MODAL AUXILIARY

Aisyah Rizana Rahmah/10213505/4ea18

MODAL AUXILIARY

            The principal English modal auxiliaries are can, could, may, might, ought to, shall, should, will and would, do not change form for different subjects. The simple form of using modals auxiliaries as follows form bellow:

I	Modals + Verb 1 + Adjective
You (Singular)
He
We
You (Plural)
They

            There is separate section or purpose on the modal auxiliaries, which divides these verbs into their various meanings of necessity, advice, ability, expectation, permission, possibility, etc. But there are several cases for example of using modals such as have, has and had. These word is using to forming present perfect tense and past perfect tense which is they have form as follow form below:

Present Perfect Tense	Past Perfect Tense
Subject + (Have/Has) + V3 + Adjective	Subject + Had + V3 + Adjective

            Example for present perfect tense, “I have finished my homework.”. and then an example for past perfect tense, “I had visited Tokyo Tower last year.”. For other words of modal auxiliaries can follow simple form as follow in first table.

Ø  Uses of Can and Could

The modal auxiliary can be used to express ability (in the sense of being able to do something or knowing how to do something). Example: He can speak Indonesian but he can’t write it very well. And then the modal auxiliary could be used to express an ability in the past. Example: I could ride a bicycle when I was kid.

Ø  Uses of May and Might

            May can be used to asking permission. For example,“May I join to your class?”. And then might is the past tense of may, Might is considerably more tentative than may. Might also can be used for asking permission and expressing possibility. For example, “He might be my supervisor for my final task.”.

Ø  Uses of will and Would

            Will can be used to express intention (especially in the first person). For example, “I will finish my homework later.”. and then would can be used to offer some product to somebody in the polite way. For example, “Would you like to order some coffee sir?”.

Ø  Uses of Shall and Should

            Shall is used to express the simple future for first person I and we. For example, “Shall we be traveling to Tokyo next holiday?”. And then should can be used for advising someone to do something. For example, “You should go to doctor if you are sick.”.

References

[1]	Capital Community College Foundation, "Helping and Modal Auxiliary Verbs," 2004. [Online]. Available: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/auxiliary.htm. [Accessed 16 June 2017].