Understanding Modal Verbs and Their Use

Study Notes

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs express a range of attitudes and meanings, including possibility, permission, obligation, ability, and necessity.
They are auxiliary verbs, meaning they are used with a main verb to create a verb phrase.
Modal verbs do not change their form to indicate tense or person.
Common modal verbs include: can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, shall, and ought to.
Modal Adverbs
Modal adverbs express degrees of certainty, possibility, or frequency.
They are used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Examples include: probably, perhaps, possibly, certainly, definitely, maybe, likely, and unlikely.
Differences Between Modal Verbs and Modal Nouns
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express modality.
Modal nouns are nouns that refer to the concept of modality.
The primary difference between modal verbs and modal nouns lies in their grammatical function. Modal verbs function as verbs within a sentence, while modal nouns function as nouns.
Example of Modal Verb Function
The sentence "She can dance beautifully" uses the modal verb "can" to express ability.
The modal verb "can" indicates that she possesses the ability or skill to dance beautifully.
Example of Modal Nouns Expressing Probability
This concept is not directly demonstrated in the provided text. However, an example of a modal noun used to express probability could be: "The probability of winning is high."
Here, "probability" functions as the modal noun, indicating the level of likelihood.