
Modals dalam bahasa Inggris adalah kata kerja bantu (auxiliary verbs) yang digunakan untuk menyatakan kemungkinan, izin, keharusan, kemampuan, atau saran. Modals tidak berdiri sendiri sebagai kata kerja utama tetapi selalu diikuti oleh bentuk dasar (bare infinitive) dari kata kerja.
Berikut adalah penjelasan tentang arti, contoh, dan jenis modals:
Ciri-ciri Utama Modals:
- Selalu diikuti oleh bare infinitive (kata kerja tanpa tambahan “to”).
Contoh:- She can sing. (Benar)
- She can to sing. (Salah)
- Tidak berubah bentuk meskipun subjeknya berbeda.
Contoh:- I will go.
- He will go.
- Tidak memerlukan tambahan “do/does” dalam pertanyaan atau bentuk negatif.
Contoh:- Can you help me?
- She cannot swim.
Jenis-jenis Modals dan Artinya
- Can
- Arti: Bisa, mampu
- Contoh:
- I can swim. (Saya bisa berenang.)
- Can you help me? (Bisakah kamu membantu saya?)
- Could
- Arti: Dulu bisa, kemungkinan (lebih sopan dari “can”)
- Contoh:
- She could play the piano when she was five.
- Could you lend me your book?
- May
- Arti: Boleh, kemungkinan (formal)
- Contoh:
- You may leave now.
- It may rain later.
- Might
- Arti: Kemungkinan (lebih kecil dari “may”)
- Contoh:
- She might come to the party.
- Must
- Arti: Harus
- Contoh:
- You must wear a helmet.
- Shall
- Arti: Akan (formal atau dalam tawaran)
- Contoh:
- I shall return soon.
- Shall we go now?
- Should
- Arti: Sebaiknya, seharusnya
- Contoh:
- You should drink more water.
- Will
- Arti: Akan
- Contoh:
- She will call you tomorrow.
- Would
- Arti: Akan (dalam bentuk lampau), permintaan sopan
- Contoh:
- I would travel more if I had the money.
- Would you like some tea?
- Need
- Arti: Perlu, harus (jarang digunakan sebagai modal)
- Contoh:
- You need not worry about it.
- Ought to
- Arti: Sebaiknya, seharusnya (mirip dengan “should”)
- Contoh:
- You ought to respect your parents.
Fungsi Modals
- Kemampuan:
- “Can” dan “Could”
- I can drive a car.
- He could read when he was four.
- “Can” dan “Could”
- Kemungkinan:
- “May,” “Might,” “Could”
- It might snow tonight.
- “May,” “Might,” “Could”
- Izin:
- “Can,” “May”
- You may enter the room.
- “Can,” “May”
- Keharusan:
- “Must,” “Need”
- You must finish your homework.
- “Must,” “Need”
- Saran:
- “Should,” “Ought to”
- You should apologize.
- “Should,” “Ought to”
- Kesopanan:
- “Would,” “Could,” “Shall”
- Would you mind opening the window?
- “Would,” “Could,” “Shall”
Jika ada hal lain yang ingin Anda pelajari lebih detail tentang modals.

