Key English Language Concepts: Verbs, Adjectives, & Terms

Posted on Sep 12, 2025 in English

Mastering Modal Verbs in English

Must (100%): Indicates obligation and high probability.
Have to (90%): Also indicates obligation, but can be less strong than “must.”
Ought to (85%): Indicates obligation, similar to “should” but with a stronger nuance.
Should (80%): Suggestion or recommendation.
Will (70%): Represents future action and can be used to make requests.
Can (60%): Indicates ability, possibility, and permission.
Could (50%): Shows possibility and can also be used to make more courteous requests.
Might (40%): Indicates possibility, but with less certainty than “could.”
May (30%): Represents possibility, in addition to asking for permission or making requests.
Shall (20%): Used for the future and for making questions, but is less common.

Adjectives derived from verbs often end in -ing or -ed, describing different aspects:

-ING: Describes a thing, situation, or the cause of a feeling (e.g., interesting book).
-ED: Describes a feeling or how someone is affected (e.g., interested person).

Sometimes, adjectives describing a situation or thing have different endings:

Go over: To review or examine something carefully.
Look up: To find information in a dictionary or reference source.
Get by: To manage to live or deal with a situation with difficulty.
Think through: To consider something very carefully, examining all its aspects.
Take in: To understand and remember new information.

Gerunds (-ing form):
- Used after prepositions (e.g., interested in learning).
- Can be the subject of a sentence (e.g., Swimming is good exercise).
Infinitives (to + base verb):
- Used after adjectives (e.g., easy to understand).
- Follows the structure: Subject + Verb + Object + Infinitive (e.g., I want you to succeed).
- Expresses purpose (e.g., I study to learn).

We can use ‘could’ to do the following:

Ask for permission or make a polite request (e.g., Could I borrow your pen?).
Express ability or possibility in the past (e.g., I could swim when I was five).
Express a possibility in the present or future (e.g., It could rain later).

‘Be able to’ is a versatile phrase used in various contexts:

With the present perfect (e.g., I haven’t been able to finish) and past perfect (e.g., She had been able to solve it).
With other modal verbs (e.g., You might be able to help).
As an alternative future form of “can” (e.g., I will be able to attend).
With ‘to’, ‘as’, and ‘-ing’ forms (e.g., It’s good to be able to relax, Being able to speak English is an asset).

Debunked: Desmentir (To expose as false or exaggerated).
Shelter: Refugi (A place providing protection from bad weather or danger).
Wiring: Cablejat (A system of wires providing electricity to a building or device).
Upbeat: Alegre (Optimistic and cheerful).
Soothing: Reconfortable (Having a gently calming effect).
Earworm: Melodia enganxosa (A catchy tune or piece of music that continually repeats in one’s mind).
Stuck: Encallat (Unable to move or be moved).
Nuisance: Molèstia (A person, thing, or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance).

Long-term deadline: An extended time limit for completion.
Short-term deadline: A brief time limit for completion.
Effective strategy: A successful plan achieving desired results.
Effective process: An efficient method producing desired outcomes.
Effective information: Relevant data aiding decision-making effectively.
Recycle material: To convert waste into new products.
Fail an exam: To not achieve the passing score required.
Pass an exam: To achieve the minimum required score successfully.
Recycle information: To reuse existing data for new purposes.
Process information: To analyze and transform data into knowledge.
Pass the test: To successfully complete a written assessment satisfactorily.
Memory strategy: Techniques to improve information retention.
Memory test: An assessment measuring recall ability effectively.