Modal Verbs 1 - Article - Xonestopenglish

8/4/2015
Modalverbs1article|Onestopenglish
NumberoneforEnglishlanguageteachers
Modalverbs1article
ByKerryGMaxwellandLindsayClandfield
Type:Referencematerial
AnarticlebyKerryMaxwellandLindsayClandfieldonwaystoapproachteachingmodalverbs.
Introduction|1.ModalverbsinEnglish|2.Somebasiccharacteristicsofmodals|3.Canandcould:ability|4.
Canandcould:permission|5.Canandcould:possibility|6.Willandwould:requests|7.Willand
would:intentions|8.Willandwould:habits|9.Willandwould:certainty|10.Willandwould:unreal
situations
Introduction
Student:CanIgotothebathroomsir?
Teacher:Imsureyoucan,butyoumaynot.
Thisoldjokeplaysondifferentinterpretationsofcan.Thestudentisaskingforpermission,whereastheteacher
istalkingaboutability.Somepeoplemightsaythatthestudentsuseofcanisincorrect(i.e.thestudentshould
sayMayIgotothebathroom?).Thisview,however,isbasedonaverynarrowunderstandingofmodalityand
modalverbsinEnglish.
Thismonthsarticleisthefirstoftwoinwhichwetakeacloserlookatmodalverbs.Webeginbylookingattheir
functioninEnglishandexploringbasicproperties.Wethengoontolookinmoredetailatthemostcommon
usesoftheimportantmodalverbscan,could,willandwould.Inournextarticlewellcompletethestoryby
coveringmay,might,must,shouldandoughtto.
1.ModalverbsinEnglish
Aswellasmakingsimplestatementsoraskingquestions,wemaysometimeswanttoexpressourintentions
andattitudes,talkaboutnecessityandpossibility,ormakeoffers,requests,orsuggestions.InEnglishthese
usesoflanguageareusuallyexpressedbyasetofverbscalledmodals.Modalsalwaysoccurwithotherverbs,
andcanbethoughtofasaspecialkindofauxiliaryverb,e.g.:
Imustgotothepostoffice.
CanIborrowyourumbrella?
ThemostcommonlyusedmodalsinEnglishare:
cancouldwillwouldmaymightmustoughttoshould
Modalsaremainlyusedwhenwewanttoindicateourattitudetowhatwearesaying,orwhenweare
consideringhowwhatwesaywillaffectthepersonwearecommunicatingwith.Compare:
Shestheoldest.vs.Shemightbetheoldest.
(Herethemodalshowsthatthespeakerisnotabsolutelysurethatthestatementistrue.)
Closethedoor.vs.Could/would/willyouclosethedoor?
(Herethemodalsturnaninstructionintoapoliterequest.)
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammarreference/verbsandtenses/modalverbs1article/144870.article
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2.Somebasiccharacteristicsofmodals
a)Modalsarealwaysfollowedbythebaseformoftheverb,e.g.:
Imightplaytennistomorrow.
Yououghttotellher.
Sometimesamodalisfollowedbythebaseformofauxiliarieshaveorbe,followedbyaparticiple,e.g.:
Imightbeplayingtennistomorrow.
Yououghttohavetoldher.
Inpassivestructures,amodalisfollowedbybeorhavebeenandapastparticiple,e.g.:
Sheoughttobedisqualified.
Thedoormighthavebeenlocked.
b)Modalsneverinflect,i.e.:theyhavenoingoredforms,anddonottakesinthethirdpersonsingular
present.
Note:themodalformcouldissometimesthoughtofasthepasttenseofcanwhenitreferstotheabilitytodo
something,e.g.:
Louisecanread.=Louisecouldreadwhenshewasthree.
andalsoinreportedspeech,whenthemodalformwouldisalsothoughtofasthepasttenseofwill:
Jackiecancome.=ShesaidthatJackiecouldcome.
Youwillbelate.=Itoldherthatshewouldbelate.
c)Unlikeotherverbs,modalsdonotusedoanddidtoformnegatives.Negativesareformedbyputtingnot
immediatelyafterthemodal,exceptinthecaseofoughtto,wherethenegativeformisoughtnotto(whichis
sometimesabbreviatedtooughtntto).Thenegativeofcaniswrittenasonewordcannot,moreusually
shortenedtocant.Shallnotandwillnotareusuallyabbreviatedtoshantandwontrespectively.Couldnot
andwouldnotusuallyappearascouldntandwouldnt,e.g.:
Imightnotplaytennistomorrow.
Yououghtnottotellher.
Shecantcome.
Wewontbereadyuntilfive.
d)Modalsdonotusedoanddidtoformquestions.Questionsareformedbyplacingthemodalbeforethe
subject.Inthecaseofoughtto,oughtisplacedbeforethesubjectandtoafterit,e.g.:
CanshespeakSpanish?
Oughtyoutotellher?
Wouldnthehelpyou?
Whenwillandwouldareusedafterapronoun,theyareoftenshortenedtothecontractedformsllanddand
joinedtothepronoun,e.g.:
Illhelp,ifyouwant.
Imsureshellagree.
Itdbebetterifyoutoldheryourself.
Hesaidthathedwalkhome.
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3.Canandcould:ability
Modalverbscanandcouldareusedtoshowthatsomeonehastheabilitytodosomething.Canisusedforthe
present,andcouldisusedforthepast,e.g.:
Tomcanplaychess.
Icantpicktheboxup,itstooheavy.
Louisecouldreadwhenshewasthree.
Istoodonachair,butIstillcouldntsee.
4.Canandcould:permission
Canandcouldarealsousedtoexpresstheideaofgivingoraskingforpermissiontodosomething,e.g.:
Youcanusemyphoneifyouwant.
Imsorrybutyoucantbringdrinksinhere.
CanIborrowyourpen,please?
CouldTomsitnexttoyou?
Sometimescanandcouldareusedtotalkgenerallyaboutpermission,ratherthangivingitoraskingforit.In
thissense,canisusedforthepresentandcouldisusedforthepast,e.g.:
Theresasignsayingthatyoucantparkinfrontofthestation.
Icanstayupuntilnine.Mumsaidso.
Wecouldntkeeppetswhenwelivedintheflat.
Therewasatimewhenyoucouldparkyourcaranywhere.
5.Canandcould:possibility
a)Canandcouldareoftenusedtosuggestpossiblefutureactions.
Youcan/couldgoonthetrain,ifyouprefer.
Note:canexpressesamoredefinitepossibilitythancould,cf:
Ifyoudontlikeit,I
Ifyoudontlikeit,I
canpaintitadifferent vs couldpaintita
colour.
differentcolour.
b)Couldisoftenusedtosaythatsomethingisorwaspossiblytrue,e.g.:
Hecouldbeworkinglatetonight.
Itcouldbedifficulttogetthereintime.
Shecouldhavemissedthelastbus.
c)Canissometimesusedtosaythatsomethingisgenerallypossible:
Smokingcanseriouslydamageyourhealth.
Pariscanbeveryhotinsummer.
Inthissense,canoftenhasthemeaningsometimes,e.g.:
Owningadogcanbeexpensive.(=Owningadogissometimesexpensive.)
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d)Cantandcouldntaresometimesusedtoshowthatsomethingisorwasimpossible,e.g.:
ThiscantbeSamscoat,itsfartoobig.
YoucouldnthaveseenSimonyesterday,hesinAmerica.
6.Willandwould:requests
Willandwouldareoftenusedwhenmakingrequests,e.g.:
Willyougivemealift?
Wouldyoupassmethesalt?
Notethatwouldislessdirectandsoundsmorepolitethanwill.
7.Willandwould:intentions
Willisoftenusedtostateanintentiontodosomething,e.g.:
Illtalktoyoulater.
Wellcallyouwhenwereready.
Iwontaskforanymoney.
Wewontleavewithoutyou.
Itcanalsobeusedtotalkaboutsomeoneswillingnesstodosomething,e.g.:
AskSarahifshelltakethem.
Iveaskedher,butshewontcome.
Wouldntcanbeusedtoshowthatsomeonewasunwillingtodosomethinginthepast,e.g.:
Iaskedher,butshewouldntcome.
8.Willandwould:habits
Willandwouldaresometimesusedtodescribehabitsorcharacteristicbehaviour.Willisusedforhabitsor
behaviourinthepresent,andwouldisusedforhabitsorbehaviourinthepast,e.g.:
EverydayshellcomehomeandimmediatelyturnontheTV.
Johnissokind.HellalwaysgivemealiftifIaskhim.
Hedalwaysturnandwaveattheendofthestreet.
Inthosedayspeoplewouldgrowalltheirownvegetables.
Whenspeaking,willandwouldinthissenseareoftenstressedinordertocriticizesomeonesusualbehaviour,
e.g.:
ShewillkeeptalkingwhenImtryingtoconcentrate.
HejustwouldnttidyhisroomwhenIaskedhim.
9.Willandwould:certainty
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Willcanbeusedtosaythatsomethingiscertainlytrue,e.g.:
Theressomeonecomingtothedoor.Oh,thatllbethewindowcleaner.
Louisewillbeathomebynow.
Matthewwontwanttobedisturbedifhesworking.
Inthissense,willisoftenfollowedbybe+ingtotalkaboutwhatiscertainlyhappening,orhave+past
participletotalkaboutwhathascertainlyhappened,e.g.:
Louisewillhavearrivedbynow.
Hewonthavetidiedthehouse,heneverdoes.
IexpectMatthewwillbeworkinginthestudy.
Kellywontbehelping,Imsureofthat.
10.Willandwould:unrealsituations
Whereaswillisoftenusedtomakepredictionsaboutarealeventinthefuture,e.g.:
WeregoingtohaveafewdaysholidayinScotland.Oh,thatllbenice.
wouldisoftenusedtomakeapredictionaboutanunrealevent,i.e.aneventwhichmayormaynothappen,
e.g.:
WerethinkingofhavingafewdaysholidayinScotland.Oh,thatwouldbenice.
Inthissense,wouldoftenoccursinasentencewithiftotalkaboutwhatmighthappenifsomethingelse
happens,e.g.:
Whatwouldyoudoifyoulostyourjob?
Wouldalsooftenoccurswithverbssuchaslike,love,etc,totalkaboutwhatsomeonewantstodo,e.g.:
Iwouldliketoknowmore.
Wedlovetohavetwins.
ShedprefertogotoScotland.
Wouldhave+pastparticipleisusedtotalkaboutanunrealsituationinthepast,i.e.:asituationthatmight
havehappened,butdidnt,e.g.:
Petewouldhavehelped,ifhehadntbeenunwell.
Whatwouldyouhavedoneifyoudlostyourjob?
Itsimilarlyoccurswithverbssuchaslike,loveetctoshowwhatsomeonewantedtodo,butdidnt:
WewenttoWales,butJackwouldhavepreferredtogotoScotland.AnchorPoint:bottom
Readers'comments(3)
Julious|Sun,5May201311:12pm
Ok!Ireallylikethisexplanation!.Ithinkitmightbeveryusefulformystudents.
Anonymous|Fri,24Jun20110:12am
Allright!Wellexplained...but,therearesomeotherModalsCalledPastModals?anyexplanationabout
usageandfunction?Anytipsfor
testingunderthefunctionalapproach?
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Anonymous|Fri,26Nov201010:26am
knowallthatwherearetheworksheetsonitforstudentstodo?
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