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I teach uni students in Korea, and Koreans struggle so much to understand English grammar that I keep things as simple as I can. Our (grammar-based and very confusing to them) textbooks often focus on what is to Korean students fairly complex modal constructions ("What I would like to have done," for ex. ) so I decided to start from scratch, explaining what each modal actually means by simple examples.

I'm just hoping my explanations are clear and (90%) correct - one simply cannot explain every additional meaning, exception to meanings, or gradation of meanings, special usages, etc. This is meant to be BASIC.

I am wondering if some of you might read and comment, in case there are any egregious errors or misleading/confusing descriptions.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give more than one example (modals as negatives, how to form questions, and more than one basic example) because Asian students generally prefer to memorize rather than understand, so just one example tends to lead them down the slippery slope of memorizing only that one example.

Here it is:

MODALS, MODALS and MORE MODALS
“I would if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t”

1. Words that are “modals” – modals are not exactly verbs, because they do not change (no past or future tenses), but they are always WITH verbs.
MODALS ARE:
Must
May
Can
Could
Might
Should
Would

Example WITHOUT a modal: You eat cookies. This is Simple Present, and I am saying that you eat cookies – maybe all the time, or maybe not often, but you do it.

MODAL Examples:
1. You must eat cookies. I am giving you an order – eat those cookies!
2. You may eat cookies. I am giving you permission.
3. You can eat cookies. This sometimes means I am giving you permission, but also can mean you are able to eat cookies (maybe you were sick for a while, and could not eat sweets, but now you can eat them again).
4. You could eat cookies. This also means that you are able to eat cookies. It is difficult to explain the difference, but “could” is INDEFINITE (“possible”) and in the FUTURE, while “can” is DEFINITE and in the PRESENT. With “could,” you are not eating cookies right now, but maybe you will eat them later. With “can,” you are probably going to eat cookies now, or very soon.
5. You might eat cookies. This means I don’t know – maybe you will… maybe you won’t. It is possible. (Maybe you don’t like cookies? I just don’t know.)
6. You would eat cookies. This means that you are not eating them now, but maybe you like cookies and want to eat some. It is still possible, but not as likely.
7. You should eat cookies. I am giving you advice – Maybe I am saying that I think you like cookies and it’s good for you to eat them. (Note: – the meaning of “should” is entirely different from Examples 3-6. It has nothing to do with POSSIBILITY.)

MODALS, MODALS and MORE MODALS

Other easy examples of modals:
1. I must go (Present tense -- I am required to go – Goodbye!)
2. I may go (Future tense -- I am allowed to go; the meaning is like “it is possible I will go”)
3. I can go (Present or Future tense -- I am able to go – but it doesn’t mean I will; can be used with “possibly” or “probably”. “I can possibly go tomorrow; I can’t go today” – “I can probably finish my homework by 7 pm”.)
4. I could go (I am not sure – either I have not made up my mind, or something else may be a problem – This is always FUTURE – often used with “possibly” or “probably” – “I could possibly go to the movie if someone lends me money.” “ I could probably go to the movie if I finish my homework soon”). It is often used with OPTIONS: “I could go to the movies or I could do my homework – I can’t do both!”
5. I might go (I am even less sure – I probably have not made up my mind – used with “possibly” but NOT with “probably” – This is always FUTURE: “I might possibly go”)
6. I would go (but probably I can’t – or I prefer not to go – used mostly with “probably” – This is always FUTURE and often NEGATIVE – meaning that you won’t do it – “I would probably go if I could get a ride with someone” – but often it means that you do not think you can get a ride, so you won’t go.)
7. I should go (but I can’t or I don’t want to – used only with “probably” – This is also FUTURE -- “I probably should go to my friend’s birthday party but it is the night before my final exams, so I just can’t take the time”)

NEGATIVES (notice that sometimes the meaning is different! And the verb tense may change!):
1. I mustn’t go (Present tense - I am required NOT to go)
2. I may not go (Future - I’m allowed to, but probably I prefer not to)
3. I can’t/cannot go (Present or Future - I am not able to go or maybe not allowed to go: “I can’t go to the movies because I’m studying,” “I can’t go because my parents said no.”)
4. I couldn’t go (I was not able to go or not allowed to go – this is PAST tense—“I couldn’t go to the movies because I was studying/because my parents said no.”)
5. MIGHT is FUTURE, "I might not go" and usually is similar to MAY in meaning.
6. I wouldn’t go (PAST TENSE - very different meaning! You just don’t want to go! “I wouldn’t go to that movie because I don’t like scary movies”. Also used for advice: “If I were you (and I’m not you – this is the use of “if” as something that is NOT true!), I wouldn’t go to that movie because it’s too scary.”)
7. I shouldn’t go (You have a reason OR an opinion – sometimes you are being CRITICAL when you speak to others – FUTURE – “I shouldn’t go to the movies because I have a test tomorrow/because it’s a waste of my time”- ALSO Criticism of others - “You shouldn’t smoke in the house! It’s rude to other people and endangers their health!”)

MODALS, MODALS and MORE MODALS

Modals as QUESTIONS (always used as FUTURE in these constructions):

1. Must you go? This is not a common way to speak in English any more, but you may see it in writing. We usually say: “Do you have to go?”
2. May – is not used for YOU! It is used for “I, He/she, We, They” – “May they go?” It is sometimes a polite request (the answer is always “yes”) and sometimes a true request (the answer may not be “yes”)
3. Can you go? Are you able to go? (Note: the negative – “can’t you go” is usually a suggestion or sometimes a command, and sometimes just a request for more information – “Can’t you go now? Why do you have to wait?”
4. Could you go? This is a request for information OR sometimes a polite request. “Couldn’t you go” is more of a suggestion/command. NOTE: “Couldn’t you” is sometimes used as past tense: “Couldn’t you go yesterday?”
5. Might is rarely used as a question any more.
6. Would you go? This is a polite request, or sometimes a request for information. “Would you go to the store now, please?” “Would you go to Paris or would you rather go to London?”
7. Should you go/shouldn’t you go? Both are suggestions. “Should you go to the dentist?” “Shouldn’t you go home now? It’s late.”

I really liked the simplicity of your approach to presenting modals plus the context used. I've used the material and adapted it a bit to produce a learning object which I'm only now sharing with my students. Unfortunately, with the use of embedded sound files and pictures, the resulting file size is rather large (+4 Mb) so I'm not in a position to post it here.. but as a return favour, I'd be happy to share it with you... and perhaps seek your input on how to improve it.

Regards,

I think you should substantially expand your range of examples*, and their length/context, so that you can let them "speak for themselves", let students come to some quiet realizations of their own, rather than be always yourself saying (or rather, explaining) what "your" ones mean (=are to be taken as meaning, devoid of context though they are); that is, whilst you have identified a few more central uses of certain modals and made some good points/provided some valuable reminders generally (especially towards the end of your post), if what you've written is to be taken as representative of how you actually would teach (lecture?) rather than just an outline of your present understanding, then all you're really doing is providing students with a glimpse of the workings of your mind rather than the English language itself.

Of course, one's intuitions mirror the language, but never perfectly - there'll inevitably be distortions - and even assuming the students can indeed see what you see from their differing position(s) and viewpoint(s), your rules will soon begin to be contradicted as the students' experience of the language widens.

But like you say, one can't teach everything at once, and at least you've made a start towards addressing "everything" at once LOL.

A few things that I made notes on before my eyes began to cross:

1) Is 'You must eat cookies' necessarily 'an order'
2) Is 'may' really that common/appropriate anymore for asking or giving permission
3) You don't seem to assign much if any epistemic modality to 'must' (or 'should')
4) It would probably be better if you avoided saying 'always' in relation to e.g. 'in the FUTURE' when formulating what you admit are limited rules (re. 'could' at least); and you start by saying that modals don't involve tense but then contradict that later with things like 'future tense'.
5) I couldn't tell if at 'I wouldn't go' you mean to say that the person IS unwilling to go to a movie (i.e. not remotely willing - which sounds less confrontational than saying 'I won't go'), or WAS unwilling (not that it matters, because my doubt surely implies that the "will" meaning isn't that different in the past:

6. I wouldn’t go (PAST TENSE - very different meaning! You just don’t want to go! “I wouldn’t go to that movie because I don’t like scary movies”.

Again, context rather than explanation would likely resolve this better (assuming the person didn't say 'didn't go to' or 'decided not to go to' instead of 'wouldn't'), even if we can't always depend on there being actual past tense verbs in the surrounding context (like there are in the following):

4. I couldn’t go (I was not able to go or not allowed to go – this is PAST tense—“I couldn’t go to the movies because I was studying/because my parents said no.”)

Anyway, modals sure are interesting, to be sure! What are modals "timewise", or anyotherwise (there has been thread upon thread about this stuff). Is it possible to assign a single meaning to one? Isn't the most frequent meaning the best place to start? What's wrong with a catalogue of meanings that aren't made to appear so explicitly related - like the students wouldn't work these things out for themselves, given enough reasonably authentic examples. Etc.

By the way, have you looked at Michael Lewis's books (especially The English Verb)? 'Remoteness' is the keyword it would seem. Then there's Geoffrey Leech's Meaning and the English Verb (3rd Edition), or that stonking The Grammar Book (2nd Edition) by those two women with double-barrelled names that are hard to remember and a pain to type etc.

Hey, why don't you post your baby on the AL forum and let sharper minds than mine have a real go at it (i.e. rip it to shreds)?

*It might be an idea to use the examples (if not the actual divisions of meaning-use/function themselves, usually arranged in descending order of frequency/usefulness) as presented in a good advanced learner's dictionary (e.g. the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 4th Edition, the Macmillan English Dictionary, or the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 7th Edition).

I'm not entirely sure I understand all your comments, and it's Xmas Eve so I'm not ENTIRELY focused on grammar right now, but when I get a chance, will print out and peruse more carefully.

I realize that handouts often remain un-read by students - so after I do the handouts, I do some explanation. Then I write bunches of examples on the board (usually fill in the blanks so kids have to figure out which modal fits). At that point I'm referring them back to the hand-out --"See, this one fits that rule, etc."

Then we do lots and lots of somewhat stilted conversation - me asking q's and students answering and then they ask q's (with modals) and then Back To Explaining why this one is better than the other modal choice.

I've done my final exams now and at least they did WAY BETTER than a couple of months ago - though frankly, I don't know that they will remember it.

What I HATE about teaching grammar is that mostly they look at it as a test-taking skill - to be filed away until the next test.

Now that's an unanswerable question but I will pose it:

HOW CAN A TEACHER MAKE GRAMMAR SEEM USEFUL? AND USEABLE EVERY DAY?

Merry Xmas!
Canuckophile