Flashcards
UNIT 3
Flashcards do conjunto (6)
- 1Modal verbsModality is the category by which speakers express attitudes towards the state of affairs expressed in the sentences. Modality is realized by modal verbs. These meet the following criteria:
• They can function as operators.
• They do not have tense inflections.
• They have a pre-adverb position.
• They are followed by the bare infinitive.
• They do not have: infinitive/present participle (ing)/past participle. - 2Expressing ability• Can: possession of a general ability in the present.
• Could: possession of a general ability in the past.
• Be able to, manage to, succeed in:
If the present or past ability is surprising or involves overcoming some difficulty.
To describe the successful use of an ability on a specific occasion.
• Will be able to.
• Couldn´t: lack of ability or success.
• Could-have-past participle: a past ability that wasn´t used. - 3Expressing permission• Can:
Be permitted to. The speaker only states that there is permission to do something, but this permission does not come from the speaker him/herself.
Also permission subject to some external authority such as the law.
• May: permission granted by the speaker. More formal than can and less than could.
• Mustn´t.
• Might: only to ask for permission in a more tentative and formal way.
• Could:
Only to ask for permission in the present. More formal than may.
General permission in the past.
Was allowed to (permission given on a particular occasion in the past). - 4Expressing possibility• Can: theorical possibility (things that are generally possible). In scientific and academic English we use may in the same way (over-prescribing antibiotics may lead to the rapid development of resistant strains).
• May:
Factual possibility (the possibility that something, a particular fact, can possibly be happening or will happen).
May expressing possibility is typically stressed, but when it indicates permission is normally unstressed.
May expressing possibility can only be used in declarative clauses. Never in interrogative structures.
Factual possibility is stronger than theoretical possibility, more probable to really happen.
• Might:
Remote factual possibility, a smaller and less probable present or future possibility than may.
To describe possibilities which depend on certain conditions, we use might or could.
• Could:
Theoretical or factual possibility in the present or future. It gives the idea that something is possible but not particularly likely.
To talk about general possibility in the past (things which sometimes happened).
• Deduction, speculat - 5Expressing obligation• Must:
Obligation imposed by the speaker.
Self compulsion (to impose an obligation on oneself).
To give a strong personal opinion.
“Must” can only be used to express obligation in the present or in the future.
• Have (got) to:
Rules imposed by an external authority (obligation we see as outside our control).
• Need to: external obligation, particularly in the future.
• Mustn´t: strong prohibition.
• Don´t have to: absence of obligation.
• Should/ought to:
A less categorical or weaker obligation than with must or the imperative. The speaker doesn´t have absolute confidence that the recommendation will be carried out by the hearer.
Should: subjective often moral obligation or advice.
Should and ought to can sometimes be used alternatively but there are slight differences between them:
In oral discourse, ought to is normally stressed, whereas should is unstressed.
Should: own subjective opinion. Ought to: more objective force. - 6Willingness, refusals, requests, offers and desires• Shall:
Speaker´s willingness or intention to do something.
Making offers (in questions, 1st person).
Making suggestions (with “we” as subject in questions).
For rules and formal instructions (specially in official documents, examinations or competitions).
• Will:
Willingness to do something on the part of the subject of the sentence. In this sense, will is always stressed and never contracted.
Making requests: will/would you please open the door for me? (Would is more formal).
Making promises.
Invitations (when we offer something to another person).
Making offers (affirmative sentences). It is used in positive clauses not in interrogative ones.
For orders and formal instructions.
• Would:
Polite request.
General willingness in the past (a characteristic activity in the past). We don´t use “would” in affirmative sentences to express willingness to do something on a single occasion in the past.
Wouldn’t: for refusals on a single occasion in the past.
In suggestions or responding to invitations.
Hypothetical and unfulfilled desires about the present
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- Magisterio FlashCards sobre UNIT 3, criado por Nerea Martínez Sánchez em 17-05-2021.
- Criado por
- Nerea Martínez Sánchez
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