Modal Verbs and Connectors in English Usage

Modal Verbs Functions

Could:

• Express ability in the past
• Ask for something politely
• Express impossibility in the past
• Make speculations
• Make suggestions
• Express the idea of "can" in reported speech
• Express a criticism

May:

• Ask for something (permission)
• Express permission
• Express possibility

Might:

• Express the possibility of something occurring
• Make speculations

Must:

• Express obligation
• In negative form: express prohibition
• Express affirmative deduction

Need:

• Express necessity
• In negative form: express absence of obligation

Have to:

• Express obligation
• In negative form: express absence of obligation

Should / Ought to:

• Give advice
• Express moral obligation
• Criticize past actions

Will:

• Ask for something politely
• Make an offer

Shall:

• Make an offer
• Ask for suggestions
• Make decisions

Connectors

While: When, As, While, Whereas, Just as

En cuanto: As soon as

Antes: Before

Después: After

Hasta: Until, Till

Aunque: Although, Even Though, Though

A pesar de: In spite of, Despite...that (the fact that)

Sin embargo: However

Debido: Because of

Así que: And so

Como resultado: As a result

Por lo tanto: Therefore

Tan...que: So...that, Such that

Para: To, In order (not) to, so as (not) to, for

Para que: So that

En caso: In case

Donde: Where, Wherever

Como si: As if, As though

Similar: Like

Además: Besides, Furthermore, In addition, Moreover, Similarly, Else

Así como: As well as

También: Also, Too

Por ejemplo: For example, For instance

Como: Such as, Like, Including

Tampoco: Either

Ningún: Neither

Si: Whether

Si no: Otherwise

Likewise: De la misma manera

Para empezar: To begin with

Entonces: Then, Next

Una vez: Once

Finalmente: In the end, Finally, At last

Eventualmente: Eventually

Ante todo: First of all

Primero: First, Firstly (lugar)

En el principio: At the beginning

No solo... pero también: Not only..but also

Ambos: Both

Time Expressions by Tense

Present Simple

Always, usually, occasionally, frequently, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never, once a month, every week, in the morning, at three o’clock, on Mondays, at night, how often?

Present Continuous

Now, right now, at the moment, today, these days, this month/year, at present, tonight, tomorrow, this afternoon, next Sunday/week/month.

Past Simple

Yesterday, last year, two days ago, in 2004, when, then.

Past Continuous

Last night/week/year, at nine o’clock, when and, while, as.

Present Perfect Simple

Ever, never, yet, just, already, recently, lately, how long?, since, for.

Past Perfect Simple

Already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just.

Future Simple

This evening, later, next month, soon, at eleven o’clock, in an hour, tomorrow, in a few weeks, on the 8th of May, in the future.

Future Continuous

At this time tomorrow, at this time next week, on Thursday, in the next decades.

Future Perfect

By this time next week, by ten o’clock, by the end of…, by then, by August, in two months.