Year 5 English · Modal verbs, possibility and the perfect form · Summary
Year 5 English Modal verbs, possibility and the perfect form: summary and key words
Part of the Year 5 English modal verbs, possibility and the perfect form chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Modal verbs | might, may, could, will, should, must and can are followed by the base form: can run, should wait. |
| Adverbs of possibility | certainly (sure), probably (very likely), perhaps and possibly (not sure). |
| The perfect form | have or has with the past participle: I have seen, she has gone. |
| Past tense or perfect | Use the past tense for a finished time (yesterday); use the perfect for a time up to now. |
| Standard English | we were, I did, I have done, she has gone. |
Can you…?
- I can use modal verbs to show possibility, advice and necessity
- I can use certainly, probably, perhaps and possibly
- I can form the perfect with have or has and the past participle
- I can choose the past tense or the perfect for a sentence
- I can use Standard English verb forms such as we were and I did
Key terms
- modal verb
- a helping verb such as might, should or must, which is followed by the base form of a verb
- adverb of possibility
- an adverb that shows how likely or certain something is, such as probably
- perfect form
- a verb form made with have or has and the past participle, such as has eaten
- past participle
- the form of a verb used after have or has, such as seen, gone or written
- base form
- the plain form of a verb, such as go or wash
- Standard English
- the form of English used in writing and formal speech