The English Modal Verbs

A detailed account of the many uses and functions of these verbs. The nature of modality, and some controversial issues, are also discussed.

Learn how to use modal verbs, one of the most important areas of English grammar. You will find out the meanings and correct contexts for every modal and semi-modal verb and how to use alternative or substitute constructions when necessary. The book covers not only each meaning of every modal and semi-modal verb but also the relationships between them, the characteristics and rules and the often neglected area of pronunciations and stresses used by native speakers. Soft and weak pronunciations in spoken English, for example, impart different meanings, an area rearely covered in standard courses or grammar books. In addition Learn Real English Modal Verbs covers real English uses of modals, showing you the way that native speakers really use modals which isn't always how grammar books and English courses teach. A FREE BONUS Modal Verb Pronunciation Guide with associated 53 online audio recordings is available to download with every purchase of this book. Learn how to identify and understand modal verbs in real spoken English with this free supplement. Suitable for learners of English as a Second Language, English tutors and those wanting to brush up on the grammar of Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modal Auxiliary Verb (or ‘Modal Verb’ or ‘Modal Auxiliary’) is a verb that is used with another verb (not a modal verb) to express ability, intention, necessity, obligation, permission, possibility, probability, etc. English modal auxiliary verbs - may, might, can, could, will, would, shall, should, must, need, used(to), ought(to), dare | different patterns and examples | may and might are used to express- possibility, compulsion, obligation, probability (in the present and future) | can, could are used to express- ability, probability, possibility, suggestion, request, condition | will, would are used to express- action in future, present habit, compulsion, obligation | shall, should are used to express- action in future, suggestion, surprise, importance or purpose | need is used to express necessity | used(to) is used to express- past habit | ought(to) is used to express- probability, recommendation, obligation, advise | dare is used to express– be brave enough to Sample This: Modal Auxiliary Verb -- May and Might Uses of ‘May’ and ‘Might’ (1). Possibility/Probability It may rain the day after tomorrow. [= Perhaps it will rain the day after tomorrow. OR It is possible that it will rain the day after tomorrow.] He may have caught the train. [= Perhaps he caught the train. OR It is possible that he caught the train.] (2). To say what the purpose of something is Many people flatter that they may win favor. [= Many people flatter in order to win favor.] They ran so that they might arrive in time. [= They ran in order to arrive in time.] (3). To admit that something is true before introducing another point, argument, etc. It may not be wise, but using force may be lawful. [= Although it is not wise, using force may be lawful.] (4). To express wishes and hopes May you live a prosperous life! May you have a good time! My teacher blessed me that I might succeed in my exams. (5). To give or refuse Permission [In Informal and Polite Way] You may not withdraw money from your bank account. [= You are not allowed to withdraw money from your bank account.] (6). To seek Permission [In Informal and Polite Way] May I borrow your book for two days? (Yes, you may.) May I come in? (No, you may not.) Difference between ‘May’ and ‘Might’ ‘Might’ is the past equivalent of ‘may’ in indirect speech. ‘Might’ is very polite and formal. It is not common. It is mostly used in indirect questions. I wonder if I might work on your computer. But it is used in the same way as ‘may’ to talk about the present or future. ‘Might’ is used as a less positive version of ‘May’ ‘May’ denotes more possibility/probability ‘Might’ denotes less possibility/probability May I use your mobile phone? Might I use your mobile phone? (= A diffident way of saying ‘May I use your mobile phone?’) ‘Might’ also denotes ‘would perhaps’ You might attract the President’s attention later. [= Perhaps you would attract.] He might have to go [= Perhaps he had to go.] ‘Might’ is also used to express a degree of dissatisfaction or reproach; as, You might pick up an argument with him! You might have picked up an argument with him! ‘Might’ has limitations while ‘asking permission’ Note: Avoid using ‘might’ to seek or give permission. [Prefer to use ‘may’] | Avoid using ‘might not’ to refuse permission. [Prefer to use ‘may not’]. Using ‘might’ to seek or give permission is very formal and is not used very often. Might I ask for your address? Might I offer you something to eat? [Exception: You can use ‘might’ to give permission or ‘might not’ to refuse permission in “indirect speech”] He asked me whether he might stay in my house. Note: ‘Maybe’ is an adverb. [‘Maybe’ means ‘perhaps’] -- Maybe he came to know something secret and was removed from the post. ALSO NOTE: Difference between ‘May’ and ‘Can’ ‘May’ is more formal than ‘Can’ ‘May’ is mostly used in ‘formal’ English. ‘Can’ is mostly used in ‘informal’ (or spoken) English ‘Can’ is used to show ability/capability/capacity, while ‘may’ is never used in this sense.

In this highly acclaimed revision, grammatical descriptions and teaching suggestions are organized into sections dealing with Form, Meaning, and Use. THE GRAMMAR BOOK, Second Edition helps teachers and future teachers grasp the linguistic system and details of English grammar, providing more information on how structures are used at the discourse level.

Modal auxiliary verbs have long been a nightmare for anyone learning English as a second language.This particular aspect of the English language is probably the one in which learners find the most complicated. Without context the lexical meaning of modal auxiliary verbs becomes extremely vague. With their parallelisms and overlapping meanings they become a messy business. At times the negative has a totally different meaning from the affirmative and more often than not, there is a shift in meaning according to context. Modal auxiliary verbs are used to express degrees of certainty/uncertainty, probability/improbability, possibility/impossibility, expectation/lack of expectation, and so forth. These tricky aspects of the English language are used with great frequency by native speakers. Very often non native learners of English are unable to grasp their subtleties due to their range of meanings. In this book you will find out how to use each modal. You will discover all the meanings each one has - all in one little book.

This guide is based on a study of referees' reports and letters from journal editors on the reasons why papers written by non-native researchers are rejected due to problems with English usage, style and grammar. It draws on English-related errors from around 5000 papers written by non-native authors, 500 abstracts by PhD students, and over 1000 hours of teaching researchers how to write and present research papers. English for Research: Usage, Style, and Grammar covers those areas of English usage that typically cause researchers difficulty: articles (a/an, the), uncountable nouns, tenses (e.g., simple present, simple past, present perfect), modal verbs, active vs. passive form, relative clauses, infinitive vs. -ing form, the genitive, noun strings, link words (e.g., moreover, in addition), quantifiers (e.g., each vs. every), word order, prepositions, acronyms, abbreviations, numbers and measurements, punctuation, and spelling. Due to its focus on the specific errors that repeatedly appear in papers written by non-native authors, this manual is an ideal study guide for use in universities and research institutes. The book is cross-referenced with the following titles: • English for Academic Research: Grammar Exercises • English for Academic Research: Vocabulary Exercises • English for Academic Research: Writing Exercises • English for Writing Research Papers Adrian Wallwork is the author of more than 30 English Language Teaching (ELT) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) textbooks. He has trained several thousand PhD students and researchers from 40 countries to prepare and give presentations. Since 1984 he has been revising research manuscripts through his own proofreading and editing service.

This book offers original theoretical accounts and a wealth of descriptive information concerning modality in present-day English. At the same time, it provides fresh impetus to more general linguistic issues such as grammaticalization, colloquialization, or the interplay between sociolinguistic and syntactic constraints. The articles fall into four sections: (a) the semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs; (b) the status of emerging modal items; (c) stylistic variation and change; (d) sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models. The book is of considerable value to students and teachers of English and Linguistics at undergraduate and graduate level worldwide.

Diploma Thesis from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1, University of Bucharest (Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures), language: English, abstract: Modality is a semantic concept that covers notions such as possibility, probability, permission, ability, volition, necessity and obligation. The class of modals is in many languages both syntactically and semantically highly irregular and unpredictable: modals frequently have idiosyncratic conjugational patterns and are subject to highly specialized syntactic rules. One of the main characteristic of modal verbs is their relatively imprecise and indeterminate meaning, their ambiguity: the same modal can be deontic (i.e. based on rules and regulations), but it may also involve processes, sets of knowledge or belief systems, and thus get an epistemic interpretation. In order to define the class of modals or to provide a set of environments in which a modal may be correctly or appropriately used, one must refer to many levels of language: the purely syntactic environment, as well as the logical structure, the context of the utterance, the assumptions that are shared by the speaker and the addressee, the social situation assumed by the participants in the discourse, the impression the speaker wants to make on the addressee, and so on. There is also the question of the appropriate context environments, that is, the semantic-pragmatic issue. Therefore, a complete analysis of a particular modal can only be achieved by looking both at its syntactic features and at its semantic structure; in other words, the syntax of a modal verb is based on its semantics, and these two dimensions are inseparable.

The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary is the ideal dictionary for advanced EFL/ESL learners. Easy to use and with a great CD-ROM - the perfect learner's dictionary for exam success. First published as the Cambridge International Dictionary of English, this new edition has been completely updated and redesigned. - References to over 170,000 words, phrases and examples explained in clear and natural English - All the important new words that have come into the language (e.g. dirty bomb, lairy, 9/11, clickable) - Over 200 'Common Learner Error' notes, based on the Cambridge Learner Corpus from Cambridge ESOL exams Plus, on the CD-ROM: - SMART thesaurus - lets you find all the words with the same meaning - QUICKfind - automatically looks up words while you are working on-screen - SUPERwrite - tools for advanced writing, giving help with grammar and collocation - Hear and practise all the words.

In Corpus Linguistics and Sociolinguistics, Beke Hansen provides an in-depth analysis of variation and change in the expression of modality in second-language varieties of English by adopting an integrated sociolinguistic and corpus-based approach.