Hands Which Cannot Write

Use of Can, Will, Shall, May, Must

Use of Can, Will, Would, Shall, Should, May, Might, Must

   — Neinhart Alcazar

1. CAN denotes:
a. Ability
   Ex. Myra can design dresses.
b. Permission or request
   Ex. Can I leave a message?
c. Possibility
   Ex. Life can be difficult.

2. WILL indicates:
a. Futurity
   Ex. The investigation will start tomorrow.
b. Willingness or choice
   Ex. I will serve the salad now.
        Will you help us, please?

3. WOULD expresses:
a. Willingness in a potential way
   Ex. I would build a house if I had money.
b. Polite question or request
   Ex. Would you help me cross the street?
c. Future intention from the past point of view
   Ex. The lawyer said he would file the case.
d. Past habitual action
   Ex. When they were young, they would go fishing everyday.

4. SHALL expresses:
a. Suggestion in a yes-no question
   Ex. Shall we leave early?
        Shall we go?
b. Used the same way as will, but is often used ni ceremonies when protocol is an important factor.
   Ex. The Prime Minister shall welcome the delegates.
        We shall begin an invocation.

5. SHOULD expresses:
a. Obligation
   Ex. Citizens should pay their taxes.

6. MAY expresses:
a. Permission
   Ex. You may go home now.
        May I walk with you?
b. Probability
   Ex. It may be cloudy tomorrow.
        The balloon may burst.
c. A wish
   Ex. May there be peace in this world.

7. MIGHT expresses:
a. Less probability
   Ex. He told us he might come.
        The balloons might burst.

8. MUST expresses:
a. Very strong obligation or necessity
   Ex. We must graduate with honors.
        We must save our country.
b. Making inferences or logical conclusions.
   Ex. It wags. It wags its tail. It must be a dog.
        She wears a school uniform. She carries books. She must be a student.