:36]The sky is completely clear right now, but the weather forecast says it might rain late in the evening. Now, why did we use might out here, right? Because the sky is completely clear. So, the possibility of the rain is actually very less. So, that's why we are not using may. The hint the sky is completely clear right now shows that the chance of rain is very low or remote. Therefore, might is preferred over May.

[00:29:01][clears throat] preferred to may. May may or could. I borrow your grammar reference book for over the weekend, sir. Ask the student.

[00:29:09]Right? So, it is may or could.

[00:29:12]Addressing a teacher as sir requires a formal and polite model. May is standard for formal permission. While could works perfectly as a polite request. You had better not or should not study late into the night right before the board exam.

[00:29:25]It might affect your performance the next morning. So while should not is standard advice had better not fits perfectly here because there's a clear negative consequence that it your performance would be affected if you study too late into the night before the next examination in the morning. Right?

[00:29:44]So with this your entire syllabus as far as model verbs are concerned. I hope you found this explanation helpful. If you did share this video and also subscribe to the channel and we'll continue with our entire grammar series here on Win Tata. Bye-bye. Thank you very much.

[00:30:01]Namaskar.