By Modals, Negations

I am trying to formulate guidelines for learners of English as a foreign language with regards the use of may/might/could to express possibility. It seems to me that you can use these three modals (almost) interchangeably when expressing possibility. For example, 'Where's Mary?' 'I'm not sure....

CalifJim wrote:Loojka, The original poster was asking about the modals as used in logical deduction, not the modals as used in social interactions such as obligation and freedom from obligation. For this reason, I didn't want to confuse the issue by bringing in information about the...

CalifJim wrote: Modals are very sensitive to negation. The way you used them first is how they are normally used. The 'opposite' of must is cannot. Yes, and 'needn't' can also be the opposite of 'must':I must go home. ≠ I needn't go home yet.'Mustn't' means 'not allowed to'.

Unfortunately, no. Modals are very sensitive to negation. The way you used them first is how they are normally used. The 'opposite' of must is cannot. And should is a weaker form of must. On occasion, especially in AmE, you'll hear must not with the same meaning as cannot. Sometimes you...

CalifJim wrote:Need sometimes behaves like a modal, for example 'She need know', 'She needn't know', or, in more formal English, 'She need not know'.Palmer (The English Verb) says, "The modal forms are available only with ... negation and interrogation." So She need know is not possible. It...

Need sometimes behaves like a modal, for example 'She need know', 'She needn't know', or, in more formal English, 'She need not know'.Palmer (The English Verb) says, "The modal forms are available only with ... negation and interrogation." So She need know is not possible. It has to be She...

Jackson6612 wrote:Need sometimes behaves like a modal, for example 'She need know', 'She needn't know', or, in more formal English, 'She need not know'. Examples: 1: You needn't worry 2: Buying budget-priced furniture needn't mean compromising on quality or style... 3: Loneliness can be...

Note the definition: Operators are the modals (can, could, will, would, etc.) and forms of be -- and also forms of do or have used as auxiliaries. The negative adverb not can only be carried by an operator, i.e., can only be used when accompanied by an operator. To negate a sentence...

Mister Micawber wrote:It just reflects its position as a marginal modal. The negation is as with others of its group:I dare not playI ought not to playI need not playI used not to playYou will note that all of these verbs have various forms of variable respectability. How can "used to" be...

It just reflects its position as a marginal modal. The negation is as with others of its group:I dare not playI ought not to playI need not playI used not to playYou will note that all of these verbs have various forms of variable respectability.