Modal Auxiliary Verbs(Modals)

Ruben TsuiApril 8–9, 15–16, 2010

Warm-up

Conversation 1• Child: Can I leave the table now?• Parent: I’m sure you can, but you may not.

Conversation 2• Peter: I can’t go.• Sandy: You can’t, or you won’t?

Simple and periphrastic modals

Simple Modals Periphrastic Modals

present past

can could be able to

may might be allowed to

must -- have (got) to

shall should be supposed to

will would be going to

used to

had better

“Can” 表達可能性 (potential)

[1] Ability 能力[2] Permission 允許[3] Possibility 可能性

• [1] Peter can swim.She can speak French.

• [2] Can I borrow one of your pens?Sure, you can take any of them.

• [3] It can sometimes get very cold in winter.A visit to the dentist can be frightening.

“Could” 表達可能性 , 但是次可能性比 “ Can” 低[1] Ability 能力[2] Permission 允許[3] Possibility 可能性

• [1] I could run much faster when I was younger.

• [2] Could I leave early today if we’re not too busy?

• [3] I could get you two tickets to the Lady Gaga concert.– I was able to get you two tickets to the Lady Gaga

concert.

• We could repair the old car, but it wasn’t worth it (so we decided to buy a new one).

• We were able to repair the old car.

Deductions 推論 或 Conclusions 結論

• Suzy is ill. [ 描述事實 ]

• Suzy must be ill. [ 推論 - 必要性 ]

• Suzy may be ill. [ 推論 - 可能性 ]

Requirements 要求

• Suzy leaves before noon. [ 描述事實 ]

• Suzy must leave before noon. [ 要求 - 義務 ]

• Suzy may leave before noon. [ 要求 - 允許 ]

Necessity 必要性及 Possibility 可能性

• 必要性– must, will,

Exercise

• I have a lot to do so I might be late.

• Because of the rain, the roads will be dangerous.

• All students must wear school uniforms.

• Oh hello, you must be the new teacher!

Exercise (cont’d)

• Smoking may cause serious illness.

• You will do what you are told, or else!

• Your friend can come in and play with you.

• Yes, you may smoke, but only over there.

The Likelihood of “Will” 表達可能性Intention 意圖、目的、打算

• I will borrow some books from the library later.• Our competitors 競爭對手 will try to win the

contest.• [Promise] Dad: I’ll make dinner tonight.• [Threat] I’ll call the police if you don’t leave.• A conversation between two coworkers– David: I’ll talk to you about this report later.– Craig: Is that a promise or a threat?

“Will” 表達可能性

Willingness 意願

• A conversation between two lovers– Man: Will you marry me?– Woman: Of course I will!

• The door won’t open. Can you try it?

• My car won’t start. Will you give me a ride?

“Will” 表達可能性Prediction 預測

• One of these days, I’ll win the lottery.• The weather will be nice this weekend

according to the forecast.• There will be lots of food at the barbecue.

• Paul won’t come to the party. – 比較 :– Paul won’t come to the party because he’s too

busy.– Paul won’t come to the party because he doesn’t

want to.

Would

“Will” 的過去時態

• ( 間接引述 )• They said, “We will be there by 12 o’clock.”• They said they would be here by 12 o’clock.

Would (cont’d)

Polite request 禮貌的請求

• Would you do something for me?

• Would you help me with my homework?

Would (cont’d)

Past habits 過去的習慣

• Every time I tried to talk to him, he would be too busy.

• I would go bowling with my friends every weekend when I was in college.

Would (cont’d)

• 表達可能性不高 ( 現在或未來 )

• You would enjoy a vacation (if you took one).• If you took a vacation, you would enjoy it.

• They would do much better on the test (if they studied more.)

Would (cont’d)

Hypothetical situations 假設情況

• If I were you, I’d quit the job.

• If they wanted to win, they would be trying harder.

Be going to

Same as “Will” for intention and prediction but NOT willingness

• I’m going to finish these exercises now.

• 比較

• I’ll finish these exercises later.

Be going to (cont’d)

即將發生的事情 ( 預先計劃好或決定的事情 )

• Close your eyes, I’m going to give you a surprise.

• Watch out! The monster’s going to get you.

Be going to (cont’d)

即將發生的事情 ( 預先計劃好或決定的事情 )

• Close your eyes, I’m going to give you a surprise.

• Watch out! The monster’s going to get you.

Exercise 1

• I can swim 20 laps when I was in college.

Exercise 2

• Leo wasn’t there. It couldn’t be him.

• Leo wasn’t there. It couldn’t have been him.

Exercise 3

• (X) Noel could marry a rich woman for her money, but he didn’t.

• 過去• Noel could have married a rich woman for her

money, but he didn’t.

• 現在• Noel could/can marry a rich woman for her

money, but he doesn’t want to.

Exercise 4

• Will you please not to talk on the cell phone while driving?

• Will you please not talk on the cell phone while driving?

Exercise 5

• “What would you like”?• “I would have a cup of decaffeinated coffee,

please.”

• “I’ll have a cup of decaffeinated coffee, please.”

• “I’d like a cup of decaffeinated coffee, please.”

Exercise 6

• Would you ask Barry not use the office phone to call long distance?

• Would you ask Barry not to use the office phone to call long distance?

Exercise 7

• Would you mind if I smoke?

• Do you mind if I smoke?

• Would you mind if I smoked?

Exercise 8

• Whenever I did poorly on the exam, my mother could always encourage me.

• Whenever I did poorly on the exam, my mother would always encourage me.

Exercise 9

• In order to be qualified as a teacher, you must have to meet all the requirements.– qualified – 合資格的– requirement – 要求、需求、條件

• In order to be qualified as a teacher, you have to meet all the requirements.

• In order to be qualified as a teacher, you must meet all the requirements.

Exercise 10

• Passengers do not have to carry any dangerous items on the plane.

• Passengers must not to carry any dangerous items on the plane.

• Passengers are prohibited from carrying any dangerous items on the plane.

Exercise 11

• He must be really hurt when his girlfriend left him.

• He must have been really hurt when his girlfriend left him.

• He had to be really hurt when his girlfriend left him.

Exercise 12

• He may stay home and watch TV right now.

• He may be staying home and watching TV right now.

Exercise 13

• Justine would tell you what had happened, but Keith stopped her.

• Justine would have told you what had happened, but Keith stopped her.

• If Keith had not stopped Justine, she would have told you what had happened.

Review

• Permission 允許– may, be allowed to (special meaning for past tense) – (be allowed to)• We might have a break after lunch.• We were allowed to have a break after lunch.

– can

• Obligation 義務、責任– (strong) must, have to– (weak) should, be supposed to

• Necessity 必須– must, have to

Review (cont’d)

• Willingness 願意– will, be willing to

• Intention 意圖、打算– will, be going to

• Prediction 預測– will, be going to

• Conclusion 結論

• must, have to– The computer is on, so someone must be using it.– Oh no, a traffic jam.

There must have been an accident.There had to be an accident.

– It had to be him!– She’s wearing an expensive dress. Her mother

must have bought it for her.• John didn’t do well on the test. He must

have… (slept | been asleep) during the test.

• He must not have written down any answers on the examination paper.

• He must have slept in all his classes.

• He must not have prepared for the test.

• He must have cheated in the exam.

Review (cont’d)• Ability 能力– can, be able to (special meaning for past tense)

• Possibility 可能– can, may

• Probability 大概、多半– should, be likely to– 造句練習：她不太可能買得到 Lady Gaga 演唱會的票。– She’s not likely to get tickets to the Lady Gaga concert.– It’s not likely for her to get tickets to the Lady Gaga concert.– She probably won’t be able to get tickets to the Lady Gaga

concert.• Concession 讓步– may– He may be old, but he’s still fit. (=Although he’s old, he’s still fit.)

也許…真的…

讓步

• She may be young, but she’s experienced.

• He may be short, but he runs really fast.

• He may not be rich, but he’s always willing to help the poor.

• This may not seem much, but it’s home.

Must

1. My watch has stopped. It must be broken.

2. With that accent, you must be from Taiwan.

3. You must come up and see me sometime.

4. There is no excuse. You must wear a helmet.

Must

5. Johnny left early. He must be feeling ill. (X) Johnny left early. He must have been feeling ill.

6. I must not forget to send Grace a Get Well card. I must have forgotten to send Grace a Get Well card.

7. 一定是有人把我的電子字典借走了。Someone must have borrowed (borrow) my electronic dictionary.

Internal and External Negation

• 將副詞字句改寫成

Mary’s boss harassed her sexually in the office.

Sexual harassment should not be allowed.

• She studied really hard.• She passed the exam.

• She studied really hard.• Therefore, she passed the exam.