| Part of a series on |
| English grammar |
|---|
.svg) |
The English modal auxiliary verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality, properties such as possibility and obligation.[a] They can most easily be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participles or plain forms[b]) and by their lack of the ending ‑(e)s for the third-person singular.[3]
The central English modal auxiliary verbs are can (with could), may (with might), shall (with should), will (with would), and must. A few other verbs are usually also classed as modals: ought, and (in certain uses) dare, and need. Use (/jus/, rhyming with "loose") is included as well. Other expressions, notably had better, share some of their characteristics.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Huddleston & Pullum (2002), p. 104.
- ^ Aarts (2011), pp. 83–85.
- ^ Quirk et al. (1985), [page needed].