Grammar: Groups & phrases: Verb group: Adjusting interactions: modality

Overview

Focusing on modal auxiliary verbs within the verb group

This set of files deals primarily with the verb group, and so we will focus mainly on modal auxiliary verbs which we can call the 'Finite' element of the verb group. The Finite together with the Subject, makes the clause a proposition. This means that it is possible to argue about it:

 Bozo    will   finish his homework tomorrow.
Subject    Finite

We can disagree if we choose:

No, he won't  [finish his homework].

The Finite has two roles:

	to express primary tense (time with respect to the moment of speaking)
	to express modality (speaker's judgement about probability or obligation)

In these files we will be focusing on the way the Finite expresses modality. The Finite is always the first auxiliary in a finite verb group:

Bozo    will     have    finished   his homework tomorrow.
           Aux 1     Aux 2

Here are some further examples expressing degrees of probability:

1. Bozo must have done his homework.
2. Bozo should have done his homework.
3. Bozo may have done his homework.

In this type of modality the speaker is expressing their judgement of the degree of probability that Bozo has finished his homework.

For more information on modal verbs in general, see Grammar: Word classes: Verbs: Verb formation: Modal auxiliary verbs (can, could)

For more information on the role of the Finite, see Grammar: Clause: Using clauses to interact: Further reading: The role of the Finite verb