MODALS AND SEMI-MODALS

MODALS AND SEMI-MODALS

1. Modal and semi-modal verbs give an indication of speakers attitude and of the relationship between the speaker and listener.

   • ABILITY
     • -"Can" express ability in the present; "could" express general ability in the past. -To talk about an achievement or something that was done with difficulty, we use "was/were able to" + infinitive. -We can also use was/were able to express that someone was sucessful in doing something on one ocassion.
       • examples
         • -He's lucky he can remember facts very easily. -When I was a child I could speak Welsh but now I've forgotten it completely.
           • She was able to memorize all the words before the test.
             • -Were you able to get his autograph?
   • PERMISSION
     • -"Can" is often used to express permission; "can't" is often used to express prohibition in the present and in general time; could and could'nt are used to express permission and prohibition in the past. -"May" is sometimes used to express permission and prohibition in the present. It is more formal than "can".
       • examples
         • -You can leave whenever you want. -In the UK, children cant leave school until they were 16. -In the 1950's children in the UK could leave school at 14. -In the 1950's young adults could'nt vote until they were 21.
           • -Members may not wear jeans or T-shirts at formal ceremonies.
   • REQUEST, SUGGESTIONS AND POLITE ORDERS
     • -"Can" and "could" are both used to make offers and requests and to give polite orders and suggestions: "can" is informal; "could" is neutral. -"Might is sometimes used to request permission, but only in very formal situations.
       • examples
         • -Can/could I help you with that? -Can/could you test me on these words? -You can/could check the recipe and find the ingredients while I wash up. -Might I be allowed to give an opinion on this matter?
   • POSSIBILITY AND PROBABILITY
     • -"May/might/could" are used to speculate about the present and future: "might" indicates a lower probability or more uncertainty than "may or could", "could'nt" indicates almost total certainty, much greater than "may not" or "might not". -"May/might/could" have + past participle are used to talk about possibilities in the past that we know did'nt happen.
       • examples
         • -They could decide to take the train. -She may get there on time if she catches the early train. -She might get here on time if she catches the early train.. -She could'nt arrive before 10-it's impossible.
   • OBLIGATION
     • -"Must/have" to are used to say what you think is necessary, or to recomend someone to do something. -"Have to" is used to say what someone else has told you to do.
       • examples
         • -You must remember to email these. -I have to write 500 words for my project.
   • NECESSITY
     • -"Need to/don't need to" + infinitive are used to say what is necessary. -"Did'nt need to" is used to say that it wasn't necessary to do something, so you don't. -"Needn't have" + past participle is ued to say you did something but it wasn't necessary.
       • examples
         • -You don't need to hurry. -You need to make three copies of this. -You don't need to hurry.
           • I did'nt need to go to the bank.
             • I need'nt have gone to the bank.