MODALITY IN CONTEXT

MODAL VERBS / MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS/ MODAL AUXILIARIES

ARE SPECIAL VERBS WHICH BEHAVE IRREGULARLY IN ENGLISH. THEY GIVE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF THE MAIN VERB THAT
FOLLOWS IT.
MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS THAT EXPRESS MODES INDICATED BY THE MAIN VERBS
SUCH AS : ABILITY, NECESSITY, OBLIGATION, DUTY, REQUEST ,PERMISSION, ADVICE,
DESIRE, PROBABILITY, POSSIBILITY, ETC.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS:
1. THEY NEVER CHANGE THEIR FORM. YOU CANT ADD S, ED, ING..
2. THEY ARE ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY AN INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO (e.i. THE BARE
INFINITIVE)
3. THEY ARE USED TO INDICATE MODALITY ALLOW SPEAKERS TO EXPRESS
CERTAINTY,POSSIBILITY, WILLINGNESS, OBLIGATION, NECESSITY, ABILITY.
 TYPES OF MODALS
CORE MODAL VERBS
FOR EXAMPLE : CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, WILL, SHALL, WOULD
SHOULD AND MUST
THE MODAL VERBS COME FIRST IN A VERB PHRASE AND ARE FOLLOWED BY
A BARE INFINITIVE. WHEN USED WITH A PERFECT INFINITIVE, MODAL VERBS
USUALLY REFER TO PAST TIME
FOR EXAMPLE :
I COULD HEAR THE DOG BARKING OUTSIDE.(MODAL + SIMPLE BARE
INFINITIVE)
YOU MUST BE JOKING.( MODAL+ CONTINOUS BARE INFINITIVE)
HE MAY HAVE CAUGHT THE TRAIN.(MODAL + PERFECT BARE INFINITIVE)
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR HOURS.(MODAL + PERFECT
CONTINOUS BARE INFINITIVE
 SEMI MODAL VERBS
SEMI MODAL VERBS : THE SEMI MODAL VERBS (MARGINAL MODALS), THEY BEHAVE
SIMILARLY TO MODAL VERBS BUT ALSO SHARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS WITH MAIN
VERBS.
FOR EXAMPLE : DARE, NEED, USED TO AND OUGHT TO
HOW DARE SHE CRITICISE US?
( AS A MODAL VERB, THE INTERROGATIVE FORMED WITHOUT DO)
HE DIDNT DARE TO LOOK BACK
( AS A MAIN VERB, FOLLOWED BY A TO INFINITIVE AND THE NEGATIVE FORMED WITH
DO)
THEY USED TO LIVE BY SEA.
( UNLIKE A MODAL VERB, FOLLOWED BY A TO INFINITIVE)
YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT BY NOW.
( UNLIKE A MODAL VERB, FOLLOWED BY A TO INFINITIVE)
 OTHER MODAL EXPRESSIONS
BESIDES MODAL VERBS AND SEMI MODAL VERBS, THERE ARE OTHER
EXPRESSIONS WHICH CAN EXPRESS MODAL MEANINGS. SOME OF THESE
ARE FORMED WITH BE:
BE ABLE TO
BE ALLOWED TO
BE ABOUT TO
BE BOUND TO
BE GOING TO
BE LIKELY TO
BE OBLIGED TO
BE SUPPOSED TO
 MEANING AND MODALITY IN A SENTENCE
NO MEANING WHICH VERB? EXAMPLE
1 REALLY WILL MY BIRTHDAY WILL BE ON MONDAY THIS YEAR.
CERTAIN WONT
SHALL I SHANT ASK YOU TO COME AGAIN
SHANT
MUST
CANT

2 VERY LIKELY SHOULD THE TRAFFIC ISNT HEAVY. WE SHOULD BE THERE IN AN

OUGHT TO HOUR
3 STRONG MUST YOU MUST ARRIVE AT 6 TO PICK UP THE TICKETS
OBLIGATION HAVE TO
NEED TO WE NEED TO WIN THIS GAME TO GET INTO FINAL
4 WEAK SHOULD CHILDREN SHOULD LOOK AFTER THEIR PARENTS IN OLD
OBLIGATION OUGHT TO AGE
5 POSSIBLE MAY SHE MAY BE A FRIEND OF RICHARDS
MIGHT
COULD
6 PERMISSION CAN YOU CAN GO NOW IF YOUVE FINISHED
MAY
COULD MAY I BORROW A CHAIR?
MIGHT

7 OFFER WILL ILL GET IT. YOU STAY THERE

SHALL
SHALL I GO AND MAKE DINNER?

8 REQUEST WILL WILL YOU CLOSE THAT DOOR?

WOULD
COULD COULD YOU HELP ME WITH THIS?

9 PROMISE WILL I WILL MARRY YOU

10 DECISION WILL I THINK ILL EAT LATER. IM NOT HUNGRY NOW

11 ADVICE AND SHOULD YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THAT JOB

SUGGESTION
12 ABILITY CAN CAN YOU SWIM UNDERWATER?