CAN
Capacité physique ou intellectuelle. Notez que, lorsqu'il exprime la capacité, le modal se traduit souvent par le verbe "savoir".
Ex.: I can swim.
Demande de permission.
Ex.: Can I go out ?
CAN'T
Incapacité physique ou intellectuelle du sujet
Ex.: I can't carry my luggage. It's too heavy !
Refus de permission
Ex.: You can't go out . It's too late.
Impossibilité
Ex.: He can't play the piano.
COULD
Prétérit et conditionnel de can
Ex.: I could run fast when I was young.
Ex.: I could buy a big house if I had money.
Demande plus polie que celle formulée avec can
Ex.: Could help me, please ?
MAY
Eventualité
Ex.: It may rain
Demande de permission
Ex.: May I watch television ?
MIGHT
Prétérit et conditionnel de may
Eventualité fort improbable
Ex.: They might arrive very late…
MUST
Obligation
Ex.: I must go, now.
Très forte probabilité
Ex.: Their car isn't here. They must be in town
MUSTN'T
Interdiction
Ex.: You mustn't park here. It's forbidden !
SHALL
Suggestion (à la forme interrogative)
Ex.: Shall I do the washing-up ?
SHOULD = OUGHT TO
Conseil ou obligation morale
Ex.: He should stop smoking. They ought to help the poor !
Reproche ou regret (avec "have" + part. passé)
Ex.: You should have phoned me !
WILL
Auxiliaire du futur. A la forme affirmative, on emploie la forme contractée : 'll
Demande ou invitation à la forme interrogative
Ex.: Will you come in ?
Volonté
Ex.: Yes, I will
Habitude, règle générale, trait de caractère
Ex.: Boys will be boys.
WOULD
Auxiliaire du conditionnel. A la forme affirmative, on emploie la forme contractée : 'd
Ex.: I would buy a big house if I had enough money.
Répétition d'une action ou d'un comportement dans le passé
Ex.: They would spend long hours side by side.
NEEDN'T = DON'T HAVE TO
Absence d'obligation
Ex.: You needn't/don't have to water the flowers : it's going to rain.