The Goal of Error Analysis
3. Dynamic modality, which describes such properties as ability and volition to
the subject of the sentences : l can come. Often the same modals verb is used for more than one kinds of modality: may, for possibility it may rain tommorow and
permission you may smoke now: must for necessity the plane must have landed by now. And obligation l must go.
According to Betty schramfer azhar, the types of modal auxiliaries can be
divided into two kinds. First , modal auxiliaries with different meaning such us :
can, could, had better, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will and would.
Second, modal auxiliaries with similar expression such as: be able to, be going
to,be supposed to, be to, have to, have got to, used to.
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Modal and semi modal can be grouped into three major categories according to thier main meaning excluding used to, which relates to past time.
a.
Permissionpossibilityability: can, could, may, might
b.
Obligationneccesity: must, should, had better, Have got to, need to, ought
to, be supposed to. c.
Volition prediction : will, would, shall, be going to.
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Can and could are modal auxiliaries that used to assist verb to express ability, possibility and permission. Like other modal auxiliaries can and could are
usually placed before the predicates of the sentences in positive sentence, for example : l can swim, he could play guitar. In negative sentences, modal need
“Not” between modal and verb, for example: I cannot swim, he colud not play guitar. In interrogative sentence, for example : Can I swim? Could he play Guitar?