Improve your English today at ANGLOPOD.COM. Hi everyone, I’m Dan and today we’re going to learn how to use modal verbs with the bare infinitive in English. This means we’re going to focus on how we use modal verbs followed by another verb in a sentence.

Firstly, what is a modal verb? Well, it is a type of auxiliary verb, a helping verb, which expresses some form of modality, such as ability, permission or possibility. For example, we can use the modal verb CAN to express ability: “I CAN play the piano”. I am able to do this, I have the skill or knowledge to do this. But we can also use CAN for permission: “CAN I go to the bathroom?” (although this is a more informal use of CAN here. Some people prefer to use the more formal modal verb MAY).

However, when using modal verbs it is very important to remember that after the modal verb we don’t use the full infinitive (which just means the ‘to’ infinitive of the verb). So we say “I CAN play the piano” not “I CAN to play the piano”. This confuses many students because this rule does not exist in many other languages.

Let’s see an example with a different modal verb. “You MUST do your homework”, not “You MUST to do your homework”. The modal verb MUST here is used to express obligation. Another example. “I MIGHT come to the party”, not “I MIGHT to come to the party”. The modal verb MIGHT here is being used to express possibility.

So, remember that the main verb that follows a modal verb in English should be the ‘bare infinitive’, so no ‘to’. OK, now go to ANGLOPOD.COM to learn more English online. You MUST DO this! You MUSTN’T FORGET! See you soon!

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