Basics. Modal verbs to convey necessity, possibility, permission, or ability.

Modals

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. They include "might," "may," "can," "could," "must," "should," and "have to."

Usage of Modal Verbs and Modal Constructs

Might and may express possibility: She might arrive early.
Can indicates knowing how to do something: He can play the piano.
Can and could are sometimes used for asking people to do things: Could you pass the salt, please?
Must can be used to express that something is true: They must be tired.
Must do indicates necessity: We must study for the test.
Had to expresses necessity in the past: She had to leave early yesterday.
Must not do means "don't do it": You must not park here.
You should do can suggest a good thing to do: You should try that restaurant.
You should do sometime implies the right thing to do: You should apologize.
I don't think ... should ... is used to give advice: I don't think you should go there.
I have to expresses personal necessity: I have to finish this assignment.

Negating Sentences with Modal Verbs

To negate a sentence with a modal verb, add "not" after the modal verb.

Example: She might not come to the party.

Forming Negation with Modal Verbs

Modal Verb	Negative Form
might	might not
may	may not
can	cannot/can't
could	could not
must	must not
should	should not
have to	don't have to

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Verb

Verb vs noun vs adjective: nouns name things. Adjectives describe. Verbs express what happens or what IS. The test: can it take tense (walked, will walk)? Can it take -ing? Can it follow to as an infinitive (to walk)? Yes to any → verb. English often converts freely between classes (run = noun or verb), so context decides.

A verb = action/state/occurrence word. 5 forms (base, -s, past, past participle, -ing). Carries tense, aspect, mood, voice. The one required element in every sentence.

Diagnostic: does it change for tense (walk → walked)? Can you put to before it (to walk)? Does it take -ing (walking)? → verb.

Modal verb

Must vs should vs might: the most confused modal trio. Must = strong obligation/near-certainty. Should = advice/expectation. Might = possibility. Getting these wrong changes the force of your statement: You must see a doctor (urgent) vs You should see a doctor (advice) vs You might need a doctor (maybe).

Modal verbs are auxiliaries that encode modality: ability (can), permission (may), necessity (must), advice (should), possibility (might), future (will).

Diagnostic: what meaning are you adding? Obligation → must/have to. Advice → should. Possibility → might/could. Ability → can. Future → will.

Auxiliary verb

Auxiliary vs main verb: a main verb carries the action (run, eat, think); an auxiliary verb carries the grammar — tense, negation, questions, aspect, voice. In She has been eating, eating is the main verb; has and been are auxiliaries.

The English auxiliaries are be, have, do (primary) and the modal verbs (can, will, must…). They always precede the main verb.

Diagnostic: can the word stand alone as the only verb in the sentence and still carry action? Yes → main verb. No → auxiliary.

Questions

Direct vs indirect questions: direct questions invert and end with ? (Where does she live?). Indirect questions DON'T invert and end with a period (I wonder where she lives.). Mixing these up — I wonder where does she live? ❌ — is one of the most common structural errors.

Questions in English use inversion/do-support. Types: yes/no, wh-, negative, tag. Direct questions invert; indirect don't.

Diagnostic: is your question embedded inside a statement (I wonder, Do you know, Can you tell me)? → DON'T invert. Is it a standalone question? → invert.

Negation

Single vs double negatives: standard English uses ONE negative per clause (I don't see anything or I see nothing). Double negatives (I don't see nothing) are grammatical in many languages and some English dialects, but are non-standard in written/formal English. This is the #1 negation trap for speakers of Spanish, Russian, and French.

Negation = not after auxiliary/modal, or do-support. Negative words (never, nobody, nothing) negate alone without adding not.

Diagnostic: count the negatives in the clause. More than one? → double negative. Fix by replacing one with a positive (anything, anyone, ever).

English Grammar Basics

Basics vs intermediate/advanced grammar: if you're unsure whether to study articles or conditionals, tense basics or reported speech — you need to check whether your foundations are solid first. Basics covers everything up to A2.

English Grammar Basics groups the core building blocks: nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, present/past tenses, questions, and negation.

Diagnostic: if you still hesitate over she don't vs she doesn't, or a vs an — start here. Master these and intermediate topics stop feeling random.

A1 | Elementary | Beginners

A1 vs A2: A1 covers isolated survival phrases (Where is…?, I am…, How much?). A2 handles connected sentences about familiar routines and simple past events. If you can manage short fixed phrases but not string together original sentences about your day, you're still A1.

A1 is the entry level of the CEFR: greetings, introductions, numbers, basic present tense, and core function words.

Diagnostic: can you describe yesterday using past tense? No → A1. Yes → you're moving into A2.

A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate

A2 vs B1: A2 handles routine transactions and simple past narration. B1 handles connected discourse, explaining reasons, and understanding main points in clear standard speech. If you can tell what happened but not why it matters, you're still A2.

A2 is the elementary level of the CEFR: past simple, present perfect, first conditional, basic modals, and routine communication about familiar topics.

Diagnostic: can you link ideas with because, although, so that and hold a conversation beyond scripted topics? No → A2. Yes → moving into B1.

B1 | Intermediate

B1 vs B2: B1 handles standard everyday communication and simple opinions. B2 handles abstract topics, sustained arguments, and nuanced register. If you can chat about your life but struggle to debate an issue or write a formal essay, you're B1.

B1 is the intermediate CEFR level: independent handling of familiar topics, second conditional, basic passive, reported speech, and linking words for cause and contrast.

Diagnostic: can you read a newspaper article on a familiar topic and summarise the argument? Comfortably → B2. Struggle with abstractions → still B1.

Easy

Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.

The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.

Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.