Monday, 22 August 2022

Proficiency in English language - Part - 17 - Verbs-5 - Modal Auxiliaries (can, could; may, might....)

 

Verbs – 5 – Modal Auxiliaries (can, could; may, might.....)

 

Can 

‘can’ expresses ability or capacity. (be able to do something)

      I can lift this box.

     She can drive very well.

     Can you speak Russian?

 ‘can’ is used in the sense of ‘may’ to give permission. (may is, no doubt, more correct)

      You can go now.

You can take one of these cakes, if you like.

Can I come in, Sir?

COULD


‘could’ is used as the past tense of can in reported speech.

      He said, ‘I can’t do this work’

     He said that he couldn’t do that work.

     They said ‘we can help them’

     They said that they could help them.

 ‘could’ is the past tense of ‘can’.  So it is used to indicate ability that existed in the past.

 Till last year my grandfather could walk without walking stick.

Why couldn’t you attend the function, last night?

They realized that they couldn’t catch the train.

‘could’ is used to express possibility or uncertainty in the unreal conditions.

        You could get good marks, if you              worked hard. (Possibility)

    If I had enough money, I could buy  this property. (Uncertainty) 

‘could’ is also used to ask polite questions. 

Could you please, take me to your manager?

Could you lend me your phone to make a call?  

MAY

 

‘May’ is used to express permission.

 

May I come in, please? (Yes, you may.)

May I leave this place, now? (No, you may not)

 

‘May’ is also used to express possibility.

 

    They may accept or they may not

    You may catch the train if you leave now.


‘May’ is used to express a wish

 

    May God bless you!

   May his soul rest in peace!

 

‘May’ is used in subordinate clause to express a purpose.

 

Obey and love your parents that you may prosper in your life.

 Eat that you may live; don’t live that you may eat.


MIGHT


‘Might’ is used as the past tense of ‘may’ in reported speech.

 

        She said, ‘I may meet him there’

 She said that she might meet him there.

 They said, ‘she may have said so.’

 They said that she might have said so.


‘Might’ is used to denote a more doubtful possibility than ‘may’

 

         He may pass – He might pass.

         The patient may recover – The patient might recover

 

‘Might’ is used to express a gentle reproach.

 

Actually, John, you might have told me about this before. 

In my opinion, she might have paid the fee on time.


MUST

 

‘Must’, can be used in present, past and future tenses.  When it is used in past, it is with the present perfect of the main verb.

 

You must see the manager now. (Present)

We must reserve a seat in advance. (Future)

They must have sent their application before the last date. (Past)

 

‘Must’ is used to express a strong obligation of compulsion.

 

     We must be loyal to our country.

     We must help the needy and the poor.


    ‘Must’ also expresses necessity.

 We must get up early and complete everything in time.

They must build up a strong army to defend their country.

 

‘Must’ expresses probability or likelihood.

 

The calling bell rings.  That must be the post man.

He must be mad to do this.

 

‘Must’ also expresses strong determination.

You must insist on being given your full share.

I must go to that place and help him.


OUGHT 

‘Ought’ is not as forceful as ‘must’ but it is stronger than ‘should’.  It is actually the past tense of ‘owe’.  It is followed by ‘to-infinitive’.  It points out present and future tense.

‘Ought’ expresses duty, necessity, moral obligation etc.

They ought to attend the office regularly. (Duty)

We ought to help the poor. (Obligation)

We ought to buy the necessary medicine for him.

When ‘ought’ refers to past time, it is followed by perfect infinitive.

     He ought to have helped his brother.

They have done things that they ought not to have done.

NEED

‘Need’ is used both as a principal verb and as an auxiliary. 

It means ‘require’ when it is used as a principal verb.

     She needs your help.

They needed some more time to finish the work.

 

‘Need’ as an auxiliary is uninflected and is always used with ‘not’

     He need not wait any longer.

They need not make such a fuss over it. 


Sometimes, ‘need’ is used with ‘hardly’

I need hardly add that you are always welcome.

I need hardly say that I am very grateful to you.


Similarly, ‘need’ is also used with ‘only’

She need only say where she wants to go and we will take her there.

You need only sign this paper and I will do the rest.

‘Need’ is also used in questions without ‘not’

     Need I wait any longer?

     Need he come again?

     He need not pay any fine, need he?

(If the answer is ‘no’, he need not’ it is allowable.  But if the answer is positive, it must be ‘Yes, he must’.  The opposite of ‘need not’ is not ‘need’, but ‘must’.) 

When a past time is referred, ‘need’ is followed by the perfect infinitive.

You need not have come all this way to see me.

He need not have waited for the reply.


DARE


‘Dare is used both as a principal verb and as an auxiliary. 

It means ‘defy’, ‘challenge’ or ‘face boldly’ when it is used as a principal verb. 

     He dares you to the fight.

     She dared to call him a liar.

There is nothing that John does not dare.

 

As an auxiliary, ‘dare’ is uninflected and is used with ‘not’.  But in questions it is used without ‘not’.

    He dare not do so.

     I dare not take such a risk.

     How dare he do such a thing?


The expression ‘I dare say......’ is now used with the meaning ‘perhaps’

         I dare say he will agree to our proposal

         ‘Do you think he will come?’ 

‘I dare say, he will.’


Some equivalents of Modal Auxiliaries

 

1.          Be able to

He is able to do this. (Can do)

They were able to help him. (Could)

 

2.   Had better

  You had better have some rest.     (Should)

  She had better consult a doctor.   (Should or ought to)

 

3.   Have to, Have got to 

   I have to be there at 10 O’clcok. (Must)

   Do you have to go there? (Is it necessary?)

   I have got to help them. (Must)


PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE (MALAYALAM) PART – 17 - VERBS - 5



ப்ரொஃபிசி'யன்ஸி இன் இங்கிலிஷ் லாங்குவேஜ் - தமிழில் விளக்கம் - பகுதி - 17 - VERBS - 5


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---Thulasidharan . V