MODAL VERBS

There are nine modal verbs in Modern English: must, can/could, may/might, shall/should, will/would, dare, need, ought and let. A large variety of their use is one of the most striking aspects of the present-day English grammar.

The multiplicity of ways in which modal verbs may be combined in actual usage permits a very large number of patterns to be built in present-day English. From a historical point of view it is interesting to note that many of them are of quite recent development.

Modality and tense are so intervened that in English it is hardly possible to combine them as a single variable. Some verbs function both as tense-auxiliaries and as modals. It is therefore of primary importance to see them in contrast with each other as used in different grammatical frames.

On different linguistic occasions a modal verb may perform three different functions: a) it may be used in its original sense, b) it may do the duty of a purely auxiliary in analytical verbal forms correlated with the corresponding simple ones within the limits of the given grammatical category (the Future Tense and the Subjunctive Mood), c) it may weaken its lexical meaning when used in modal phrases expressing supposition, certainty or uncertainty as to the action expressed by the notional verb.

The analysis of modal verbs is made rather difficult by other factors. The point is that their past tense-forms do not often refer to past time at all. Such are the verbs can and may, shall and will, for instance, which are not easily defined in formal terms of grammar learning. Morphologically they have the present and the past tense-forms, but in modal phrases they are not regularly used to mark time relations. Moreover, to indicate past time does not seem to be their main function. We naturally distinguish different time relations in: (1) He can speak English fluently

:: (2) He could speak English fluently when he was a boy. But there is no time difference in many cases like the following:

(1) He may go → He might go.

(2) Dark as the night shall be... → Dark as the night should be...

It seems reasonable to characterise the dual nature of the modals used in complex verbal predicates as follows.

Modal verbs may function as a) "fully lexical" verbs expressing ability, possibility, permission, power, admonition, duty, obligation, need, will or readiness to do something associated with the activity of the subject, e. g.: One must do one's duty. Can she speak English? May I come in? b) modal auxiliaries of weakened predication: will/would, can/could, may/might, must and ought In this latter case they weaken their original meaning and come to express supposition, logical inference, certainty or uncertainty with regard to the action expressed by the notional verb.

Compare the following:

 

(a) 1) If I do the thing, Iwill do itthoroughly, but 1 must have afree hand. (Galsworthy)	(b) 1) They tell me Jolyon's bought another house... he musthave a lot of money — he musthave more money than he knows what to do with! (Galsworthy)
2 )"I can't tell", he would say: "It worries me out of my life". (Galsworthy)	2) It must be a mistake. She can'tbe there alone. 3) "Land ought tobe very
3 ) I ought to go there.	dear about there", he said. (Galsworthy)
4) May I come in?	4 ) I shall be guarded. He maythrow some light. (Galsworthy)

We cannot fail to see that patterns of (a)-type denote modal relations between the doer of the action and the action expressed by the infinitive; patterns of (b)-type express modal meanings as referred to the whole utterance.

The multifarious use of modal verbs in their secondary function has become an effective means to express subtle shades of suppositional modality. Constructional homonymy and synonymity in this part of English grammar deserve our particular attention.

must + Infinitive

In its primary function must is used to express duty or obligation in various degrees. In this meaning it may refer to the future. The idea of past time is known to be expressed periphrastically by had to or was to, and negation by needn't.

In its secondary function must is never used to express supposition with reference to an action in the future, it is not used in negative sentences either. When used to denote supposition must may be followed by both Infinitive I and Infinitive II. In patterns with the Infinitive I the given action and the supposition expressed about it coincide in time, e. g.: He must be somewhere here.

Must followed by the Infinitive II will denote:

a) supposition at present with regard to an action performed in the past, e g.:

A rough estimate of the rate of cooling and growth of the solid crust of our globe indicates that the cooling process must have be gun several billion years ago.

b) supposition in the past with reference to a prior past action, e. g.:

He best grasped, on that first reading, the pain his father must have had in writing such a letter. (Galsworthy)

One night he had been thinking of his mother, and her picture in the drawing-room downstairs, and thought she must have loved sweet Florence better than his father did, to have held her in her arms when she felt that she was dying — for even he, her brother, who had such dear love for her, could have no greater wish than that. (Dickens)

It is to be observed that must used in its secondary function with Infinitive II often denotes such a strong certainty with regard to the action performed in the past that seems to approach the corresponding verbal form of the Indicative Mood as its stylistic synonym denoting a real action in the past with special emphasis laid upon its realisation. The context will always be explicit enough to make the meaning clear.

A corresponding negative meaning is generally expressed by can't + + Infinitive II. Cf.: (1) There must have been a hundred people in the hall. (2) There can't have been a hundred people in the hall.

may/might + Infinitive

In its primary function may is known to express permission or possibility with reference to both present and future time. When it refers to the present, it is often replaced by can. A special idiomatic use will be found in What may that mean? This is used to ask (often sarcastically) about the intended meaning of the previous speaker and is synonymous with What do you mean by that?

In its secondary function may + Infinitive I will denote supposition at present with regard to a present or future action, e. g.: He may be quite at a loss now. You should help him.

Might + Infinitive I used according to the sequence of tenses may imply the same meaning, as, for instance, in patterns with free reported speech: And now that Cicely had married, she might be having children too. (Galsworthy)

May 4- Infinitive II implies supposition at present about the possibility of an action in the past, e. g.: Several very striking love poems may have been written by Dante in the early days of his exile.

Might + Infinitive II in its secondary function will generally denote a supposition which is contrary to a real state of things. Reference to the present will be made by patterns with Infinitive I, reference to the past — by Infinitive II.

An interesting development of recent years is the occasional use of may have (as well as might have) as equivalent of could have when it is known that the envisaged outcome did not occur, e. g.: Had a claim been made when the accident occurred, you may well have recovered substantial damages ¹.

can/could + Infinitive

Can + Infinitive I is not so limited in its use as the verb may. Used in its primary function can may denote:

a) ability: He can speak French. Similarly with reference to the past: She could speak French. She could be very kind at times. In this sense futurity is generally indicated by will be able to.

b) characteristic sporadic features or behaviour, often in a disparaging or derogatory sense. In terms of synonymy, this use of can may be compared with will + Infinitive indicating regular characteristic behaviour.

Here also belong patterns with inanimate subjects, e. g.: Inattention can result in regrettable mistakes. Practice can do a lot of good.

c) permission to do something. In this sense it is replaceable by its stylistic synonym may which is more referential, more formal, e. g.:

You can do as you choose. You can leave now.
Cf. You may leave now.

Care should be taken to distinguish between such negative forms as can't (cannot) and can not. You can't come differs from You can not come. The first says that it is not possible for you to come, the second that it is possible for you not to come.

d) sensation, e. g.: Can you see anything in the dark? Grammar books often characterise the use of the verb can with verbs of perception as expressing the ability to have experience. This, however, must be taken with some reservation. When, for instance, we say I can see or I could see we are generally not referring to our ability to see but to the actual fact that we have at this moment the sensation. Examples like these will be found in numbers. Here is one of them: Her performance, she felt, was interesting to the judge, the jury, and all those people there, whom she could dimly see. (Galsworthy)

The use of the verb can in its secondary function is most frequent

¹ See: B. Strang. Modern English Structure. London, 1964, p. 150.

in interrogative and negative sentences denoting incredibility with regard to the action expressed by the infinitive.

Can + Infinitive I denotes incredibility with reference to the present or future, e. g.: There's something amiss here. They can't be waiting there.

Can + Infinitive II will imply incredibility at present with regard to some action performed in the past, e. g.: "Well, will you tell me then that's the state of mind in your circle; and you said, you know, that your circle is less free and easy than the plaintiffs — how it is possible that such words as 'she hasn't a moral about her' can have done the plaintiff any harm?";' (Galsworthy)

The use of the verb could in its secondary function will present two homonymie patterns:

a) could + Infinitive I or II employed instead of can + Infinitive I or II because of the sequence of the tenses and b) could + Infinitive I expressing supposition with reference to a future action, e. g.: Oh, no, she could not betray him. That would be awful. Cf. syn.: Oh, no, she cannot betray him. That would be awful. (cannot + Infinitive intensifies supposition and is decidedly more emphatic).

Could + Infinitive II is a common device to express supposition or doubt with regard to some occurrence in the past, e. g.: She could not have been more than twenty at that time. (Навряд чи їй було більше двадцяти років). There was dust everywhere, the room could not have been cleaned for weeks. (Galsworthy) (Скрізь був пил, в кімнаті, можливо, не прибирали кілька тижнів). Compare the use of homonymic patterns with could + Infinitive II in its primary function.

In special contexts of their use such modal phrases may have special affective connotation. This is shown by intonation patterns in speech and graphic marks of punctuation in writing, e. g.:

What could she have seen in that fellow Bosinney to send her mad? (Що вона знайшла в цьому Босині, що він звів її з розуму?) (Galsworthy)

"Oh!" cried Fleur, "What did you — what could you have done in those old days?" (Що ж ти зробив, що міг ти зробити в ті далекі дні?) (Galsworthy)

Fleur tore herself from his grasp.

"You didn't — you couldn't have tried.

You — you betrayed me, Father". (Galsworthy)

Come, darling, better go to bed. I'll make it up to you, somehow. How fatuous! Bui what could he have said? (...Нісенітні слова. Але що він міг їй сказати?) (Galsworthy)

Constructional homonymy in patterns with modal verbs must not escape the notice of the student.

Compare also the following:

a) Had he known about b) My mother once mar-

it he could have helped you ried without love. How could yesterday (could have she have! (Galsworthy)

helped — a non-fact). (could have married — a real

action in the past)

should + Infinitive

Should in its primary meaning, especially when stressed, denotes obligation, duty or propriety, e. g .: I think you should help him. You should be more attentive.

Besides its use as a modal auxiliary in the Subjunctive Mood, should is widely current in its secondary functions where its distributional meaning presents special difficulties of grammatical analysis.

The first to be mentioned here are such patterns implying logical inference as: He should be a good pilot as he has had plenty of flying experience. The two should have so much in common. In both the sentences the implication is that something should or ought to be the case according to appearances or logic.

The range of should is wider in that-clauses than in independent sentences. With a governing expression resolving the ambiguity, its use has naturally extended to that-clauses implying determination, desire, command, etc. whether in the affirmative or in the negative, whether from the point of view of the speaker or writer or from that of some person spoken about.

The use of should of duty and propriety stands in sharp contrast to the use of should in that-clauses with expressions of emotion, e. g.: "I am surprised — I might say, shocked —- that you should have mentioned this" where should seems to suggest something that is the very opposite to duty or propriety.

There is a similar contrast between should of logical inference and should with expressions of emotion, which appears from the fact that a sentence with should takes on an altogether different meaning if it is connected with an expression of emotion, as, for example, You two should have so much in common, compared with I am surprised that you two should have so much in common. In a context in which the former sentence is valid, the latter would make no sense. The same considerations apply, m the main, to expressions of disbelief, as, for example, ...it is impossible that he should fail where should suggests logical inference but in a negative way.

It is important to observe the differentiation of meaning in patterns like the following: You should work harder → You shall work harder. The former is not a straightforward command. It is more impersonal than ''You shall work harder" in so far as it refers to a common standard of propriety and not to the will of the speaker, but it is more personal than this phrase because it suggests a thoughtful, not to say sympathetic, state of mind. In point of fact, " You should " is weaker and generally more courteous than the brusque and dictatorial "You shall ". It does not force the speaker's will upon the hearer in the same way as "You shall" does. If we say "You should work harder", we probably wish you to put some more energy into your work, but we do not find it necessary to tell you so straight out. We are suggesting, considerately, the presence of necessity, duty, or obligation, but we are concerned not to give you the impression that we are imposing it upon you. If the thing is to be done, it is not because we wish it but because it is required by a general standard of propriety or obligation, a standard that may apply to everybody.

 

The verb should in all persons has its most characteristic use in patterns where the modal phrase expresses a real action with emphasis laid on the fact that it does or did take place. Variant subtle shades of subjective modal force in giving one's opinion of an actual fact are generally signalled by the context.

The question of the present state and further prospects of international trade is one of great moments to all countries and it was therefore only logical that it should have received such close attention at the Council meeting.

(should have received = has received)

That science in the USSR should have attained so high a level of development is but natural.

(should have attained = has attained)

The use of should V_inf is fairly common in passing a judgement of an emphatic emotional character (subjective evaluation, approval or disapproval, surprise or indignation) on some occurrence.

Thus, it is strange that he exercised (or has exercised) so great influence merely states the fact, whereas: It is strange that he should exercise (or should have exercised) so great influence lays more stress on the strangeness of the action. Similarly: "It is strange that he should behave like that";is synonymous with "It is strange that he behaves like that.";

It seems practical to distinguish the following uses:

a) should V_inf in complex sentences, e. g.:

Odd that one whose life was spent in bringing to the public eye all the private coils of property, the domestic disagreements of others, should dread so utterly the public eye turned on his own; and yet not odd, for who should know so well as he the whole unfeeling process of legal regulation. (Galsworthy)

(odd that one should dread = odd that one dreads) It was a monstrous, scandalous thing, that the police should take such idle, malicious gossip seriously. (Joyce)

(should take — took)

It did matter that some person or some principle outside oneself should be more precious than oneself. (Galsworthy)

(should be more precious = is more precious)

...The idea that George should have taste almost appalled him. (Galsworthy)

(should have taste = has taste)

It is but right that she should see the doctor once in a while. (Cronin)

(should see = sees)

b) should V_inf in sentences with why and how, e. g.:

"Oh, damn it!" he exclaimed, half angrily, half selfcommiseratingly, in combined rage and shame. "Why should I cry? What the devil's the matter with me, anyhow?" (Dreiser)

But if nothing mattered, why should he feel like that? (Galsworthy)

 

c) should V_inf in infinitival sentences, e. g.:

...To think that her fine, wonderful Frank should be compelled to come to this — to cry!

will + Infinitive

Patterns with the verb will in its secondary function may be compared with the analogous use of the verb must. In its modal content will seems to be more subjective and implies a supposition based not upon some facts but rather upon the speaker's own considerations, e. g.: "It's not like Jolyon to be late!" he said to Irene, with uncontrollable vexation. "I suppose it'll be June keeping him!" (Galsworthy)

The verb will in such cases must naturally follow the rule of the sequence of tenses, which is the case, for instance, in contexts with the free reported speech, e. g.: Jon would be in London by now in Park, perhaps, crossing the Serpentine. (Galsworthy)

Patterns with will + Infinitive II, rather common in colloquial use, imply supposition with reference to a past action logically connected with the present. In its grammatical content will + Infinitive II goes parallel with the analogous meaning expressed by may + Infinitive II, e. g.: They have been here some time. Mary will have taken the children to the cinema. (Cf. syn. Will have taken = may have taken = has probably taken).

Next come patterns with would + Infinitive I or II which imply supposition made at present with regard to some action in the past, e. g.: There were Dornifords when I was a girl. Where was that? Oh! Algeciras! He was a colonel at Gibraltar. "That would be his father, I expect". (Galsworthy) In terms of meaning, such patterns go parallel with the use of the Past Tense (would be his father = was his father, I suppose).

Colloquial use has comparatively recently adopted the use of I wouldn't know for I don't know; he would know for he, certainly, knows,e.g.: "If George is there", said Winifred, "he would know";. (Galsworthy)

VOICE