Modal auxiliaries express ability, permission, possibility, advice, necessity, obligation, and future time. They are used to make requests and soften statements. There are simple modals like can, may, must, shall, and will. Periphrastic modals are formed with be and have like be able to. Modals precede main verbs and do not take inflections. Their meanings depend on whether they are used epistemically or for root meanings. Teaching ideas involve examining discourse, creating sentences and directions, and role plays.

1. Modal Auxiliaries
Crystal Rose and Eliza Roushar

2. http://ramblingsofadevotedbookworm.blogspot.com/2011/04/can-i-vs-may-i.html

4. Modals Express…
• Ability, Permission, Possibility
• Advice, Necessity, Obligation
• Future Time

5. Simple Modals
• Have single forms
Historical
Present Tense Past Tense
Can Could
May Might
Must ------
Shall Should
Will Would

6. Periphrastic Modals
• Formed with the verbs be and have
• ‘Phrase-like’ instead of single word forms
Be able to
Be allowed to
Have (got) to
Be supposed to
Be going to
Ought to

7. • One kind of auxiliary verb (like ‘be’ and ‘have’)
• Precedes the main verb in the predicate
– Directly She might run in the race.
– Before auxiliary verbs She might be running.
• Does not take the present tense –s or the past
tense –ed inflections
– *He shoulds eat the candy.
– *He shoulded ate the candy.
• Can contract with ‘not’
– He shouldn’t talk to her.
– *He worksn’t with her.

8. Modal Meanings
Epistemic Root
• What is known by • What is socially
the speaker/writer determined
• Fact-based • Authority
• ‘necessary that’ relationship
(must) • ‘necessary for’ (must)
• ‘possible that’ (may) • ‘possible for’ (may)

9. Epistemic Meanings
• Crystal must be crazy.= necessity
• Crystal may be crazy.= possibility
Root Meanings
• Eliza, you must eat your dinner.= necessity
• Eliza, you may eat your dinner.= permission

10. Epistemic or Root?
Because of the rain, the roads will be dangerous.
Studying too much grammar may cause serious
injury.
You may leave whenever you are ready.
You can watch TV when you are done studying.

11. Social Function of Modals
• Making requests
– Can/could you help me with my homework?
• Yes, I can./Yes, I could.
– May/might I leave the room now?
• Yes, you may./Yes, you might.
– Present tense form is more direct, historical past tense
form is used to soften a request (make it more polite)
• Request modals change meaning when “not” is
contracted vs. when it precedes the main verb
– Won’t you please get into the pool? (Please get in.)
– Will you please not get into the pool? (Please do not)

12. CAN/COULD
Ability
Permission (root)
Possibility (epistemic)
• Extended Meanings
– Speculation/Regret
– Disbelief
– Suggestion/Implied Criticism

13. MAY/MIGHT
Possibility
Permission
• Extended Meanings for may
– Concession
• Extended Meanings for might
– Speculation
– Suggestion
– Criticism
– Permission in formal requests

14. SHOULD/MUST/OUGHT TO
Advice
Necessity/Obligation
Prohibition
• Extended Meanings for must
– Minimal requirement/Condition
– Polite Insistence
• Extended Meanings for should
– Probability
– Reproach/reprimand

15. NEED TO/HAVE TO/BE SUPPOSED TO
Advice
Necessity/Obligation
• Extended Meanings
– Inferred probability
– Polite insistence

16. WILL/SHALL
Future Time/Predictions
• Extended Meanings for will
– Volition
– Inferred Probability
– Requests (polite alternatives to commands)
• Extended Meanings for shall
– Suggestions/Requests for advice

17. WOULD/BE GOING TO
Future Time/Predictions
• Extended Meanings for would
– Regular action in the past
– Hypothetical results
– Inferred probability
– Polite requests
• Extended Meanings for ‘be going to’
– Future Time: Planned action
– Future Time: Immediately imminent action

18. Modals and Negation
• Structural pattern of negation and modals is
very consistent
– NOT comes after the modal
– Can be contracted
Anne cannot sing.
Anne can’t sing.
*Anne not can sing.

19. Problems ESL/EFL Students May Have
Debes nadar.
*You should to swim.
I have a dog.
I have sold the dog.
Adding inflections like main verbs

20. Teaching Ideas
• Examine expository written discourse (magazine
articles) and note modal verbs and possible meanings
in context
• Use continuum (probably, possibly, not likely) to create
sentences from prompts
– Rain today (possibly) It may rain today.
• Create directions for a game
• Describe what you could/couldn’t do as a child vs. what
you can/can’t do as an adult
• Change abrupt sentences into more polite ones using
modals
– You’re not very busy. You can help me.
– You don’t seem very busy. Could you help me?

21. Teaching Ideas
• “Find someone who…” game
– Find someone who can play tennis.
– Can you play tennis?
• “What would you say if…” role plays
– …you are a teacher who wants to let a student
know that it is necessary to come to class on time

22. Teaching Ideas