Making Perfect Requests
Dear Lemlem
I checked again today to see if you had sent in your blog, but you must still be busy with your work. I am sure that many learners around the world would like to hear more about your project, so please keep us up to date.
Well, I see that my question about modal auxiliary verbs was obviously too easy for you! If anyone would like to read an explanation of their usage, please read the excellent comments sent in about yesterday’s entry! So you see, I make my students do all the hard work in the classroom! Modal auxiliaries are extremely common in conversation, the most frequently used being will, would, can and could. Monica is right when she says that British people use modals a lot, and they do make speech seem more polite. On the surface we are a very polite nation, we use indirect ways of asking questions, making requests and offering suggestions. But underneath the pristine manners and stiff-upper lip, we are really a nation of small-timemoaners and groaners who complain about all kinds of things in private to our husbands and wives, our close colleagues and friends. We love to moan! But we never make a fuss in public!
To get back to modals, their main use is to convey different conditions. I can’t explain all of the rules here, but any good grammar book will contain a section on modal auxiliaries. Here is my mini-summary of their functions:
ability = can, could
possibility = may, might, could
permission = may, can
polite requests = may, might, could
obligation / duty = must, should
intention = will, would, shall
certainty / deduction = must
suggestions = should, would
Here is a task to keep you busy over the weekend. Choose a modal auxiliary for each gap. Use the present tense.
Some learners have sent in comments about the weather in their home countries. This ________ (1) be because they are taking part in the current global interest in climate change, which ________(2) have been brought about by global warming. On the other hand, the learners in question ________ (3) just be responding to the references to weather contained in one of the teacher blog entries this week. One thing is sure: global warming ________(4) be here to stay, so we ________ (5) take preventative action now. The growing consensus is that there __________ (6) be cooperation at an international level.
My next post will be on Monday evening.
Best wishes,
Samantha
Ps. Aaron, we have received your comments, please check the comments for the “Catching Up” and “Ellipsis” entries!
USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
Pristine (adjective)
Faultless, perfect.
stiff-upper lip (noun)
This means the famous English reserve, or reluctance to show strong emotions in public.
small-time (adjective)
Insignificant, trivial.
moaners and groaners (noun)
People who complain all the time.
make a fuss (verb)
This means to behave in a manner that attracts attention or is socially unacceptable.
consensus (noun)
A general agreement reached by a group or party of representatives.
Comments
Hello Samantha. I really enjoy the words and expressions explanations that you put in your blog today. They make our English sounds better.I´m a shy person, so I have some reserves when I have to talk in English. I think it sounds terrible, I become to be a little bit moaner and groaner because that.But I don´t give up! I´m looking for information, I try to learn as much as I can. And this blog is a very important tool in my learning. Regards.
dear samantha, your people's behavior is social base manner and i believe that it is a great way for having calm social!
hi,samantha. another question abuot grammar!i enourage myself to send in the answer.i wonder if they are right.they are:may,can,may,must,shall,must.i am looking forward to read your next blog to check the answer.oh, what should i do if most of my answers are wrong?
Hello Samantaha! My answers sounds: 1) might 2) would 3) could 4) must 5) can 6) should I hope I am right. Best wishes.
Dear Samantha, I sent a comment to your February 8th blog which didn't appeared on the comment page. I think that it lost in the cyberspace. It is very true that British people are very polite. They always talk very politely. In our language , we don't have such as modal auxillary verbs. For an example: Can I help you?(British)We ask What do you want? We ask every think directly. Answers for your exercise 1. would 2.would 3. must 4. will 5. should 6. might . Some of my friends are very concern about the enviorment. One of my friend is a doctor who is a vegeterian, never use any disposable things to protect our lovely world. Thank you Samantha for your home work on the weekend. Kind regards.
hi It's very helpful to us learners of English language to visit this site. i would like to see phrasal verbs mentioned here. I am a fan of BBC.CO.UK. Congratulations to everybody nelson
Hi Samantha, I post my comments about your previous blog, but I can't see them. I felt so sorry. I don't know why.
Hello Samantha! Modal auxiliary verbs are confusing for learners as you can guess. I'll keep my answers to check them later.My former teacher used also the word 'probability' when she was explaining the modal verbs to me. Is there any difference between 'probability'and 'possibility'?I suppose there is slight one.If I am right,which modal verb would you use for probability? I also can remember that the word 'would' can be used to describe past events.For example:'My grandma would get down the stairs.After that she would sit on the sofa and would stare trough the window all morning.' I hope you understand my thought. Thank you! Diema
Hi,Samantha I've just done my homework which you gave us last Friday.Here is my answers.1.may/might/could 2.must 3.should/would 4.will/would/shall 5.must/should 6.should would By the way,one of my friedns has e-mailed this,just try this.It is from an orphedic.This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot. 1)Without anyone watching you(they might think you are goofy)and while sitting where you are at your desk in fornt of your computer,lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. 2)Now,while doing this,draw the number"6" in the air with your right hand.your foot change the direction. I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it. have a good day!
Hi Samanath, 1. May. 2. Might, 3. Must, 4.must, 5.should, 6.should. I couldn’t differentiate which one is obligation and which one is ability in the paragraph you have given. I must concentrate on that. I am not sure about the answers.
Dear Samantha It is good to see your commnet again. I have tried to do the homework you have sent us, but I am quite right that I am wrong in my answers. So, let's go: 1) might, 2) must, 3) could, 4) must, 5) must and 6) might. Perhaps this errors has happened because of before I asnwered the questions, I spent almost a half an hour in front of my computer, trying to do what Hyoshil said in his comment, ahahah. (*)I couldn't do that. Could you?
Hello everybody, I hope you all have a nice week full of novelties and new learning. Well, let me try to do the exercise devised by our e-teacher.Number 1 could be a modal of possibility such as may,might, could. Number 2 could be a modal of deduction such as must.Number 3 could be another modal of possibility.Number 4 deduction such as must. Number 5 obligation should or must.Number 6 suggestion like should. In fact, I have a hunch that the choice of which modal to use is much more in the hands of the person who is talking, cause she knows what she intends to say. Do you know what I mean? That's why some grammar exercises can lead to confusion sometimes. It's intersting when you say that you British are prone to be moaners and groaners. I know an English bloke who is like that. I guess he must be an English to the core always complaining. When he is in Brazil he misses England and its bangers and mash, when he is England he wishes he were in Brazil sauvoring our barbecue. Really funny this friend of mine, in fact he's got itchy feet.He is a globo-trotter like you were, Samantha.As you wisely mentioned in the gapped text now we became world citizians( if not globo-trotters at least internet-trotters) and therefore should care about our Gaia planet that has been agonizing with our greed. That's why we must get together as a whole nation and do the right things to save our planet and its people.And it's nice to see that Lemlem is already giving his contribution helping save the HIV and Aids suffers. By the way where are you Lemlem? There are so many things I'd like to know about your work. Cheerio,
Hi Samantha, this is my first time to post comment. I think 1)could 2)might 3)should 4)must 5)sould 6)would. I think there is some way to answer. I hope it's not wrong.. thank you.
I would like to know about the use of obligation i.e. am to, is to, are to
could u please explain me the meaning of check it out and check this out
Very very very very good
a euphoric day! it's really a pleasure for having discovered this website.it helps me at times that i have to look for some worksheet related to my grammar lessons...
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