Modals are an integral part of the English language. They could earn one respect, a hard stare, a spank or in worst cases, a sack. Something like getting the what-did-you-just-say sack or you-go-collect stare. Either way, none is pleasant.
Understanding when and where to use them is not only pertinent but necessary.
So when an English speaker says,
Could you shut the door?
Would you do that for me?
Might you be kind enough to put this there?
Should I tell you what to do always?
He or she is trying to make a polite request in the first three sentences. However, the last sentence sounds like something said with a scowl. Scary!
Shall, should, ought to, have to, had better and had to can be used on different occasions to express a speaker's attitude to different situations.
Study the following sentences:
1. I shall see them next week.
2. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
3. The contractor shall be punished by the government.
First, you must have observed that shall in sentence 1, expresses a future event just like will. It takes the first-person pronoun “I” and in other cases “we”. As in “I/we shall see them next week”.
Next, “shall” is used in sentences 2 and 3 to indicate a command or obligation. This is commonly used in legal documents and the Bible. In such situations, shall usually occur with the second and third person pronoun (you, she, he, it).
See these sentences too
1. You should relax.
2. You ought to apologize to Ukpono.
3. You had better complete the work on time so you can get your money.
In the three sentences above, the modals should, ought to and had better are used to advise someone.
The modal auxiliaries should and ought to can be used to talk about what we expect or express our expectations. For example:
1. Kayode should arrive anytime soon. (what we expect)
2. Iniubong ought to have built the house with quality materials (express our expectations)
Now, let's consider this scenario. You returned home from school exhausted and very hungry. As you head to the kitchen still dressed in your school uniform, you tripped. It happens that Chichi your younger sibling dropped one of the collectibles carelessly on the floor.
Annoyed you either say, “Chichi should have picked up these toys” or “Chichi shouldn't have left these toys on the floor”.
When English speakers use should with have, they express that something is the thing to do or not the right thing to do. In the first sentence, you are trying to express that something is the right thing to do which is “should have picking up the toys”. In the sentence, you try to express that what Chichi did was not the right thing to do. She should not have left those toys on the floor”.
Have to. You are familiar with this one. This modal auxiliary verb is used to show that something is necessary. As in “I have to read for my forthcoming examinations” or “Children don't have to beg before they eat”.
The modal “have to” can be combined with will or may/might.
Examples:
1. @jeuco will have to wait for the principal.
2. The woman is traumatized. She may have to see a therapist.
Have you ever heard of the modal had better?
It is used to express advisability, but it further conveys the idea that there may be unfavourable consequences if something is not done.
N. B: Though had is past, the term had better is used in present or future tenses. See the example below:
The weather is cold; you had better wear something thick.
Another expression that is similar to had better is it's time. However, the latter is used with the past tense form of the verb even though we are talking in the present.
Examples
- It is time we did our homework.
- It's high time they started reading for their examination.
- It's high time students understood that examination malpractice is evil.
We are finally done for today. Time to take a test. Just as I had promised @ikramullah, it is going to be simple and fun.
Here is what to do:
1. Click on this link https://forms.gle/LmpaFNx3SmLcFiP27. 5-10 MINUTES OF FUN AWAIT YOU‼️
2. After completing the test, make a diary post on Steemkids Community with the topic, “My Word Chest Adventure: What I Have Learnt in the Last Three Weeks”.
3. Tag me on your post.
4. Invite your friends.
5. Vote and resteem this post.