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    Modals: Can - Could Will - Would May - Might - Must Shall - Should

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    Subramaniam Kolandan
    This document discusses English modal verbs. It lists the main modal verbs and their past tense forms. It explains that modals are used as auxiliary verbs, do not show tense or subject agreement, and take bare infinitives. It outlines the different meanings modals express regarding time, permission, obligation, volition, and frequency in academic writing. The most common modals in academic writing are listed as can, may, and will.

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    Modals: Can - Could Will - Would May - Might - Must Shall - Should

    Uploaded by

    Subramaniam Kolandan
    8 views7 pages
    This document discusses English modal verbs. It lists the main modal verbs and their past tense forms. It explains that modals are used as auxiliary verbs, do not show tense or subject agreement, and take bare infinitives. It outlines the different meanings modals express regarding time, permission, obligation, volition, and frequency in academic writing. The most common modals in academic writing are listed as can, may, and will.

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    modals

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    This document discusses English modal verbs. It lists the main modal verbs and their past tense forms. It explains that modals are used as auxiliary verbs, do not show tense or subject agreement, and take bare infinitives. It outlines the different meanings modals express regarding time, permission, obligation, volition, and frequency in academic writing. The most common modals in academic writing are listed as can, may, and will.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    8 views7 pages

    Modals: Can - Could Will - Would May - Might - Must Shall - Should

    Uploaded by

    Subramaniam Kolandan
    This document discusses English modal verbs. It lists the main modal verbs and their past tense forms. It explains that modals are used as auxiliary verbs, do not show tense or subject agreement, and take bare infinitives. It outlines the different meanings modals express regarding time, permission, obligation, volition, and frequency in academic writing. The most common modals in academic writing are listed as can, may, and will.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 7

    Modals

    can - could

    will - would

    may - might - must

    shall - should
    Modals
    used as auxiliary verb (e.g. I can go)

    do not show tense or subject agreement (e.g. He can go - not


    He cans go)

    before the negative particle in not negation (e.g. I cannot go)

    before the subject in yes-no questions (e.g. Can you go?)

    take the bare infinitive verb as the main verb in a verb phrase
    (e.g. He can go - not He can to go or He can went)

    express stance meanings (see next slides)


    Time Differences with Modals
    Modals referring to present and future time:
    can
    may
    shall
    will
    Modals that can refer to past time:
    could
    might
    should
    would

    * Note that each present/ future modal has a corresponding


    past modal
    Stance meanings of Modals

    Permission/ ability:
    can
    could
    may
    might

    Meanings
    Personal meaning - permission or possibility, ability
    Logical meaning - possibility
    Stance meanings of Modals

    Obligation/ necessity:
    must
    should
    have (got) to
    need to
    be supposed to

    Meanings
    Personal meaning - obligation
    Logical meaning - necessity
    Stance meanings of Modals

    Volition/ prediction:
    will
    would
    shall

    Meanings
    Personal meaning - volition or intention
    Logical meaning - prediction
    Frequency of Modals in Academic Writing
    can
    The most frequent modals in
    may academic writing are can, may,
    will and will.

    would
    should Would, should, must, could, and
    might are used but infrequently.
    must
    could
    might The most infrequent modals in
    have to academic writing are have to and
    shall. Shall is extremely infrequent.
    shall

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