modal auxiliary verb
- noun
- /ˈmoʊdəl ɔːɡˈzɪljəri vɜrb/
- Specialized
:
verbo auxiliar modal
- The word 'might' is a common modal auxiliary verb used to express possibility.
Examples
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The modal auxiliary verb 'can' is often used to express ability or permission.
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Students often struggle to choose the correct modal auxiliary verb for polite requests.
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In English, every modal auxiliary verb has unique usage rules depending on the context.
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A modal auxiliary verb can express necessity.
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Can you identify a modal auxiliary verb in that sentence?
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In English, a modal auxiliary verb like 'must' indicates obligation or necessity.
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When forming questions, students must know how to use a modal auxiliary verb effectively.
Synonyms
3
4.9
A helping verb that shows possibility, permission, or obligation
1
3.0
A helping verb like can that shows ability, permission, need or possibility
1
5.5
A helping verb like can that you use with another verb to show chance, need or time
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: it names a kind of 'verb' that is both 'auxiliary' and 'modal' — in other words, an auxiliary verb that expresses modality (possibility, necessity, etc.). Although somewhat technical, a learner who knows the meanings of 'modal', 'auxiliary' and 'verb' can directly derive the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Modal auxiliary verb paints a picture of a small helper word that stands before a main verb: the auxiliary helps the verb and the modal part shows how we see the action. So words like 'can', 'must' and 'may' act as helpers to show 'ability', 'necessity' or 'possibility', which is why the term means a helping verb that gives these meanings.