Functional English Grammar An Introduction for Second Language Teachers Functional English Grammar An Introduction for Second Language Teachers TRUONG VAN ANH Sai Gon Univerity Unit 7 Interpersonal fu[.]
Functional English Grammar: An Introduction for Second Language Teachers TRUONG VAN ANH Sai Gon Univerity Unit Interpersonal function 2: Modality: deontic and epistemic LIKELIHOOD Likelihood includes the four following items: Modal auxiliaries Modal adjuncts (certainly, possibly, probably) Attributive clauses Mental process clauses of cognition Modal auxiliaries of likelihood There are three levels of modals of likelihood: - High: Certainly You have won the lottery You must be happy - Mid: Probably A- Where’s Mai? B- She ought to be at school Today’s Monday - Low: Possibly A- Mai’s not at home Where’s she? B- She may be at her club Notes: - High negative: Can’t Ex: You can’t be sad (You have won the lottery) - Mid negative: Shouldn’t Ex: Mai shouldn’t be in the dormitory on Monday - Low negative: May not Ex: Mai may not be in the market - Mustn’t: Prohibition Ex: People mustn’t trade opium Deductions and predictions Predictions are based on a certain premise They are typically about the future but can also be about the present or past Deductions are based on direct or indirect evidence They are typically about the present or past but can also be about the future Deductions Predictions He won the lottery He must have been happy He wins the lottery He must be happy He didn’t win the lottery He may have been sad The lights are turned on He may be at home He wins the lottery If you put the fried fish He can’t be poor there, the cat may eat it Likelihood based on conditions There are two kinds of conditions: real and unreal In real conditions, tenses are based on the time In unreal conditions, tenses are one step back in the past Ex: If I were in the US now, I would buy presents for you (Now I am in VN and I will not give you present.) Teaching conditions Usually, there are three types of conditions The meanings of conditions are strictly based on the types: future possible, present unreal and past unreal) The information should be known, based on the specific types of conditions It may be worth noting that a further type of conditional using SHOULD Ex: Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me (Very formal) Personal judgments of likelihood It is implied that the writer or speaker uses modals of likelihood to express some personal judgment Expressions such as I think, I doubt, I am sure, etc function more like modal adjunctions than like full mental or attributive clauses Ex: I am sure that our living standard will be higher Impersonal judgments of likelihood Formal subject IT may be used to express impersonal judgments of likelihood Then it removes the speaker or writer’s personal responsibility for judgment Ex: It is inevitable that our living standard will be higher It is important that students should not take weapons to school REQUIREMENT To express requirements, one uses modal auxiliaries, clauses with verbs such as permit and require, and clauses with Attributes such as necessary and advisable Modal auxiliaries of requirement There are three levels of requirement High requirement: obligation or necessity Positive: We must obey the regulations Negative: We must not violate the regulations Mid requirement: advice Positive: We should work hard Negative: We should not stay up late Low requirement: permission Positive: You may pick some guavas in the garden Negative: You may not pick flowers in the garden Note: Modal perfect can express past requirement Personal and impersonal judgments of requirement Clauses with verbs such as advise, require, forbid, expect, allow, permit can be used to make judgments of requirement Ex: I allow you to eat this apple (personal) You are allowed to eat this apple (impersonal) Clauses with adjectives of requirement achieve more impersonal effect Ex: It is compulsory for you to obey the regulations (impersonal) Other areas of modality Modality includes frequency, inclination, potentiality, and ability Frequency Frequency expresses judgments about how often a state of affairs is Ex: She’ll take your books whenever you’re away (meaning often takes your books) That flavor can be very unpleasant (meaning sometimes) In teaching we should use adjuncts of frequency clearly instead of modal auxiliaries Requirement expresses the strength of a directive while inclination expresses the strength of an offer to something Low inclination: I’ll finish the washing so that you nothing Mid inclination: I will tell you what the activity is High inclination: I will give you some money and you can’t refuse Other ways of expressing inclination are: Low willingness: I am willing to mow the grass Mid intention: I’m going to wash your clothes High determination: I was determined to reach that top Ability and potentiality Can and be able to refer to ability Ex: Jack can play the piano Jack is able to play the piano Can expresses potentiality Ex: The direction of the storm can be changed Could expresses past ability and potentiality Ex: My father could type well My village could produce more rice Could also combines with relative past tense (modal perfect) Ex: He could have passed the entrance exam to Medical University Potentiality can be expressed impersonally Ex: It is possible that she is learning now It is possible to dry hay now Conclusion: The same modals can be used to express different kinds of modal meanings Learners face difficulties when controlling modality Modality, context, and speech act In different areas of modal meaning and contexts, a particular modal expression will vary significantly Ex: You may sit down The clause may be classified as low requirement (permission) In a context where a teacher says that clause to his students, the clause is an order which to be obeyed Ex: He’s not here He may be in the canteen Learning and teaching modality The modal auxiliaries can present three problems: (1) the same modal may be used to express different types of modal meanings, (2) different modals may express the same/overlapping modal meanings, and (3) the precise meaning or force of a modal may vary in different context Simple modal auxiliaries should be for elementary learners, and the levels of modal auxiliaries should be increased for intermediate and advanced learners Identify expressions of modality in the following sentences and say which meaning (likelihood or requirement) is expressed in each case Underline the expressions and write L for likelihood or R for requirement in the spaces provided e.g L It can’t be true _ In case you should need any help, here’s my number _ You should be learning English now _ He must be in the cupboard I can hear scratching noise ... Ability and potentiality Can and be able to refer to ability Ex: Jack can play the piano Jack is able to play the piano Can expresses potentiality Ex: The direction of the storm can be changed... should be for elementary learners, and the levels of modal auxiliaries should be increased for intermediate and advanced learners Identify expressions of modality in the following sentences and say... used to express different types of modal meanings, (2) different modals may express the same/overlapping modal meanings, and (3) the precise meaning or force of a modal may vary in different context