Future modality

Question 1

What are the 7 future referring forms?

Answer 1

1) Will/Shall + base form
i.e I will help with the dishes.
2) Be going to (gonna)
i.e UI am going to write an essay.
3) Present progressive (present tense + -ing participle)
i.e I am meeting Joe in town.
4) Will/ shall + progressive (BE +-ing participle)
i.e I will be meeting Joe in town.
5) Be to
i.e She is to leave immediately.
6) Simple Present
i.e The next train leaves at two.
7) Be about to
i.e She is about to leave.

Question 2

What does the Will/Shall + base form, form signify?

Answer 2

Neutral future prediction/ willingness

Question 3

What does the Be going to (gonna) form signify?

Answer 3

Confidence that something is going to happen (becuase of intention or present signs)

Question 4

What does the present + progressive (present tense +-ing participle) form signify?

Answer 4

Arrangement/plan made by the subject

Question 5

What does the Will/ shall + progressive (BE +-ing participle)

Answer 5

Already planned (but de-emphasizing the subjects will and intention/ ondoing in the future

Question 6

What does the Be to form signify?

Answer 6

Personal subject: decision by someone other than subject.
Nn-personal subject: official plan

Question 7

What does the Simple present form signify?

Answer 7

Fixed plan or schedule/ also used regularly as future refering expressions in if-clauses and time clauses

Question 8

What does the Be about to form signify?

Answer 8

Immediate future

Question 9

What does future-refering expressions in the past tense signify?

Answer 9

Possibility of non-realization (action/activity was never carried out)

Question 10

What is root modality

Answer 10

Refers to an ability to control things

Question 11

What is epistemic modality

Answer 11

refers to the degree in which the speaker believes what they have said to be true

Question 12

What are the 7 root meanings of modal auxiliaries

Answer 12

1) Ability (can/could)
2) Permission (can/could, mau/might)
3) Obligation (must, ought to , shall/should)
4) Volition (will(would)
5) Possibility (may/might)
6) Prediction (shall/will)
7)Habitual activity ( will/would)

Question 13

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

Will claim

Answer 13

Modality: Will is a modal auxiliary which carries modality. Could be root modality expessing ability
tense: none as modal auxiliaries do not carry a tense and the main verb of the phrase is not the first verb of the verb phrase and therefore has no tense and is thusly in a non-finite form.
Aspect: As such there is also not aspect in this verb phrase
Voice: The verb phrase is in the activ evoice as there is no passive marking (BE + past participle.)

Question 14

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

Can be seen

Answer 14

Modality: Can is a modal auxiliary which carries modality . This modality could be root modality expessing either ability or permission, but we can not conclude this without context as there are other options.

Tense: none

Aspect: none

Voice: Verb phrase contains the passive marking (BE (be) + past participle (seen) and is thus passive

Thus ver phrasse can be described as modal passive

Question 15

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

had been overheard

Answer 15

modality: No modal verbs present, so verb phrase does not have modality

Tense: Had is a grammatical auxiliary carrying the past tense. Thus phrase is in past tense

Aspect: Verb phrase contains the perfect marker has(had) + past participle (been) this has perfect aspect

Voice: Verb phrase contains passive marker BE (been) + past participle (seen) thus has passive voice

Thus verb phrase can be described as past perfect passive

Question 16

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

is being distributed

Answer 16

Modality: No modal verbs present, so verb phrase does not have modality

Tense: Is carries the presnet tense. Thus verb phrase is in the present tense.

Aspect: Contains the progressive marker BE (is) + -ing participle (being) thus has progressive aspect

Voice: Contains the passive marker Be (being) + past participle (distributed) thus has passive voice.

Thus the verb phrase can be described as present progressive passive

Question 17

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

could have come

Answer 17

Modality: Contains modal auxiliary could and thus has modality. This could be epistemic modality, but is hard to tell without context.

Tense: modal auxiliary is in first position and thus does not have tense

aspect: we have the perfect marker HAVE (have) + past participle (come) thus we have the perfect aspect

Voice: does not contain passive marker (BE) + past participle and thus is active

Thus verb phrase can be described as modal perfect

Question 18

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

will have been seen

Answer 18

Modality; contain modal auxiliary will and thus has modality. This could be future-refering or it could have root modality expressing a habitual activity or epistemic modality. We cannot tell without context.

Tense: modal auxiliary is in frist position and thus does not have tense

Aspect: we have the perfect marker HAVE (have) + past participle (been) thus we have the perfect aspect.

Voice: We have the passive marker BE (been) + the past participle (seen) thus the verb phrase has the passive voice.

This the verb phrase can be described as modal perfect passive

Question 19

Decribe following verb phrases in terms of modality, tense, aspect and voice:

must be left

Answer 19

Modality: contains modal auxiliary must and thus has modality. This could have root modality expressing obligation or it could have an epistemic modality, but we cannot conclude without context.

Tense: Has modal auxiliary in first position and thus does not have tense.

Aspect: Has neither the perfect or the progressive marker

Voice: has the passive marker BE(be) + past participle (left)

Thus can be described as modal passive