Modal Verbs ‘Shall’
Shall is never a purely modal verb. It always combines its modal meaning with the function of an auxiliary expressing futurity. It expresses determination on the part of the speaker, i. e. compulsion or order, threat or warning, or promise. As a rule, shall as a modal verb is not translated into Russian, its meaning is rendered by emphatic intonation. #1. Compulsion or strict order. In this meaning, it is always used with the second and third persons and has strong stress. Paula: I’ve got to tell Mr. Tanqueray. Hugh: By God, you shall do nothing of the sort. [...]
Modal Verbs ‘То have + Infinitive’
The modal expression to have + Infinitive is used in three tense forms: the Present Indefinite, the Past Indefinite, and the Future Indefinite. I have to get up at six every day. When water was rushing through the tents and everybody had to sleep in wet blankets, it was treated as a joke. (Prichard) I shall have to take the pupils into the hills, as usual, and see them settled there. (Voynich) The negative and interrogative forms of this modal expression are formed with the help of the auxiliary do. Did you have to walk all the way home? [...]
Modal Verbs ‘То be + Infinitive’
То be + Infinitive is a modal expression. Some of its meanings are close to those of modal verbs and expressions denoting obligation (must, shall, should, ought, to have + Infinitive). This modal expression can be used in two tenses — the Present Indefinite and the Past Indefinite (was, were). Dear Jim, I am to be shot at sunrise tomorrow. (Voynich) They were to go to Spain for the honeymoon. (Galsworthy) To be + Infinitive expresses a weakened order, an arrangement, possibility, or something thought of as unavoidable. The ways of rendering this expression in Russian differ in accordance with [...]
Modal Verbs ‘Should’ and ‘Ought’
Should was originally the past tense of shall, but it has acquired new shades of meaning in the course of its development. The modal verbs should and ought are treated together here as there is hardly any difference between them. Very often they are interchangeable. I ought to have married; yes, I should have married long ago. (Poittsma) There is, however, a difference in construction. Whereas should is followed by the infinitive without the particle to, ought is always followed by the to-infinitive. When reference is made to the present or future, the Indefinite Infinitive is used. In wartime [...]
Modal Verb ‘Must’
The verb must has only one form. The expressions to have to and to be obliged to, which have the same meaning, can be used to supply the missing tense forms of the verb must. And now I must go back to my social duties. (Voynich) I felt that I had to have the air. (De la Roche) Baring, because of the type of work in which he was engaged, had been obliged to forego making friends. (Wilson) Must expresses obligation, necessity, an urgent command or prohibition, and a supposition bordering on assurance. 'Must' expressing Obligation & [...]
Modal Verb ‘May’
The verb may has two forms: may for the Present Tense and might for the Past Tense. The expressions to be allowed and to be permitted, which have the same meaning, can be used to supply the missing forms of the verb may. “May I come along?” asked Karen. (Heym) Jolyor thought he might not have the chance of saying it after. (Galsworthy) You are to stay in bed until you are allowed to get up. (Du Maurier) May expresses permission, uncertainty, possibility, reproach. Modal Verb 'May' expressing Permission “May I use your phone?” (Heym) At any rate [...]
Modal Verb ‘Can’
The Modal Verb can has two forms: can for the Present Tens and could for the Past Tense; The expression to be able which has the same meaning can be used to supply the missing forms of the verb can. “I can’t explain it,” said Therese. “I can’t explain anything I did today.” (Heym) He jumped as high as ever he could. (Galsworthy) How weakened she was I had not been able to imagine until I saw her at the railway station in Chinkiatig. (Buck) Can expresses ability or capability, possibility, incredulity or doubt, astonishment. Modal Verb [...]
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are used to show the speaker’s attitude toward the action or state indicated by the infinitive, i. e. they show that the action indicated by the infinitive is considered as possible, impossible, probable, improbable, obligatory, necessary, advisable, doubtful or uncertain, etc. The modal verbs are: can (could), may (might), must, should & ought, shall, will, would, need, dare, to be + Infinitive, have+ Infinitive. Modal verbs are called defective because all of them (except dare and need) lack verbals and analytical forms (i. e. compound tenses, analytical forms of the Subjunctive Mood, the Passive Voice). Besides they [...]
Passive Voice
the passive voice is a verb construction that is used to describe an action in which the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action, rather than the performer of the action. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is typically preceded by the verb to be and followed by the past participle of the main verb. "The cake was baked by the chef." (In this sentence, the subject "cake" is the recipient of the action of being baked, and the performer of the action, the chef, is mentioned in the prepositional phrase "by the chef.") [...]
Voices of the Verbs
Voice is the category of the verb which indicates relation of the predicate to the subject and the object. There are three voices in English: the active voice, the passive voice, and the neuter-reflexive voice. Active Voice The active voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is the doer of the action expressed by the predicate. Passive Voice The passive voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is acted upon. Neuter-Reflexive Voice The neuter-reflexive voice shows that the action expressed by the predicate passes on [...]