ch. 9 – modals, part 1

Ch. 9 – Modals, part 1

Basic Modal Introduction

Modal auxiliaries generally express a speaker’s attitude – something that is advisable, necessary, possible – as well as the strength of that attitude

Basic modals: can could had better may might must ought to

shall should will would


Modals do not take a final –s, even when the subject is third person: She can do it. NOT: She cans do it.

Modals are followed immediately by the simple form of a verb: She can do it. NOT: She can to do it. EXCEPT FOR ought to: He ought to go to the meeting.


Phrasal modals are common expressions whose meanings are similar to those of basic modals. be able to = can be going to = will

An infinitive is used with these phrasal modals: be able to be going to be supposed to have to

have got to Example: I have got to do it. She has got to do it.

Practice

Complete Exercise 1, p. 157

Polite Requests: “I” as subject

May I and Could* I are used to request permission in polite/formal situations: May I borrow your pen? Could I borrow your pen?*in a polite request, could has present or future meaning, not past

Can I is used in informal situations (friends, close family, someone you know well) Can I borrow your pen?

Polite Requests: “you” as subject

Would you, will you, and could you can all be used for polite requests. Would you pass the salt? Will you pass the salt? Could you pass the salt?

Can you is used in informal situations (friends, close family, someone you know well) Can you pass the salt?* May is only used with I or we in polite requests: May you pass the salt?

Practice

Complete Exercise 3, p. 159 – write out a request for each situation

Polite Requests: Would you mind

Asking permission: Would you mind if I is followed by the simple past:

Would you mind if I closed the window? Would you mind if I used the phone?

How would you respond?

Asking someone to do something: Would you mind is followed by the –ing form of a verb.

Would you mind closing the window? Excuse me. Would you mind repeating that?

How would you respond?

Practice

Complete Exercise 5,6, and 7 p. 160-61 Complete Exercise 11, p. 163

Expressing Necessity

Must and have to both express necessity: All applicants must take an entrance exam. All applicants have to take an entrance exam.

Must is usually stronger than have to and can indicate urgency or importance Where’s Sue? I have to talk to her about our lunch date

tomorrow. I need to change the time. Where’s Sue? I must talk to her now. I have an urgent message

for her.

Expressing Necessity

Have got to also expresses necessity. It is informal and usually used in speaking: I have got to go now. I have a class in ten minutes.

Had expresses past necessity. I have got to go now. = I had to go at that time.

I have to go now. = I had to go at that time.

I must study tonight. = I had to study last night.

Practice

Complete Exercise 13, p. 164 – write one sentence in response to teach question.

Lack of Necessity and Prohibition

When used in the negative, must and have to have different meanings. Do not have to = lack of necessity/no need to do action

Tomorrow is a holiday, we do not have to go to class. I can hear you. You don’t have to yell.

Must not = prohibition (do not do this!) VERY STRONG You must not tell use your phone during class.Because must not is very strong, people often use negative imperatives or other modals to express less strong prohibition:

Don’t tell anyone my secret.You can’t tell anyone my secret.

Practice

Complete Exercise 15 and 16, p. 165-166

Advisability: should, ought to, had better

Should and ought to express advisability: suggestion/statement about responsibility Suggestion:

You should study harder. You ought to study harder.

Statement of responsibility: Drivers should obey the speed limit. Drivers ought to obey the speed limit.

• Both can be used in negative forms, but should is much more common: You shouldn’t open the door. = You ought not (to) open the door.

• The negative contraction oughtn’t to is almost never used

Advisability: should, ought to, had better

Had better has the same general meaning as should and ought to, but is typically stronger = a threat or warning of bad consequences The gas tank is almost empty. We had better stop at the next gas station. You’d better take care of that cut on your hand, or it will get infected.had better: has a present or future meaning is followed by the simple form of a verb is more common in speaking than writing (but not informal) Negative = had better not = You had better not be late. In speaking, the had is sometimes dropped = “You better not be late.”

Practice


Exercise 22, p. 168

Exercise 23, p. 169

Past form of should

Past form of should = should have + past participle Negative= should not have + past participle I had a test this morning. I didn’t do well on the test because I didn’t study

last night. I should have studied last night. = studying was a good idea, but I didn’t do it; I made a mistake

You were supposed to be here at 10:00 pm, but you didn’t come until midnight and you didn’t call. We were worried about you. You should have called us.

My back hurts. I should not have carried that heavy box up two flights of stairs. = I carried something, but it was a mistake to do it.

We went to a movie, but it was a waste of time and money. We should not have gone to the movie.

Practice

Complete Exercise 27 – write one sentence for each situation.

Exercise 28 – discuss with partner

Exercise 29 – write 3 sentences for each situation.

Obligation: be supposed to

Be supposed to expresses that someone (I, we, the teacher, lots of people, etc.) expects something to happen: The committee is supposed to vote secretly.It often expresses expectations about scheduled events: The game is supposed to begin at 10:00It can also express expectations about behavior: I am supposed to go to the meeting. The children are supposed to put away their toys before bed.*NOTE: In the two sentences above, someone else expects (requires or requests) a certain behavior, not the subject.

Obligation: be supposed to

Be supposed to in the past (was/were supposed to) expresses unfulfilled expectations:Jack was supposed to call me last night. I wonder why he didn’t.*In other words, I expected Jack to call, but he didn’t.

Practice

Complete Exercise 31, Write 1-2 sentences in response to each question.

Complete Exercise 32

Unfulfilled intentions: was/were going to

Am/is/are going to is used to talk about intentions for future activities (future tense): I’m going to go to the concert tomorrow.Was/were going to expresses past intentions, usually unfulfilled: Jack was going to go to the movie last night, but he changed

his mind.

Unfulfilled intentions: was/were going to

Other ways to express unfulfilled intentions are to use plan, hope, intend, or think about in the past progressive or past perfect: I was planning to go, but I didn’t. OR I had planned to go,

but… I was hoping to go, but I didn’t. OR I had hoped to go, but… I was intending to go, but I didn’t. OR I had intended to go,

but… I was thinking about going, but I didn’t. OR I had thought about

going, ….

Practice

Complete Exercise 37, use your own ideas.

Making suggestions: Let’s, Why don’t we, Shall I/we

Let’s (let us) + simple verb = I have a suggestion for us Let’s go to a movie. Let’s not go to a movie. Let’s stay home instead. Why don’t is used in spoken English to make a friendly

suggestion.Why don’t we go to a movie? = Let’s go to a movie.

Why don’t you come around seven? = I suggest you come around seven.

Why don’t I give Mary a call? = Should I give Mary a call? Do you agree with this idea?

Making suggestions: Let’s, Why don’t we, Shall I/we

Shall + I/we in a questions = making a suggestion and asking another person if he/she agrees with the suggestion. It is very formal. Shall I open the window? Is that okay? Shall we leave at two? Is that okay?Shall we (formal) or okay (informal) are sometimes used as tag questions after let’s: Let’s go, shall we? Let’s go, okay?

Practice


Making suggestions: could vs. should

Could can be used to make suggestions. “What should we do tomorrow?”

“We could go on a picnic.” = Let’s go on a picnic.Should gives definite advice and is stronger than could. “I’m having trouble in math class.”

“You should talk to your teacher.” = It is very important for you to talk to your teacher. “I’m having trouble in math class.”

“You could talk to your teacher.” = This is one possible solution for your problem.

Making suggestions: could vs. should

Should have (past) gives hindsight (looking back after it happened) advice: “I failed my math class.”

“You should have talked to your teacher.” = It was important for you to talk to your teacher; you made a mistake.Could have offers hindsight possibilities: “I failed my math class.”

“You could have talked to your teacher.” = One past possibility was to talk to your teacher; implies that this is one out of many possibilities

Practice

Look at Exercise 41. How are the suggestions of B and C different?

ch. 9 – modals, part 1

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