III. DESCRIPTIVE/INTERPRETIVE FUNCTION OF MODALS: DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE SPEAKER'S POINT OF VIEW (OPINION)

1. Descriptive Function of Modals: Introduction

Besides having a social function, modals can have a descriptive function. They are used to accurately describe reality—the truth or facts about our world or about a situation.

However, there is also a human aspect to this descriptive function. Although we are describing reality, the speaker's opinion is part of this description. These modals include the speaker's interpretation or opinion of what happens or what is, was or will be.

There are descriptive modals for:

• expressing probability—certainty of situations or predictions
• describing ability (what someone can or cannot do)
• making predictions (what we think could or will happen)
• predictions about the past (what we think are the reasons for something that happened)
• making predictions about the effects of an action (the cause)
• expressing habits that happened in the past but that no longer happen (only one modal)

Form

Most modals with a Social Function are in the form of a Simple Modal, which has the basic form of modal + base form of the verb. However, there are also some phrasal forms for modals with a social function, which generally use various forms of the verb 'BE' + Modal.

On the other hand, most modals with a descriptive or interpretive function express different levels of possibility, necessity, or probability and are in the form of a phrasal modal, which combines a single word modal with other words, which change it into a phrase.

There is a hybrid form of modal with verb tenses which is called a semi-modal. This often combines auxiliary verbs found in the different verb tenses with additional word forms associated with modals. These hybrid forms have quite complex structures that are more appropriately studied at an advanced stage of English language study, so they will only be introduced briefly at the end of this chapter with only a few exercises provided.