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420SEMANTIC FEATURES OF MODAL VERBS IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Rizikhon Bozorovna Usmonova
Uzbekistan State University of Physical Education and Sport
ABSTRACT
Present article is to shed light on the semantic use of modal auxiliaries, namely will, would, can/could, shall /should, must, may /might and ought. The researchers have tried to pinpoint the mistakes that the students make in using the above - mentioned auxiliaries, and find the proper methods that help them to improve their performance.
Keywords: semantic features, auxiliary verbs, memorize the meaning, permission, ability, possibility/ impossibility, willingness, advisability, expectation, probability and insistence.
INTRODUCTION
Modal auxiliaries, among all other auxiliaries in English (be, have, do) are considered the most auxiliaries that cause difficulties to most Iraqi students learning English as a foreign language.
As teachers of English, the researchers have realized that most of their students have almost mastered the syntactic rules to form affirmative negative, and interrogative sentences with modal auxiliaries, but to express the meaning of these auxiliaries sounds difficult to them, which, in turn affect the students' performance. This is partly because the students memorize the meaning of the modal auxiliaries for the sake of passing a given test; and partly because the students, even if they master the meaning of these auxiliaries, have little chance to practice what they've learned.
METODOLOGY
Both researchers have agreed that the second - year students' performance/ Department of Uzbek and Foreign languages, could be improved. The procedure, that has been adopted, is as follows:
1- Perform a two- part test to pinpoint the difficulties the students face in their performance. Since both researchers are very well-acquainted with the students ability to use and apply the syntactic rules concerning the modal auxiliaries, under study, they have limited the test items to be concerned with the semantic use of the above-mentioned auxiliaries.
2- Prepare a teaching course for six weeks (3 hours per week).
3- Start the teaching course by classifying the meaning expressed by each modal auxiliary within certain areas or categories namely 'permission', 'ability', 'possibility'/
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'impossibility', 'willingness', 'advisability', 'expectation', 'probability' and 'insistence'.
4- Discuss the meaning of the modal auxiliaries through intensive lectures; give the students appropriate examples to illustrate the meaning of these auxiliaries; and the chance to practice what they have learned by asking each other what each auxiliary means.
5- Apply the same two- part test at the end of the course to measure the degree of improvement in the students' performance.
The researchers have classified the meaning expressed by the modals, under study, within the following categories: Permission
Permission is mainly expressed by the modal auxiliaries 'may', 'might', 'can' and 'could'. To ask for present or future permission to do something, we use 'can', 'could' or 'may', as in Can
Could I smoke in here? May
Whereas to give present or future permission to do something, we use 'can' or 'may', as in
can
You use the phone.
may
'May' is preferred to 'can' or 'could', the latter being less formal and less polite. Past permission, however, cannot be expressed with a modal; other expressions such as 'had permission', 'was permitted', or 'was allowed', is used, as in He had permission to leave early. He was permitted to leave early. He was allowed to leave early.
Sometimes, we use 'might' or 'could' for past permission. 'Could is used to refer to past permission but with suggestion of changed condition. 'Could' is widely used, though 'might' is still preferred by some people, as in
When she was a student, anyone could borrow books from the library. Obligation
Obligation indicates the necessity in which the action in question is performed. When a person feels that he is obliged to do something, he must be perceived to have the ability to carry out the required action. Two degrees of obligation may be distinguished:
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1- Strong obligation, which indicates that the speaker not only entitled to lay obligation, but also he has the authority to ensure compliance. Such an obligation is usually expressed by the modal 'must' or 'shall', as in
She must come tomorrow.
You shall leave the house immediately.
'Shall' is considered to be stronger than 'must' in that the speaker does not use it unless he is sure that the action will take place.
2- Weak obligation, which indicates that the speaker implies that things are not suggested, that the event does not or will not take place. Such an obligation is usually expressed by the modal 'should' or 'ought to' as in
You should do as he says.
You ought to drive the car more carefully.
Unfulfilled obligation, present and past, is expressed by the expressions 'should/ ought to + be + v (ing)', and 'should/ ought to + have + v (ed)' respectively, as in
should
I be reading my assignment.
ought to/ should I have read my assignment.
ought to
On the other hand, fulfilled obligation cannot be expressed with a modal. Instead we use the expression 'be + obliged to', as in
I am/ was obliged to visit my supervisor every week.
Ability
Present, past ability to do something is expressed with the modals 'can' and 'could'/. Both can' and 'could' are used to indicate that a person has/ had the general ability to do something, as in
He can swim.
My father could speak five languages.
Yet, if we are talking about what happens/ happened in a particular situation, we use 'is/ are able', 'was/ were able' respectively, as in
He is/ was able to swim.
They are/ were able to concentrate.
In addition to 'was/ were able', other verbs, such as 'managed to' and 'succeeded in', can be used to refer to the above- mentioned particular situations, as in
She managed to swim across.
Sometimes, we use 'could' as the past of 'can', especially with verbs of perception: 'see', 'smell', 'taste', 'feel', 'remember', 'understand', as in
When we went into the house, we could smell burning.
With verbs of perception, 'could' can be used to describe specific action as well as general ability, as in:
I could hear the car up the road.
In other occasions we use 'could' to refer to past ability with suggestion of changed condition, as in:
George couldn't understand English when he first went to England. Possibility/ Impossibility
Possibility indicates the occurrence of possible actions or happenings. Possibility can be expressed with the modal auxiliaries 'can', 'could', 'may' or 'might'. 'can' or 'could' is used to express theoretical or factual present possibility, as in:
We can/could have nightmares. The road can/ could be blocked.
We use 'could' (not can) to indicate that something is possible now or in the future, as in:
The phone is ringing. It could be Jane. (not it can be Jane)
I t is claimed that "'could' is less sure than 'can'". Therefore, we use 'could' (not can) when we don't really mean what we say, as in:
I'm so angry with you. I could kill you. (not I can kill you) We also use 'could' to talk about possible actions now or in the future (especially to make a suggestion) as in:
a- What shall we do this evening? b- We could go to the cinema.
Finally, 'could' is used to express contingent possibility in unreal conditions, as
in:
If we had more money, we could buy a new house.
The expression 'could + have + v.(ed)' is used to refer to things which were possible, but did not happen, as in:
Why did you leave yesterday? You could have stayed with me.
Present or future impossibility is expressed with expression 'could + be +v.(ing)' and ' could + v.(infinitive)' respectively , as in:
She could be reading her assignment now if she didn't have drops in her eyes. She could read her assignment tomorrow if she didn't have a class. On the other hand, past impossibility is expressed with the expression 'couldn't have + v.(ed)', as in:
Bill couldn't have gone home this week-end.
DISCUSSION
'May' and 'might' are also used to indicate that something is a possibility. Usually it does not matter whether we use 'may' or 'might' to express possible actions or happening in the present or future, as in:
It may / might be true. (Perhaps it's true) I may / might go home. (I will go home)
For the past, we use the expression 'may have + v.(ed)' or ' might have + v.(ed)' ,
as in:
She may / might have been asleep.
Sometimes 'could' has a similar meaning to 'may' or 'might', as in: Somebody is knocking at the door. It could be Tom. (= it may/might be Tom) However, only 'might' (not may) is used when the situation is not real, as in: If I knew them better, I might invite them to dinner. (= I don't know them, so I'm not going to invite them)
Yet, 'may' or 'might' is not employed at all in questions; 'can' or 'could' takes place instead. 'may' or 'might' can only be employed in answers, as in: a- Can/could they have missed the bus? b. Yes, they may / might have.
Finally, the expression 'may/might be + ing' can be use to express possible plans,
as in:
I may/ might be going to England in July. Willingness
Willingness is usually expressed with the modal auxiliaries 'will/ would', 'can/ could' and 'shall', as in
He'll help you if you ask.
The above- mentioned modal auxiliaries are used in polite requests. Such requests are considered to be polite because it is up to the hearer to take action or not, as in
Can you pass the sugar? Will you visit me tomorrow?
Requests with 'would' and 'could' are considered to be more polite, as in
Could you carry the bag, please? Would you excuse me?
'Shall' is also used to express willingness on the part of the speaker in second and third persons, as in
He shall get his reward.
You shall do exactly as you wish.
The speaker's willingness is marked when the subject of the sentence is in the objective case. In a sentence such as
You shall have a copy of this book.
'You' is the person, upon whom the act of having falls, thus marking the speaker's willingness.
RESULT
Some other sentences may include a supporting word or phrase that makes it clear which particular function is meant. In a sentence, such as
You shall stay with us as long as you like.
The expression 'as long as you like' indicates that saying 'with us' is up to the hearer's will. In fact using these two expressions indicates that the hearer's 'willingness' is mixed with that of the speaker. Advisability
Advisability is expressed with the modal auxiliaries 'shall', 'should' and 'ought'. 'Shall' or 'should is used in affirmative questions of advisability. Both auxiliaries are used with the first pronouns (I, we) to refer to immediate or distant future, as in
Shall/should I/ we go to Europe next summer?
For present or past negative questions of advisability only 'shouldn't' is used, as
in
Shouldn't we be finishing our work? (we aren't) Shouldn't she have done all the problems? (she didn't)
All- time and future affirmative statements of advisability are expressed with the expressions 'should/ ought to + be + adj' and 'should/ ought to + v (infinitive) respectively, as in
We should/ought to be careful crossing streets.(all time) She should/ ought to see a doctor next week. (future)
Sometimes, we may express all- time and future negative statements of advisability, simply by adding the negative particle 'not' to the abovementioned expressions, as in
You shouldn't/ oughtn't to be careless (all time)
You shouldn't/ oughtn't to apologize for things you haven't done.
In other occasions, advisability can be expressed with 'I should/ shouldn't, as in
A: Shall I leave now?
B: I should/ shouldn't wait a bit longer.
The answer of (B) implies the meaning 'I would/ wouldn't wait if I were you, or "I advice you to/ not to wait".
Expectation
Expectation is expressed with the modal auxiliaries 'should' or 'ought', as in It is eight o'clock. The guests should be arriving soon.
They ought to be here by now.
Probability
Probability is related to prediction, deduction and conjecture. Prediction refers to the speaker's view of the future. It is expressed with the modal auxiliaries 'will', 'must' and 'should'. They are used to indicate specific, timeless or habitual prediction. For specific prediction, 'will', 'must' or 'should' is used, as in will
The game must be finished by now. should
On the other hand, the expressions 'will + v (infinitive)', 'will + have + v (ed)', and 'will + be + v (ing)' to express timeless and habitual prediction respectively, as in will float
Oil on water (timeless prediction) floats He'll talk four hours if you give him the chance. The guests will have arrived by now. habitual John will still be reading his paper. prediction
Deduction expresses an opinion based on some evidence. We use the expressions: 1- 'must + v (infinitive)' or 'must + be + v (ing) to express deduction about a present situation or action, as in
She gets terrible headaches. She must need glasses. She is frowning. Her head must be aching.
2- 'Must + be + going to' to express deduction about a future event, as in It is getting dark. It must be going to rain.
3- 'Must + have + been' to express deduction about the past, as in He kept me waiting for half an hour. He must have been very busy. Conjecture expresses an opinion (not based on evidence). We use the expressions:
1- 'May/ might + v (infinitive)' to express conjecture about a present situation, as
in:
She may/ might need glasses.
2- 'May/ might + be + ing' to express conjecture about a present activity, as in
George may/ might be writing to his father.
3- 'May/ might + be + adjective' to express conjecture about the future, as in
She may/ might be absent tomorrow.
4- 'May/ might + have + v (ed)' to express conjecture about the past, as in He may/ might have lost his watch at the park.
Insistence
Insistence is expressed by the modal auxiliaries 'shall', 'will' and 'would'. For its restricted use, insistence is expressed by 'shall', as in
You shall do as I say.
This restricted use implies emotional overtones, and the hearer's will is entirely subservient to that of the speaker. Therefore, the restricted use marks an impolite use.
Stressed insistence is marked by placing the stress on the modal auxiliaries (not in the contraction form), as in
He 'will do it whatever you say. (= He insists on doing it —-) In conclude modal auxiliaries are part of the verb phrases in different kinds of sentences. From the syntactic point of view, modal auxiliaries, like all other auxiliaries in English, are important to form negatives, questions, reported speech, etc. Since the syntactic rules to form the above mentioned forms can be easily learned and applied, most students face little problems in using the modals, under study.
CONCLUSION
On the other hand, the semantics of modal auxiliaries causes difficulties to those students. First, most modals have more than one meaning. Second, the form of a modal auxiliary does not necessarily indicate the time of the sentence in which it is used. Third, verb phrases with negated modals do not always express the opposite of affirmative ones. Finally questions with one modal sometimes require answers with another.
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