Os verbos modais têm um significado especial que expressa habilidade, obrigação ou possibilidade. Os verbos modais têm apenas as formas de tempo presente e passado, que são usadas em todos os tempos e vozes:
| Forma simples do verbo:
| "may start," "might close," "can open," "could read"
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| Forma passiva:
| "must be offered," "must have been offered," "ought to be done"
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| Forma progressiva:
| "might be reading," "may be doing"
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| Forma perfeita:
| "might have started," "may have come"
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O quadro a seguir traz o resumo dos significados que os verbos modais têm nos tempos presente, passado e futuro:
| Habilidade
| Presente
| Passado
| Futuro
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| can
| I can help.
| I could help.
| I can help.
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| be able to
| I am able to help.
| I was able to help.
| I will be able to help.
I shall be able to help. |
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| Permissão
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| may
| He may help.
He might help. | He might have helped.
| He may help.
He might help. |
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| can
| I can help.
Can't I help? | I could have helped.
| Can I help?
Could I help? |
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| Necessidade
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| must
| I must help.
| I must have helped.
| I must help.
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| have to
| I has to help.
| I had to help.
| I will have to help.
I shall have to help. |
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| Obrigação
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| should
| I should help.
| I should have helped.
| I should help.
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| ought to
| I ought to help.
| I ought to have helped.
| I ought to help.
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| Possibilidade
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| may
| I may help.
I might help. | I may have helped.
I might have helped. | I may help.
I might help. |
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Consulte também o uso "should" e "would" para expressar: