Mood and Modality
Mood and Modality
Mood and Modality
Subject Matter
through
through
through
Participants
Mood
Theme
determines the
representation (field)
affects the
exchange (tenor)
influences the
message (mode)
(statements, questions
and commands)
(prominent part of
the message)
Processes
Modality
Cohesion
(doing, thinking,
saying and being)
(degree of probability
or obligation)
Circumstances
This is a dog.
Statements - You give information
Intonation Patterns
Questions
have
an
inflection at the end.
upward
Commands
generally
have
emphasis placed on the initial verb
Exclamations
generally
have
emphasis placed on what the
speaker chooses to highlight
Punctuation
Where am I used ?
What is my name ?
Why keep me in the dark ?
Why am I always curious ?
Why do you get so furious ?
Am I the Question Mark ?
Ho, ho hooray !
For me make way !
I wont stand at the rear !
I show things
that are absurd !
And I can shout !!!
Without a word !
Because the
Exclamations here !
Clause Structure
(The Declarative Mood)
Full Stop
Clause Structure
(The Interrogative Mood)
Question Mark
Clause Structure
(The Imperative Mood)
Exclamation Mark
Examples
Silk is one of the strongest,
most flexible materials produced
in the natural world.
Shelly sulked all afternoon.
Question Starters
Who ?
When ?
Which ?
Have ?
Does ?
Are ?
What ?
How ?
Did ?
Has ?
Can ?
Were ?
Where ?
Why ?
Will ?
Do ?
Is ?
Had ?
Types of
Questions
Yes/No Questions
Do you want to come to my house ?
verb
subject
Question
Word
were
Verb
Question Tags
Youre his friend, arent you ?
Declarative
Clause
Verb
Subject
Questions
Questions are
formed by inverting
the subject and the
first part of a verb phrase.
Why Questions ?
Making a request
Would you pass the salt, please ?
Asking permission
May I come also ?
Seeking suggestions
Have you a good idea ?
Seeking advice
What will we do ?
Willingness
Would you mind helping the kids ?
Deciding
What are we going to do ?
Offering
Would you like me to do it for you ?
Invitation
Do you feel like going to the movies ?
Preference
Which would you like ?
Persuading
Why dont you come with us ?
To give orders
Answer the phone
An informal matter
Have a piece of this !
To instruct
Add the butter and
then mix at high speed.
A reminder
Make sure you come next week.
To insist
I insist that you stop fighting at once !
If we want to be polite or
make a gentle request,
we might use a question
as a command
Will you get me
a cup of tea ?
Statements can be
made to imply a request
The phone
is ringing.
Polite Expressions
When we request something
from someone or invite
someone to do something,
we use a polite form of address
rather than a command.
Death of
a whale
Identifying Mood
Modality is used to
interact with others in
a number of degrees
Certainty
We will visit
Grandad today.
Usuality
We usually visit
Grandad today.
Possibility
We may visit
Grandad today.
Probability
We probably will
visit Grandad today.
Obligation
We must visit
Grandad today.
Inclination
We are keen to visit
Grandad today.
Modal Adjuncts
Modal adjuncts express
a writers judgement regarding
the truth of the proposition.
They typically appear just before
or after the finite or a preposition.
Presumption
evidently, apparently, presumably,
clearly, no doubt, obviously,
of course, personally, honestly
Certainty
can, could, should, ought,
would, may, might, must, will
Usuality
always, often, usually, regularly,
typically, occasionally, seldom,
rarely, ever, never, once
Degree
quite, almost, nearly, totally,
entirely, utterly, completely,
literally, absolutely, scarcely, hardly,
on the whole, provisionally
Probability or
Obligation
certainly, surely, probably,
perhaps, maybe, possible,
definitely, positively
Intensity
just, simply, ever, only,
really, actually, seriously
Time
yet
stilll
already
once
soon
just
Inclination
gladly
willingly
readily
Modal Auxiliaries
Auxiliary verbs are divided into
primary auxiliaries (be, have, do)
and
Modal auxiliaries
(can, may, shall, must,
ought to, need, done)
Auxiliary Verbs
In verb groups that
express probability
or time, the modal
auxiliary comes first
Time
Probability
Obligation
Yes
No
High
(positive)
Cigarettes are bad for you
Cigarettes must be bad for you.
Cigarettes can be bad for you.
Cigarettes could be bad for you.
Cigarettes may be bad for you.
Low (positive)
Cigarettes might be bad for you.
Cigarettes might not be bad for you. Low (negative)
Cigarettes may not be bad for you.
Cigarettes could not be bad for you.
Cigarettes cannot be bad for you.
Cigarettes should not be bad for you.
High
Cigarettes are not bad for you.
(negative)
High and
Low Modality
High Modality
High modality shows
a high degree of certainty,
persuasiveness or something
that is desirable or likely.
Low Modality
Low modality shows that
we are unsure and there
Is room for negotiation.
The Affirmative
Modality refers to
the degrees of possibility
or certainty expressed
through affirmative or
negative statements,
questions or commands.
The Affirmative
This is my cat.
(statement)
Will it be alright ?
(question)
Make it better.
(command)
The Negative
This is not my cat.
(statement)
Wont it be alright ?
(question)
Dont Make it better.
(command)
The Affirmative
The Negative
Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
11.
12.
13.
17.
18.
19.
Consider
Do you consider the rules to be
welcoming and friendly ?
For Example
Rent to be paid in advance.
Can be changed to
We would appreciate
rent payments in advance.
For Example
Fires are not to be lit in the park.
Can be changed to
Under no circumstances must
fires be lit in this park.