Examples of Modal Verbs in Texts and Dialogues

Below are short texts and dialogues which contain all the modal verbs. I hope that exploring these examples of the use of modal verbs will help learners build their confidence in using them.

Text 1

The Story of Helen Keller, The Girl Who Could Not See, Hear or Speak

I’d like you to know the story of Helen Keller, who could neither see nor hear from the time she was a baby. Yet the brilliant girl was able to overcome all those handicaps, to graduate from a college with honors and become a useful citizen.

I must say there was nothing wrong with Helen Keller when she was born. Her father and mother were very proud of their pretty baby, who tried to say “pa-pa” and “ma-ma”.

For nineteen months Helen grew bigger and stronger. She was able to walk when she was a year old; she could say a few words.

But one day the child fell ill. She must have been very ill. For days she was laid up with a high fever and soon the parents learned that their darling would never be able to see and hear.

The little child was now doomed to a life of silence and darkness. She could not hear what was said to her and did not know how to talk, she was unable to play with other children.

When Helen was 6 years old her parents took her to Baltimore and then to Washington to famous doctors to find out if they could do something to make her hear and see again, but the doctors could do nothing. The child was hopelessly deaf. Dr. Bell said the Kellers should address the Perkins Institution for the blind in Boston and ask if they could send someone to help the child.

It was a wonderful day for Helen Keller when Ann Sullivan arrived in March 1887 to take charge of the child who could neither hear nor speak. Helen was nearly seven, Ann Sullivan was past twenty.

Ann Sullivan found a way to make herself understood. She gave the child a doll, and taking Helen Keller’s hand she slowly spelled out "d-o-l". The child learnt for the first time that things must have names.

When Miss Sullivan later spelled into the little girl’s hand the word “w-a-t-e-r” and then let the water from the pumps run over her hand, a new light seemed to brighten the face of the child. During the next 3 months, she learned 300 words and could even put some of them into sentences.
Miss Sullivan loved her pupil who was so quick to learn. She lived with Helen, played with her and worked with her every hour of the day. By means of the hand language, Helen and her teacher were able to talk to each other.

Comparison of Adjectives

The Formation of Degrees of Comparison

	Positive degree	Comparative degree	Superlative degree
a).	long gay big pretty	longer gayer bigger prettier	the longest the gayest the biggest the prettiest
b).	useful correct difficult	more useful more correct more difficult	the most useful the most correct the most difficult
c).	good bad many / much little	better worse more less	the best the worst the most the least

There is, There are

There is, There are

Key examples:

There is a piano in the room.
There are no people there.

Usage: the construction there is, there are is used when we state the presence or absence of something at some place.

For study:

There is (are)	There is (are) no
1. There is a table in the kitchen.	1. There is no table in the kitchen.
2. There is a cupboard near the window.	2. There is no cupboard near the window.
3. There is a shelf in the corner.	3. There is no shelf in the corner.
4. There is a refrigerator opposite the door.	4. There is no refrigerator opposite the door.
5. There are plates in the cupboard.	5. There are no plates in the cupboard.
6. There are pots on the shelf.	6. There are no pots on the shelf.
7. There are knives in the drawer.	7. There are no knives in the drawer.

It (pronoun)

Personal It

Key examples:

Is the milk hot or cold? It is hot.
Where is the house? It is over there.
Bring me the book. It is on the shelf.

Usage: the personal it is used instead of name of things and animals mentioned.

For study:

1. Have a glass of milk, please. It is good.
2. Help yourself to the cake. It is delicious.
3. Would you like some coffee? It is good.
4. Would you pass me the sugar? It is near your plate.
5. Let’s have tea at once. It is on the table.