features of modal verbs
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Characteristics of Modal Verbs
There are a small number of modal verbs, and they display distinct features that set them apart from other auxiliary verbs.
→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→
_________________________________
| Present tense ✅ Past tense |
|________________________________|
can ✅ could
may ✅ might
must ✅ .....
ought ✅ ....
shall ✅ should
will ✅ would
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This set of verbs differs from other auxiliaries in the following ways:
They do not agree in the third-person singular, as do other auxiliaries and lexical verbs.
(16) *She cans play the piano beautifully.
They are followed by a bare infinitive form of another verb. Most other verbs use the infinitive with to. Oughtis an exception to this rule. It does require a to-infinitive but otherwise behaves like other modal verbs.
(17a) *They must to work on the project.
(17b) They want to work on the project.
(17c) They ought to work on the project.
They have no non-finite forms (present participle, past participle or infinitive). As a consequence, they cannot appear in places in the verb phrase where one of these forms would be required:
(18) *Robertson was shoulding here tonight.
(19) *The Senate has mayed ignore its own rules.
(20) *I would like to will take you out to dinner.
A different way putting this last point would be to say that all the modal verbs have an inherent tense, as indicated in the table above. That table is organized in two columns to show you the relationship between present and past tense forms. In other words, would is the past-tense of will, could the past tense of can, etc.
Because modal verbs are specialized function words, the formal realization of tense may not always correspond with time reference. We frequently use all of these verbs to discuss future or potential events, and so these verbs may not intuitively feel like normal present or past tense verbs. But there are important ways in which the tense of these modals remains relevant.
Sentences with multiple verb phrases often establish a consistent tense, either present or past. As we saw in the previous section, the pair will/would participates regularly in this sequence of tenses. So does can/could:
Past-tense Sequence:
(21a) Scientists said that the volcano, which had been dormant for many years, coulderupt at any time.
(21b) *Scientists said that the volcano, which had been dormant for many years, can erupt at any time.
Present-tense Sequence:
(21c) Scientist say that the volcano, which has been dormant for many years, canerupt at any time.
(21d) *Scientist say that the volcano, which has been dormant for many years, coulderupt at any time.
The situation is more complicated with the pairs shall/should and may/might. In earlier stages of the language, these verbs were once used systematically just as the other two pairs still are. In contemporary English, however, other factors to make the relationship more complex.
Shall, for example, is rare apart from formal contexts, and should has developed uses that are unrelated to its past-tense status. But shall is incompatible with past-tense sequences, and should substitutes for shallin such contexts.
(22a) We shall read Austen during the course.
(22b) We know that we shall read Austen during the course.
(22c) *We knew that we shall read Austen during the course.
(22d) We knew that we should read Austen during the course.
(22e) We know that we should read Austen during the course.
Characteristics of Modal Verbs
There are a small number of modal verbs, and they display distinct features that set them apart from other auxiliary verbs.
→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→
_________________________________
| Present tense ✅ Past tense |
|________________________________|
can ✅ could
may ✅ might
must ✅ .....
ought ✅ ....
shall ✅ should
will ✅ would
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This set of verbs differs from other auxiliaries in the following ways:
They do not agree in the third-person singular, as do other auxiliaries and lexical verbs.
(16) *She cans play the piano beautifully.
They are followed by a bare infinitive form of another verb. Most other verbs use the infinitive with to. Oughtis an exception to this rule. It does require a to-infinitive but otherwise behaves like other modal verbs.
(17a) *They must to work on the project.
(17b) They want to work on the project.
(17c) They ought to work on the project.
They have no non-finite forms (present participle, past participle or infinitive). As a consequence, they cannot appear in places in the verb phrase where one of these forms would be required:
(18) *Robertson was shoulding here tonight.
(19) *The Senate has mayed ignore its own rules.
(20) *I would like to will take you out to dinner.
A different way putting this last point would be to say that all the modal verbs have an inherent tense, as indicated in the table above. That table is organized in two columns to show you the relationship between present and past tense forms. In other words, would is the past-tense of will, could the past tense of can, etc.
Because modal verbs are specialized function words, the formal realization of tense may not always correspond with time reference. We frequently use all of these verbs to discuss future or potential events, and so these verbs may not intuitively feel like normal present or past tense verbs. But there are important ways in which the tense of these modals remains relevant.
Sentences with multiple verb phrases often establish a consistent tense, either present or past. As we saw in the previous section, the pair will/would participates regularly in this sequence of tenses. So does can/could:
Past-tense Sequence:
(21a) Scientists said that the volcano, which had been dormant for many years, coulderupt at any time.
(21b) *Scientists said that the volcano, which had been dormant for many years, can erupt at any time.
Present-tense Sequence:
(21c) Scientist say that the volcano, which has been dormant for many years, canerupt at any time.
(21d) *Scientist say that the volcano, which has been dormant for many years, coulderupt at any time.
The situation is more complicated with the pairs shall/should and may/might. In earlier stages of the language, these verbs were once used systematically just as the other two pairs still are. In contemporary English, however, other factors to make the relationship more complex.
Shall, for example, is rare apart from formal contexts, and should has developed uses that are unrelated to its past-tense status. But shall is incompatible with past-tense sequences, and should substitutes for shallin such contexts.
(22a) We shall read Austen during the course.
(22b) We know that we shall read Austen during the course.
(22c) *We knew that we shall read Austen during the course.
(22d) We knew that we should read Austen during the course.
(22e) We know that we should read Austen during the course.
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