MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs, unlike other verbs, do not denote actions or states, but only show the

attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the infinitive in combination

with which they form compound modal predicates. Thus they may show that the

action (or state, or process) is viewed by the speaker as possible, obligatory,

doubtful, certain, permissible, advisable, requested, prohibited, ordered, etc. Modal

verbs occur only with the infinitive.

There are 12 modal verbs in English. They are: can, may, must, should, ought, shall,

will, would, need, dare, to be, to have (to have got). The latter two are modal only

in one of their meanings.-Ten of them (that is all but to be and to have) are also called

defective or anomalous verbs as'they lack some features characteristic of other verbs,

hat is

1) they do not take -s in the third person singular;

2) they have no verbals, so they have ho analytical forms;

3) they have (except for can and may) only one form and no past tense;

4) they are followed (except for ought) by a bare infinitive (that is by the infinitive

without the particle (o);

5) they need no auxiliary to build up the interrogative and negative forms.

    All modal verbs have 2 negative forms, full and contracted. 

     full form

    may not

    must not

    would not

    should

    need not 
 

Note: The peculiarities of the spelling and pronunciation of some negative forms:

can't [ka:nt] shan't [ia:nt]    , won't [wountj

Сan

This modal verb has two forms: con-tor the present tense and could-for the past tense and for the subjunctive mood.

I can't dance now but I could when I was young. I wish I could go with you.

I. Can followed by the non-perfect infinitive expresses:

1. Physical and mental ability or capacity.

The notion of ability is also expressed by "to be able to".

Mary can speak English quite well but she can't write it at all (can = to be able, to know how to...).

John can keep a secret if he wants to (can = to be capable of).I can drive a car = I know how to...

I couldn't understand him when he spoke very fast (= was unable to, was incapable of...).

The meaning of ability is expressed only by "to be able to" when the reference is to the future, as can, having no infinitive, has no future tense form.

Soon he will be able to speak English quite fluently.

  Note: Can is interchangeable with to be able to when it denotes mere •• capacity. Though in such cases can /could is more usual.

I couldn't was not able to do that new Job; it was too difficult. This man could  was able to cure all diseases.

  But only to be able to is used to express attainment of something, achievement through some capacity. Thus to be able to often combines the idea of "ability" and "achievement". In 'this case was able to means "managed to" or "succeeded in", and could is impossible.

2. Possibility.

a) possibility due to circumstances:

Anybody can make a mistake. Ошибаться может каждый. You can hardly blame him for that. Вряд ли можно его  за это винить.    I couldn't take your coat without paying you for it.

b) possibility due to the existing rules or laws:

In old days a man could be sentenced to death for a small crime. В старые времена  можно было приговорить человека  к смерти за небольшое преступление.

Can is generally used in questions about possibility and in statements about impossibility.

Can this be true? (Is it possible that this is true?) Неужели это правда? This can't be true. (It is impossible that this is true.)

3. Permission.            

Can we go home. Miss? Можно идти домой, мисс?

Не can go now. Теперь он может идти.

     The teacher said we could go home. Учитель разрешил  нам идти домой.

4. Prohibition (it is found only with the negative form of the modal, verb, as prohibition may be understood as the negation of permission-not to be allowed to...). It corresponds to the Russian нельзя, не надо.

You can't cross the street here. Здесь нельзя переходить улицу.

5. Request.

Can you hold on a minute, please?

Can 1 have some water?

II. Can followed by any form of the infinitive may express:

  1. Strong doubt, improbability, incredulity. This meaning occurs only with the negative form of the modal verb.

He can't be working at this time (it's impossible that he is working...). He can't have seen it (it's impossible that he saw it).

It corresponds to the Russian не может быть, чтобы... Could is used instead of can to express greater doubt. Thus the difference between can and could is in the degree of expressiveness, could showing a greater degree of doubt or incredulity. The time-reference is indiсated not by the form of the verb but by that of the infinitive. 

2. Surprise, when can/could is used in questions. It corresponds to the Russian неужели...

Can it be so late as all that? Неужели уже так поздно? То refer the action to the past a perfect infinitive is used.

Note: The Russian negative questions of the type — неужели он не ... can be translated into English in different ways:

a) by complex sentences:

Can it be that you haven't seen him? Неужели вы не видели  его?

b) by different lexical means: 

Can you have failed to see him? Неужели вы не видели его?

Can you dislike the book? Неужели  вам не нравится эта книга?

c) by a statement with the modal word surely:

Surely you've seen him.

  3. Reproach, a suggestion that a person should have done something, behaved in a certain way. This meaning is found only with the form could.

You could at least have met me at the station, couldn't you?

In this sense could is interchangeable with might.

4. Purpose. This meaning occurs only with the form could in clauses of purpose.. May followed by the non-perfect infinitive expresses:

  1. Permission. In this usage it expresses the meaning to have permission to,

You may go now (you are allowed to go).

May we leave this with you? (Are we allowed to...? Aге we permitted to...? Is it all right

if we leave it here?)

The first two variants are formal, the last is informal. Might is used in polite equests

for permission.

Might I use your telephone, please? I wonder if I might borrow your book.

  Can is now more common than may or might to express informally the idea of

  permission, but may is often used when talking of ourselves.

May/might I help you? 

I wrote down the telephone number so that I could remember it. Note some set expressions with the modal verb can:

Cannot/can't help doing smth. - He могу не делать что-то

When I saw him / couldn't help laughing-Когда я увидел его,  я не мог не засмеяться.

Cannot/can't but do smth.- не могу не...

/ cannot but suggest... - Я  не могу не предложить...

It's as ugly as can be.-Это  необычайно уродливо (трудно себе представить что-либо

более отвратительное).

May

This modal verb has two forms: may for the present tense and might for the past. 'The

form might is used:

1. in indirect speech according to the rules of the sequence of tenses (though the verb

could is preferable in this case).

He told me that I might go. The librarian told the man that he might  take the book home.

b) in some syntactical patterns.

. May followed by the non-perfect infinitive expresses:

  1. Permission. In this usage it expresses the meaning to have permission to,

You may go now (you are allowed to go).

May we leave this with you? (Are we allowed to...? Aге we permitted to...? Is it all right

if we leave it here?)

The first two variants are formal, the last is informal. Might is used in polite equests

for permission.

Might I use your telephone, please? I wonder if I might borrow your book.

  Can is now more common than may or might to express informally the idea of

  permission, but may is often used when talking of ourselves.

May/might I help you?

  When the action was permitted and performed the expression was allowed to is preferable.

When translating the story we were allowed to use a dictionary, so I took Galperin's new dictionary.,

2. Possibility of the fact (the so-called "factual possibility"). This meaning occurs only in

affirmative sentences.

to be allowed to, to be permitted to. Tou may find all the books you want in he Lenin

Library. (It is possible that you will find...)

The railways may be improved. (It is possible that the railways will be improved.) 

  "Factual possibility" (may) is "stronger" than "theoretical possibility" (can). Thus the above sentence could suggest that there are definite plans for improvement. May expressing possibility is replaced by can in questions and in negative sentences.

  3. Prohibition (only with the negative form of the modal verb).

You may not go swimming. (You are not allowed to...)—He смей... You may not enter

the room until I say so. - He смей...

The contracted form mayn't is very rare.            •s,

  May is seldom used to express prohibition. There are other ways of expressing this

  II. May (might) followed by any form of the infinitive denotes:

1. Supposition, uncertainty. May in this sense is synonymous /with perhaps or maybe,

and occurs In affirmative, and negative statements.

This news is so strange that you may not believe it. (Perhaps you won't believe it.)                         

He may come or he may not. (Может быть, он придет, а может   She may not know that you are here. (Perhaps she doesn't know that you are here.)

Why hasn't he come? He may have been hurt. (Perhaps he has been hurt. We still don't know whether he has or has not.)The non-perfect infinitive indicates reference to the present or future, that is it expresses a supposition or uncertainty about a present or future action.

They may arrive tonight or tomorrow. 

May(might)in the sense of supposition or uncertainty is not used in questions. Here a supposition, an uncertainty in questions is rendered by: Is it (he)likely? or Do you think...?

Is Mary likely to arrive tonight?

Do you think he has already come?

* Note: The difference between the meaning of the negative forms of can and may:

  He may not be ill.= It is possible that he        He can't be ill. = It is not possible that isn't ill.                              '           he is ill.

  He may not be working. = It is possible        He can't be working. = It is impossible that he isn't working,                          that he is working. .

  Can + negation in these sentences denotes doubt, incredulity on the part of the speaker, whereas may expresses an uncertainty about a negation of some fact.

  2. Reproach. This meaning is found only in positive statements and only with the form might as it is a reproach made about something that has not been done and thus implies some hypothetical wish.

You might at least offer to help.

In combination with the perfect infinitive it renders' irritation (annoyance) that the action was not carried out.

You might have opened the door for me.

     3. May/might partly loses its meaning when used in certain sentence patterns and is in such cases a quasi-subjunctive auxiliary (see § 108):

  a) in clauses of purpose:

Sit here so that I may see your face more clearly. He died so that others might live.

  b) in clauses of concession:

Try as he might he will never be top of his class.

  c) in object, predicative and appositive clauses after verbs or nouns expressing hope, wish, lean                            . 

  2. Reproach. This meaning is found only in positive statements and only with the form might as it is a reproach made about something that has not been done and thus implies some hypothetical wish.

You might at least offer to help.

In combination with the perfect infinitive it renders' irritation (annoyance) that the action was not carried out. 

In combination with the perfect infinitive it renders' irritation (annoyance) that the action was not carried out.

You might have opened the door for me.

     3. May/might partly loses its meaning when used in certain sentence patterns and is in such cases a quasi-subjunctive auxiliary (see § 108):

  a) in clauses of purpose:

Sit here so that I may see your face more clearly. He died so that others might live.

  b) in clauses of concession:

Try as he might he will never be top of his class.

  c) in object, predicative and appositive clauses after verbs or nouns expressing hope, wish, lean                            .

The doctor has fears that she 'may not live muchlonger.   The prisoner had hopes that he might be set free.  

Here are some expressions with the modal verb may I might:

I may/might as well + infinitive-is a very mild and unemphatic way of expressing an intention.

I may as well take you with me.

  Might jast as well means "it would be equally good to" and is used to suggest alternative actions. Though the meaning is basically the same as in (a), "just" makes the sentence more emphatic.

I'll go on Monday by a slow train.

You might just as well wait till Tuesday and go by the fast one.

I'll do it at six.

That's far too late. You might just as well not do it at all.

Must           .

The modal verb must has only one form for the present tense. It may also be used in reported speech, after the verb in the past tense in the principal clause.

I knew I must go there too.             ,

I. Must followed by the indefinite infinitive may express:

  1. Immediate obligation or necessity or an obligation referring to the future. This meaning occurs in positive statements and questions,

We must begin before five or we shan't finish in time for our supper.

2. Prohibition. Such sentences are sometimes negative commands, corresponding to the Russian sentences with нельзя, не разрешается.

The girl mustn't go home alone. It's very late. - Девочке нельзя идти  домой одной.