Luận văn thạc sĩ VNU ULIS be to and have to + lexical verbs and their modal meanings from functional and cognitive perspectives (a case study based on lifelines textbooks used in hanoi pedagogical university no 2)

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES  MAI THI ̣ VÂN ANH “BE TO” AND “HAVE TO” + LEXICAL VERBS AND

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES



MAI THI ̣ VÂN ANH

“BE TO” AND “HAVE TO” + LEXICAL VERBS AND THEIR MODAL

MEANINGS FROM FUNCTIONAL AND COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVES (A CASE STUDY BASED ON LIFELINES TEXTBOOKS USED IN

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO 2)

CẤU TRÚC “BE TO” VÀ “HAVE TO” + ĐỘNG TỪ CHÍNH VÀ Ý NGHĨA TÌNH THÁI CỦA CHÚNG NHÌN TỪ GÓC ĐỘ NGÔN NGỮ HỌC CHỨC NĂNG VÀ TRI NHẬN (1 NGHIÊN CỨU CỤ THỂ DỰA TRÊN GIÁO TRÌNH “LIFELINES” ĐƯỢC GIẢNG

DẠY TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM HÀ NỘI 2)

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Linguistics Code: 60 22 15

HANOI, 2010

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES



MAI THI ̣ VÂN ANH

“BE TO” AND “HAVE TO” + LEXICAL VERBS AND THEIR MODAL

MEANINGS FROM FUNCTIONAL AND COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVES (A CASE STUDY BASED ON LIFELINES TEXTBOOKS USED IN HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO 2)

CẤU TRÚC “BE TO” VÀ “HAVE TO” + ĐỘNG TỪ CHÍNH VÀ Ý NGHĨA TÌNH THÁI CỦA CHÚNG NHÌN TỪ GÓC ĐỘ NGÔN NGỮ HỌC CHỨC NĂNG VÀ TRI NHẬN (1 NGHIÊN CỨU CỤ THỂ DỰA TRÊN GIÁO TRÌNH “LIFELINES” ĐƯỢC GIẢNG

DẠY TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM HÀ NỘI 2)

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Linguistics Code: 60 22 15

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Trần Hư ̃u Ma ̣nh

LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Values in modality.

Table 2: Modality and Modulation Table 3: Semi- modality distinction

Table 4: The auxiliary verb- main verb gradient

Table 5: Variant forms of the lexical verb be.

Table 6: Variant forms of have

Table 7: The result of the achieved test

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

DECLARATION……… i

ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS……… ii

ABSTRACT……… iii

LIST OF TABLES……… iv

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale of the study 1

1.1 Literature review 1

1.2 Rationale 2

2 Aims of the study 3

2.1 Objectives 3

2.2 Research questions 3

3 Scope of the study………. 4

4 Methodology………. 4

5 Design of the study……… 4

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 5

CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 5

1.1 Theory of Grammar 5

1.1.1 Definitions 5

1.1.2 Schools of grammar 5

1.1.2.1 Functional Grammar 5

1.1.2.2 Halliday‟s Functional Grammar 6

1.1.2.3 Cognitive Grammar 6

1.2 Concept of modality and semi- modality in English 7

1.2.1 Definition of modality 7

1.2.2 Types of modality 7

1.2.2.4 A cognitive approach to modality 11

1.2.2.5 Summary 13

1.2.3 Concept of semi-modality 13

1.3 Modal and semi- modal verbs in English……… 15

1.3.1 Concepts of modal and semi- modal verbs 15

1.3.1.1 Definition of modal verbs 15

1.3.1.2 Definition of semi-modal verbs 15

1.3.2 Morphological, syntactic and semantic features of modal verbs 16

1.3.2.1 Morphological, syntactic features of modal verbs 16

1.3.2.2 Semantic features of modal verbs 17

1.3.3 Morphological, syntactic (inflectional) and semantic features of semi- modals 18

1.3.3.1 Morphological, syntactic (inflectional) features of semi- modals 18

1.3.3.2 Semantic features of semi- modals 20

1.3.4 Summary 21

CHAPTER 2: INVESTIGATION 22

2.1 Features of modal meanings expressed by „be to‟ and „have to‟ 22

2.1.1 Conventional meanings of „be to” 22

2.1.2 Conventional meanings of “have to” 23

2.1.3 „Be to‟, „have to‟ and the semantic blend between Epistemic and Deontic modality 25

2.1.4 Summary 26

2.1.5 Inflection of „be‟ in present, past, progressive and perfect tense 27

2.1.5.1 Be- as an auxiliary 28

2.1.5.1.1 Be- in forming the progressive 28

2.1.5.1.2 Be- in forming the passive 29

2.1.5.2 Be – a lexical verb / full verb 29

2.1.5.2.1 Be with the perfect aspect 29

2.1.5.2.2 Be with the Progressive Aspect 30

2.2.1 Inflection of „have‟ in present, past, perfect and progressive tense 31

2.3 Structures containing “be to” and “have to” + verb 32

2.3.1 Structures containing „be to‟+ verb 32

2.3.1.2 „Be about to+ verb‟ and „be on the point of + V-ing‟ 32

2.3.1.3 „Be able to‟+ verb 33

2.3.1.4 „Be going to‟+ verb 33

2.3.1.5 „Be meant to‟ and „be supposed to‟+ verb 33

2.3.1.6 „Be bound to‟ and „be supposed to‟+ verb 33

2.3.2 Structures containing “have to” + verb 34

2.3.3 Summary 34

CHAPTER 3- INVESTIGATION AND FINDINGS 35

3.1 Test design 35

3.1.1 Description of syllabus and textbook 35

3.1.2 Objectives of the test 35

3.1.3 Format of the test 35

3.2 Test implementation 36

3.3 Test result and errors made by learners 36

3.4 Application to the teaching and learning modals and semi- modals 38

3.4.1 Frequencies of Vietnamese students‟ errors in using modals and semi- modals 38

3.4.2 The causes to Vietnamese students‟ errors 39

3.4.3 Solutions to the problems 39

PART C: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION 41

1 Conclusions 41

2 Implications of the study for teaching English modals and semi-modals 41

3 Limitations of the study 42

4 Suggestions for further research 42

REFERENCES 43

APPENDIX I