Master Modals with the SEAM method - may, might, could, etc.

Welcome to Inkbit Corny, yes?

That is me, your teacher, James.

I'm going to teach you a lesson.

Today, I shall teach you how to master modals.

Welcome to Masterpiece Theatre.

Modals.

Pain in the butt, right?

Modal, if you're French.

I'm joking.

Let me go down a little bit because it's probably off you.

We're doing modals.

You've seen modals before.

I'm sure you've been taught them.

They're auxiliary verbs.

What do they do?

How do they work?

Well, I'm going to teach you a seamless method that will help you remember how to use them.

What do I mean by seamless?

If you are new to English, and I'm sure you're not if you can understand moi, seamless.

Seamless means you cannot see the parts that are joined.

What is a seam?

Well, I'm going to teach you the seam method for modals.

Once you finish, you will master them.

But first, you have to know what a seam is.

On my shirt, you'll notice the cuff is joined to the shirt.

The part that joins the material together is called a seam.

You also have a seam on your pants.

Okay?

See?

My sexy ass.

Okay.

You'll notice this part joins the other part together.

That is the seam of the pants.

It is the line that joins together.

Okay?

Well, what I'm going to do is teach you a couple of techniques to remember most of the

modals, almost all of them in fact, by using the seam method.

But first, now that you know what a seam is, something that joins things together, let's

join them together.

Seam.

Modals.

S.

All right, whoops.

Big fingers, no brains.

State preferences.

Let's just erase that one.

State.

Modal state preferences.

Now, I'm just going to give you some basic outline because what I'm going to do today

is I want to focus on the E part.

Okay?

So, what does it do here?

Well, here it expresses pan.

If you look over here, we're going to do pan today.

Okay?

Another thing a modal can possibly do is

ask for a pass.

You know, when you get a passport, it allows you to go from place to place.

And when you ask for a pass, it allows you to, well, I'm not going to tell you yet because

that's another lesson.

And finally, for my Spanish friends, yeah?

You know?

Modals allow us to make local suggestions, okay?

That's for you, my Spanish viewers, all right?

Okay, so now that we know what seam does, in this case, we're going to take the modals

and we're going to join them together, all their meanings, under one category, seam,

so we can learn all of them and have a way to remember.

See, one word leads to four ideas, which will lead to about 30 different things.

But don't worry about it.

I'm going to make it easy.

Come on, trust me.

Let's take our time.

So, let's get rid of this.

We know what seam is, remember?

The part that joins things together.

In this case, today, we're not going to make any suggestions.

We're not going to ask for a bus, nor are we going to state our preferences.

What we want to do is express pan.

E is for express pan.

What is pan?

Well, in this case, pan is three different parts.

Special effects, yeah?

All right.

Champagne popping.

Now, P has a meaning.

Let's start off with P, and we'll say P expresses possibility.

What is possible?

Well, what is possible?

Models that we use to show the possibility that something can happen or could happen,

it can range from anything from 100% with can, the word itself, or 60% with could.

So, we show this, we can express models, express the possibility, by the following.

Can.

I can help you on Wednesday.

Possible to help you, but almost 100% because I have the ability.

Could.

I could help you on Wednesday.

It's possible.

60-70%.

James will be able to help you next week.

Sorry, I should put this.

Will be able to.

Why will be able to?

Be able to is similar to can in the present, but we use it when we can't use can.

For instance, if I use a present perfect statement, I cannot say, "I have can a candy."

It doesn't make any sense in English.

You have to say, "I am able to have a candy," or "I have been able to help you study English."

Will be able to is the future of that.

I will be able to help you on Tuesday.

Similar to can, right?

Now, the next one we could do is when we have will.

Let me explain something quickly.

Can and could are related.

Can means 100% possible now, could is 60-70%.

Will be able to is a future tense.

We can also have be able to.

If can is the present, could is the past.

I can help you.

I could help you.

This is the past of can.

When we have will be able to, we also can say this.

Would be able to is equal to could.

It's the past version of will be able to.

So we've got can, could, will be able to, would be able to, may, which is 50% possibility.

And if you noticed, I was doing President, sorry, President, President J, no, President Ezekiel.

He's got his little top hat and cigarette.

How did I forget him?

He's smoking.

Damn room smells bad.

Okay.

We have can and could, present and past.

Will be able to, would be able to, present, past.

And on this side we have may and might.

These are all possibilities.

So when we express can, we can express possibility.

What is possible?

What could possibly happen?

You know what's interesting?

When you know what's possible, you look for what?

Well, if I know it's possible I could do something, but someone has the power to allow me to do it,

then I need something specific.

I need, I need permission.

What do I mean by I need permission?

Well, it's possible that I could go to the party, but I have to ask my parents if I may go to the party.

So once we've got possibility, we look at permission.

We use words here to show us after something's possible do I have permission, and the two words that come up here are may and can.

And just excuse me for one second.

I'm going to erase something here because I want this to stand out to make sure you remember.

Because we have T3, so you want to remember what these things are, right?

So let's do that.

Quick erase.

Okay.

So remember, this one is what?

Possible.

This one is possible.

This one is for permission.

Okay.

Do you have permission?

Okay.

Now remember, this expresses permission.

This is very interesting because I'm not saying ask for permission, I'm expressing permission.

Okay.

You may go to the concert tonight.

You can go to the concert tonight.

I'm expressing permission, not asking for it.

Keep that in mind, okay?

Remember, E for express.

So now we've expressed a permission about a possibility.

What do you think this would be?

Sometimes you get permission to do things, and sometimes you're not allowed to.

This is called prohibition.

Prohibition means you are not allowed to do it.

Okay.

And there we have, if you are prohibited from doing something, you're not allowed to do

it.

Prohibition.

Can I go to the party?

Yes, you may go to the party.

Or no, you must not go to the party because Ezekiel, you drink way too much when you go

out.

This is not good.

All right?

And now he's just smoking, and alcoholic days are behind him.

We've just done the first part of PAN.

Is it possible?

Two.

Do I have permission?

Okay.

Can you express permission?

Remember that?

You're expressing.

Yes, you can.

Yes, you may.

And finally, prohibition, things you may not do, or must not, not may not, must not do.

Must not means no, absolutely not.

Cool?

That's the first part of PAN.

You're one-third of your way to understanding modals.

Beautiful thing about this system is, first one is three, next one is two, last one is

one.

All right.

So, what's the two?

We talked about possibility, right?

Permission, blah, blah, blah, and prohibition.

Great.

Here's my problem.

Do you have the ability to do it, son?

Can you actually do it?

So now we're going to look up here.

Next one for this is the ability.

It's nice that there's a possibility you can do it, but if you don't have the ability,

it's never going to happen.

What do we use for ability?

Well, you're going to start noticing the interesting thing about modals, which is this.

Modal comes from modify.

Depending on the context that you're using, a modal will change its meaning.

Hence, here, can means possible.

Here, it means permission.

Here, it doesn't exist.

But you know what?

It's the magic of television.

It's the magic of television.

It's like right there.

I wanted to do that.

See?

Can.

Can.

Do you have the ability?

Yes, I can do it.

Yes, I can.

All right?

Remember I talked about can and could?

And you were like, God, this guy is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, right?

Can and could, I said, present and past.

Why?

Because this is can in the present or the future.

But in the past, when you have a general-- see?

Look, I almost wrote it.

I'm crazy.

It's like one of those guys on TV.

Out of place right now.

Come right now.

Out of place.

I'm TV2 right now.

Free.

Could.

Could is the past of can for general ability.

When I was younger, I could run very fast.

OK?

Right now, I can only walk.

I'm old.

OK?

I pass wind when I walk.

OK?

So we've got could and can demonstrate ability.

What could you do?

Also, remember I talked about this?

Be able to, will be able to, would be able to?

Be able to.

Right?

And if you recall what I said, I was very clear.

I said, when you can use can as for present or future, could is the past of can.

Right?

Be able to is for every other verb form.

The infinitive form, useful modals, and for the perfects as examples.

OK?

Now, now that you have the ability, you know it's possible, sometimes good friends who

love you give you advice.

That's our second one.

They say, I know you have the ability, I know it's possible, there are no prohibitions,

you've got permission, let me give you some advice, son.

OK?

So they're going to give you some advice.

OK?

How do we give advice?

Well, we often say, you should, you should.

I'm suggesting, eh, you know, it's one of the better things for you to do.

You can choose it, it would be the right thing.

Another one we say is this.

You ought to.

When someone says you ought to, they're saying the proper mode of behavior is this.

This is what you should follow.

So when you say should, it's one thing, but when you say ought to, you say, ought to.

Hold on a second.

That's a little too close for some of you people.

I don't want to hear any comments about, ought to spells funny.

There's no ought to.

OK?

So that's T-O, separate word.

Oh, ought to.

Two T's down below.

Sorry.

I'm lazy and drunk.

OK.

So ought to.

All right?

Now finally, remember I said you ought to.

It's like what your parents would say.

You ought to study, son, if you want to go to university.

Your friends would go, man, you should study if you want to go, B.

You know what I'm saying?

You know what I'm saying?

OK?

It's not as strong.

This is much stronger and much more formal.

And finally, your teacher might say, you had better study or I will kick you out of my class.

OK?

Now why had better?

Well, had better here, it means there's a consequence if you don't do it.

If you don't study, you'll fail.

If you fail, you're kicked out of class.

You don't want that to happen.

So you had better study.

And your dad would say, remember, teacher would say, you had better study or I'll kick you

out.

Father would say, you ought to study if you want to go to university.

And your friends or Ezekiel would go, yo, man, yo, man, you should study if you want

to go.

All right?

So it's strength.

But this one says consequence.

This is more formal, a little bit more serious, and this one is giving you the choice.

Cool?

Finally, we talked about possibility, prohibition, OK, permission, and ability and advice.

But what happens if, really, it's not about possibility or ability, but it's about necessity.

When you have necessity, you don't have a choice.

You have to do it.

It's your first one.

Not have, but have to do it.

Proper pronunciation.

You have to do something.

OK?

We can also say you have got to.

I have one more to write, and I want you to take a look at this carefully.

And must, which you probably know.

By the way, I'm going to teach you a little trick right now to remember necessity.

Hard word to spell?

Not really.

Imagine you're in your house, and you have a cat and two skunks.

If you know Pepe Le Pew are running around the house.

Well, the cat chases the skunks.

Get it?

The two skunks.

N-E-S-S-I-T-Y.

You'll remember forever.

Trust me, OK?

N-E-S-S-I-T-Y.

Free lesson.

See?

That's how good.

I give you free lesson.

Fifty percent off.

Free lesson.

Sorry.

So, have to, have got to, and must express necessity in English.

So, when we look at expression, we can start off from what is possible to what is absolutely

necessary by using models.

You like that?

That's the PAN system.

OK?

Remember?

P is for what?

Start off logically now.

What is possible?

Do I have permission?

Are there any prohibitions?

OK?

Once I've addressed the possibilities and gone from there, then I say, well, do I have

the ability, and should you give me some advice on what I should do?

And then finally, you've got to make sure, is it really a necessity?

Do I really have to do this?

And if I have to do it, should I use these words?

Cool?

High five.

Yeah.

One second.

Sorry.

There.

Poof.

High five.

All right?

So, if you want to learn more about this, modal madness, OK, I can call it either modal

madness or mastering modals, whichever you like.

Basically, it's mastering modals because right now, you've gone through the ideas that we

put in our heads when we're thinking about modals.

I think you've got the complete picture here, right?

Easy to remember.

Check out the red words.

That's what you have to remember.

Easy enough.

Go from the red words up to pan.

And just remember, express pan.

Express possibility.

Express prohibition.

Express permission.

Express ability.

Express advice.

Express necessity.

Or, easy, pan.

Everyone's got one in your house?

You cook things.

Don't forget, this is part of the seam method, OK?

This is E from the seam method.

But, you know what?

It would be best if you went to the website because you'll see not only the video, because

you're watching me now, right?

But you'll also find something that is a necessity.

I'm giving you permission.

It's great advice.

I know you have the ability.

There's a strong possibility you'll get a great improvement.

And there's no prohibition against it.

Then you go to this website, OK?

www.engvid.com

There's a quiz.

Oh, remember this.

One of the questions will be, "How many things did you learn?"

You might have to go over the video and check, OK?

Because there's a lot of information here and I'm not going to tell you.

So go to www.engvid.com.

Do the quiz.

See you there.

Have a good one.

Now, where did I put my paper?

See you.