Modality

Modality

1. Meaning of modal auxiliaries

   • Intrinsic modality
     • Human control over events such as: permission obligation volition
   • Extrinsic modality
     • Human judgement of something being likely or nor likely to happen, express: possibility necessity deduction prediction

2. Categories of modal

   • Central modal auxiliaries
     • CAN/COULD
       • could: doubt.
         • Yes, this story could be true, but I hardly think it is. 
       • a) possibility
       • ability, power or capacity, skill
       • permission and lack of permission
       • tentative permission (in polite directives and requests)
       • "Is it possible?" cannot (can’t) deductions
         • Jane can’t like children. She’s always telling them off. (Present)  Fred can’t have been a good student. He had to resit the college entrance examinations. (Past) 
       • with verbs of perception, the use of can gives an appropriate equivalent to the continuous tense.
       • probability
       • lack of ability
       • Virtual impossibility: can't
     • MAY/MIGHT
       • possibility
       • permission
       • tentative permision
       • probability
       • future probability
     • WILL / WOULD
       • Future facts
       • Future predictions and expectations
       • Volition: intention and prediction
       • Willingness
       • Requests
       • Instant decisions
       • Would for memories
       • past or present habit
       • Offers
       • Desire expresing annoyance would
       • promises
     • SHALL
       • prediction with first person subjects
       • Volition with first person subjects
       • In questions "shall" consults the wishes of the addressee
       • Suggestions for shared activities
       • Offers and suggestions
       • invitation suggestion
     • MUST
       • Deduction (certainty.)
       • Express necessity
       • Strong obligation
         • the feeling of compulsion comes from the speaker. If the obligation comes from external circumstances we use HAVE (GOT) TO
       • Strong suggestion or advice
       • Prohibition
     • SHOULD
       • expectations
       • shouldn't: state of mistake
       • tentative inference: concluiding that something is true.
       • Little obligation and recommendation
       • Recommendation that has not been carried out: should have met her at the station.
   • Marginal modal auxiliaries
     • USED TO
       • Past habits
     • OUGHT TO = SHOULD
       • tentative inference: concluiding that something is true.
       • Little obligation/ recommendation
         • With the perfect tenses, should and ought to typically have the implication that the recommendation has not been carried out.
     • DARE and NEED
       • Can be modal or main verbs
       • NEED is the negative and question form of must in the sense ‘necessary for’
         • Need they make all that noise? = Do they need  to make all that noise? = Do they have to make all that noise?
         • NEEDN'T: lack of necessity.
         • asking for the necessity
     • HAVE (GOT) TO
       • have to is used in many contexts where must is impossible. *must has no past form 
       • Logical necessity
         • To be healthy, a plant has (got) to receive a good supply of both sunshine and moisture. 
       • Obligation, compulsion or necessity
         • have to is used to express indirect obligation or institutional rules or regulations
       • DON'T HAVE TO: lack of obligation or necessity
       • external obligation
       • indirect obligation
   • Semi-auxiliaries:
     • BE GOING TO
       • predictions based on present evidence
       • Intentions or plans for the future
       • Decision taken in advance.
     • BE ABLE TO
       • To have the skill, intelligence, opportunity, etc. needed to
         • achievement
       • (-): Be unable to
     • BE ABOUT TO + infinitive
       • Immediate future
       • (-): be not about to= have no intention of
     • BE ALLOWED TO
       • Permission or lack of permission
     • BE BOUND TO
       • Certain or likely to happen, to do or to be something
         • There are bound to be changes when the new system is introduced.  If you go to the party, you’re  bound to see her there. 
     • BE DUE TO
       • arrangement or expectation
         • When’s the baby due? 
     • BE SUPPOSED TO
       • custom
       • arrangement
       • rule
     • BE LIKELY TO
       • Probability of something happening in the future.
       • (-): be unlikely to
     • BE EXPECTED TO
       • Demanded duty or responsibility
         • Citizens are expected to abide by the laws. 
   • Modal idioms
     • HAD BETTER (‘D BETTER)
       • suggestions (for action)
         • You’d better hurry now. 
       • advice
     • WOULD RATHER (‘D RATHER)
       • preference
       • strong suggestion
     • BE TO + infinitive
       • future arrangement, requirement and intention (mild obligation)
       • request in a polite way
       • inetntions or purposes
     • BE (ABOUT / HIGH) TIME:
       • strong suggestion/ to do something soon
         • It’s about time you  cleaned your room.  It’s high time we left.