You Really Should Learn Modals!

2024-09-13

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1
  • For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
  • 2
  • This week we are going to show you how to give advice using modal verbs.
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  • Modal verbs (called modals for short) are auxiliary verbs that express a speaker's attitude and the strength of that attitude.
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  • For example, "He should visit Prague."
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  • In this sentence, should is the modal verb, and visit is the main verb.
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  • The simple form of a verb goes after a modal.
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  • Do not add the third person "s" to a verb after a modal.
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  • It would sound strange to say, "He should visits Prague" or, "He should to visit Prague."
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  • The correct way is, "He should visit Prague."
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  • There are about 17 modals in English - grammar experts do not agree on an exact number.
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  • Today we will focus on three common modals used for giving advice: should, ought to, and had better.
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  • Let's start with should. Should has multiple meanings.
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  • It can be used to express certainty, such as, "He should be here by 5 o'clock."
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  • Should can be a substitute for the conditional word if. You might hear someone say, "Should you need help, just ask me."
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  • But more often, we use should to give suggestions and friendly advice, such as, "You should apply for that job," or "You should try that new restaurant."
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  • The past form of the modal should is should have + the past participle.
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  • For example, "I should have brought my wallet."
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  • Notice that the main verb brought is in the past participle form.
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  • Use should have to express regret, or a negative feeling about the past.
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  • Imagine you trusted someone and that person later cheated on you.
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  • You could say, "I should have known better than to trust him."
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  • The Beatles used the expression in a popular song.
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  • I should have known better with a girl like you
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  • That I would love everything that you do
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  • And I do
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  • Hey hey hey
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  • The next modal we will talk about is ought to.
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  • Ought to is another modal for giving advice.
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  • Sometimes ought to sounds more like "otta" as in this romantic song by Al Green.
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  • Sit back down and talk to me
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  • About how you want to be
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  • You ought to be with me
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  • Yeah you ought to be with me
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  • Ought to is similar in meaning to should, but it is not used as often.
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  • In modern American English, ought to is seldom used with the past tense or in the question form.
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  • Let's move on to had better.
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  • Had better is stronger than should and ought to.
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  • Had better carries an indirect threat.
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  • For example, if you said, "You had better finish the report," you are not making a polite suggestion. You are making an indirect threat.
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  • In other words, if you don't finish the report, you are in trouble.
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  • Authority figures sometimes use had better when speaking to people below them.
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  • Parents also use this form often.
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  • Listen to cartoon character Malory Archer.
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  • Malory is the head of a spy agency.
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  • People think she is arrogant and heartless.
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  • Listen to her tone when she uses had better.
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  • Oh for - I'll send up some help.
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  • And Missy, you had better watch it!
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  • As you can hear, Malory is not making a polite suggestion.
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  • She is threatening someone in a lower position.
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  • Had better is not always impolite, it could express a sense of urgency as in, "Your plane is leaving! You had better run!"
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  • In other words, "If you don't run, you will miss your flight."
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  • Had better has no past tense or question form.
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  • Should, ought to, and had better can be difficult for English learners to hear.
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  • Native speakers often shorten these words in casual conversation.
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  • In rapid speech, modals seem to disappear because they are shortened and often fall on unstressed syllables.
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  • We will read some examples for you.
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  • The first sentence will be in slow, careful speech.
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  • Then we will read it again in rapid, informal speech.
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  • I should have been listening to what she had to say.
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  • I shoulda been listenin' ta what she had t' say.
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  • You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
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  • You otta be ashamed of yourself.
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  • You had better decide what you want to do.
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  • You'd better decide whatcha wanna do.
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  • That's all the advice we have for you today.
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  • There is much more to learn about modals.
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  • We will cover them in more detail in future episodes.
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  • Until then, you should practice modals with British punk band, The Clash.
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  • Darling you've got to let me know
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  • Should I stay or should I go?
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  • If you say that you are mine
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  • I'll be here till the end of time
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  • So you've got to let me know
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  • Should I stay or should I go?
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  • I'm Pete Musto.
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  • And I'm Jill Robbins.