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    2 Modals To Express Degree of Certainty

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    Alex Atao
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    2 Modals To Express Degree of Certainty

    Uploaded by

    Alex Atao
    410 views15 pages
    English

    Original Title

    2 Modals to Express Degree of Certainty

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    English

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    410 views15 pages

    2 Modals To Express Degree of Certainty

    Uploaded by

    Alex Atao
    English

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 15
    At a glance
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    The passage discusses how modals are used to express different degrees of certainty when speculating or making assumptions about situations.

    Some speculate that Mrs. Carson won the lottery or got a big raise at her job as a teacher.

    The neighbors speculate that the Chins may have been abducted by aliens or are staying with their son.

    2

    Modals to Express
    Degrees of Certainty

    Nosy Neighbors

    Focus on Grammar 5
    Part II, Unit 6
    By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
    Copyright 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

    Nosy Neighbors 1
    Honey, how can
    Mrs. Carson afford
    a Ferrari? Isnt she
    a teacher?

    Well, she might


    have inherited
    some money from
    her family.

    I suppose. Or she
    could have won
    the lottery.

    Who knows?
    She may have
    gotten a big
    raise at work.

    I doubt it. She


    had to have
    robbed a bank!

    You could
    be right.

    Nosy Neighbors 2
    I havent
    seen the
    Chins for a
    month.

    Well, they
    couldnt have
    gone on
    vacation. The
    dog is still there.

    They may
    have been
    abducted by
    aliens.
    Hmmm. They
    must have
    moved to an
    exotic island.

    Then they
    should be
    very happy.

    Or they
    might be
    staying with
    their son for
    a while.

    Speculating about the Present


    Modals speculating about the present are
    followed by a base form verb.

    You could be right.


    base form verb

    Then they should be very happy.

    Speculating about the Past


    Modals speculating about the past are
    followed by the past participle.

    She could have won the lottery.


    past
    participle

    She may have gotten a big raise.

    Review
    Modals and modal-like expressions express
    degrees of certainty.
    Degree of Certainty
    certain near
    certainty

    near
    less
    impossibility certain

    no
    modal

    cant
    couldnt

    must
    have to
    have got to

    may
    might
    could

    Certainty
    Modals and modal-like expressions express degrees
    of certainty. Dont use a modal for 100% certainty.

    The Chins went on vacation.

    Mrs. Carson got a raise.

    Near Certainty
    There are several modals that express near certainty,
    including must have and had to have.

    They must have moved to


    an exotic island.

    He had to have robbed a


    bank.

    Near Impossibility
    There are several modals that express near certainty
    that something is impossible, including couldnt have
    and cant.

    They couldnt have moved away.


    They just
    moved here.

    They cant be out of town.


    They left all the
    lights on!

    Less Certainty
    There are several modals that express less certainty,
    including may, and might.

    They may have been abducted


    by aliens.
    They might be staying with their
    son.

    Practice 1
    Example:

    Use modals to suggest reasons for


    these classroom situations. Speculate
    on what might have happened.

    One of your classmates is late.

    She must have gotten stuck in traffic.


    There was a big accident.
    1. You smell smoke.
    2. The teacher is angry.
    3. The desks are shaking.
    4. You cant find your textbook.
    5. The lights go out.

    Speculating about the Future 1


    Modals speculating about the future are also followed
    by a base form verb. The modals should and ought
    to express near certainty.

    That Ferrari should last a lifetime.

    She ought to take us for a drive soon.

    Speculating about the Future 2


    Use may, might, and could when you are
    less certain.

    The Chins may not return.


    The house might get sold.
    They could move next month.

    Practice 2

    Use modals to express future


    possibilities about these
    present situations.

    Example: We shop for food at grocery stores.


    Smart kitchens might calculate what we need and
    order it electronically. In the future, household
    computers may do all our shopping.

    1. Ordinary people dont travel in space.


    2. Houses are made of wood.

    3. People pay for products with cash or credit cards.


    4. Our fingerprints provide identification.

    References

    Copyright 2006 Pearson Education and

    its licensors. All rights reserved.

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