Модальные глаголы английского языка. Учебное пособие

SHOULD + PERFECT INFINITIVE, OUGHT TO

+ PERFECT INFINITIVE AND WAS / WERE + PERFECT INFINITIVE COMPARED

Should + perfect in nitive and ought to + perfect in nitive show that the action has not been carried out though it was desirable; was / were to + perfect in nitive indicates an action that has not been carried out though it was planned.

e.g. You should have helped him.

You ought to have warned him. (Now he is in trouble.)

He was to have arrived last week. (But his plans were upset by some cause or other.)

►FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 67. Express your disapproval of the following:

Example: ’e Watsons took along much luggage. e Watsons shouldn’t

/oughtn’t to have taken along so much luggage.

1.Mr. Carter didn’t check the brakes before setting o˜. 2. Ann didn’t let me know she was coming. 3. ’e Hudsons didn’t book hotel accommodation before setting o˜. 4. Helen neglected the doctor’s advice. 5. Roy didn’t phone me yesterday. 6. We forgot to leave a message for Florence. 7. I wrote the letter in pencil. 8. Miss Baker doesn’t know the names of the pupils in her class. 9. ’ey spoke loudly and woke up the children. 10. Michael interfered and spoiled everything. 11. ’e doctor did not put the patient through all the analyses. 12. Mr. Walker signed the paper without reading it.

WILL AND WOULD

Like shall, will is not a purely modal verb. It almost always combines its modal meaning with its functioning as an auxiliary verb expressing futurity.

’e modal verb will has the following forms: will — the present tense and would — the past tense. ’e latter form is used in two ways:

a)in past-time contexts to express an actual fact,

b)in present-time contexts to express unreality or as a milder and more polite form of will.

’us will and would are looked upon as forms of the same verb, al-

though in a few cases their meanings di˜er.

I. Will combined with the non-perfect in‘nitive expresses: 1. Willingness, intention, determination.

It is ošen rendered into Russian by , , -. ’is meaning is found in a•rmative and negative sentences. ’e present tense will, in addition to expressing its modal meaning, serves to refer an action to the future; would in this meaning shows reference to the past, it is generally used in reported speech and also serves to refer an action to the future but in this case it is viewed from a past moment.

e.g. I can and will learn it. I will write as soon as I can.

I said I would do anything for him. We decided that we wouldn’t interfere.

’is meaning is ošen found in conditional sentences. e.g. If you will wait for me I’ll be very grateful.

If you would stand by me I should have another try.

In this case will (would) is followed by the simple in‘nitive and the action always refers to the future. Conditional sentences are ošen actually polite requests. ’ere is hardly any di˜erence between the use of will and would here; the role of would is to make the request still more polite.

When used in the negative it denotes a refusal to do something. e.g. I won’t accept your o˜er (Iœrefuse to …)

’ey wouldn’t listen to me (they refused to listen to me).

2.A polite request or an o˜er.

’is meaning occurs only in questions.

e.g. Will you dine with me tomorrow, Lewis?

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“Won’t you sit down?” said the doctor. You’ll forgive me, won’t you?

In comparison with will the form would renders a greater degree of politeness.

e.g. “Would you do it?” she asked eagerly.

Would you please pass the salt?

It is still more polite to use the combinations: Would you mind (+ -ing form), Would you be so kind as to …

e.g. Would you be so kind as to lend me your book?

3.A command (inœmilitary contexts it is a strict command). e.g. O•cers will report for duty at 6 o’clock.

You will do exactly as I say.

You will go in there and tell him that the game is up. An impatient command can begin with will you.

e.g. Will you be quiet! — • • ‰ •, ?

Will you in the tag ašer a negative command can tone down the command (and is pronounced with the falling tone).

e.g. Don’t be late, will you?

But ašer a positive command will you has a rising intonation and expresses impatience.

e.g. Sit down, will you? Shut the door, will you?

Would is never used in this meaning.

4.Insistence, resistance.

Will and would are stressed when used in this sense.

e.g. He ‘will try to mend it himself (heœinsists on mending it himself). ’is meaning is also found in negative sentences; will and would are

followed by the simple in‘nitive, they express refusal to perform an action. In Russian it is usually rendered into Russian as ,

.

e.g. ’e doctor knows I won’t be operated on. He was wet through, but he wouldn’t change.

With reference to inanimate objects will and would show that a thing fails to perform its immediate function. It occurs in negative statements and corresponds to the Russian as .

e.g. My pen won’t write. — • ‰ . ’e door won’t open. — € • .

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’e car wouldn’t start. — ‰ . ’e wound wouldn’t heal. — • .

5.Inevitability, characteristic behaviour, quality, or something naturally expected.

e.g. Boys will be boys. — • ‰ † • • ‰ • .

Accidents will happen. — • • • • •. Truth will out. — • ‰ .

What will be will be. — ž • • , • • .

’is sort of inevitability or prediction ošen occurs in sentences with conditional clauses.

e.g. If people study they will learn. (Ifœpeople study they learn.) If litmus paper is dipped in acid, it will turn red (itœturns red).

’is meaning cannot be rendered in Russian by any analogous modal verb.

e.g. Oil will oat on water.

Children will o•en be full of life when their parents are tired. ’is car will hold six people comfortably.

’at’s exactly like Jocelyn — she would lose the key.

6.Disapproval of something expected.

In this meaning only would is used. It is found mainly in a•rmative and

negative responses. It is used rather sarcastically to express that something was to be expected. It corresponds to the Russian -

, .

e.g. “Auntie Meg has been very brave.” — “Yes. She would be brave.” ( at was to be expected of her under the circumstances.)

“I don’t understand him and I don’t approve of his decision.” — “No, you wouldn’t.” (I•did not expect you would.)

“He refused to interfere.” — “He would.” ( at was to be expected of him.)

7.Habitual or recurrent actions.

e.g. She will (would) sit for hours under the old oak tree looking at the

beautiful country around her (… † ( † ) , ••

( ) …).

In addition to indicating a habitual action, will (would) in this case implies willingness, personal interest on the part of the doer of the action.

Will (would) in this meaning is found in a•rmative sentences and is followed by the simple in‘nitive.

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In present-time contexts will in this meaning is not common. In pasttime contexts would is mainly characteristic of literary style.

e.g. ’en there were weekends when he would ride over to the house of one farmer or another and spend a couple of nights on the hills.

II. Will / would combined with di˜erent forms of the in‘nitive can express prediction, a certainty about the present or the future (inœa similar way as must).

e.g. ’is will be the school, I believe. — Ž , - • • ,

‰ .

’at will be my wife. — Ž , • , • • . ’at would be he! — Ž , , !

John will have arrived by now (byœtomorrow). — €• •

Œ • • ( œ ‰ • †).

You will have heard the news, I’m sure. — ¡ • †, • • • •- ‰ .

In the latter two cases must is impossible as with a perfect in‘nitive it has a reference to the past.

e.g. ’at would be in 1910, I think. — ¡ • †, Œ , , •1910œ• .

Why are you asking him? He wouldn’t know anything about it. — • •• • ‰ ? ‹ • - Œ • .

Who is the man? You wouldn’t know him. — ‹ • • .

Note some set expressions with the modal verbs will and would:

You would, would you? — ˆ , • !

Will not have (won’t have) followed by an object and an in‘nitive without to means ‘I’ll see to it that it does not happen.’

e.g. “I will not (won’t) have you speak to me like that, her voice came

sharply. — ¡ , • • …

Both would rather (‘d rather) and would sooner (‘d sooner) followed by an in‘nitive without to mean ‘to prefer’.

e.g. “I’d rather do it myself,” said Luke.

He’d sooner die than let me think he was a failure.

Would … mind in interrogative and negative sentences means ‘to object’.

e.g. Would you mind my staying here for a while?

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I wouldn’t mind your telling them about Hardy.

Would … mind in interrogative sentences may also express a polite request.

e.g. Would you mind getting me a cup of tea?

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 68. Comment on the meaning of the modal verbs will and would. Translate into Russian:

1. I will be at the Bridge at 9 o’clock. (Murdoch) 2. He wrote to ask me if I would come and give a talk to his class. (Dreiser) 3. I will take care of you, I promise, Megan. (London) 4. Would you kindly show me that vase? (Priestley) 5. It’s bloody cold and this blasted experiment won’t go. (Christie) 6. I tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come. (Dickens) 7. My feet, I can’t move them. I feel so damn silly. My feet won’t move! (Forster) 8. I wish you wouldn’t busy yourself about my a˜airs. (Wilson) 9. His hair won’t stick down though it looks as though he had plastered everything he can think of on it. (Murdoch) 10. People tried to be kind to her and asked her to stay with them, but she wouldn’t. (Caldwell)

Exercise 69. Translate the following sentences into English using will and would:

1. „ • , • • , • • . 2. €• •

• •‰ , . 3. ¡ • … -

, • • • • • . 4. ‚ , • • • , • -

• • • . 5. ‚ •-

Š , • ‰ . 6. «‚ •

• ».— «‚ !» 7. ‡ • , • • •, -

, • •. 8. ‚ • • • ,

. 9. ¡ • • , • •, •

• . 10. ‹ • ‰ • • ‰ -

• •. 11. ¡ • , . 12. ‚ • ,

• ‰… . 13. ¡, • , • † ,

• • . 14. ¡ • • , •

, • . 15. «€ Ž , — • -

• . — ƒ• • • • • • • ‰ • •• •. ‚

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». 16. ¡ • , •‰

Œ •. 17. ‚ • • • • •

. 18. „ • •• • • .

NEED

’e modal verb need may be used either as a defective or as a regular verb.

1)Need as a defective verb has only one form which is the present tense. In reported speech it remains unchanged. It is followed by the in‘nitive without to (bare in‘nitive).

Need expresses necessity. When reference is made to the present or future it is followed by the simple in‘nitive. It is used in negative and interrogative sentences. (Occasionally it may be found in a•rmative sentences but it is not typical).

In interrogative sentences need usually implies that there is no necessity of performing the action.

e.g. You needn’t be afraid of me. — ‹ • • / • • -• .

You need not meet him unless you’d like to.

Need I repeat it? — • / • • • Œ ?

In negative sentences it is not always the verb need that is in the negative form; the negation may be found elsewhere in the sentence.

e.g. I don’t think we need give her any more of our attention. I need hardly say that I agree with you.

In negative statements need + perfect in nitive expresses an action which has been performed though it was unnecessary. It implies a waste of time or e ort, and is therefore translated by , , . e.g. You needn’t have come. ’e deal is o˜. — ‹ • • • ( œ • • )

• . ‹• ‰ .

It was obvious. You needn’t have protested.

We needn’t have told him a lie even if we didn’t want to tell him the truth. — • • • ( œ • • ) • • • … • • -

• …

NOTE: ’e Russian sentence • /

( ) is rendered in English as You needn’t worry (be•nervous).

2)As a regular verb need can have all the necessary forms (e.g. the past simple form — needed), including the verbals. It also expresses necessity. It is followed by the in‘nitive with to (full in‘nitive) and is mainly used in interrogative and negative sentences (like the defective need).

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e.g. He did not need to explain.

You don’t need to tell me that you are sorry. Did you need to read all those books?

It should be noted that this need is in more common use than the defective need, particularly in American English.’

NOTE: ’e regular verb need may be followed by a noun or pronoun. But in this case to need is not a modal verb.

e.g. He needs a new coat. Does he need my help? He does not need anything.

’ere is a slight di˜erence in the usage of regular and defective forms of this modal verb. ’e regular form is used mainly when the following in‘nitive denotes habitual action. ’e defective form is more common when one particular occasion is referred to. Compare:

’e defective form is mainly restricted to negative and interrogative sentences, whereas the regular verb can be used in all types of sentences and is therefore more common.

’e di˜erence between the two forms of need in negative sentences is as follows: the regular verb indicates that the action was not done because it was unnecessary, whereas the defective verbs shows that the action, although unnecessary, was carried out. Compare the following examples:

Didn’t need to do something = It wasn’t necessary, so probably not done. e.g. We didn’t need to say anything at all, which was a great comfort. She didn’t need to open the drawer because it was already open.

Needn’t have done something = It was not necessary, but done nonetheless.

e.g. You needn’t have said anything. ’en he would never have known about it.

She needn’t have opened the drawer. She found it empty when she did.

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► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 70. Comment on the meaning of the modal verb need. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. I need hardly say I would do anything in the world to ensure her happiness. (Hardy) 2. “Must I go there immediately?” “No, you needn’t. Wait till I ring you up.” (Priestley) 3. You needn’t have waited for me. (Wilson) 4. Why need he bother us? (Dickens) 5. You needn’t have carried all these parcels yourself. (Dreiser) 6. You needn’t be afraid of telling me everything. (Wilde) 7. You needn’t have walked there. You could have taken a bus. (Hornby) 8. Need we continue working by this plan? (Murdoch) 9. Everything is packed, except my shirts, so you needn’t trouble. (Greene) 10. Our friendship needn’t stop, need it? (Galsworthy)

Exercise 71. From the statements in brackets, make a question and a short answer, like those in the examples:

Example:

1.(She doesn’t need to study hard.) _____________? ~ No, _______.

2.(Fred needs a ladder.) ______________________? ~ Yes, _______.

3.(Weœdon’t need to go to the shops.) ____________? ~ No, _______.

4.(John doesn’t need to leave before lunch.) _______ ~ No, _______.

________________________________________?

5.(’ey need to check the train times.) __________? ~ Yes, _______.

Exercise 72. Change each sentence in brackets into a negative sentence with needn’t, where possible. If not possible, write a negative sentence with doesn’t / don’t need:

Example: (Jane needs to pay Jim today.) Jane needn’t pay Jim today. (’e car needs new tyres.) e car doesn’t need new tyres.

1.(Weœneed a lot of red paper.) _____________________________.

2.(Mark needs to get everything ready today.) _________________.

3.(Mary needs to leave at 6 o’clock.) ________________________.

4.(Ann needs a new bag.) _________________________________.