The plane should have landed by now.
Criticism You shouldn't be sitting here just doing nothing!
I should have booked a table in advance.
Obligation I think you should leave.
You should have consulted a doctor.
Suggestions Shouldn't we have a pizza instead?
Surprise I'm sorry that he should feel that way.
It's surprising that she should have said that.
USED TO
Past habits and states On Sundays, my parents used to take me to dance school.
I didn't use to like dancing in those days.
WILL
Assumption "The phone's ringing." "That'll be for me."
There's no point in speaking louder. He won't understand.
Some of you will have met me before.
Habits A friend will always help you.
Intentions (spontaneous offers, promises, decisions) Come on, I'll help you with those bags.
I will always love you.
I'll have a wiener schnitzel.
Prediction If you ask him, he'll probably give you a lift.
Salty water will freeze at a lower temperature than pure water.
Requests Will you turn off your mobile phone, please?
Willingness I will take you to the airport. I have nothing to do tomorrow.
If you will wait for a moment, I'll see if Mr Hawking is available.
WON'T
Unwillingness, refusal My bank won't allow me to make international transactions.
Greg just won't answer the phone.
The door won't open.
WOULD
Habitual, repeated actions From time to time, he would call her to ask if she wanted to meet for lunch.
Annoying habits Tom would do something like that, wouldn't he? It's so typical of him!
Requests Would you open the door for me?
Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?
Unreal situations It would be nice to live by the sea.
It would be great to go hiking in the Appalachians again.
I would help you if you asked me to.
It would have been wonderful to meet you in person.
I would have helped you if you had asked me to.
WOULDN'T
Unwillingness I took the phone back to the shop, but they wouldn't give me a replacement.
Try as I might, the door wouldn't open.
Modals and adverbs
Adverbs are often used with modals to add to their meaning:
Surely
you can't have said that to her!
I might
just
tell you all about it.
I could
easily
have been hurt.
You
really
shouldn't have gone to so much trouble.
I will
definitely
call you tomorrow.
You can't
possibly
be serious.
She
obviously
must have forgotten it.
He could
probably
help us a lot.
I can't
exactly
remember when I first met her.
You should
absolutely
take up that course.
Modals in indirect speech
This topic is discussed under Indirect speech » Changes in indirect speech » Modal changes in indirect speech.
Revision questions: modals
What is the past equivalent of I must give up smoking: I had to give up smoking or I must have given up smoking?
What time does It was going to rain refer to?
Can we use a perfect infinitive after a modal verb that refers to past time?
What does He might have died mean?
What is the difference between I didn't need to worry, I needn't have worried and I shouldn't have worried?