Modal verbs used in the imperative meaning

 

ASPECTS OF THE IMPERATIVE MEANING	AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES	NEGATIVE SENTENCES	INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
PERMISSION	You can do it. You may do it.	You needn’t do it. (You don’t have to do it.)	Can I do it? May I do it? Must I do it? Need I do it? (The speaker asks for permission)
ADVICE	You should do it. You ought to do it.	You should not do it. You ought not to do it.	---
REQUEST	You might do it.	---	Can you do it? Could you do it? Will you do it? Would you do it? Won’t you do it? Couldn’t you do it? Wouldn’t you do it? (No answer is  required, action only)
ORDER	You must do it. You will do it. You are to do it.	---	Shall I do it?
PROHIBITION	---	You must not do it. You can’t do it. You are not to do it. You may not do it.	---

 

Exercise 273. Read the sentences. What do the speakers want to do or ask?

 

1. Come now, you will obey! 2. She, by all means, is to be home. 3. I think you shouldn’t buy this film, we can rent it. 4. Peter, you can’t just leave your stuff lying all over the floor. 5. Can I be of any service, Madame? 6. You may not carry any sharp metal objects with you. 7. Need I pack your luggage? – No, you needn’t, I’ll pack it myself. 8. Shall I bring the letters, sir? 8. You ought to use hands-on activities to make your classes more vivid. 9. May I please stay for one more night? – Yes, you may, but you must book a hotel room for you tomorrow. 10. You don’t have to send the application yourself, I’ll do it for you. 11. Won’t you sit down? 12. You must follow the group.

 

Exercise 274. Make up a dialogue in English with Modal Verbs used in the Imperative Meaning. Include as many modals as possible. Present it in class with your fellow-student.

 

MODAL VERBS USED IN THE SUPPOSITIONAL MEANING

 

Modal Verb	Russian Equivalent	PRESENT	PAST	FUTURE
must should ought will would	должно быть; по-видимому; вероятно; наверно; конечно	She must be here.	She must have been there.	---
		Prices should (ought to) go up.	---	She should (ought to) make a good teacher.
		He will (would) be her elder brother.	She will (would) have already picked them up.	---
may might	возможно; может быть;   мало-вероятно, но возможно	She may be free.	He may have left.	We may meet her there tomorrow.
		She might be free.	He might have left.	We might meet her there tomorrow.
Can it… Could it…	неужели	Can it be true?	Can he have done it?	Can she make a good teacher?
		Could it be true?	Could he have done it?	Could she make a good teacher?
Can’t Couldn’t	не может быть, чтобы	You can’t be sleepy at 9 p.m. You couldn’t be sleepy at 9 p.m.	He can’t have done it. He couldn’t have done it.	She can’t make a good teacher. She couldn’t make a good teacher.

 

Exercise 275. Develop the situation. React according to the Model, feel free to add your own details.

 

Model. She’s 20 minutes late. – She can’t be! She’s always on time. She may have taken the wrong bus. Well, she must be here soon.

1) Jack will never study at college.

2) I don’t feel like going to the party.

3) Sam is going to quit his job soon.

4) They require to introduce a new version of the program.

5) He never came to his exam!

6) I am thinking of selling my car.

7) It was Marie who did it!

8) They said that he is currently away now.

9) Hillary will marry Tom.

10) I saw her shop-lifting! 

 

Exercise 276. Make up a short story in English with Modal Verbs used in the Suppositional Meaning (about your forthcoming summer trip). Include as many modals as possible. Share it in class.

 

SHALL AND WILL

 

Both verbs can’t be considered purely modal ones. They generally combine their modal meanings with the function of an auxiliary expressing futurity.

Shall expresses determination on the part of the speaker, compulsion or order, therat or warning, promise.

As a rule shall as a modal verb is not translated into Russian, its meaning is rendered by emphatic intonation.

1. Compulsion or strict order.

In this meaning it is always used with the second and third persons and has a strong stress.

 

E.g. She shall leave tomorrow! (Она уедет завтра же!) You shall not  tell him about it! (Вы не скажете ему об этом!)

In interrogative sentences shall is used in the first and third persons to inquire after the wish of the person addressed.

E.g. Shall I open the door? (Do you want me to open the door?) Shall he go there? (Do you want him to go there?)

2. Threat or warning.

In this meaning it is also used in the second and third persons and with a weak stress.

E.g. If you don’t stop insulting me, you shall never see me again!

3. Promise.

In this meaning it is used in the second and third persons and with a weak stress also.

E.g. Don’t be afraid, you shall not be punished!

 

The modal verb will expresses volition, intention on the part of the speaker, or insistence.

1. Volition and intention. (желание, волеизъявление и намерение)

In most cases this meaning is rendered in Russian by emphatic intonation, but sometimes the verb “ хотеть ” is used. It is used with all the persons but mostly with the first person.

E.g. I will lend you as much money as you need. (Я одолжу вам денег столько, сколько вам требуется.) I will not answer your letter! (Уж я на ваше письмо не отвечу!)

Very often will is used after the conjunction if in conditional clauses where it retains its modal meaning, that is of volition.

E.g. You may laugh if you will, but I was sure I should see her there. (Можете смеяться, если хотите, но я был уверен, что встречу ее там.)

2.The modal verb will is used in polite requests.

E.g. Will you have a cup of tea? Will you give me some more cake?

3. Persistence referring to the present or to the future.

E.g. Don’t tell me about it! - But I will tell you! (А я все равно скажу!)

It’s also used in speaking about lifeless things when the speaker is annoyed at something and speaks about a thing or a phenomenon of nature as if it possessed a will of its own (annoyance or irritation).

E.g. It’s no used trying to open the door, it won’t open. (Нечего стараться открыть эту дверь, она все равно не откроется.) The car will not start, whatever you do. (Машина все равно не заведется, чтобы ты ни делал.)

 

Exercise 277. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian, state the function of the verbs shall and will.

 

1. I must and will be free. 2. Well, you shall talk to him! – And so I shall! 3. I want to help him and I will (Galsworthy). 4. Although it’s not my duty, I will see to it personally. 5. if you will wait here, please, Madame. 6. It’s almost ten. Shall we begin? 7. Aunt Birdie says she will not take “no” for an answer. 8. Oh, you shall come back some day, I am positive that you will. 9. I will not be treated this way! 10. Will you kindly bring me the documents? 11. He shall pay dearly for this insult! 12. Give me a hand, will you? 13. We are lucky he agreed to come at all, but he says he shall not comment on the details of the matter.

 

Exercise 278. In what meaning is the verb shall used in the song?

 

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

American trade union song

 

We shall not be, we shall not be moved,

We shall not be, we shall not be moved.

Just like a tree, standing by the water,

We shall not be moved.

 

Terror shall not stop us, we shall not be moved.

Terror shall not stop us, we shall not be moved.

Just like a tree standing by the water,

We shall not be moved.

 

Black and white together, we shall not be moved,

Black and white together, we shall not be moved.

Just like a tree standing by the water,

We shall not be moved.

Exercise 279. Read the text. State the difference between shall and will. Correct their use.

 

Shall or Will?

Any foreigner who is learning to speak English always wonders why the meaning of ‘shall’ or ‘will’ changes with the different persons. In other words, he learns that in the Future Tense he must use ‘shall’ with the first person singular and plural, and ‘will’ with the second and third persons, but when he uses them the other way about, these same auxiliaries mean something different because they become modals.

A little anecdote about a Frenchman in England shows what may happen if one uses these auxiliaries in the wrong way.

The Frenchman falls into the river one day. “I will drown, I will drown!” he shouts when he rises to the surface. “I will drown and nobody shall save me!”

The people on the bank who hear the Frenchman’s cries for help look at each other in surprise because the words do not suit the occasion. It is clear that the man is in great danger and that is why the people on the bank can hardly believe their ears when they hear “nobody shall save me”, which means that he is forbidding them to save him, while “I will drown” expresses his firm intention to drown.

 

Exercise 280. Read the proverbs. Find the Russian equivalents.

        

    An old dog will learn no new tricks.

    While the cat is away, the mice will play.

 

Exercise 281. Read the jokes. State the function of the modal verbs shall, will.

 

***

    Son: Tomorrow is Dad’s birthday. What shall we do for him?

    Daughter: We might let him have his car for a change.

 

***

    Caller: Good morning, ma’am. I’m from the gas company. I understand there is something in the house that won’t work?

    Woman: Yes, he is upstairs. 

Exercise 282. Make up polite requests according to the models.

 

    Model 1. come in -   Will you come in?

    Model 2. shut the window  -   Shut the window, will you?

    Mind that Model 2 is used rather informally.

 

    join us                          have some coffee

fetch me a chair                 see the guests off

give me a book                  have some more salad

hold the line                                wait here

be quiet                              move aside

 

Model 1. have a break -   Shall we take a break?

    Model 2. get some rest -   Let’s get some rest, shall we?

    Mind that Model 2 is used rather informally.

 

    go to the party                   start the presentation

    check out this new shop             pay ahead of time

    dress casually                    leave the car keys with the secretary

    confirm the email               spend some more time here

    talk about it now               drop in on Joe

 

Exercise 283. Translate into English using your Active Grammar.

 

1. Передайте, пожалуйста, мне соль. 2. Она никак не хочет слушать наши уговоры. 3. Нам принести записные книжки и ручки? – Да, пожалуйста. 4. Я не буду ничего слушать! Я права – и точка. 5. Я не желаю разговаривать с вами пока вы не извинитесь. 6. Пожалуйста, выключите сотовые телефоны. 7. Я не буду печатать сертификаты, это не моя обязанность. 8. Вы больше не воспользуетесь кредитом в нашем банке! 9. Он снова скажет тетушке неправду, это же так похоже на него. 10. Я обязательно покажу вам эти экспонаты в конце экскурсии.

    

 

WOULD

 

Would was originally the past tense of will in the same way as should was the past tense of shall. But while the latter has acquired new shades of meaning, would has preserved those of will. Thus it expresses volition or persistence referring to the past.

1. Volition.

In this meaning it is mostly used in negative sentences.

E.g. She was going away and would not say where she was going (Она уезжала и так и не сказала, куда едет.) Mother wouldn’t let me go to that party. (Мама никак не разрешала мне пойти на вечеринку.)

2. Persistence.

E.g. I called the dog again, but it just wouldn’t obey me. (Я снова позвал пса, но он никак не слушался.)

It is also used in speaking about lifeless things in the same way as WILL and is more common in this use (annoyance or irritation).

E.g. The soup wouldn’t boil. (Суп никак не закипал.) The engine wouldn’t start. (Двигатель никак не заводился.)

3. Would can also be used to express interpersonal polite requests and offers, It often acts as a softer form of will.

E.g. Would you give me a knife, please.

              E.g. Would you close the door?

              E.g. If you would wait here, please.

              E.g. Would you like anything to drink?

              E.g. Would you mind opening the window?

Note. Both would and used to can refer to repeated actions and events in the past, but only used to can refer to past states.

              E.g. I would / used to drive a lot.

              E.g. I used to be overweight.

Exercise 284. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian, state the function of the modal verb would.

 

1. Would you then kindly tell them that I accept their kind offer. 2. Most villages would have a manor-house, possibly a bailiff’s house, and a church. There would be orchards of apple, pear, or cherry. Around the village would be some meadow land and three open fields. 3. If you, sir, would kindly step into the waiting-room, I shall be happy to talk to you. 4. Now and again she or her daughter would come and ask if he wanted anything. 5. When he died, the dog wouldn’t eat for two days. 6. And sometimes the children would steal into Samuel’s study when they were sure he was out. 7. He was obliged to sit next to Mr. Emerson, but he would not speak to him. 8. Now and then when one of the ladies was of particular beauty, a round of applause would greet her appearance and she would smile and bow without embarrassment. 9. She would not be satisfied until she had proved that I always was wrong. 10. “You would like to go round a bit, wouldn’t you?” asked Edward. “Yes, I would”,  whispered  Rose,  who would  not  have missed  it  for anything now. 11.

 

“Anyway”, she added, “I wouldn’t tell you”. 12. This composer was always angry when his new symphony wouldn’t come right.

 

Exercise 285. Recall your childhood. What things wouldn’t your mother let you do back then?

   

Model. My mother wouldn’t let me stay up late.

 

Exercise 286. Read the sentences and say if they are: polite, quite polite or very polite.

Model.   Could you pass the butter? – Polite

Would you please pass the butter? - Quite polite

                      Might I trouble you to pass the butter? - Very polite

 

1. Could I have your opinion on this?

2. Would you please tell me what you think?

3. Might I trouble you for two cheese sandwiches?

4. I would like to buy two cheese sandwiches, please.

5. Might I trouble you to wait here?

6. You could wait here, please.

7. You might wish to accompany us.

8. Would you like to come with us?

9. Could you give me a lift?

10. Might I ask you for a lift?

11. Could you help me?

12. Would you like some help?

13. Might I be of any assistance?

Exercise 287. Address your fellow-student with a polite request using Will you…/Would you…?

 

Exercise 288. Translate into Russian using your Active Grammar.

 

1. Я звонил тебе несколько раз, но ты не пожелала поднять трубку. 2. Только после долгих уговоров Пит одевал шапку, и затем его вели на прогулку. 3. Мэри несколько раз пыталась повернуть ключ в замке, однако он не двигался ни вправо, ни влево. 4. Не соблаговолите ли вы подождать здесь? 5. Я все равно не поддержу ваше предложение, что бы вы ни говорили! 6. Вы не против пообедать с нами? 7. Сколько клоун ни пытался развеселить девочку, она продолжала угрюмо смотреть на него и не улыбалась. 8. Потом мы вместе толкали машину, а Паша сидел за рулем. Но и это не помогло – машина никак не заводилась. 9. Он часто напоминал нам о своем скором отъезде. 10. Представляешь, они даже не стали с ним разговаривать! 11. Хотите еще кусочек клюквенного пирога? – Да, пожалуйста. 12. Не возражаете, если я сделаю музыку потише? 13. Я понимал, что отцу известно многое, но он просто не хотел откровенничать со мной.