Kata kerja ini adalah kata kerja yang membantu verb menyatakan beberapa arti seperti KEMAMPUAN, IJIN, KEMUNGKINAN, KEWAJIBAN (sesuatu yang merupakan keharusan)

Kata kerja tersebut antara lain :

CAN
COULD
MAY
MIGHT
SHOULD
HAD BETTER
MUST
WILL
WOULD
Kata kerja ini diikuti oleh kata kerja dalam bentuk simple.

The modal auxiliary can is used :

* to express ability (mampu melakukan sesuatu)

He can speak Spanish but he can’t write it very well.

* to expression permission (yang diperbolehkan untuk melakukan sesuatu)

Can I talk to my friends in the library waiting room?

* to express theoretical possibility

American automobile makers can make better cars if they think there’s a profit in it

The modal auxiliary could is used :

* to express an ability in the past

I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids.

* to express past or future permission

Could I bury my cat in your back yard?

* to express present possibility

We could always spend the afternoon just sitting around talking.

* to express possibility or ability in contingent circumstances

If he studied harder, he could pass this course.

Two of the more troublesome modal auxiliries are may and might. When used in the context of granting or seeking permission, might is the past tense of may. might is considerably more tentative than may :

^ May I leave class early?

^ If I’ve finished all my work and I’m really quiet, might I leave early?

Examples :

ABILITY

^ Can you type ?

^ When I was young, I could able to climb any tree in the forest

^ Our baby will be able to walk in a few weeks

PERMISSION

^ I may leave the office as soon as I have finished

^ Can I have a drink of water ?

^ In those days, anyone could enroll for this course

^ May I bring my niece to your party tomorrow night ?

OBLIGATION (keharusan yang harus)

^ You should to do your homework every day

^ John should have gone to the dentist yesterday

NECESSITY (keharusan yang berhubungan dengan suatu kepentingan)

^ This is an excellent book. You must to read it.

^ You should repeat the voice

Sources :

Digital Book , Internet (google) …