Modal Auxiliaries PDF

SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja...

SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ MODAL AUXILIARIES Modal auxiliary verbs are used to uniquely shift the meaning of the main verb they modify, expressing things such as possibility, likelihood, ability, permission, obligation, or intention. As we will see, how and when we use modal verbs greatly affects the meaning of our writing and speech. Modal Auxiliaries/Verbs: There are 10 types of Modal verbs. (1) Can (2) Could (3) May (4) Might (5) Must (6) Shall (7) Should (8) Will (9) Would (10) Ought To (1) Can Can is used most often and most literally to express when a person or thing is physically, mentally, or functionally able to do something. 1) To express or inquire about willingness.(Example 1) 2) To show possibility, in the sense that an action is theoretically possible.(Example 2) 3) To show ability, in the sense of knowing how or being able to do something. (Example 3) 4) To get Permission for getting a thing or an object from someone. Example (1) Can you help me move next Monday ? (2) We can arrive in time if we leave now. DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIESPage | 1 *Proprietary material of SILVER OAK UNIVERSITY  SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ (3) We can swim, but we can't surf - yet! (4) Mom, can I go over to my friend's house? (5) Can I take your dictionary for a moment? (Permission) (6) I Can sing songs in my mother tongue effectively. (Ability) (7) She can speak several languages. (Ability) (8) He can swim like a fish.(Ability) (9) They can't dance very well.(Ability) (10) Can you take a message, please? (11) It can get cold there at night so take a jacket. (Possibility) (12) I know you can win the competition.(Possibility) (2) Could "Could" is a modal verb used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of "can." Example (1) Extreme rain Could cause the river to flood the city. (Possibility) (2) Naman Could sing a song as a professional singer by the age of 11. (Past ability) (3) You Could see a movie or go out to dinner. (Suggestion) (4) Could I use your computer to email, my friend? (Request) (5) We Could go on the trip if I didn't have to work this weekend. (Conditional) (6) You Couldspend your vacation in Dubai.(Suggestion) (7) I Could speak the Hindi language when I was a kid.(Past ability) (8) Could I have something to drink? (Polite Request) (9) Could I ask a question, please?(Polite Request) (10) We could meet at the weekend. (3) May DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIESPage | 2 *Proprietary material of SILVER OAK UNIVERSITY  SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ May is used to Ask, Grant, or describe Permission; to politely offer to do something for someone; to express the possibility of something happening or occurring, or to express a wish or desire that something will be the case in the future. Example (1) May I borrow your pen, please?” (Asking/Granting Permission) (2) “May we ask you some questions about your experience?” (Asking/Granting Permission) (3) “May we join with you, Tarang?” (Asking/Granting Permission) (4) “Students may not leave the class once their exams are complete.”(Asking/Granting Permission) (5) “May I help you set the table?”(Polite Offer) (6) “May we be of assistance in any way?”(Polite Offer) (7) “I am worried that it may start raining soon.”(Expressing Possibility) (8) “ We May run into some problems down the line that we did not expect.” (Expressing Possibility) (9) “I May be coming home for the winter break, depending on the cost of a plane ticket.” (Expressing Possibility) (10) May you both have a long, happy life together.”(Expressing wishes for the future) (11) “May you be safe in your journey home.”(Expressing wishes for the future) (12)“We’ve had great success this year; may we continue to do so for years to come.” (Expressing wishes for the future) (13)“May this newfound peace remain forever between our two countries.” (Expressing wishes for the future) (4) Might DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIESPage | 3 *Proprietary material of SILVER OAK UNIVERSITY  SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ Might also act as a very formal and polite way to ask for permission, and it is used as the past-tense form of may when asking permission in reported speech. It can also be used to suggest an action or to introduce two differing possibilities. Example (1) “I might go to college in the fall.” (I will possibly attend college in the fall, but it is not decided.) (2) “I must go to college in the fall.” (I have to attend college in the fall, but it is not decided.) (3) Hetal might share his calculus homework if you offer him a slice of pizza. (4) Aradhna could have run the half marathon if she had started to train four months ago. (5) “We might go to a party later if you want to come.” (6) “You should pack an umbrella; it looks like it might rain.” (7) “There might be some dinner leftover for you in the fridge.” (8) “I was hoping I might borrow the car this evening.” (9) “You might try rebooting the computer; that should fix the problem for you.” (10) It's quite bright. It might not rain today. (5) Must The modal verb Must is most often used to express Necessity-i.e., that something has to happen or be the case. We also use this sense of the word to indicate a strong Intention to do something in the future, to emphasize something positive that we believe someone should do, and to introduce or highlight an opinion. In addition to indicating Necessity, Must be used to indicate that something is specific or very likely to happen or be true. Example (1) “We must get funds to organize the function effectively. (2) “You must not tell anyone about what we saw.” (3) Students must arrive in class on time. (4) You must stop when the traffic lights are red. DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIESPage | 4 *Proprietary material of SILVER OAK UNIVERSITY  SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ (5) You must wear a seatbelt at all times to avoid an accident. (6) Plants must have light and water to grow. (7) We must have to work hard to better life. (8) Students must pass an entrance examination to study abroad. (9) You must take some medicine for that cough. (10) Jenny, you must not play in the street! prohibition (6) Shall  The modal auxiliary verb Shall is used in many of the same ways as Will to form future tenses, to make requests or offers, to complete conditional sentences, or to issue maxims or commands. Although Will generally preferred in modern English (especially American English), using shall add a degree of politeness or formality to the sentence that will sometimes lack.  Shall is also used to make polite offers, invitations, or suggestions.  Shall is only used to form the Future Simple and Future Continuous Tenses when I or we are the Subject.  Example (1) “Shall we walk along the beach?” (2) “Shall I wash the dishes?” When we form an interrogative sentence in Question word (who, what, where, when, or how), shall is used to politely seek advice, opinion of the listener about the future decision, as in: 1) “What shall I do with this spare part?” 2) “Where shall we begin?” (7) WILL Will is used in the second and third person to express simple future time. Would is used to make polite requests. For example,  You will not speak.  He will come here.  Would you like to have a cup of tea? (polite request) DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIESPage | 5 *Proprietary material of SILVER OAK UNIVERSITY  SUBJECT ENGLISH LECTURE COMPANION SEMESTER:__1__ PREPARED BY:_Prof. Pooja Bhatt______ Will is used in the first person to express willingness, determination, promise, habit, intention or even a threat.  I will do the work. (willingness)  I will achieve my goal. (determination)  We will help you. (promise)  He will watch TV for hours. (habit)  I will go to meet her today. (intention)  We will sue him. (threat) (8) Must Must express necessity or obligation. For example,  We must reach on time. It can express fixed determination. For example,  I must be allowed to express my wish (9) Ought to Ought expresses moral obligation and desirability. It is always followed by to + verb. For example,  We ought to put in our best effort.  We ought to win. It can be used to indicate present or future time. For example,  I ought to apologise to him. 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