Sentences and questions with can and must

Modals - Explanations

1) can

affirmative sentences with can
I can play football.
You can sing.
My sister can read.
We can speak English.
They can write the words.

negative sentences with can
I cannot play football. or I can't play football.
You cannot sing. or You can't sing.
My sister cannot read. or My sister can't read.
We cannot speak English. or We can't speak English.
They cannot write the words. or They can't write the words.

Questions with can
Can I go to the cinema?
Can your budgie talk?
Can he play the trumpet?
Can they spell their names?

2) must

affirmative sentences with must
I must do my homework.
My sister must wash the dishes.
We must ask Frank.
They must make their beds.

negative sentences with must
I must not go outside. or I mustn't play outside.
You must not sing. or You mustn't sing.
He must not watch TV. or He mustn't watch TV.
Tim and Alex must not open the window. or Tim and Alex mustn't open the window

Questions with must
Must I help in the garden?
Must you go?
Must she sing in the bathroom?
Must we watch this film?

The verb be - auxiliary and main verb

The verb be can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb in English.

be as a main verb in the Simple Present (am, are, is)

 

affirmative	negative
I:
I am from England.	I am not from England.
he, she, it:
He is from England.	He is not from England.
we, you, they:
We are from England.	We are not from England.

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be as a main verb in the Simple Past (was, were)

affirmative	negative
I, he, she, it:
I was here.	I was not here.
we, you, they:
We were here.	We were not here.

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be as an auxiliary verb in the Present Progressive (am, are, is)

affirmative	negative
I:
I am reading a book.	I am not reading a book.
he, she, it:
He is reading a book.	He is not reading a book.
we, you, they:
We are reading a book.	We are not reading a book.

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be as an auxiliary verb in the passive:

Simple Present: A house is built.
Simple Past: A house was built.
will future: A house will be built.
going-to future: A house is going to be built.

The verb do - auxiliary and main verb

The verb do can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb in English.

do as a main verb in the Simple Present (do, does, don't, doesn't)

affirmative	negative
I, we, you, they:
I do my homework in the evenings.	I don't do my homework in the evenings.*
he, she, it:
He does his homework in the evenings.	He doesn't do his homework in the evenings.*

*Note: Here we use do in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and as a main verb.

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do as a main verb in the Simple Past (did, didn't)

affirmative	negative
I did my homework in the evenings.	I didn't do my homework in the evenings.**

**Note: Here we use did in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and do as a main verb.

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do as a main verb - past participle (done)

affirmative	negative
I have done my homework.	I haven't done my homework.

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do as a main verb (Present Progressive, Gerund, present participle) - (doing)

affirmative	negative
I am doing my homework.	I am not doing my homework.
Doing my homework is not always fun.	Not doing my homework is not clever.
I saw Jane doing her homework.	I didn't see Jane doing her homework.

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do as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences in the Simple Present:

I don't do my homework in the evenings.

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do as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences in the Simple Past:

I didn't do my homework yesterday evening.

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do as an auxiliary verb in questions in the Simple Present:

Do you like rugby? - Does he like rugby?

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do as an auxiliary verb in questions in the Simple Past:

Did you see Peggy yesterday?
When did you get up this morning?

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do with negative imperatives:

Don't sing under the shower.

The verb have - auxiliary and main verb

The verb have can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb in English.

have as a main verb in the Simple Present (have, has, don't have, doesn't have

affirmative	negative
I, we, you, they:
I have a new guitar. I have got a new guitar.*	I don't have a new guitar. I haven't got a new guitar.*
he, she, it:
He has a new guitar. He has got a new guitar.*	He doesn't have a new guitar. He hasn't got a new guitar.*

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have as a main verb in the Simple Past (had, didn't have)

affirmative	negative
I had a new guitar. I had got a new guitar.*	I didn't have a new guitar. I hadn't got a new guitar.*

* have or have got

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have as an auxiliary verb and a main verb - Present Perfect (had)

affirmative	negative
I, we, you, they:
They have had a nice time.	They haven't had a nice time.
he, she, it:
He has had a nice time.	He hasn't had a nice time.

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have as an auxiliary verb and a main verb - Past Perfect (had)

affirmative	negative
They had had a nice time.	They hadn't had a nice time.

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have as an auxiliary verb in the Present Perfect (past participle):

affirmative	negative
I, we, you, they:
I have seen Peter.	I haven't seen Peter.
he, she, it:
She has seen Peter.	She hasn't seen Peter.

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have als auxiliary verb in the Past Perfect (past participle):

affirmative	negative
I had seen Peter.	I hadn't seen Peter.

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have als auxiliary verb in the Future Perfect (past participle):

affirmative	negative
They will have spoken to Peter.	They won't have spoken to Peter.