MAKING SENSE OF THE MODALS
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The Modals
Making Sense of The Modals:
While studying ESL in London, England, I found Modals among my most challenging concepts. I could not understand, for example, why we used the past form of the modal 'would' in present sentences, such as "Would you bring me a cup of coffee?" or "Could you help me? It took me a long time to understand English modals and their function.
Well, I will share my findings about modals, what they really mean, how they are used, and when and under what conditions we can use them.
The meaning of modals:
As it was the case with me, the meaning of modals can be confusing to an ESL learner. In traditional grammar books, we often find large charts that attempt to summarise the form and meaning of modals. Such presentations give a somewhat fragmented view of the models. Here, we will consider the semantic meaning in which models are used.
Social interactional uses of modals:
1- one central system in the social use of modals entails making requests.
These can be requests of a general nature:
Will
Would you help me with this exercise?
Can
Could
or can be specific requests for permission:
May
Might I go home early?
Can
Could
2- the second major system in the social interact ional use of modals involves the giving of advice.
You might take an online course.
You could take an online course
You should take an online course.
You had better take an online course.
You must take an online course.
Notice that each sentence above reflects the authority of the speaker. Authority of the speaker or urgency of the message increases.
Logical probability uses of modals:
The logical use of some of the same modals typically deals with an inference or prediction, for example:
John: Someone is at the door.
Mary: It may be Martha. (Inference)
Notice now that in the following examples the degree of certainty regarding inference increases:
John: Someone is knocking.
Mary: That could be Martha.
Can
Could
or can be specific requests for permission:
May
Might I go home early?
Can
Could
Logical probability uses of modals:
The logical use of some of the same modals typically deals with an inference or prediction, for example:
John: Someone is at the door.
Mary: It may be Martha. (Inference)
Notice now that in the following examples the degree of certainty regarding inference increases:
John: Someone is knocking.
Mary: That could be Martha.
Also, go to the link below for Lecture 2
Making Sense of The Modals:
More clarification:
We saw that models are used to indicate degrees of certainty and ability. Now, let us look at this again.
"Degree of certainty" refers to how sure we are what we think the chances are that something is true. If we are sure that something is true in the present, we do not need to use a modal. For example, if I say, "Martha is sick," I am sure I am stating a fact that I am sure. My degree of certainty here is 100%. If I am asked, "Why isn't Martha in class?" and I am not sure of the reason, I can respond in the following ways:
1- She must be sick.
Here, I am 95% sure that she is (not 100%)
2- She may be sick.
Here, I am 50% sure that she is.
3- She might be sick.
Here, I am less than 50% sure that she is.
4- She could be sick.
Here, I am stating a mere guess. This is a very weak degree of certainty.
Try it yourself:
My grammar book is not on my desk. Where is it?
Answer with 100% degree of certainty:
With about 90% degree of certainty:
With about 50% degree of certainty:
With less than 50% degree of certainty:
With only making a guess.
The Negative:
Forming such sentences in the negative can be confusing. However, here is my attempt to help
You eliminate any confusion.
Read these sentences:
1- Maria is not hungry.
I am 100% sure that she is not hungry.
2- I don't know why Maria is not eating with us. She may
not (or might not) be hungry.
I am 50% or less sure that she is not hungry.
3- Maria cannot be hungry. She has just had dinner.
Here, I believe that there is no possibility that
Maria is hungry, but I am not 100% sure.
4- Maria is not eating. She must not be hungry.
Here, I am expressing a logical conclusion, a best guess.
So far, we have discussed models in the present time. Using models in the past requires more understanding of the perfect
Tense. It is safe to say that a modal in the past is more perfect. What is the modal perfect?
We need to refresh our memory of the perfect tense form to answer this question. Do you remember? I am sure you do.
Perfect = verb to have + the past participle of a verb
Example: I have studied English for two years.
have + verb to study in the past participle = perfect tense.
So, a modal perfect = a modal + have + past participle.
Examples:
must have eaten
may have been
should have gone degrees of certainty
might have been
could have passed
Negative:
must not have eaten
may not have been
should not have gone
might not have been
could not have passed
Let us look at the degree of certainty in these negative forms.
If I have to respond to the question:
Why didn't Martha eat?
I can respond in the following ways:
1- Martha was not hungry.
(I am certain she is not)
2- Martha could not have been hungry.
(I believe it is impossible for her to have been hungry)
3- Martha must not have been hungry.
(I am making a logical conclusion)
4- Martha might not have been hungry.
(I am mentioning one possibility)
One more example:
Question: Juan was absent yesterday. Where was he?
Answer: I don't know. He may have been at home. He might have gone to a movie. He could have decided to go to the zoo because
the weather
It was so lovely.
You try it
What if you overhear Juan say, "My sister's plane was late yesterday. I had to wait almost three hours." Now, what do you think?
Well done. I am sure you have done very well.
Degrees of certainty: Future Time:
We have examined the use of models in the present and past. Now, let us examine their use in the future. Well, models should be used to express expectations about future events.
For example, Maria has been studying hard.
She should do well on the test tomorrow.
Or
She ought to do well on the test tomorrow.
In these two possible sentences, the speaker is saying,
"Maria will probably do well on the test. I expect her to do well. That is what I think will happen."
Your textbook, Understanding and Using English Grammar, provides many examples and exercises that would be very helpful here.
Progressive forms of modals
:
The progressive (or continuous, as some texts call it) form of models can be in the present or past. Indeed, you remember the formula for the progressive, don't you? To refresh your memory, the verb is to be + the verb in the -ing form.
So, the present progressive will be something like this:
I am studying grammar now.
And past progressive:
I was studying grammar last night.
Again, progressive is the verb to be + a verb + -ing.
So, logically, a modal in the present progressive will be something like this:
Tom may be sleeping.
(modal) may (verb to be) be (verb) sleep with ing.
Another example: "All of the lights in Ann's room are turned off. She must be sleeping. "
Here is a tricky situation. Do you remember we said that models in the past were modals + perfect; for example:
He must have been tired.
Then, modals in the past progressive will have to be:
Modal + perfect progressive : Modal + have + been + verb + ing
She must have been sleeping
He might have been studying
She could have been playing
These mean that the action in progress at a time in the past.
Well, let us recapitulate. We discussed the modals, their meaning, and their various uses.
Modals are helping words that are used to express:
(1) possibility, (2) ability, (3) degree of certainty, and (4) level of authority.
And we also stressed that :
The degree of possibility decreases as we use the past for of the modal:
I may visit you tonight.
(50% chance that I will)
I might visit you tonight.
(less than 50% chance I will)
I can run fast.
(I am positively sure I can)
I could run fast.
(I am not 100% sure - the possibility may depend on something else)
Will you shut the door?
(you are close to the door, and the possibility of you shutting it is high)
Would you shut the door?
(you are far from the door, and you might not want to go shut it)
It would be best if you studied harder.
(I am advising you without authority)
You must study harder.
(I am commanding you with authority)
Would and could in the past:
Another matter to tackle is using words to express a repeated action in the past, and the use of could express an ability in the past. I will try to simplify this as much as possible. Here it is:
When would is used in the past, it means "used to," for example:
When I was younger, I would run for two hours every day.
I used to run for two hours daily, and now I don't.
Another example:
In Paris, I would spend hours walking up and down the Champs-Elysees.
This means that I used to do that when I was in Paris.
When it was used in the past, it was able to.
For example, My girlfriend could lift the desk, but I could not.
This means that my girlfriend could lift the desk, but I could not.
Your textbook has an excellent table on pp.199-200, "Summary Chart of Modals and Similar Expressions." I would certainly look at it carefully.
If you want to do more exercises and practice using modals, try exercise 34 on page 207 in your Azar textbook. These questions will allow you to practice the different forms and uses of models.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we examined the English modals, and we focused on three points:
1- what modals mean,
2- how they are used, and
3- when and under what conditions can we use them?
There are nine (9) central modals in English. They are:
shall, should
will, would,
can, could
may, might
must
Modals are used to help convey a specific meaning. They indicate the degree of possibility, probability, authority, or ability.
Remember that would, could, and might are used when the degree of probability is 50% less. Should is used to offer advice, and must is used to express an order or a command; the degree of authority differs between the two. Also, notice that it shall no longer be used in American English except when stating a question. For example, "Shall we go to the theatre?" "Shall we call Mary?