TEACHING PREDICTIONS USING MODAL VERBS

ianano29 · Post by **ianano29** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 10:19 am

What do people think adult learners have difficulty with when studying predictions? What assumptions/problems may arise when looking at meaning, pronunciation and form? What are ways to contextualise the language focus? What concept questions would help their understanding?

Thanks to anybody who can help me with this one

shuntang · Post by **shuntang** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 12:23 pm

Ianano29

May you give one or two examples for so-called predictions, especially those ones they have found them difficult?

Shun

ianano29 · Post by **ianano29** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 1:50 pm

they havent actually started studying them yet but I'm trying to pre empt what problems may arise. for example; do you feel distinguishing between "will" and other modal words which don't necessarily imply a certainty to the prediction will be a matter of difficulty to intermediate learners?

Andrew Patterson · Post by **Andrew Patterson** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 2:17 pm

I can't think of any assumptions off hand, but I find logic puzzles very good for teaching can't be, may/might be and must be.

ianano29 · Post by **ianano29** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:46 pm

im struggling to think of a context for them to use predictive language. the book already uses personal predictions and general predictions e.g. all housework will be done by robots. can anyone think of a specific context situation i can use to elicit predictive language?

LarryLatham · Post by **LarryLatham** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 6:21 pm

do you feel distinguishing between "will" and other modal words which don't necessarily imply a certainty to the prediction will be a matter of difficulty to intermediate learners?

Perhaps I am misunderstanding you, ianano29. You are not suggesting that "will" implies a certainty to the prediction, am I right?

Larry Latham

Andrew Patterson · Post by **Andrew Patterson** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:21 pm

I wasn't really clear when I said logic puzzles, I meant things like this:
http://www.geocities.com/endipatterson/Logic.html

shuntang · Post by **shuntang** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:48 am

ianano29 wrote:im struggling to think of a context for them to use predictive language. the book already uses personal predictions and general predictions e.g. all housework will be done by robots. can anyone think of a specific context situation i can use to elicit predictive language?

Ianano29, we approximately know the problem you asked. It is only problem about modal verbs. These verbs are widely discussed and we still don't get much precision about them. I think we don't need to use "predictive language" to worry the students. I want to express my simple view in using them, if your students are not preparing for intensive discussion.

There are things we are not certain whether they happen or not. We use modal verbs to express them. Different modal verbs tell different reasons why we say an uncertainty. If a modal verb cannot meet the reasons, then it expresses pure possibility. On the other hand, if we are certain about something, we don't use modal auxiliaries to help express.

Simply put, every modal verb thus has two functions, expressing its lexical meaning and possibility.
CAN expresses ability, and if not, it expresses possibility.
MAY expresses permission, and if not, it expresses possibility.
Will expresses willingness, and if not, it expresses possibility.
Shall expresses opinion, and if not, it expresses possibility.
MUST expresses obligation, and if not, it expresses possibility.
OUGHT to expresses duty, and if not, it expresses possibility.
There are some more of them and you may find them in grammar books. It should be noted that their past forms are also express the same thing as their present form, yet at a even weaker degree of uncertainty.
Ex: All housework will/shall/can/would/should/could be done by robots.

As there can be many shades of possibility, different situations/sentences will make the possibility look like prediction, certainty, probability, guess, etc. However, they are only possibility, some kind of uncertainty. Rather than from the modal verbs themselves, many meanings are derived from the sentence:
Ex: "You talk about my wife again and I must kill you."
The modal verb expresses only a possibility, but the sentence itself is a serious threat, the more so if I shout it in front of someone, pointing my finger to him. As some grammar writers will show you their ability in analysis, however, their books will list the example as the use of telling a threat, etc.

A wise grammarian once said that, if you are not certain using what tense to say something, or whether plural or singular verb, you may even use some modal verb to bypass the would-be mistake.

As most future things are uncertain, we frequently use modal verbs to describe them. However, since there are also uncertainties at the present, we actually may use modal verbs at any time we need. Nevertheless, we use Modal Verb + Perfective to tell a past possibility:
Ex: They must have seen him last night.
Ex: They would have seen him last night.
== In such cases, we seldom use present form of modal verbs.

Intensive discussions about them are invited. But I am afraid I cannot follow much.

Shun

Ed · Post by Ed » Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:40 pm

Ianano29,

Besides the situations given in your textbook, you can try working with a song like "By the time I get to Phoenix", where you will find a list of predictions used in a natural way. I don't know how old you are or if your students will like that song, but it's a suggestion anyway.

Regards,
Ed