previous page

English Cafe Top

following page

0.4. The present tense and the past tense The modal auxiliary has the present tense and the past tense. (5) Present tense --- Past tense can --- could may --- might will --- would shall --- should must --- Nothing ought --- Nothing need --- Nothing dare --- dared "Must", "ought" and "need" do not have the past tense. The past tense do not always express the meanings of that of the present tense as it is other than the sequence of tense. (*5) *5 Almost all the modal auxiliary verbs which are used as the present tense now were the past tense. For example, "can", "shall", "may", "must" and "ought" were actually the past tense historically. These are used as the present tense now as you know, thus as the past tense, "could", "should" and "might" are used now. The past tense of "must" and "ought" was not made.

previous page

English Cafe Top

following page

Copyright (c) English Cafe : Unapproved printing of the text and figure in this site is forbidden.