Functional English Grammar: An Introduction for Second Language Teachers

Functional English Grammar An Introduction for Second Language Teachers Functional English Grammar An Introduction for Second Language Teachers TRUONG VAN ANH Sai Gon Univerity Unit 7 Interpersonal fu[.]

Functional English Grammar:

An Introduction for Second

Language Teachers

TRUONG VAN ANH Sai Gon Univerity

Unit 7 Interpersonal function 2: Modality: deontic and

epistemic LIKELIHOOD

Likelihood includes the four following items:

Modal auxiliaries of likelihood

There are three levels of modals of likelihood:

A- Mai’s not at home Where’s she?

B- She may be at her club

Notes:

- High negative: Can’t

Ex: You can’t be sad (You have won the lottery)

- Mid negative: Shouldn’t

Ex: Mai shouldn’t be in the dormitory on Monday

- Low negative: May not

Ex: Mai may not be in the market

- Mustn’t: Prohibition

Ex: People mustn’t trade opium

Deductions and predictions

Predictions are based on a certain premise They are typically about the future but can also be about the present or past

Deductions are based on direct or indirect evidence They are typically about the present

or past but can also be about the future

Deductions Predictions

He won the lottery He He didn’t win the lottery.

must have been happy He may have been sad.

He wins the lottery He The lights are turned on.

must be happy He may be at home.

He wins the lottery If you put the fried fish

He can’t be poor there, the cat may eat it.

Likelihood based on conditions

There are two kinds of conditions: real and unreal.

In real conditions, tenses are based on the time

In unreal conditions, tenses are one step back in the past.

Ex: If I were in the US now, I would buy presents

for you

(Now I am in VN and I will not give you present.)

Personal judgments of likelihood

It is implied that the writer or speaker uses modals of likelihood to express some personal judgment

Expressions such as I think, I doubt, I am sure,

etc function more like modal adjunctions than like full mental or attributive clauses

Ex: I am sure that our living standard will be higher

Impersonal judgments of likelihood

Formal subject IT may be used to express

impersonal judgments of likelihood Then it removes the speaker or writer’s personal responsibility for judgment

Ex: It is inevitable that our living standard will be higher

It is important that students should not take weapons to school

REQUIREMENT

To express requirements, one uses modal

auxiliaries, clauses with verbs such as permit and require, and clauses with Attributes such

as necessary and advisable

Modal auxiliaries of requirement

There are three levels of requirement

High requirement: obligation or necessity

Positive: We must obey the regulations

Negative: We must not violate the regulations

Mid requirement: advice

Positive: We should work hard

Negative: We should not stay up late

Low requirement: permission

Positive: You may pick some guavas in the garden

Negative: You may not pick flowers in the garden

Note: Modal perfect can express past requirement

Personal and impersonal judgments of requirement

Clauses with verbs such as advise, require, forbid, expect, allow, permit can be used to make judgments of requirement

Ex: I allow you to eat this apple (personal)

You are allowed to eat this apple (impersonal) Clauses with adjectives of requirement achieve more impersonal effect

Ex: It is compulsory for you to obey the regulations (impersonal)

Other areas of modality

Modality includes frequency, inclination, potentiality, and ability

(meaning often takes your books)

That flavor can be very unpleasant

(meaning sometimes)

In teaching we should use adjuncts of frequency clearly instead of modal auxiliaries

Requirement expresses the strength of a directive while inclination expresses the strength of an offer to do something

Low inclination: I’ll finish the washing so that you

do nothing

Mid inclination: I will tell you what the activity is.High inclination: I will give you some money and you can’t refuse

Other ways of expressing inclination are:

Low willingness: I am willing to mow the grass

Mid intention: I’m going to wash your clothes

High determination: I was determined to reach that top

Ability and potentiality

Can and be able to refer to ability.

Ex: Jack can play the piano

Jack is able to play the piano

Can expresses potentiality.

Ex: The direction of the storm can be changed

Could expresses past ability and potentiality.

Ex: My father could type well

My village could produce more rice

Could also combines with relative past tense

(modal perfect)

Ex: He could have passed the entrance exam to Medical University

Potentiality can be expressed impersonally

Ex: It is possible that she is learning now

It is possible to dry hay now

Conclusion: The same modals can be used to

express different kinds of modal meanings Learners face difficulties when controlling modality

Modality, context, and speech act

In different areas of modal meaning and contexts, a particular modal expression will vary significantly

Ex: You may sit down

The clause may be classified as low requirement (permission) In a context where

a teacher says that clause to his students, the clause is an order which to be obeyed

Ex: He’s not here He may be in the canteen

Learning and teaching modality

The modal auxiliaries can present three problems: (1) the same modal may be used to express different types of modal meanings, (2) different modals may express the same/overlapping modal meanings, and (3) the precise meaning or force of a modal may vary in different context

Simple modal auxiliaries should be for elementary learners, and the levels of modal auxiliaries should be increased for intermediate and advanced learners

Identify expressions of modality in the

following sentences and say which meaning (likelihood or requirement) is expressed in each case Underline the expressions and write

L for likelihood or R for requirement in the

spaces provided.

e.g L It can’t be true

1 _ In case you should need any help, here’s my number

2 _ You should be learning English now

3 _ He must be in the cupboard I can hear scratching noise

4 I am sure that I will visit them again.

5 You have to be quiet while I talk to her

6 Somebody must have taken the message

7 The police have been told that they may search newsrooms without warning

8 They hold a conference This should give the members a greater opportunity to share the ideas

9 Animal lovers who think that hunting is cruel but do not subscribe to the extremist view should first ensure that they know all the facts

10 The earth might be just as old as the moon

Good luck!