English Modal Auxiliary Verbs

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

Modals and Quasi-modals in English reports the findings of a corpus-based study of the modals and a set of semantically-related ‘quasi-modals’ in English. The study is the largest and most comprehensive to date in this area, and is informed by recent developments in the study of modality, including grammaticalization and recent diachronic change. The selection of the parallel corpora used, representing British, American and Australian English, was designed to facilitate the exploration of both regional and stylistic variation.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This book raises the issue of what a teacher needs to know about English in order to teach it effectively. It leads teachers to awareness of the language through a wide range of tasks which involve them in analysing English to discover its underlying system.

English has a number of periphrastic verbal forms that are semantically close to particular modal verbs and perform suppletive functions in relation to them (eg, have (got) to - must and be able to - can). After an exploration of the syntactic, semantic and phonological properties of potential periphrastic forms, this study investigates the nature of the relationship between the modals must, should, will and can and various semantically close periphrastics, using a spoken corpus of British English as the primary source of data. The focus is on the pragmatic interpretation of the items being compared, with some attention to their functions in discourse. These items are notoriously idiosyncratic both syntactically and semantically, but the general contrast claimed by some scholars between the maximally unmarked status of modals and the relatively marked status of periphrastics is amply confirmed, and this, together with the basic association of modality with alternative possible worlds, is shown to be reflected in a number of different ways, including the claimed 'objectivity' of periphrastics and the tendency of some to be associated with actuality. Level of formality is also found to be a significant, though not uniform, factor here.