lign="justify"> Modal verbs clarify a statement in the interpersonal dimension. In other words, they express the viewpoint of the writer about the event he or she is explaining. In the content (factual) dimension, let us assume a simple statement: operator pushes the green button to start the motor.the interpersonal dimension, author, the writer, may not be certain whether this is true. Author will want to distinguish whether there is a small possibility, a strong probability, or an absolute necessity for this action to occur. To be safe, Author add clarifying information: operator "may/might /" push the green button to start the motor. "Content" is the same in all the sentences, but changing the helping verb shows how "certain" Author is about the possibility of this action actually occurring., however, author doesn't care about the probability of the action. Suppose author want to give the opinion on how much "obligation" the operator has to push the button. For example Author might want to suggest/request/order the operator to push the button. Once again author will add clarifying information: operator "can/may/should /" push the green button to start the motor.both of the above two cases, author, as the writer, have to be careful to choose the right helping verb to indicate the exact nuance of meaning. But a problem exists: a given form of the same sentence can have two possible interpretations, the interpretation of certitude and the interpretation of obligation. If you look at the two examples above, you will find that the words "may" can be used for both probability and obligation. That is, "may" means both "small possibility" and "is allowed to". Example, "the operator MAY push the green button to start the motor" can be interpreted as: 1: The operator is allowed to push the green button to start the motor 1: Оператору дозволяють натиснути на зелену кнопку, щоб почати рух.
Example 2: It is possible that the operator will push the green button to start the motor. 2: Можливо, що оператор натисне на зелену кнопку, щоб почати рух. p align="justify"> Without additional information, it is impossible for the reader to be certain which meaning is the correct interpretation of this sentence.good technical and scientific writers we are obliged to avoid ambiguity and yet the words we would normally use to express the important ideas of the various degrees of certitude and obligation are inherently ambiguous. Specifically, here are the possible meanings for each of the modal verbs :: ability, possibility, permission, wish: ability, possibility, permission: ability, possibility, permission: ability, possibility, permission: obligation, propriety, prediction: customary activity, prediction, wish: future, necessity, obligationgood writer is expected to avoid such ambiguity, but not everyone who writes is a good writer. To improve the clarity of your own writing, we will provide subsequent articles on the w...
