Modals & Helpers
These verbs don't show action themselves—they "help" the main verb express time, ability, or intent.
Will & Shall
WILL: Future Action
"I will come tomorrow."
Question Form:
Will you come?
SHALL: Suggestion
"We shall meet again."
Polite Suggestion:
"Shall we start?"
💡 Teacher Tip
Explain that 'Shall' is becoming less common in casual speech, but remains vital for formal invitations or legal promises.
Can & Could
CAN: Ability
I can swim. (Ability)
Can I come in? (Permission)
COULD: Past & Politeness
I could swim when I was young.
"Could you help me?" Polite Request
The Helping Auxiliaries
Structural Mechanics
Question Format
Do/Does/Did + Sub + Verb
- • Do you like tea?
- • Does she play?
- • Did he come yesterday?
Negative Format
Sub + do/does/did + not
- • I do not like coffee.
- • She does not eat meat.
💡 Teacher Tip: The Does/Did Trick
Remind students: Once 'Does' or 'Did' enters the sentence, the main verb goes back to its base form. "Does she plays" is a common error—it should be "Does she play".
Mastery Lab
Can
Ability
Will
Future
Could
Polite Request
Question Lab (Transform)
- You like coffee. → Do you like coffee?
- She plays tennis. → Does she play tennis?
- They went home. → Did they go home?
“Polite Swap”
Students must turn orders into polite requests using 'Could' (e.g., "Open the door" → "Could you open the door?").
Verb Registry
Archive results and report linguistic mastery to the Head of Department.