NCERT Textbook: Modals Expressing Attitudes

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197
MODALS-EXPRESSING
ATTITUDES
A. Introduction 
A.1    Look at the pictures given below:
a. b.
c. d.
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11
197
MODALS-EXPRESSING
ATTITUDES
A. Introduction 
A.1    Look at the pictures given below:
a. b.
c. d.
CBSE
198
Now complete the following dialogues using only one word for each blank 
on the basis of the pictures given above.
a) Manav:  Suma is playing the violin very well.
Priya    :  Yes; ______ you play any musical instrument?
Manav  : I ________. But I have learnt vocal music.
b)  Peter: It's suddenly become dark.
Nandiya :  Yes; Thick clouds have gathered in the sky.  It      
_______ rain this evening.
c) Abdullah: Ma'm , I'm a little late. 
______ I enter the class?
     Teacher: You ______.  I'm afraid late coming has become a habit with 
you.
d)   Father:       Take this.  You ______ not forget to wear your helmet while 
riding your motorbike.
Son:  Thanks, Dad. I forgot to pick it up.
        
A B 
Attitudes and Functions Dialogues
• Necessity A
• Possibility B
• Ability C
• Permission D
The words that you have used to fill in the blanks denote certain attitudes 
and functions. Match column (A) with column (B) for the dialogues                      
that you have completed. 
Page 3


11
197
MODALS-EXPRESSING
ATTITUDES
A. Introduction 
A.1    Look at the pictures given below:
a. b.
c. d.
CBSE
198
Now complete the following dialogues using only one word for each blank 
on the basis of the pictures given above.
a) Manav:  Suma is playing the violin very well.
Priya    :  Yes; ______ you play any musical instrument?
Manav  : I ________. But I have learnt vocal music.
b)  Peter: It's suddenly become dark.
Nandiya :  Yes; Thick clouds have gathered in the sky.  It      
_______ rain this evening.
c) Abdullah: Ma'm , I'm a little late. 
______ I enter the class?
     Teacher: You ______.  I'm afraid late coming has become a habit with 
you.
d)   Father:       Take this.  You ______ not forget to wear your helmet while 
riding your motorbike.
Son:  Thanks, Dad. I forgot to pick it up.
        
A B 
Attitudes and Functions Dialogues
• Necessity A
• Possibility B
• Ability C
• Permission D
The words that you have used to fill in the blanks denote certain attitudes 
and functions. Match column (A) with column (B) for the dialogues                      
that you have completed. 
CBSE
199
The words that you have used are called MODALS.  They belong to a large 
category of auxiliary verbs, i.e. helping verbs that cannot be used on their own, 
but to be used in conjunction with other main verbs. 
  
 
a) A:  Raju has fractured his arm.
B:  But still he can write.
b) A:  I have still some shopping to do. May I leave my bag in your store?
B: Yes, but please collect it before 8.00 pm.
c) A: The coffee is rather bitter.  Would you please pass some sugar? 
  B: No, you must not take any sugar. 
Have you forgotten your doctor's advice?
d) A:  I'll not be able to finish my assignment in time.
B:  Shall I do the drawings for you?
e) A:  Jamila hasn't come yet.  It's already very late.
B:  She may come tomorrow. 
f) A:  Someone is knocking on the door.
         B:  I'll open it- it'll be the maid.  
g) A:  My feet get swollen in the evening.
B:  Then you must consult a doctor.
A.2 Given below are some dialogues.  Circle the modals and underline the 
main verbs in the  italicised portions of the dialogues:-
Page 4


11
197
MODALS-EXPRESSING
ATTITUDES
A. Introduction 
A.1    Look at the pictures given below:
a. b.
c. d.
CBSE
198
Now complete the following dialogues using only one word for each blank 
on the basis of the pictures given above.
a) Manav:  Suma is playing the violin very well.
Priya    :  Yes; ______ you play any musical instrument?
Manav  : I ________. But I have learnt vocal music.
b)  Peter: It's suddenly become dark.
Nandiya :  Yes; Thick clouds have gathered in the sky.  It      
_______ rain this evening.
c) Abdullah: Ma'm , I'm a little late. 
______ I enter the class?
     Teacher: You ______.  I'm afraid late coming has become a habit with 
you.
d)   Father:       Take this.  You ______ not forget to wear your helmet while 
riding your motorbike.
Son:  Thanks, Dad. I forgot to pick it up.
        
A B 
Attitudes and Functions Dialogues
• Necessity A
• Possibility B
• Ability C
• Permission D
The words that you have used to fill in the blanks denote certain attitudes 
and functions. Match column (A) with column (B) for the dialogues                      
that you have completed. 
CBSE
199
The words that you have used are called MODALS.  They belong to a large 
category of auxiliary verbs, i.e. helping verbs that cannot be used on their own, 
but to be used in conjunction with other main verbs. 
  
 
a) A:  Raju has fractured his arm.
B:  But still he can write.
b) A:  I have still some shopping to do. May I leave my bag in your store?
B: Yes, but please collect it before 8.00 pm.
c) A: The coffee is rather bitter.  Would you please pass some sugar? 
  B: No, you must not take any sugar. 
Have you forgotten your doctor's advice?
d) A:  I'll not be able to finish my assignment in time.
B:  Shall I do the drawings for you?
e) A:  Jamila hasn't come yet.  It's already very late.
B:  She may come tomorrow. 
f) A:  Someone is knocking on the door.
         B:  I'll open it- it'll be the maid.  
g) A:  My feet get swollen in the evening.
B:  Then you must consult a doctor.
A.2 Given below are some dialogues.  Circle the modals and underline the 
main verbs in the  italicised portions of the dialogues:-
CBSE
200
A.3   Match the italicized portions of the dialogues with the attitudes and 
functions denoted by the modals used in them. 
A.4 Here are the modals used in English.
 Dialogue Attitudes and functions
a) …… he can write offering (help)
b) ……. would you please pass ….. necessity
c) …….. you must not ………. requesting
d) shall I do ……….. asking for permission
e) she may come ………. advising 
f) ……. It'll be the maid. logical deduction
g) …….. you must consult …….. ability
h) May I leave ………….. possibility
can might shall would 
could must should
may ought to will 
Also, some ordinary verbs and expressions are used to express the same   
attitudes as modals.
 be able to / be unable to have to
 be possible to / be impossible to have got to
 be used to  need to be going to 
had better bound to, etc.
Page 5


11
197
MODALS-EXPRESSING
ATTITUDES
A. Introduction 
A.1    Look at the pictures given below:
a. b.
c. d.
CBSE
198
Now complete the following dialogues using only one word for each blank 
on the basis of the pictures given above.
a) Manav:  Suma is playing the violin very well.
Priya    :  Yes; ______ you play any musical instrument?
Manav  : I ________. But I have learnt vocal music.
b)  Peter: It's suddenly become dark.
Nandiya :  Yes; Thick clouds have gathered in the sky.  It      
_______ rain this evening.
c) Abdullah: Ma'm , I'm a little late. 
______ I enter the class?
     Teacher: You ______.  I'm afraid late coming has become a habit with 
you.
d)   Father:       Take this.  You ______ not forget to wear your helmet while 
riding your motorbike.
Son:  Thanks, Dad. I forgot to pick it up.
        
A B 
Attitudes and Functions Dialogues
• Necessity A
• Possibility B
• Ability C
• Permission D
The words that you have used to fill in the blanks denote certain attitudes 
and functions. Match column (A) with column (B) for the dialogues                      
that you have completed. 
CBSE
199
The words that you have used are called MODALS.  They belong to a large 
category of auxiliary verbs, i.e. helping verbs that cannot be used on their own, 
but to be used in conjunction with other main verbs. 
  
 
a) A:  Raju has fractured his arm.
B:  But still he can write.
b) A:  I have still some shopping to do. May I leave my bag in your store?
B: Yes, but please collect it before 8.00 pm.
c) A: The coffee is rather bitter.  Would you please pass some sugar? 
  B: No, you must not take any sugar. 
Have you forgotten your doctor's advice?
d) A:  I'll not be able to finish my assignment in time.
B:  Shall I do the drawings for you?
e) A:  Jamila hasn't come yet.  It's already very late.
B:  She may come tomorrow. 
f) A:  Someone is knocking on the door.
         B:  I'll open it- it'll be the maid.  
g) A:  My feet get swollen in the evening.
B:  Then you must consult a doctor.
A.2 Given below are some dialogues.  Circle the modals and underline the 
main verbs in the  italicised portions of the dialogues:-
CBSE
200
A.3   Match the italicized portions of the dialogues with the attitudes and 
functions denoted by the modals used in them. 
A.4 Here are the modals used in English.
 Dialogue Attitudes and functions
a) …… he can write offering (help)
b) ……. would you please pass ….. necessity
c) …….. you must not ………. requesting
d) shall I do ……….. asking for permission
e) she may come ………. advising 
f) ……. It'll be the maid. logical deduction
g) …….. you must consult …….. ability
h) May I leave ………….. possibility
can might shall would 
could must should
may ought to will 
Also, some ordinary verbs and expressions are used to express the same   
attitudes as modals.
 be able to / be unable to have to
 be possible to / be impossible to have got to
 be used to  need to be going to 
had better bound to, etc.
CBSE
201
A.5 Look at the following sentences:
A.6 Complete the following conversation choosing the most appropriate 
options from those given in the box.  There can be more than one option 
for some of the blanks. 
a) He needn't come to office tomorrow.
b) He needed permission to take a day off.
What is the difference in the use of 'need' between the above sentences?
In sentence (a) 'need' is used as a _______ verb because __________.
In sentence (b) 'need' is used as a _______ verb because __________.
Can, could, may, might, shall, should, will and would are called 'pure' 
modals because they 
a) are followed by a main verb in its bare infinitive form (e.g. I must go)
b) don't change in the third person (e.g. He will help and not He wills help.)
Need and dare are used both as modal verbs and main verbs.
e.g 1). They needed a lot of money to start a business (main verb).
2) They need not borrow from the bank to start their business. (modal)
( As a modal, verb 'need' is commonly used with 'not')
3)  He dare not challenge the authority of his boss. (modal verb) 
( As a modal verb dare is also commonly used with 'not')
4)  He does not dare to challenge the authority of his boss. (main verb)
Gautam: I heard that Rahim (1) ________ open a garment shop, though he is a little 
uncertain.
Sheela: He (2) _______ not plunge into another business proposition; he (3) ______ 
forget the colossal failure of his last business venture.
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