MODAL AUXILIARY

Ø Definition

In generally, modal auxiliary is a verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense. A modal (also known as a modal auxiliary) expresses necessity, uncertainty, ability, or permission. Most linguists agree that there central modals in English: can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should, will, and would. Other verbs--including need, had better and invariant be--may also function as modals (or semi-modals). In English grammar, an auxiliary is a verb (such as have, do, or will) that determines the mood, tense, or aspect of another verb in a verb phrase. Auxiliary verbs always precede main verbs within a verb phrase. Auxiliaries are also known as helping verbs. Contrast with lexical verbs.

Ø Basic Gramatical Rules and Function

v Can/Could

(Talking about ability, Making requests, Asking permission, Reported speech, General possibility,  Future probability, Present possibility and past possibility).

v May/Might

(Talking about things that can happen in certain situations, Saying that something was possible, but did not actually happen).

v Must

(Necessity and obligation, Strong advice and invitations, Saying you think something is certain).

v Ought to

(Ought to usually has the same meaning as should, particularly in affirmative statements in the present).

v Shall

 (Making offers and making suggestion).

v Should

(Giving advice, Obligation: weak form of must, Deduction, Things which didn't or may/may not have happened).

v Will

Talking about the present with certainty, making deductions, Talking about the past with certainty, Reassuring someone, Making a semi-formal request, Reassuring someone).

v Would

(As the past of will, for example in indirect speech, Polite requests and offers, Talking about past habits).

Ø Example

1. Can/Could

v  Making request

Can you give me a ring at about 10?

v  Talking about ability

She could play the piano when she was five. (past)

v  Asking permission

Could I ask you a personal question?

v  Reported speech

He asked me if I could pick him up after work.

v  General possibility

Women couldn't vote until just after the First World War.

       

2. May/Might    

v  Talking about things that can happen in certain situations

If the monitors are used in poorly lit places, some users may experience headaches.

v  Saying that something was possible, but did not actually happen

You saw me standing at the bus stop! You might have stopped and given me a lift!

3. Must

v  Necessity and obligation

People must try to be more tolerant of each other.

v  Strong advice and invitations

I think you really must make more of an effort.

v  Saying you think something is certain

What a suntan! You must have had great weather.

4. Ought to

v  Ought to usually has the same meaning as should, particularly in affirmative statements in the present

You should/ought to get your hair cut.

5. Shall

v  Making offers

Shall I fetch you another glass of wine?

v  Making suggestions

Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

           

6.  Should

v  Giving advice

You shouldn't be drinking if you're on antibiotics.

v  Obligation: weak form of must

The university should provide more sports facilities.

v  Deduction

The letter should get to you tomorrow - I posted it first class.

v  Things which didn't or may/may not have happened

You shouldn't have spent so much time on that first question

7.  Will

v  Making personal predictions

I doubt if I'll stay here much longer.

v  Talking about the present with certainty 

I'm sure you will understand that there is nothing the Department can do.

v  Talking about the past with certainty

I'm sure you will have noticed that attendance has fallen sharply.

v  Making a decision

I'm very tired. I think I'll stay at home tonight.

v  Making a semi-formal request

Will you open the window, please? It's very hot in here.

v  Reassuring someone

It'll be all right! You won't have to speak by yourself.

8. Would

v  As the past of will, for example in indirect speech

He said the next meeting would be in a month's time.

v  Polite requests and offers

Would you like another cup of tea?

v  Talking about past habits

When I was small, we would always visit relatives on Christmas Day.

v  Future in the past

The assassination would become one of the key events of the century.

Ø Exercise

Complete the following sentences using appropriate modal auxiliary verbs. Each question is followed by three suggested answers. Choose the most appropriate one.

1. I ……………………… be happy to meet Robinson.

a) will

b) shall

c) Either could be used here

2. ………………… he play for our team?

a) Will

b) Shall

c) Either could be used here

3. …………………… I get a prize if I stand first in the examination?

a) Will

b) Would

c) Should

4. I …………………. be able to beat him. (Express possibility)

a) would

b) should

c) could

5. Watch and pray lest you …………………. fall into temptation.

a) should

b) would

c) could

6. The old man ………………… recline in a corner and sleep most of the time. (Express a habitual action in the past)

a) should

b) would

c) could

7. I ………………… rather read a novel than watch that stupid movie.

a) would

b) should

c) might

8. …………………… you mind lending me your pen for a minute?

a) Should

b) Would

c) Could

9. Till last year, I ………………. read without glasses.

a) would

b) should

c) could

10. If I ……………….. fly like a bird, I …………………. be with you now.

a) would, would

c) could, would

c) could, will

c) can, would

Answers

1. I will / shall be happy to meet Robinson.

2. Will he play for our team?

3. Will I get a prize if I stand first in the examination?

4. I should be able to beat him.

5. Watch and pray lest you should fall into temptation.

6. The old man would recline in a corner and sleep most of the time.

7. I would rather read a novel than watch that stupid movie.

8. Would you mind lending me your pen for a minute?

9. Till last year, I could read without glasses.

10. If I could fly like a bird, I would be with you now.

Get from:

http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/Grammar%20Guides/3.07%20Modals.htm

http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/modalterm.htm

http://www.englishgrammar.org/modal-auxiliary-verbs-exercise-2/

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES (IF CLAUSE)

                                          I.            Definition of Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences are sentences expressing factual implications, or hypothetical situations and their consequences. They are so called because the validity of the main clause of the sentence is conditional on the existence of certain circumstances, which may be expressed in a dependent clause or may be understood from the context. A full conditional sentence (one which expresses the condition as well as its consequences) therefore contains two clauses: the dependent clause expressing the condition, called the protasis; and the main clause expressing the consequence, called the apodosis.

                                       II.            Rules of Conditional Sentences

TYPE I	IF + SIMPLE PRESENT (will) + VERB I
TYPE II	IF + PAST TENSE (would) + VERB II
TYPE III	IF + PAST PERFECT (would have) + VERB III

       III.    Uses + Examples of the Conditional Sentence Type 1, 2, and, 3

·         Conditional Sentences Type “1”

The if-clause is in the present tense, the main clause uses will and the infinitive, or simple present. “ We use conditional sentence type 1 to talk about possible situations in the present or future”.

Example:

a.         Nature: Open condition, what is said in the condition is possible.

b.         Time: This condition refers either to present or to future time.

e.g.      If he is late, we will have to go without him.

If my mother knows about this, we are in serious trouble.

·         Conditional Sentences Type “II”

The if-clause is in the simple past or the past continuous tense, the main clause uses would and the infinitive, or would be and the present participle (Verb-ing). “Conditional sentence type 2 is used to talk about actions or situations that are not taking place in the present or future, but we can imagine the probable result”.

Example :

a.         Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.

b.         Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.

e.g.      If I knew her name, I would tell you.

If I were you, I would tell my father.

·         Conditional Sentences Type “III”

The if-clause is in the past perfect or the past perfect continuous tense, the main clause uses would have and past participle (Verb 3), or would have been and present participle (Verb-ing). “Conditional sentence type 3 is used to talk about actions or situations that did not take or were not taking place in the past, but we can imagine the probable result”.

Example :

a.         Nature: unreal

b.         Time: Past (so we are talking about a situation that was not so in the past.)

e.g.      If you had warned me, I would not have told your father about that party.(But you didn't, and I have).

IV.    Mixed Conditional

It is possible for the two parts of a conditional sentence to refer to different times, and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. There are two types of mixed conditional sentence.

·         Present Result of a Past Condition

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + past perfect	present conditional
If this thing had happened	that thing would happen.

In this type of mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional. As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.

·         Past Result of Present or Continuing Result

In this second type of mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional. As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical. The function is, This type of mixed conditional refers to an unreal past condition and its probably  result in the present. These sentences express a situation which is contrary to reality both in the past and in the present. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time is the past in the "if" clause and in the present in the main clause. you can also use modals in the main clause instead of would to express the degree of certainty, permission, or a recommendation about the outcome.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + simple past	perfect conditional
If this thing happened	that thing would have happened.

  

V.    Examples of Conditional Sentences

§  Conditional Sentence Type “I”

o   If I find her address, I will send her an invitation.

ü  Main clause : I will send her an invitation; Sub clause : If I find her address

ü  Fact : I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however, that I will find it.

ü  The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Negative Form

o   If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

ü  Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Present and (will)  Future on how to form negative sentences.

§  Conditional Sentence Type “II”

o   If I found her address, I would send her an invitation

ü  Main clause : I would send her an invitation ; Sub clause : If I found her address

ü  Fact : I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address. 

Negative Form

o    If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

ü  Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Past und Conditional I on how to form negative sentences.

§  Conditional Sentence Type “III”

o   If you had told me about the problem, I would have helped you

ü  Main clause : I would have helped you ; Sub clause : If you told me about the problem

ü  Fact :             you did not tell me about the problem, so i did not help you. I would not have got wet yesterday if i had remembered to take umbrella with me yesterday.

Negative Form

o   If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.

ü  Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Past Perfect and Conditional II on how to form negative sentences.

VI.    Exercise

Fill in the blanks with suitable conditional verb forms.

1. If you ————— to learn a musical instrument, you have to practise.

a) want

b) wanted

c) would want

d) have wanted

2. If you  ———– maths at school, you would find commerce difficult to understand.

a) learned

b) didn’t learn

c) doesn’t learn

d) won’t learn

3. If that was John, why ————— he stop and say hello?

a) do

b) did

c) don’t

d) didn’t

4. If I —————- enough time tomorrow, I will come and see you.

a) get

b) will get

c) had got

d) have got

5. If I ———— her name, I would tell you.

a) know

b) knew

c) have known

d) had known

6. If I married you, we both ———– be happy.

a) will

b) would

c) would have

d) would been

7. oil ————- if you pour it on water.

a) float

b) floats

c) would float

d) floated

8. She would have come if you ————– her.

a) would invite

b) had invited

c) invited

d) invite

9. If he —————– well, he would have passed the examination.

a) studied

b) study

c) had studied

d) has studied

10. If you asked him neatly, he ————– you.

a) would have helped

b) will have helped

c) would help

d) will help

Answers

1. want

2. didn’t learn

3. didn’t

4. get

5. knew

6. would

7. floats

8. had invited

9. had studied

10. would help

Get From  :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_sentence

http://inggrisonline.com/pengertian-fungsi-dan-rumus-conditional-sentence-type-1-2-3/

http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/mixed-conditional/

http://abdantamimi.blogspot.co.id/2012/03/conditional-sentences.html

http://www.englishpractice.com/quiz/conditional-sentences-quiz-1/