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BCN Languages Grammar File: Modals of Deduction

The document discusses modals of deduction used to express opinions based on available information. It focuses on the modals can't, must, might and could, which are used to convey different degrees of certainty from 99% sure something is the case to a possibility. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of each modal in context.

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71 views2 pages

BCN Languages Grammar File: Modals of Deduction

The document discusses modals of deduction used to express opinions based on available information. It focuses on the modals can't, must, might and could, which are used to convey different degrees of certainty from 99% sure something is the case to a possibility. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of each modal in context.

Uploaded by

Piro Lagrande
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BCN Languages Grammar File

New Inside Out/Intermediate/Unit 8/Modals of deduction

MODALS OF DEDUCTION

· What are modals of deduction?

Modal verbs of deduction (or probability) are used to express an opinion the
speaker has based on information that the speaker has.

In this grammar file we are going to be focusing on the modals


can’t/must/might and could.

· The use of modals can’t/must/might/could depends on how certain you


are about the opinion you express.

Degree of certainty Modal Auxiliary Example

99% sure it IS It must be… That girl is speaking


Swedish. She must be
from Sweden.

It may be… That girl is speaking


It could be… Spanish. She could be
It might be… from Chile.

It can’t be You have slept for 14


99% sure it’s NOT hours. You can´t be tired!

PART ONE – MUST AND CAN’T

· We use must to say that something is certain, to emphasise that you are 99%
sure about your opinion.

For example, if your Mother works twelve hours a day in a factory, you can
reason with certainty that she is tired. In this context it is correct to say:

My mother must be tired. She works twelve hours a day in a factory.

· You use can’t to say that you believe that something is not possible.
For example imagine your friends live six kilometres from your house. You are
going to have a dinner in your house with them. They have just sent you a text
message to say they have just left their house. Suddenly you hear your doorbell
ring. In this context it is correct to say:

It can’t be them. They have just left their house.

PART TWO – MAY, MIGHT AND COULD

We use may/might and could to say that something is a possibility.

For example: You are looking at the sky and you see some clouds covering the
sun. In this context it is correct to say:

It might/could/may rain.

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