Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ESL Workshop
Presented by Dana Atwell, ESL Coordinator Atwell
esl@uis.edu
Academic Writing
Asks you to: y Analyze Synthesize S th i Interpret Discuss Explore Expand Infer To see how you respond to information
Will
would
can
could
shall
Modals
Modals = verbs that offer shades of meaning Modals express varying degrees of possibility or certainly about a statement Modals can improve your credibility
should
may y
might g
must
Form: Modals
Invariable do not change in number Followed b b F ll d by base f form of main verb f i b (should do) or helping verb + main verb do) (should be doing) ( h ld b doing) d i Never insert to between modal + verb
Scale of Certainty
could/might may should must will weak inference/ low possibility stronger/perhaps, stronger/perhaps quite possibly strong/ moderate possibility, probable very strong/ certainly strongest/ very certainly
may
should
must
will
Impossibility
Past time
To express degrees of possibility about past time, use: might, may, could, should, might may could should would
If the results had come in sooner, it might have made a difference. f ff vs. If the results come tomorrow, it may make a difference.
Exercise
Use a modal verb in place of the underlined words and phrases. You might need to reconstruct the sentence rather than substitute words. Example: It is certain that the sales tax is going to increase next year. Answer: Sales tax will increase next year.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
The i i found i i Th scientist f d it impossible to present h analysis b ibl her l i because she h d h had not collected all her data. There is a low possibility that the shipment arrived yesterday afternoon. It is quite likely that locally-grown tomatoes are available at the farmers locallymarket. It is surely not possible that he is the person they hired! It has rained for four days, so it is highly probably that the ground is very ggy soggy. He is likely to see benefits from his exercise program. The winds are increasing at an alarming rate so there is a high probability that a tornado is on the way.
Raimes, Ann. Grammar Troublespots. New York: Cambridge University Press, Troublespots. 2004. 75.
Answer Key
1. 2. 3. 4. 4 5. 6. 7. 7
The scientist couldnt present her analysis The shipment might have arrived yesterday afternoon. Locally grown tomatoes should be available He cant be the person they hired! can t so the ground must be very soggy. He should see benefits from his exercise program so a tornado must be on the way so way.
Raimes, Ann. Grammar Troublespots. New York: Troublespots. Cambridge University Press, 2004. 178. g y
Summary
Modals shade meaning
Many contexts (requesting, recommending, M t t ( ti di expressing ability, academic writing) Modal + Verb
Never modal + modal +verb or modal + to +verb
Further Resources
1.http://www.englishpage.com/modals/moda 1.http://www englishpage com/modals/moda 1 http://www.englishpage.com/modals/moda lintro.html 2.http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/grammar/ar 2.http://www learnenglish org uk/grammar/ar 2 http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/grammar/ar chive/modal_verbs01.html 3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_modal 3.htt // 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_modal iki di / iki/E li h d l _auxiliary_verb 4. Your writing handbook