Systems of Choice

determines the representation (field)

Subject Matter

Roles & Relationships

affects the exchange (tenor)

Mode & Medium

influences the message (mode)

through
(people, places, things and ideas)

through
(statements, questions and commands)

through
(prominent part of the message)

Participants

Mood

Theme

(doing, thinking, saying and being)

Processes

(degree of probability or obligation)

Modality

(the links between messages)

Cohesion

(how, when, where and why ?)

Circumstances

Clauses in the Text

The mood system enables us to make statements, ask questions and give commands.

The Declarative Mood

This is a dog.
Statements - You give information

The Interrogative Mood

Who owns this dog ?

Questions - You want information

The Imperative Mood

Get this dog out now !

Commands - You want something done.

Intonation Patterns

 Statements have even intonation

Questions have an inflection at the end.

upward

Commands generally have emphasis placed on the initial verb Exclamations generally have emphasis placed on what the speaker chooses to highlight

Punctuation

A single dot is all I am, The sentence traffic cop. When I say, stop ! They cannot go, I never start, I end the show. Im officer Full Stop !

Where am I used ? What is my name ? Why keep me in the dark ? Why am I always curious ? Why do you get so furious ? Am I the Question Mark ?

Ho, ho hooray ! For me make way ! I wont stand at the rear ! I show things that are absurd ! And I can shout !!! Without a word ! Because the Exclamations here !

Clause Structure (The Declarative Mood)

I have a pet dog .

Participant Full Stop

Clause Structure (The Interrogative Mood)

Whose dog is this ?

Determiner Question Mark

Clause Structure (The Imperative Mood)

Get this dog away from me !

Process Exclamation Mark

Statements are used to provide information, make remarks, assertions and so on. Most written texts and oral presentations consist mainly of statements, unless there is a deliberate effort to interact with the audience.

Examples
Silk is one of the strongest, most flexible materials produced in the natural world.
Shelly sulked all afternoon.

Once there was a man and his donkey.

Questions are used to enquire about something, to request information or to probe. It is Through asking questions that we stimulate interaction. Questions are used primarily in oral conversation, but can also be found in the form of dialogue in written texts.

Question Starters
Who ? When ? Which ? Have ? Does ? Are ? What ? How ? Did ? Has ? Can ? Were ? Where ? Why ? Will ? Do ? Is ? Had ?

Types of Questions

Yes/No Questions
Do you want to come to my house ? verb subject

Who, What, Where, when, How and Why

Where were Verb you last night ? Subject

Question Word

Question Tags
Youre his friend, arent you ? Declarative Clause Verb

Subject

Questions
Questions are formed by inverting the subject and the first part of a verb phrase.

Why Questions ?

Making a request Would you pass the salt, please ?

Asking permission May I come also ?

Seeking suggestions Have you a good idea ?

Seeking advice What will we do ?

Willingness Would you mind helping the kids ?

Deciding What are we going to do ?

Offering Would you like me to do it for you ?

Invitation Do you feel like going to the movies ?

Preference Which would you like ?

Likes and Dislikes How do you like your coffee ?

Persuading Why dont you come with us ?

What questions might the waiter ask a diner ?

Commands are used to get things done or to obtain goods or services. Commands are usually used in oral interactions, though they can be found in written procedures (such as instructions) or in dialogue.

To give orders Answer the phone

To give a warning or caution Watch out for the sharp point of the knife !

An informal matter Have a piece of this !

To instruct Add the butter and then mix at high speed.

A reminder Make sure you come next week.

To insist I insist that you stop fighting at once !

While this may be the most typical way of giving a command we often use other structures when we want something done or someone to do something.

If we want to be polite or make a gentle request, we might use a question as a command

Will you get me a cup of tea ?

Statements can be made to imply a request

The phone is ringing.

Polite Expressions
When we request something from someone or invite someone to do something, we use a polite form of address rather than a command.

(Please) pass the sugar. Would you (please) pass the sugar ? Will you (please) pass the sugar ? Could you (please) pass the sugar ? May I (please) have the sugar ? Can I (please) have the sugar ? Would you mind passing the sugar (please) ?

Please come to my party. Would you come to my party (please) ? Will you come to my party (please) ? Could you come to my party (please) ? Wont you come to my party (please) ? Would you like to come to my party ?

Identify the statements, Questions and commands in the text Death of a Whale

Death of a whale

When the mouse died, there was a sort of pity; The tiny, delicate creature made for grief. Yesterday, instead, the dead whale on the reef Drew an excited multitude to the jetty. How must a whale die to bring as tear ? Lugubrious death of a whale: the big Feast for the gulls and sharks; the tug Of the tide simulating life still there, Until the air, polluted, swings this way Like a door ajar from a slaughterhouse. Pooh ! Pooh ! Spare us, give us the death of a mouse By its tiny hole; not this in our lovely bay. - sorry, we are, too, when a child dies; But at the immolation of a race, who cries ?

Identifying Mood

Write as many questions, commands and statements as you can from a picture.

When composing an e-mail message, the lower case is used to express the declarative mood with normal punctuation. The use of capital letters within a message indicates the composers use of the imperative mood and is considered by the recipient as shouting.

Modality is used to interact with others in a number of degrees

Certainty
We will visit Grandad today.

Usuality
We usually visit Grandad today.

Possibility
We may visit Grandad today.

Probability
We probably will visit Grandad today.

Obligation
We must visit Grandad today.

Inclination
We are keen to visit Grandad today.

Modal Adjuncts
Modal adjuncts express a writers judgement regarding the truth of the proposition. They typically appear just before or after the finite or a preposition.

Presumption
evidently, apparently, presumably, clearly, no doubt, obviously, of course, personally, honestly

Certainty
can, could, should, ought, would, may, might, must, will

Usuality
always, often, usually, regularly, typically, occasionally, seldom, rarely, ever, never, once

Degree
quite, almost, nearly, totally, entirely, utterly, completely, literally, absolutely, scarcely, hardly, on the whole, provisionally

Probability or Obligation
certainly, surely, probably, perhaps, maybe, possible, definitely, positively

Intensity
just, simply, ever, only, really, actually, seriously

Time
yet stilll already once soon just

Inclination
gladly willingly readily

Modal Auxiliaries
Auxiliary verbs are divided into primary auxiliaries (be, have, do) and Modal auxiliaries (can, may, shall, must, ought to, need, done)

Auxiliary Verbs
In verb groups that express probability or time, the modal auxiliary comes first
Time Probability Obligation The girl has been playing netball The girl must have shot the goal. The girl must shoot a goal.

The Distance from Yes to No

Modality can also be seen as the distance from yes to no. It adds probability, certainty or obligation. Modality is often expressed by verbs, modal verbs including can, could, will, would, shall, should, ought to, must, may and might.

Yes

No

Cigarettes are bad for you Cigarettes must be bad for you. Cigarettes can be bad for you. Cigarettes could be bad for you. Cigarettes may be bad for you. Cigarettes might be bad for you. Cigarettes might not be bad for you. Cigarettes may not be bad for you. Cigarettes could not be bad for you. Cigarettes cannot be bad for you. Cigarettes should not be bad for you. Cigarettes are not bad for you.

(positive) Cigarettes are bad for you Cigarettes must be bad for you. Cigarettes can be bad for you. Cigarettes could be bad for you. Cigarettes may be bad for you. Low (positive) Cigarettes might be bad for you. Cigarettes might not be bad for you. Low (negative) Cigarettes may not be bad for you. Cigarettes could not be bad for you. Cigarettes cannot be bad for you. Cigarettes should not be bad for you. High Cigarettes are not bad for you.
(negative)

High

High and Low Modality

High Modality
High modality shows a high degree of certainty, persuasiveness or something that is desirable or likely.

You must buy this little car. Seriously, you will never get a better bargain than this. It is definitely worth every cent. Usually it sells for much more. Actually, it is certainly the best value car we have in the yard.

Low Modality
Low modality shows that we are unsure and there Is room for negotiation.

You may hang blue curtains which match the colour of the carpet. We could possibly put the bed under the window. We might put posters on the back wall. Perhaps there could be a small TV set in the corner ? Indoor plants can look nice in a bedroom.

The Affirmative
Modality refers to the degrees of possibility or certainty expressed through affirmative or negative statements, questions or commands.

The Affirmative
This is my cat. (statement) Will it be alright ? (question) Make it better. (command)

The Negative
This is not my cat. (statement) Wont it be alright ? (question) Dont Make it better. (command)

Modality may also refer to the possibility expressed by the processes. These statements are somewhere between it is and it isnt.

The Affirmative

This certainly is my cat. This probably is my cat. This possibly is my cat.

The Negative

This certainly isnt my cat. This probably isnt my cat. This possibly isnt my cat.

Welcome to the Pacific Palms Caravan Park

Rules
1. 2. 3. Rents to be paid in advance. Visitors cars must be left outside the park. Strictly no permanency. Site occupancy allowable up to 6 weeks. Apply in writing to Manager for additional occupancy beyond this period.

4.

5. 6.

Sites must be vacated by 10 a.m. on the day of departure or an extra nights rent will be charged. All caravans when taking site must have drawbar of van facing roadway. Boom gate cards are not transferable. Cards can be voided if used by unauthorised persons without consent of management.

7.

Children under 10 years of age must be accompanied by an adult person while using all amenities. 8. Fires are not to be lit in the park. 9. All garbage must be wrapped and placed in green bulk garbage bins at amenities block. 10. Campers must observe speed limit signs (walking pace only) and all vehicles must Keep to the roadways.

11.

12.

13.

All water outlets under caravans must be drained into a container or directly into sullage drain. Parents must ensure that children do not damage trees or general park equipment. The park takes no responsibility for losses of property or damage to vehicles while on the caravan park.

14. Fish must not be cleaned under taps; visitors must use cleaning tables provided on waterfront. 15. Noise must be kept to a minimum from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. 16. 5 Amp plug and lead to be used only. Not 10 amp.

17.

No pets allowed on the reserve.

18.

Drain gutters must not be dug; nor grass or shrubs damaged in any way.
Note : accommodation maximum 2 adults per unit, unless otherwise arranged with management.

19.

Failure to comply with the above rules could result in the cancellation or loss of site at the managers discretion.

Consider
Do you consider the rules to be welcoming and friendly ?

Would this be a pleasant place for a holiday ? Would people obey these rules ?

With a partner, turn the rule provided into a polite request

For Example
Rent to be paid in advance. Can be changed to We would appreciate rent payments in advance.

This time, make the rule provided stronger

For Example
Fires are not to be lit in the park. Can be changed to Under no circumstances must fires be lit in this park.