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Modals to express advice: SHOULD, OUGHT TO, HAD BETTER

advice
modals
HAD BETTER
OUGHT TO
SHOULD

Should, ought to and had better can express advice:

You should smoke less.
We'd better leave soon.
You ought to thank her. 

Ought to is less frequently used and is more formal.

Modals to express assumption: WILL, SHOULD, OUGHT TO

assumption
modals
OUGHT TO
SHOULD
WILL

Present and future

Will and should + infinitive are used to express assumptions with reference to present and future time. Assumptions with will are more probable:

Modals to express criticism: CAN, COULD, MIGHT, SHOULD

criticism
modals
CAN
COULD
MIGHT
SHOULD

Present and future

Can, could, might and should/shouldn't + infinitive are used to express criticism or disapproval with reference to present or future time:

Modals to express deduction: MUST, CAN'T, COULDN'T

deduction
modals
CAN'T
COULDN'T
MUST

Present

Must, can't and couldn't + infinitive are used to express deductions about present events:

That child is really talented. His parents must be proud of him.
It's only 10 o'clock. He can't/couldn't be at home.

Modals to express habits: WILL, WOULD, USED TO

annoyance
criticism
emphasis
habitual actions
modals
USED TO
WILL
WOULD

Present

Would can express annoying habits which are typical of a person:

Tom would do something like that, wouldn't he? It's so typical of him!

Will is used to emphasise the characteristics of a person rather than describing the person himself or herself:

Modals to express obligation: MUST, HAVE (GOT) TO

modals
necessity
obligation
HAVE (GOT) TO
MUST

Present and future

Must refers to obligations which come from the speaker and may be directed at the speaker or the listener:

I really must give up smoking. (directed at the speaker)
You must keep this secret. (directed at the listener)

Modals to express obligation: SHOULD, OUGHT TO

modals
obligation
OUGHT TO
SHOULD

Present and future

Should and ought to + infinitive express obligation and duty. Should is used when we offer a subjective opinion, while ought to has a more general and more objective meaning:

Modals to express permission / prohibition: CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, BE ALLOWED TO, MUSTN'T, BE TO

modals
permission
prohibition
BE ALLOWED TO
BE TO
CAN
CAN'T
COULD
MAY
MIGHT
MUSTN'T

Present and future

Can and may are used to give permission. May is more formal and less common in everyday contexts:

You can borrow my car if you want.
Children may use the pool with adult supervision.

Modals to express possibility: MAY, MIGHT, CAN, COULD

certainty
modals
possibility
BE LIKELY TO/THAT
CAN
COULD
MAY
MIGHT

Present and future

May and might + infinitive are used to express present or future possibility. May expresses a greater degree of certainty:

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