情态动词
情态动词表示说话人对动作或状态的各种观点和态度，如需要、猜测、意愿或怀疑等。情态动词有词义，但不完全，是所谓的“辅助性”动词，在句中不能单独充当谓语。
一、 情态动词的特征和形式
A. 情态动词的各种形式见下表：
情态动词 否定式 简略否定式
may might can could must have to ought to will would shall should need dare used to may not might not cannot can not could not must not do not have to ought not to will not would not shall not should not need not dare not used not to did not use to mayn't（老式英语，现在不常见） mightn't can't couldn't mustn't don't have to oughtn't to （否定句中to可省略） won't wouldn't shan't （只用于英国英语） shouldn't needn't daren't usedn't to didn't use to
B．情态动词除ought to, used to等外，后面只接不带to的不定式。
1．情态动词+do You shouldn't be so careless. 你不该这样粗心大意。 Jessica told him yesterday she might not go on the trip.
杰西卡昨天告诉他，她可能不去旅行了。 Difficulties can and must be overcome. 困难能够而且必须克服。2．情态动词+be doing She must be listening to pop music. 她肯定在听流行音乐。 You should be reviewing your lessons. 你应该在复习功课。 My mother maymight be cooking now. 我妈妈可能正在做饭。
3．情态动词+have done They might have visited the Great Wall. 他们可能参观过长城了。 He must have got up very early to catch the train. 他一定起得很早去赶火车了。 You ought to have come earlier. 你本该早一点儿来。
4．情态动词+be done This word can also be used as a verb. 这个词也可以用作动词。 Something must be done to stop pollution. 必须采取措施来制止污染。 The work ought to have been finished long ago. 这工作早就该完成了。 C. 情态动词第三人称单数一般现在时没有词形变化。 You ought to wear a raincoat. 你应该穿件雨衣。 She ought to wear a raincoat. 她应该穿件雨衣。 Plants must have oxygen in order to live. 为了存活植物必须有氧气。 A plant must have oxygen in order to live. 为了存活植物必须有氧气。
D. 情态动词的时态并不是区分时间的主要标志。在一些场合中，情态动词的现在式和过去式都可以表示现在时间、过去时间或将来时间。 I'm afraid it might rain tonight. 我看今晚可能要下雨。 Could I borrow your thermos 我可以借用你的暖水瓶吗？ It's a nice day today. We could go for a walk. 今天天气不错，我们可以出去散散步。 E. 情态动词是互相排斥的，一般不允许两个意义相近的情态动词连用。 【误】Soldiers must have to obey orders. 【正】Soldiers have to obey orders. 军人必须服从命令。 【正】Soldiers must obey orders. 军人必须服从命令。 【误】Can I be able to borrow two books at a time 【正】Can I borrow two books at a time 我能一次借两本书吗？ 【正】Will I be able to borrow two books at a time 我能一次借两本书吗？二、 情态动词的意义和用法
A. may和might 1．表示请求、许可，常译为“可以”。 在口语中可用can, could代替may，但在正式场合用may。表示允许时，也可用might代替，might不表示过去时，而是表示口气比较婉转。 You may take this seat if you like. 如果你喜欢可以坐这个位置。 MayCan /Could/ Might I have a talk with you ? 我可以和你谈谈吗？ --- MayMight I come into the room to see my mother? 我可以进房间看我母亲吗？ --- No, you mustn't. She needs to have a good rest. 不，你不能进。她需要好好休息。 提示： May I ... 问句常见的肯定回答和否定回答。 肯定回答Yes, please.Certainly. Yes, of course. Sure. Go ahead, please. 否定回答 No, you can't. （最常见）No, you mustn't. （具有强烈禁止的意思） Please don't. You'd better not. I don't think you can. I'm sorry it's not allowed.
2．表示推测，可译为“可能，也许”。 Your math teacher maymight be in his office. 你们的数学老师可能在办公室里。（一般情况下，might表示的可能性很小） The light isn't on. It maymight be broken. 那盏灯没有亮，它可能坏了。 There may might be some ink left in the bottle. 瓶子里也许还剩点儿墨水。 注意： 用may表示推测一般不用于疑问句，在疑问句中通常用can来代替。 Can he be at home 他可能在家吗？ --- Can it be true? 这可能是真的吗？ --- It may be, or may not be. 可能是，也可能不是。
3．用在目的状语从句中，构成谓语。 He wants to take a taxi so that he may get there in time. 他想坐出租车，这样他就能及时到达那里。 I arrived at the airport earlier in order that I might meet him. 我早早地就到了机场为了能接到他。
4． 有时可以用于祈使句表示祝愿。 May you succeed. 祝你成功 May you be happy. 祝你快乐。 May that day come soon. 希望这一天早日到来。 B. can和could 1． 表示能力，可译为“能，会”。 I can swim. 我会游泳。 Emily can dance well and her mother could dance well when she was young. 艾米丽舞跳得很好，她妈妈年轻时舞跳得也很好。 The cinema can seat 1,000 people. 这电影院能容纳1，000人。 I could not read such an easy book when I was 7 years old. 我七岁时连如此简单的书我也看不懂。
2． 表示允许、许可，常用在口语中。could比can语气上要客气。 --- Could I use your dictionary 我可以用一下你的字典吗？ ---Yes, go ahead. 可以，用吧。（或Yes, you can. 但不能说Yes, you could.） Could Can you tell me how to get to the zoo 劳驾，你能告诉我怎么去动物园吗？ He asked me whether he could take the book out of the reading room. 他问我可不可以把书带出阅览室。
3．表示推测，可用于肯定句（can罕见）、否定句和疑问句，但更常见于疑问句或否定句。在此种用法中can和could没有时态的区别，只是表示可能性的大小，can表示推测的可能性比could大。 Can he be ill at home? 他会是生病在家吗？ Can the story be true 这个故事会是真的吗？ He cannot be at home. 他不可能在家。 You mustn't smoke while you are walking around in the woods. You could start a fire. 在林子里走时一定不要吸烟，那样可能会引起火灾。
4．表示惊异、怀疑、不相信等态度，主要用于否定句和疑问句中。 How can you be so careless 你怎么这么粗心？ Where can could they have gone 他们会去了哪里？ He can'tcouldn't be over sixty. 他不可能超过60岁。
5．Could可以用在虚拟条件句中。 If I could fly, I should be very happy. 如果我能飞， 我会很高兴。 If you had followed my advice, you could have finished it.如果你当时听我的，你早就做完了。If you had tried harder, you could have passed your exam.
如果你再努力些，你就能通过考试了。
６．can与be able to的区别
①can表示“能力”时，和be able to相当，许多场合都可以互相替换。但当叙述过去经过一番努力才能完成的事情或前面有特殊说明，表示你有能力时，只能用be able to。【正】Can you speak any foreign languages 你会说外语吗？ 【正】Are you able to speak any foreign languages 你会说外语吗？ 【误】The fire spread the building quickly but everybody could escape. 【正】The fire spread the building quickly but everybody was able to escape. 大火迅速蔓延到整幢大楼，但大家都逃了出来。 【正】The fire spread the building quickly but everybody managed to escape. 大火迅速蔓延到整幢大楼，但大家都想法逃了出来。
②be able to 比can有更多形式。 No one could answer the question.没人能回答这个问题。这里could可用was able to 代替） When he grows up, he will be able to support his family. 他长大后就能养家了。 Frank is ill. He hasn't been able to go to school for one week. 弗兰克病了，已经一周没去上学了。 I'm sorry for not being able to help you in time. 对不起，不能及时帮你的忙。
③could经常和动词see, hear, smell, taste, feel, remember, understand等连用。 When we went into the house, we could smell something burning. 当我们走进屋子时，我们闻到什么东西烧焦了。（不用was able to） She spoke in a very low voice, but I could understand what she said. 虽然她讲话的声音很低，但我还是明白了她说的话。
④在谈论说话时发生的动作，用can，不用be able to。 【误】Look! I'm able to swim. 【正】Look! I can swim. 看，我会游泳了！
C．must和have to
1．must表示有做某一动作的必要或义务，强调主观看法，可译为“必须，应该”。 Everyone must obey the rule. 人人都必须遵守制度。 We must do everything step by step. 我们必须逐步做每件事。 Teachers must be patient enough with their students. 老师必须对学生有足够的耐心。
2．have to 表示因客观需要促使主语不得不做某事。 You can't turn right here. You have to turn left. 你不能在这里右拐，你必须左拐。 My eyesight is very poor. I have to wear glasses for reading. 我的视力很差，看书时不得不戴眼镜。 You have to pass a test before you can get a driving licence. 你在取得驾照之前必须先通过考试。 提示： 在口语中，我们可以使用have got to来代替have to. I've got to work on Sunday. 我不得不星期天工作。 When has Ann got to go安必须什么时候走？