Systems of Choice

Subject Matter

Roles & Relationships

Mode & Medium

through

through

through

Participants

Mood

Theme

determines the
representation (field)

affects the
exchange (tenor)

influences the
message (mode)

(people, places, things

and ideas)

(statements, questions
and commands)

(prominent part of
the message)

Processes

Modality

Cohesion

(doing, thinking,
saying and being)

(degree of probability
or obligation)

Circumstances

(how, when, where

and why ?)

Clauses in the Text

(the links between

messages)

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

Question
Word

were
Verb

you last night ?

Subject

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

The girl has been playing netball

Probability
Obligation

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.

High

(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 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.

19.

Note : accommodation maximum

2 adults per unit, unless otherwise
arranged with management.

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.