Modal verbs express different levels of certainty, obligation, or expectation. They can be used with continuous forms to describe ongoing actions at a specific moment.
Structure
- Modal Verb + be + Verb(-ing)
- Example: It might be raining.
Common Meanings and Examples
Should / Ought to (Expectation or Advice): In the continuous form, used to state what is expected right now, or what is the right thing to do at this moment.
Examples:
- It is 9:00 AM. He should be arriving at the office.
- You should be studying for your exam right now.
Must (Strong Deduction): Used when you are almost certain that an ongoing action is happening based on available evidence.
Examples:
- Her lights are off. She must be sleeping.
- I hear sirens. The county must be doing a severe weather warning test.
Might / May / Could (Possibility): Used when there is a chance that an action is currently happening, but you are not completely certain.
Examples:
- Take an umbrella. It might be raining outside.
- They could be waiting for us at the wrong restaurant.
Will (Future Ongoing Action or Present Assumption): Used to state an an action that will be in progress at a time in the future, or an assumption about an ongoing action.
Examples:
- At 4 p.m. tomorrow, I will be playing tennis.
- Don’t call him now. He will be eating dinner.
Key Points to Remember
- The word „be“ remains in its base form.
- This structure focuses on the continuous nature of the action at a specific time, rather than a completed event.
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