MODALITY

Question 1

HOW CAN MODALITY BE EXPRESSED?

Answer 1

• Modal auxiliaries
• Lexical verb and that-clause
• Lexical verb and infinitive
• Adverbs, adjectives and nouns
• If-clauses
• Imperatives

Question 2

EPISTEMIC

Answer 2

• Using language to exchange information
• Conveying a degree of likelihood
• A scale for degrees of assertion (positive values, can be negated)

Question 3

DEONTIC

Answer 3

• Using language to influence someone’s behaviour
• Conveying a degree of obligation
• A scale for degrees of prescription (positive values, can be negated)

Question 4

DYNAMIC

Answer 4

concerns what is possible or necessary, given a particular set of circumstances