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GRAMMAR E5 - Unit 1: Future and Modals (Revision) I. Ways of expressing futurity in English. 1. Shall/will + infinitive (Swan 212, 216-218, 629) (a) Pure future: speaker predicts, says what he thinks will happen. Typical example: weather forecasts. often with verbs like: suppose, think, expect, ... E.g. I expect well be there before ten. often in main clause of a conditional E.g. If you go now, youll never regret it. (Note: Present tense in if-clauses and time clauses!) (b) Decisions taken at MoS (moment of speaking) E.g. Im tired. I think Ill go to bed. 2. Be going to + infinitive (Swan 213, 216, 218) (a) Subjects premeditated intention E.g. Hes going to buy a new car (b) Evidence/ cause at MoS E.g. Quick! Shes going to faint! Note: in spoken English: often as an equivalent of 1.(a), but not normally in conditionals. 3. Present progressive (present plan/arrangement) (Swan 218) E.g. They are getting married next week. Often with V of movement: Im going to London tomorrow. 4. Simple present (fixed, immutable) (less common than in Dutch!) (Swan 215) E.g. Tomorrow is my birthday. 5. Shall/will + progressive infinitive (Swan 220) Action in progress in future: Ill be waiting for you at the bridge. Connotation: normal course of events, often used as a polite way to talk about plans. E.g.: When will you be paying back the money?) 6. More marginal forms Be to + inf.: plans, arrangements, <fml>, impersonal style (Swan 91.1) Be about to + inf.: immediate future. (Swan 5) 7. Past in future (Swan 219) E.g. They will have finished by Tuesday. 8. Future in past (Swan 221) E. g. He said he would feel better after a drink. (reported speech) We were (just) going to have dinner, when the door-bell rang. II. Conditionals (Swan 256-264)

Type I (theoretical): If he does that again, Ill kill him!

Type II (hypothetical): If he did that again, I would kill him! Type III (counterfactual): If he had done that again, I would have killed him! Some other possibilities: If you boil water, it evaporates. (cause-effect) Should he come back, tell him that I want to see him If he should come back, tell him that I want to see him. If he were to come back, tell him.... Were he to come back, tell him... Modal aux. instead of shall/will in main clause Other conjunctions: Unless, supposing, what if, in case, etc. If we are to (= want to) solve this problem, we must first come to an agreement. (Swan 91.3) III. Modal auxiliaries (Swan: see index for individual auxiliaries: 358-361, 518-521, 338-345, 121-125 et al.) List: shall/will, should/would, must, ought to, can, could, may, might, need, dare, used to Defective: only 1 form each paraphrases and semi-auxiliaries (e.g. have to) are needed, too. Two types: root modality: involves human control over events epistemic modality: involves degree of certainty/likelihood of events Two degrees of modality: necessity v. possibility Framework of modalities, with typical modals:
Root modality Epistemic modality Certainty (4) SHOULD neutral obligation (5) MUST logical necessity WILL confident statement

Necessity

Volition et al. (1) WILL volition of subject characteristic habit (2) MUST speakers obligation

Obligation to do something (3) HAVE TO external obligation

Possibility

Ability to do something (6) CAN ability of subject (7) MAY speakers permission

Possibility to do something

Factual possibility

(8) CAN theoretical possibility

(9) CAN neutral possibility

(10) MAY (perhaps)

(1)

Examples and further comment: I wont eat it! Pigs will eat anything.

He would sit there for hours. (Cp. He used to work there) She would say that, wouldnt she. (2) You must do as I tell you! Must you do that? I really must go now. Also: Shall I help you? The Act shall have effect as if this section were included in Part III thereof. (3) I have (got) to be here at 8.30 every morning. Also: He asked where he was to put it. In those days, one needed to have a visa to go to the US. (not an auxiliary) (4) A child of your age should/ought to play more. Also: You d better be careful. <infml advice> Pte. Jones will report at 08.00 hrs. <fml> To be taken twice a day You neednt take this down. (Need in questions and negatives) (5) You must find it quite a change being back. Future: Its bound to happen! Tentative: According to the map this should be the way. You will all know that Belgium became independent in 1830. Tentative: Would this be yours? Note: It cant be true v. It may not be true. (6) John can swim. Past: He could swim when he was younger v. He was able to swim to the shore. (But note: verbs of perception/cognition + non-assertive contexts) Note also: dare (cp. To dare to: not an auxiliary) How dare you! (7) May I smoke? Can I smoke? (less <fml>, or cf. (9)) (8) Do you think it can be done? Scotland can be very wet in the summer. Note also: This molecule may be found in several substances <fml, scientific> You might have told me! (disapproval) You might (as well) try again. (suggestion) (9) You can smoke here Can I help you? (between (7) and (8)) (10) He may have been in his room. (Tentative: might) Some other uses of modals: a) Putative should: I suggest that he (should) go It is important that he (should) go. It is a pity that this should have happened. b) May in concessive clauses: It may be a nice car, but its expensive! c) May in wishes: May you be happy!