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English Modal Auxiliary Verbs Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of English modal auxiliary verbs?

They always end in ‑(e)s for the third-person singular

They express modality such as possibility and obligation (correct)

They have participles and plain forms

They are not limited to a specific tense

What distinguishes English modal auxiliary verbs from other verbs?

They can be used in any tense

They always end in ‑(e)s for the third-person singular

They are defective in that they do not have participles or plain forms (correct)

They have participles and plain forms

Which verb is NOT a central English modal auxiliary verb?

Might

Ought (correct)

Need

Could

What is a common characteristic of the expressions 'had better' and 'ought'?

They lack certain inflected forms Signup and view all the answers

What do descriptive grammars of English differ slightly on regarding modal auxiliary verbs?

The criteria they set for identifying modal auxiliary verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following verbs is NOT considered a central English modal auxiliary verb?

Use Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes English modal auxiliary verbs from other verbs?

They lack the ending ‑(e)s for the third-person singular Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of the expressions 'had better' and 'ought'?

They share some characteristics with modal auxiliary verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which verb is inflected as 'might' in Modern English?

May Signup and view all the answers

What do descriptive grammars of English differ slightly on regarding modal auxiliary verbs?

The criteria they set for modal auxiliary verbs Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of English modal auxiliary verbs?

They express modality such as possibility and obligation Signup and view all the answers

Which verb is NOT a central English modal auxiliary verb?

Ought Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of the expressions 'had better' and 'ought'?

They lack preterite forms Signup and view all the answers

Which verb is inflected as 'might' in Modern English?

May Signup and view all the answers

What do descriptive grammars of English differ slightly on regarding modal auxiliary verbs?

Their spelling in unstressed versions Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

English modal auxiliary verbs have a unique characteristic: they are defective, meaning they do not have a full set of inflected forms.
English modal auxiliary verbs are distinguished from other verbs in that they lack certain inflected forms, such as a past participle or infinitive form.

The central English modal auxiliary verbs are can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, and would.
Need is not considered a central English modal auxiliary verb.

Expressions 'Had Better' and 'Ought'

The expressions 'had better' and 'ought' share a common characteristic: they are semi-modal, meaning they are not fully modal but have some modal-like properties.
The distinguishing feature of 'had better' and 'ought' is that they are semi-modal and have some modal-like properties.

Inflection of Verbs

The verb 'might' is inflected from the Old English verb 'mōgan'.
The verb 'may' is not inflected as 'might' in Modern English.

Descriptive Grammars of English

Descriptive grammars of English differ slightly on the classification and definition of modal auxiliary verbs.
The classification and definition of modal auxiliary verbs vary slightly among descriptive grammars of English.

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Description

Test your knowledge of English modal auxiliary verbs with this quiz. Learn to distinguish them from other verbs and understand how to express modality in English.