April 17, 2003.
About Modals.
Lesson Eight introduces the modal verbs. These are verbs that are used to express a speaker's mood or emotion. Modals can be used to express ability, advice, desire, necessity,or permission.
They are always used with "He can speak German." "Can" shows ability and "speak" tells what the ability is. Notice that the modals do not add an "s" in the third person singular form.
Some other verbs are used like modals, but they have more than one part. These verbs include "have to," "be able to," and "be supposed to." They work like any simple verb because you have to have subject-verb agreement. For example, "I am supposed to go to the dentist tomorrow," and "He has to go as well." Notice that the first verbs agree with he subject.
Bonus Point Challenge
Week Fourteen: Modals.
Email your answers to freddib@mail.uca.edu by Monday, April 21, 1:00 p.m.
1. How do you form the negative with a modal?
2. True False: Modals cannot be contracted.
3. True False: You can add an -ed or -ing ending to a modal.