Rationale of the study
In English interpersonal communication, the auxiliaries Could, Would, May, and Might serve distinct modal meanings, reflecting the varied attitudes of speakers As an English teacher, I have observed that learners often make mistakes in using these auxiliaries as politeness markers.
For this reason, I have made up my mind to choose this as the topic for my research.
Aim of the research
This thesis is an attempt to gain an insightful look into the linguistic features of
Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers in interpersonal communication
And, on this basis, possible pedagogical implications might be obtained.
Objectives of the research
The following have been set forth as specific objectives of the thesis:
(i) Identification of the linguistic features of Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers in English
(ii) Categorization of the mistakes commonly made by learners of English in using
Could, Would, May, Might as politeness makers
(iii) Possible pedagogical implications in the teaching of Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers in interpersonal interaction.
Scope of the research
English modal auxiliaries, particularly Could, Would, May, and Might, serve as essential politeness markers in interpersonal communication This study focuses on the linguistic features of these modals as politeness tools and examines common errors made by Ninh Giang high school students when using them Additionally, it explores potential solutions to improve their understanding and application of these modals in conversation.
Significance of the research
The practical value of the thesis lies in the fact that, with the research results obtained, an insight can be gained into the linguistic features of Could, Would, May,
Might This type of knowledge, to the possible extent, helps facilitate teaching, translating, and communicating in English.
Structural organization of the thesis
The study is composed of three main parts
Part A is the introduction which presents the rationale, aim, and scope of the study as well as the significance of the research
Part B is “Development” which consists of three chapters
Chapter one is about the theoretical background for the research This chapter is aimed at establishing the framework of investigation
Chapter two is entitled “Methodology” This chapter gives a general description of the research method, the subjects chosen for the study, the data collection instruments and the research procedures
Chapter three, titled "Findings and Discussions," outlines the linguistic features and results derived from surveys, observations, and interviews conducted with both students and teachers This section highlights the comparative progress of students and teachers while also addressing pertinent pedagogical implications for English language learners.
The final part is the “Conclusion” which presents a recapitulation, and provides conclusions on each of the thesis objectives Recommendations and suggestions for future studies are also herein provided
At the end of the thesis are References and Appendices.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of previous studies related to the research area of the thesis
Following are the previous research works directly related to the theme of the thesis:
(i) Politeness markers used in offering assistance in English and Vietnamese, Hồ
Thị Kiều Oanh, No 5(40).2010 Science and Technology magazine,
This article examines the politeness markers employed in the speech act of offering assistance in both Australian English and Vietnamese It analyzes various strategies and social deixes, such as addressing terms, formal semantic items, and pragmatic particles, across different situational contexts Additionally, the article explores the reasons behind the similarities and differences in the use of these politeness markers, focusing on the concepts of face and politeness within the cultural frameworks of Australia and Vietnam.
This study examines the strategies involved in offering assistance, focusing on the linguistic forms and means employed in this speech act It also explores the use of politeness markers and social deixes, as well as formal semantic items that convey deference Additionally, the research highlights the role of pragmatic particles, which, despite lacking lexical meaning, serve to clarify the grammatical relationships among fully semantic words in a sentence.
(ii) A contrastive analysis of the meanings expressed via the modal verbs can, may, must in English and the equivalent expressions in Vietnamese, Nguyễn Minh Huệ,
Preliminaries and features of modal auxiliaries in English and in Vietnamese, making a comparison between modal meanings expressed by can, may, must in
English and their Vietnamese equivalent expressions and offering some suggestions for the application of the study to the teaching of English modals
The thesis provides a comprehensive interpretation of the modal verb "may," highlighting the significance of both the speaker and hearer in meaning construction while considering social and psychological factors In contrast, the Vietnamese modal verb presents a level of ambiguity This poses challenges in teaching English modal verbs to Vietnamese learners, emphasizing the need for strategies that help students understand the meaning of each modal verb within specific contexts.
Further research is needed to conduct a contrastive analysis of the modal systems in English and Vietnamese, particularly in how they express the concepts of possibility, permission, and obligation Additionally, an investigation into the linguistic tools that convey permission and obligation in English is warranted.
(iii) A study on politeness strategies manifested in advising in English and Vietnamese, Lê Thu Thảo, 2008 ULIS
This study explores the significance of positive and negative politeness strategies in social and cross-cultural communication, focusing on their application in advising within English and Vietnamese contexts It highlights the essential role of politeness in facilitating effective interactions and offers recommendations for teaching advising scenarios.
This study provides a preliminary exploration of politeness strategies in advising between English and Vietnamese, leaving key questions unanswered, such as the role of addressing forms in advising Future research should focus on the application of positive and negative politeness strategies in everyday communication among English and Vietnamese speakers, as well as the use of politeness strategies in making suggestions This focus would greatly benefit English teaching and learning initiatives.
Theoretical preliminaries
Auxiliary verbs are essential components in English grammar, functioning primarily to support main verbs by adding grammatical information They are categorized into two types: primary auxiliaries, which include DO, HAVE, and BE, and modal auxiliaries While primary auxiliaries focus on grammatical functions, modal auxiliaries serve a dual purpose, conveying both grammatical and modal meanings, reflecting the speaker's attitudes toward the content and the listener.
English features three main auxiliary verbs: do, be, and have These verbs play a crucial role in creating various grammatical structures, yet they possess minimal inherent meaning For instance, the auxiliary verb "be" is essential in forming the progressive tense, as demonstrated in the sentence: "Tim is dancing."
The term "BE" in this context serves as an auxiliary verb that helps form a verb phrase, indicating that Tim's dancing is occurring in the present moment This function is consistent across all primary auxiliaries, which act as essential 'helpers' in conveying the intended verbal meaning.
The verb to be forms the passive voice (The ball was hit by John)
The verb to have forms the perfect tenses (I have decided to retire)
The verb to do enables us to negate or to ask questions (He did not write the book,
Notice that each of these verbs can act as a main verb as well, as in I am happy, He has a lot of money, and He does his own thing
(Source: http://awelu.srv.lu.se/grammar-and-words/selective-mini grammar/verb- phrases/primary-auxiliary-verbs/)
To put it in a nutshell, we can say that primary auxiliaries mainly perform grammatical function rather than convey other types of meaning
Language has evolved from being governed solely by truth-conditional logic to embracing the concept of truth relativity, leading to the development of "possible worlds" to clarify modal and temporal operators Bally (1932) advanced the medieval analysis of propositions, distinguishing between dictum, which conveys propositional content, and modus, which reflects the speaker's subjective attitude Modality can be both explicit and implicit, represented on a scale where explicit modality contrasts with implicit or synthetic forms integrated within dictum Modal verbs serve as implicit morphological indicators of modality (Boicu, 2007: 2).
In English, there are ten essential modal verbs: can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should, will, and would Additionally, certain verbs such as need, had better, and the invariant be can also act as modals, commonly referred to as semi-modals.
Palmer (2001: 7) proposes a binary distinction the former separates „non-modal‟ from „modal‟ and is associated with the notional contrast between „factual‟ and
Recent terminology distinguishes between "realis" and "irrealis," moving beyond the traditional terms "non-factual" and "real" versus "unreal." Modality is categorized within the "irrealis" domain, which also encompasses certain tenses and moods.
The second distinction Palmer makes divides modal verbs in keeping with the two main semantic categories: epistemic and deontic
Halliday (1970) distinguishes between two systems in his systemic functional grammar: modality and modulation Modality relates to how a speaker subjectively expresses their involvement in the truth value of a statement, incorporating semantic categories like "probable," "possible," "virtually certain," and "certain." This system is rooted in what Halliday identifies as the interpersonal metafunction of language.
Modulation concerns the ideational metafunction of the content and of the conditions that influence it Its types are defined in terms of „permission‟,
„obligation‟, „ability‟, „desire‟, etc The cause of ambiguity would be the fact that the two systems are semantically similar, since they both underlie the same group of modal verbs
Hoffman (1993) states that there are four main modalities contained by logical, epistemic, deontic and capacity modals He puts forward the assumption that
“Natural languages have three basic logical modal concepts: [Nec] necessary, [Psb] possible and [Imp] impossible; the first two are defined and given symbols in logic”
According to the linguist, English linguistic modality is primarily divided into two categories: epistemic modalities, which connect propositions, and other modalities that typically focus on the subject's perspective.
The author examines the similarities between epistemic modals (MoE) and social deontic modals (MoD), drawing parallels with quantifiers (Qnt) and adverbs of frequency (AvF) This analysis is presented in a structured table that outlines seven distinct degrees, highlighting the nuanced relationships among these linguistic elements.
„strength‟ concerning all the four classes of elements
The seven degrees of strength, ranging from necessary (Nec) to impossible (Imp), are present in various forms across many languages While certain specific words may be absent, particularly in capacity modals, quantifiers often provide the most comprehensive scale in most languages.
The correlation among the above-mentioned categories is shown in the following Table (Hoffman 1993: 112):
{Nec} must must always all, every
{Apx-Nec} should should usually most
- may/could often many/much
{Psb} can may sometimes some
{Apx-Imp} should not should not seldom, rarely few
{Imp} must not must not, can‟t never none, no
Politeness is the practical application of good manners and etiquette, shaped by cultural norms What is deemed polite in one culture may be perceived as rude or eccentric in another, highlighting the diverse interpretations of politeness across different societies.
“Politeness is the art of choosing among your thoughts.” Madame de Stael (Abel Stevens, 1880)
Have you ever experienced a negative reaction from a waiter while ordering in a foreign country or faced an upset response when asking someone for a favor? These situations may arise from a lack of politeness in your English communication.
The English language is full of these little formalities which can definitely determine whether you‟re going to make a good first impression on someone or not
When seeking information or offering assistance, it's essential to adhere to unspoken etiquette, which emphasizes the importance of politeness Using phrases like "please" and "thank you" is crucial in most interactions, as people often expect a courteous, indirect communication style that reflects respect and consideration.
(Source: http://reallifeglobal.com/how-to-be-polite-in-english)
* “Face” and “Face Threatening Act” (FTA)
Brown and Levinson (1978) offer a unique viewpoint on politeness phenomena, having examined them across various languages and cultures They propose that the roots of politeness are universal, as all humans must recognize and respect each other's "face" to establish social relationships.
Central to their theory is the concept of "face," which originates from Goffman's (1955) idea of "face-work," involving the presentation and protection of one's own and others' faces This notion is also linked to the English folk term associated with feelings of embarrassment and humiliation, commonly referred to as "losing face."
Brown and Levinson assume that all adult competent members of a society have:
“Face, the public self-image that every member (of a society) wants to claim for himself consisting of two related aspects:
* Negative face: the basic claim to territories, personal preserves, rights to non- distraction, i.e to freedom of action and freedom from imposition
* Positive face: the positive consistent self-image or personality „crucially including the desire that this self-image be appreciated‟.”
Summary
In short, this chapter provides a review of some major theoretical points related to investigations into English auxiliaries in general and English modal auxiliaries
Could, Would, May, and Might serve as important politeness markers in language, reflecting the speaker's attitude towards the proposition These modal verbs are frequently used to maintain the negative face of the interlocutor during interactions, effectively facilitating face-saving acts (FSAs) in interpersonal communication.
Would you pass me the salt
Will you (please) pass me the salt?
The phrases "would you" and "will you" serve similar functions in making polite requests, with "would you" being more frequently used and generally perceived as more courteous Nonetheless, the level of politeness conveyed can significantly depend on the speaker's tone of voice.
Could you pass me the salt
Basically, could you and would you have the same meaning The difference is slight
Would you = Do you want to do this please?
Could you = Do you want to do this please, and Is it possible for you to do this?
Could you and would you are equally polite
? Can you (please) pass the salt?
Can you is often used informally It usually sounds less polite than could you or would you
Yes, I'd ( I would ) be happy to Yes, I'd ( I would ) be glad to
A person usually responds in the affirmative to a polite request If a negative response is necessary, a person might begin by saying "I'd like to, but " (e.g I'd like to pass the salt, but
METHODOLOGY
Research orientations
The thesis seeks answers for the following research questions:
(i) What are the linguistic features of Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers in English?
(ii) What are the types of mistakes commonly committed by learners of English in using Could, Would, May, Might as politeness makers?
(iii) What are the pedagogical implications for the teaching of Could, Would, May,
A study was conducted at Ninh Giang High School in Hai Duong, utilizing questionnaires, observations, and interviews as data collection methods The researcher distributed questionnaires to 90 elementary level students to gather insights for the research.
This research primarily utilizes qualitative methods, incorporating elements of quantification to enhance the reliability of insights derived from document analysis, questionnaires, and interviews.
Research methods
This thesis primarily serves as descriptive research focused on the linguistic features of the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might, as well as the errors made by students at Ninh Giang High School To achieve this, various data collection instruments were utilized to gather relevant information.
To assess the teaching and learning abilities of both teachers and students, as well as to evaluate students' usage of politeness markers such as Could, Would, May, and Might, the researcher employed a combination of document analysis, questionnaires, observations, and interviews as research instruments.
One of the focuses set out for the thesis is the establishment of linguistic features of
Could, would, may, and might are auxiliary verbs that can be understood through careful observation of analyzed data Document analysis serves as an effective data collection tool, allowing for the extraction of valuable insights regarding these auxiliaries from various sources The premise is that a more multi-dimensional approach to analysis yields more informative results.
Document analysis serves as a valuable technique and effective tool for identifying the linguistic features of modal verbs such as Could, Would, May, and Might This process encompasses the examination of structural organization, semantico-pragmatic traits, and phonological characteristics, providing insights into their usage and implications in language.
Questionnaires are recognized as effective tools for data collection in survey research, particularly for identifying student errors in the use of politeness markers such as Could, Would, May, and Might This study aims to categorize these mistakes into three main types: structural, semantico-pragmatic, and phonological errors To achieve this, the questionnaires are designed with various formats, including multiple-choice questions, cloze tests (gap filling), Discourse Completion Tasks (DCT), and sentence-building exercises based on provided words.
Analyzing the various formats of questionnaires allows for a comprehensive understanding of the common errors made by students By identifying these specific types of mistakes, we can develop targeted solutions to address the underlying issues effectively.
Interviews serve as a valuable data collection tool in survey research, similar to questionnaires The primary aim of the interviews in this study is to pinpoint the pronunciation errors made by students with the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might, focusing on both their strong and weak forms.
The interviews utilize both structured and unstructured response formats to gather insights on student understanding Structured formats, such as gap-filling, multiple-choice questions, and checklists, allow for quick identification of common mistakes In contrast, unstructured interviews focus on assessing students' awareness of modal verbs like Could, Would, May, and Might, as well as the challenges they face in mastering their usage.
Observing two classes at different times has provided crucial evidence for my research thesis, highlighting the significance of this activity in my study process.
On March 4, 2014, I attended Mrs Thuy's class at Ninh Giang High School, where the focus was on teaching modal verbs, specifically "would" for making offers Initially, the teacher provided explanations while the students listened attentively In the second part of the lesson, handouts were distributed, and students engaged in speaking exercises, successfully answering questions and demonstrating their understanding of the material.
• Mr Thanh‟s class (at Ninh Giang high school, date of observing: March 24,
In 2014, he introduced a valuable exercise for his students after they grasped the concept of Modals of Polite Request He assigned a small activity where students were tasked with selecting the best answers and providing explanations for their choices.
To fulfill the purpose of finding out teachers‟ and students‟ attitudes toward Could,
The survey questionnaire was clearly presented in tables and figures for each task, highlighting the difficulties associated with the use of "would," "may," and "might." A comprehensive analysis and interpretation of these tables and figures facilitated a more effective discussion of the findings, leading to more reliable assessments and recommendations for future research.
In general, the research has undergone 3 phases as follows:
- Phase 1: I spent the first 2 weeks to prepare for my research, from choosing the sources to determining the goals that I would like to achieve
In Phase 2, a comprehensive design of survey questionnaires and interviews was meticulously crafted and administered to both students and teachers at Ninh Giang High School This data collection process lasted approximately three weeks, followed by a thorough analysis of the gathered information.
- Phase 3: the rest of the time I concentrate on writing the first draft, review it and then complete the whole version of the paper.
Summary
Chapter 2 has provided some information on the employed research method, the data collection instruments which consists of data analysis, questionnaires, interviews, observation; procedure of the study and data analysis techniques as well The results obtainable via the methods will be presented in the next chapter.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Findings & Discussion on linguistic features of Could, Would May, Might
3.1.1 Structural features of Could , Would , May , Might
The structure of a modal verb is simple: there is never a conjugation or a non-finite form and they can take the negation directly
Modal verbs in English are unique as they always precede the verb phrase and do not indicate number The six essential combinations for verb phrases involving modal verbs include: modal verb + simple form, modal verb + have + past participle, modal verb + be + present participle, modal verb + have + been + past participle, modal verb + be + past participle, and modal verb + have + been + present participle.
(Source: http://sdhanel.com/grammar/modalverbtesl.html)
* You might try the cheesecake
* You might have tried the cheese cake
From the 2 above examples, we have seen the position of modal verbs in a sentence:
Subject + Could/ Would/ May/ Might + infinitive
* You might try the cheesecake
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that enhance the meaning of main verbs When using modal verbs, the following verb should be in its infinitive form without "to." For example, the correct usage is "You might take photographs," not "You might to take photographs."
(ii) Modals do not change in the third person singular form (he/she/it) in the present simple, or no “-ing” and “-ed” forms
E.g Mary may leave now (not: Mary mays …)
(iii) Modals are not used with the auxiliary verb “do” to form the negative, we add
“not” after the modal To ask questions, we put the modals in front of the subject E.g Hey, you couldn’t pass me that plate, could you?
Modals primarily serve to express stance, such as possibility or obligation, beyond their temporal meanings Notably, modals associated with the past can also indicate hypothetical situations pertaining to the present or future, making them a potent tool for conveying politeness in communication.
* Could you pass me the cheese?
* Would you (be so kind as to) do this?
The two sentences above show the politeness Could and Would are the two modal verbs, employed to convey In other words, they are auxiliaries as politeness markers
* Could you pass me the cheese? means "Please pass me the cheese”
* Would you (be so kind as to) do this? means "Please do this”
English modal auxiliaries include can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would These modals can be negated in two ways: grammatically, such as "will not," or morphologically, as in contractions like "won't," "wouldn't," "mustn't," "can't," "couldn't," "mayn't" (rare), "mightn't," "shan't" (marked), and "shouldn't."
3.1.2 Semantico-pragmatic features of Could , Would , May , Might
3.1.2.1 Common features shared by Could , Would , May , Might
(i) These auxiliaries express modality, both epistemic and deontic
Eg: He might be there
Auxiliary verbs serve as politeness markers in communication, functioning as linguistic tools to perform face-saving acts They act as mitigating devices, helping to soften statements and maintain social harmony.
Eg: Would you send me your document?
(iii) Pragmatically, they all can act the tag component in tag questions
Eg: Never mind, would you?
3.1.2.2 Specific features of Could , Would , May , Might
Listed below are the modal meanings contained in these four auxiliaries:
The modal verb "could" shares similarities with "can," as both convey ability, but "could" often reflects a more polite tone or a past context For instance, "could" serves as the past tense of "can," indicating past abilities, as illustrated in the example: "When he was five, he could already read."
The phrase "to be allowed to" indicates permission, while "could" conveys a more polite form of asking for permission compared to "can," as seen in the example, "Could I please say something?" Additionally, "could" signifies possibility, functioning similarly to "can," as illustrated by the statement, "Heavy drinking could cause liver cancer."
The word "would" is primarily used to discuss past events, future scenarios in the past, and to express the conditional mood It also serves various other functions, including expressing desire, making polite requests, and conveying opinions, hopes, wishes, or regrets When asking someone to do something, "would" is considered more polite than "could." For instance, saying "Would you do me a favor?" is very polite, while "Could you do me a favor?" is still polite but slightly less so Similarly, phrases like "Would you get me some bread, please?" and "Would you open the window?" demonstrate the polite nature of "would" in requests and questions.
* Would you open the door, please? (more polite than: Open the door, please.)
* Would you go with me? (more polite than: Will you go with me?)
* Would you know the answer? (more polite than: Do you know the answer?)
* What would the capital of Nigeria be? (more polite than: What is the capital of Nigeria?)
The modal verb "may" conveys two primary meanings: permission and possibility When used to express permission, as in "May I please have seconds?", it is considered more polite and grammatically correct than "can." Additionally, "may" indicates possibility or probability, similar to "can" and "could," as illustrated by the statement "Heavy drinking may cause liver cancer." In these contexts, "may," "can," and "could" suggest that something is possible but not guaranteed.
The terms "might" and "may" are similar in meaning, just as "could" and "can" are, with "might" often serving as a more polite way to convey permission or possibility For instance, one might ask, "Might I have seconds?" to express a courteous request Additionally, "might" indicates a weaker likelihood, as demonstrated in the statement, "Heavy drinking might cause liver cancer, but we are not certain."
3.1.3.1 General phonological features of Could , Would , May , Might
+ All words (Could, Would, May and Might) have weak forms and strong forms By
“strong form” we mean the fact that the words are strong uttered By “weak form” we mean that the words are uttered with little force
+ They are not inflected for tense and number e.g Simon might swim not Simon mights swim
3.1.3.1 Specific phonological features of Could , Would , May , Might
* Strong and Weak forms of “Would”
Example: I would like some fish and chips
+ Strong forms /aɪ wʊd laɪk sʌm fɪʃ ổnd tʃɪps/ This version sounds unnatural and more difficult to understand for a native speaker
Weak forms in English pronunciation can vary, as illustrated by the phrase "I would like some fish and chips," which can be spoken as /ɑ wəd laɪk səm fɪʃ ən tʃɪps/ or in a weaker form as /ɑd laɪk səm fɪʃ ən tʃɪps/ Notably, the auxiliary verb "would" has two weak pronunciations: /wəd/ and /d/ Understanding these variations is essential for mastering fluent and natural speech in English.
* Strong and Weak forms of “Could”
The auxiliary verb “Could”, as the verb can, is used in its strong form when it occurs at the end of the sentence
Strong form /kʊd/ – (Example: Everybody could Or so he could)
Weak form /kəd/ – (Example: He could wait Or Could you spell your name for me, please?)
* Strong and Weak forms of “May”
“May”: /mei/ - uttered with strong force → strong form
- uttered with little force as compared to the strong form → weak form + Future Expectation (Possible) (Weak form): He may play
+ Probability of Present event (Weak form): He may be playing (now)
+ It's a possibility (Strong form): It may not be true
* Strong and Weak forms of “Might”
“Might”: /mait/ - uttered with strong force → strong form
- uttered with little force as compared to the strong form → weak form + Future Expectation: Weak form: (Possible) He might play
+ Probability of Present event: Weak form: He might be playing (now)
+ When talking about either future or current states (Strong form):
- Present: Ask John, he might know the answer
- Future: Ask him tomorrow, he might know then
+ It's a possibility (Strong form): I said she might consider a new haircut.
Findings & Discussion on types of mistakes commonly committed by
3.2.1 Types of mistakes related to structural organization of the sentence
Many students grasped their assignments involving the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might, yet struggled with the correct formation of modal auxiliary verbs Some may have forgotten the rules, while others recalled them incorrectly Additionally, they faced challenges in determining when to use a modal auxiliary verb versus a main verb, constructing modal sentences, and completing transformations.
→ He may driving a car Or He may to drive a car
- She (would not) do that
→ She not would do that
- Could you _ me the way to the post office, please? →
Could you telling me the way to the post office, please?
3.2.2 Types of mistakes related to semantico-pragmatic usage
In certain contexts, individuals may struggle to identify the appropriate modal verb due to difficulties in comprehending the content of sentences or paragraphs.
- Students do not master the rules and context of Could, Would, May, Might so it can lead to wrong translations
Eg: - Would you please send me the document by email? → Bạn cần phải gửi tài liệu cho mình qua email?
3.2.3 Types of mistakes related to phonological features
Many students often misuse the strong forms of modal verbs such as could, would, may, and might A common issue is the incorrect pronunciation of these verbs; for example, when asked to pronounce "could," many students say "/kut/" or "/ku…s/" instead of the correct forms "/kʊd/" or "/kəd/."
Based on the students‟ and teachers‟ feedback in the interview questions and class observation, I have got some results hereafter presented:
Teachers prepare and select textbooks and lesson plans from online sources and printed newspapers, while students are now expected to independently research and prepare class presentations on assigned technical topics However, all respondents indicate that they have not had the opportunity to attend workshops at their school for hands-on experience or to meet with technical teachers for practical consultation This situation prompts important questions for the department and school administrators, highlighting the need for improved teaching techniques.
Understanding the nuances of modal verbs like Could, Would, May, and Might is essential for effective communication While teachers often focus on lesson content, student proficiency, and specific grammatical items, they frequently struggle to identify effective methods for maximizing learning outcomes Engaging exercises can enhance comprehension and application of these modals, leading to improved language skills.
Findings & Discussion on the possible pedagogical implications for
* Solutions to the types of mistakes committed by elementary level students at Ninh Giang High School
3.3.1 Solutions to mistakes related to structural organization of the sentence
English language learners frequently struggle with the nuances of the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might, as these politeness markers differ significantly from other verbs and are applied in diverse contexts To effectively teach these concepts, consider introducing a limited number of terms at once and engaging students in various practice activities before adding more vocabulary Alternatively, you can design your lessons to focus on the specific uses of these modals, allowing for a more structured and comprehensive understanding.
Incorporate politeness markers effectively by dedicating one lesson to advice-giving expressions and another to expressions of politeness This approach ensures clarity and relevance, allowing students to grasp the appropriate usage of these markers in different contexts By segmenting the lessons, learners can focus on mastering the nuances of polite communication and the subtleties of offering advice, ultimately enhancing their language skills.
In this article, we will explore the politeness markers Could, Would, May, and Might, which are essential for effective communication Depending on the proficiency level of your class, you may choose to focus on the most relevant terms Since visual aids are limited, you can facilitate pronunciation practice by pointing to these words on the board Additionally, it’s important to cover some general rules that apply to all these markers during your introduction, helping students grasp their meanings and usage in context.
Could, Would, May, and Might serve as politeness markers in English, and they do not require an -s for the third person singular form, as in "He could." They form negatives by adding "not," and always need another verb since they cannot function as the main verb in a sentence Unlike regular verbs, these markers only have present tense forms, meaning there are no past tense equivalents To aid understanding, it's helpful to write the rules for Could, Would, May, and Might on the board after practicing their pronunciation.
When teaching modal verbs, focus on "Could," "Would," "May," and "Might." Start with "Would" to help students grasp the target structure easily For example, encourage them to practice sentences like, “I would like to try this.” Next, introduce "Might" with phrases such as, “Might I take these tests?” Gradually introducing these structures and incorporating plenty of practice activities will enhance their understanding and usage.
3.3.2 Solutions to mistakes related to semantico-pragmatic usage
The following techniques can be employed as solutions to the problems encountered by students in using Could, Would, May, Might
Employment of DCT (Discourse Completion Task)
Completion exercises involve providing students with partial sentences or paragraphs that they need to finish These exercises can also include gap-filling activities similar to close reading texts, encouraging learners to engage with the material more deeply.
E.g Exercise 1: Complete the following sentences using suitable word
2 …… you please email that document to me? I need it
3 ……… you mind buying two loaves of bread on your way home?
Teaching modal verbs like Could, Would, May, and Might requires students to understand their appropriate usage in various contexts To achieve this, it is essential to incorporate situation-based practice that progresses from simple to complex scenarios Additionally, the practice situations should closely resemble real-life experiences to enhance comprehension and application.
E.g Ask polite questions in the following situations Use any appropriate word
1 You’re in office You’re cold The window is opened
2 You’re at a bar You want some more wine
Students can practice using modal verbs like Could, Would, May, and Might to make polite requests through engaging activities One effective exercise involves inviting a friend; students circulate the classroom with pen and paper, asking their peers for information and recording their responses After sufficient practice, they share their findings with the entire class, enhancing their communication skills and understanding of polite requests.
Teaching a specific language point requires a tailored approach, as learners come from diverse backgrounds and face varying situations and conditions Therefore, educators must consider these factors to select the most effective methods, techniques, and exercises that enhance student learning outcomes.
3.3.3 Solutions to mistakes related to phonological features
Students often pronounce modal auxiliaries in their strong forms, leading to an overuse of these forms instead of the appropriate weak forms To address this issue, several solutions can be implemented to help students improve their pronunciation and usage of modal auxiliaries.
To enhance students' understanding of strong and weak forms in English, it's essential to highlight key rules Strong forms of the auxiliaries Could, Would, May, and Might are used at the beginning of Yes-No questions and when followed by the contracted negative "n’t" (e.g., wouldn't, couldn't) or the full negative (e.g., may not, might not) In contrast, weak forms of these auxiliaries are employed in statements preceding the main verb during regular speech, where the modal meanings are not emphasized.
(ii) Giving plenty of practice to sample sentences that contain the strong forms and the weak forms in accordance with the rules mentioned above.
Summary
This chapter explores the key linguistic features of the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might as politeness markers, focusing on their structural, semantico-pragmatic, and phonological aspects It identifies common mistakes made by students at Ninh Giang High School in Hai Duong related to these features Additionally, the chapter provides potential solutions to the challenges faced by both teachers and students at the school.
Recapitulation
This thesis focuses on descriptive research, highlighting the key linguistic features of the modal verbs Could, Would, May, and Might as politeness markers It explores these features through essential theoretical frameworks, including the concepts of politeness, Face Threatening Acts (FTA), Face-Focused Acts (FFA), Face-Saving Acts (FSA), and the role of politeness markers in communication.
The article discusses the pedagogical implications of various types of mistakes identified at Ninh Giang High School, highlighting the challenges faced by both teachers and students It also presents potential solutions to address these issues effectively.
Conclusions
2.1 Conclusions on objective (i) (“What are the linguistic features of Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers in English?”)
The four modal verbs are used with the bare infinitive and always occupy the first position in the verb phrase They do not take “-s” or “-es” in the third person singular, making them invariable auxiliaries These modals can form short answers, negatives, and interrogatives without needing additional auxiliaries Additionally, they lack infinitives, “-ing” forms, and inflections for tense and number.
The key semantico-pragmatic characteristic of verbs lies in their ability to convey specific modal meanings Phonologically, the four modal verbs exhibit both weak forms, which are pronounced with minimal emphasis, and strong forms, which are articulated with greater intensity.
2.2 Conclusions on objective (ii) (“What are the types of mistakes commonly committed by learners of English in using Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers?”)
An analysis of questionnaires collected from 90 students at Ninh Giang High School reveals several common types of mistakes.
- Some students do not know how to use Could, Would, May, and Might in the verb phrase and in different sentence types (questions, statements,…)
- Some students do not grasp the meanings of Could, Would, May, and Might So they produce ill-formed sentences semantically They do not master the use of
Could, Would, May, and Might in situation, context So this can lead to wrong translations
Students often tend to overuse strong forms of modal verbs such as could, would, may, and might, leading to common pronunciation errors This tendency reflects a misunderstanding of how these verbs should be articulated in different contexts.
2.3 Conclusions on objective (iii) (“What are the possible pedagogical implications for the teaching of Could, Would, May, Might as politeness markers?”)
From the result of survey, the researcher can offer some solutions to the type of mistakes committed by students
(i) Solutions to mistakes related to structural organization of the sentence
* Forms and structures of “Could”, “Would”, “May”, “Might” through introduction, practice stage
(ii) Solutions to mistakes related to semantico-pragmatic usage
* Emloyment of DCT (Discourse Completion Task) exercise
(iii) Solutions to mistakes related to phonological features
* Increasing students‟ awareness of the rules for using strong forms and weak forms:
* Giving plenty of practice to sample sentences that contain the strong forms and the weak forms of Could, Would, May, Might in accordance with the rules mentioned above
- Remember by heart all the modal meanings of each of the auxiliaries (“Could”,
- Do the exercises exclusively designed for these auxiliaries Try to elicit the meanings that each of these auxiliaries conveys in these exercises
- Work out the differences in conotational meaning that the uses of these auxiliaries may entail in actual interpersonal communication
- Do translation exercises related to the uses of these auxiliaries as politeness markers
Eg: He may be right
→ what is the difference in expressing the speaker‟s attitude?
- Provide students with an overall picture of the meanings of these auxiliaries
- Administer exercises exclusively designed for the practice of these modal verbs.
Limitations of the current research
There have been some limitations that need to be taken into consideration
The researcher employed a questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of students at Ninh Giang High School in using politeness markers such as Could, Would, May, and Might However, the study's findings may be limited due to the small sample size, consisting of only 60 students from two classes, which may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the overall usage among the student population.
The researcher conducted the survey and questionnaires within a brief timeframe of 8 weeks, which may affect the accuracy of the results Additionally, the varying levels of students in the observed classes, despite the researcher's efforts to select two suitable classes for the study, limited the precision of the data collected.
This study focused on Ninh Giang High School, indicating that the teaching methods discussed may not be applicable to other high schools due to variations in students' language proficiency and differing social factors.
Suggestions for future research
This thesis explores the linguistic features and pedagogical implications of the modals Could, Would, May, and Might It suggests themes for future research on how these modals function as politeness markers, highlighting their potential to convey nuanced meanings in communication.
A contrastive analysis of the modal systems in English and Vietnamese reveals how both languages express similar modal meanings, such as possibility, politeness, permission, and obligation Key modal verbs like "could," "would," "may," and "might" serve as essential politeness markers in English, highlighting the nuances of respectful communication Understanding these differences and similarities is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication and language learning.
* A study on linguistic means other than Could, Would, May, Might capable of expressing deontic modality in English
1 Abel Stevens, 1880, Madame de Stael, a study of her life and times: the first revolution and the first emprie American Edition
2 Bally, Charles, 1932, Linguistique gộnộrale et linguistique franỗaise, Paris,
3 Brown, P and Levison, S.C (1987), Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
4 Dacia Dressen-Hammouda, 2013, Politeness strategies in the job application letter: Implications of Intercultural Rhetoric for designing writing feedback,
Université Blaise Pascal, published in ASp 64 (2013) pp139-159
5 Goffman ,1955, “On Facework”, Guilford Press
6 Halliday, M.A.K.,1970, Functional diversity in language as seen from a consideration of modality and mood in English Foundations of Language 6 (3)
7 Hoffman, Th R., 1993, Realms of Meaning, New York, Longman, pp 111-113
8 Kerbrat-Orecchioni, C 2011, Politesse, impolitesse, 'non-politesse, G Held and
U Helfrich (eds), 93-116 Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang
9 Lakoff, R 1990, Talking Power: The Politics of Language, New York: Basic
10 Madame de Stael Quotes, Madame de Stặl, a study of her life and times: the first revolution and the first empire (1880) by Abel Stevens; p 79
11 Muh Shohibussirri, An Analysis of Politeness Strategy in Putra Nababan’s Interview with Barack Obama Thesis Jakata English Letters Department,
Letters and Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, February 2011; pp 14-15
12 Palmer, F R., 2001, Mood and Modality, Cambridge, Cambridge
13 Ruxandra Boicu, 2007, Modal verbs and politeness strategies in political discourse, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies; p 2
14 Thomas, J.1995.Meaning in Interaction: an Introduction to Pragmatics, London and New York: Longman
Auxiliary verbs play a crucial role in English grammar, assisting main verbs to form different tenses, moods, and voices Understanding the use of English auxiliaries and contractions is essential for effective communication, as they help convey nuances in meaning Modal verbs, a specific type of auxiliary, express necessity, possibility, or permission, enriching the language's expressiveness Additionally, politeness in English can be enhanced through the appropriate use of these verbs, ensuring respectful interactions Resources for further exploration of auxiliary verbs and their applications in various contexts can be found on educational websites dedicated to grammar and language learning.
1 Alemi, Minoo and Razzaghi, Sajedeh, 2012, Politeness markers in
English for business purposes textbook, International Journal of
Research Studies in Language Learning: 2013 October, Volume 2
2 Groefsema, M., C.J Fox and N Obeid, 1991 “Can, May, Must and
Should: A division of Labour”, in LAGB, Somerville College, Oxford
3 Halliday, M.A.K., 1994, An Introduction to Functional Grammar (Second
4 Leech, Geoffrey, N., 1983, Principles of Pragmatics, London and New
5 Perkins, Michael, R., 1983, Modal Expressions in English, London,
6 Quang, Võ Đại (2005) Một số vấn đề cú pháp, ngữ nghĩa, ngữ dụng và âm vị học Nxb Văn hóa- Thông tin
7 Quang, Võ Đại (2009) Một số phương tiện biểu đạt nghĩa tình thái trong tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt Nxb Đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội
UNPUBLISHED MA THESES RELATED TO THE
1 Nguyễn Minh Huệ, 2010 ULIS, A contrastive analysis of the the meanings expressed via the modal verbs can, may, must in English and equivalent expressions in Vietnamese, ULIS Doc
2 Lê Thu Thảo, 2008 ULIS, A study on politeness strategies manifested in advising in English and Vietnamese, ULIS Doc
3 Walton, A., 1988, The Pragmatics of English Modal Verbs, unpublished PhD Dissertation, University of London
Student‟s name (Tên): ……… Class (Lớp): ……
Sex (Giới tính): female (Nam) male (Nữ)
Period of studying English (Thời gian học tiếng Anh) : ………years (năm)
My name is Hai, an MA student in English Linguistics at Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies I am researching "Common English Auxiliaries as Politeness Markers: Prominent Linguistic Features and Possible Pedagogical Implications." Your insights are crucial to my study, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to answer the questions below Thank you for your cooperation.
(Các em học sinh thân mến,
Tôi là Hải, học viên Cao học chuyên ngành Ngôn ngữ Anh tại Trường Đại học Ngoại Ngữ Hiện tại, tôi đang thực hiện luận văn nghiên cứu về vai trò của các trợ động từ trong tiếng Anh như những chỉ tố lịch sự, với mục tiêu phân tích các đặc điểm ngôn ngữ học nổi bật và những ứng dụng sư phạm khả thi Tôi rất mong bạn có thể dành chút thời gian để trả lời các câu hỏi dưới đây Cảm ơn bạn rất nhiều!
(Designed for collecting mistakes related to structural organization of the sentence)
* Arrange the following words into the correct order (Sắp xếp những từ sau thành câu hoàn chỉnh)
1 you/ way/ the/ tell/ could/ please/ post office/ the/ to/ me?
4 botanical/ you/ might/ gardens/ during/ visit/ the
6 would / I/ inside/ you / if/ mind / smoke?
8 Barbara/ black/ us/ coffees/ could/ please/ you/ fix/ two?
9 for/ we/ just/ might/ moment/ interrupt/ a?
10 I/ had/ that / buy/ money/ now/ I/ enough/motorbike/ would/ if
11 feel/ yesterday/ very/ I/ well/ couldn‟t/ eat/ I/ anything/ didn‟t
12 I/ not/ might/ able/ to/ I‟m/ help/ be/ you/ but/ yet/ sure
13 you/ I/ take/ may/ a/ of/ photograph?
14 his/ be/ don‟t/ true/ but /I/ may/ believe/ excuse
15 I/ want/ could/ you/ I/ help/ don‟t/ but/ to
17 He/ window/ the/ couldn‟t/ broken/ classroom/ have
18 speak/ please/ softly/ would/ you/ more?
19 rather/ stay/ home/would/ you/ wouldn‟t/at/you?
20 when/ finished/ could/ me/ pick/ up/ you / I/ have/?
* Choose the best answer and write a, b, c, or d to the left of the sentence (Chọn câu trả lời đúng và viết chữ a, b, c, hoặc d về phía bên trái của câu)
Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh có những đặc điểm quan trọng: a không có TO ở nguyên mẫu và không có TO khi có động từ theo sau; b có TO ở nguyên mẫu và không có TO khi có động từ theo sau; c không có TO ở nguyên mẫu và có TO khi có động từ theo sau.
Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh có những đặc điểm quan trọng Đầu tiên, chúng có "s" ở ngôi thứ ba số ít trong thì hiện tại Thứ hai, chúng không có "s" ở ngôi thứ ba số ít trong thì hiện tại Cuối cùng, một số động từ khuyết thiếu có "es" ở ngôi thứ ba số ít trong thì hiện tại.
Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh có ba loại chính: thứ nhất, một số động từ chỉ có một thì là thì hiện tại; thứ hai, một số khác chỉ có một thì là thì quá khứ đơn; và thứ ba, một số động từ khuyết thiếu có hai thì là thì hiện tại và thì quá khứ đơn.
( ) 24 Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh chỉ làm trợ động từ a Đúng b Sai c Chưa xác định rõ
( ) 25 Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh đều có hình thức ……… với tất cả các ngôi a khác nhau b giống nhau c “ing”
( ) 26 Động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh trong câu hỏi dạng Yes/No question thường ……… a đứng ở cuối câu b đứng ở giữa câu c đứng ở đầu câu
( ) 27 Hình thành câu trả lời trong câu hỏi dạng Yes/No question bằng cách dùng lại chính động từ ấy a Đúng b Sai c Chưa xác định rõ
( ) 28 Hình thành thể phủ định của động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh bằng cách thêm a NOT sau động từ b NOT trước động từ c DON‟T sau động từ
Để hình thành câu hỏi đuôi của động từ khuyết thiếu trong tiếng Anh, có thể sử dụng ba cách: thứ nhất, sử dụng chính động từ khuyết thiếu đó; thứ hai, sử dụng một trợ động từ khác; và thứ ba, sử dụng trợ động từ TO BE.
Khi sử dụng cụm từ "would you mind", động từ theo sau cần phải được chia ở dạng "V-ing" và không được sử dụng dạng nguyên thể có "to".
( ) 31 Could là thì quá khứ đơn của Can a Đúng b Sai c Chưa xác định rõ
( ) 32 Trong từ sau đây, dạng viết tắt của would not dạng đúng là: a wouldn‟t b would‟t c would‟nt
( ) 33 Trong câu sau đây, theo em câu nào đúng? a It not might be you b It might not be you c It might be not you
In the following sentence, which option do you think is correct? a Could you tell me the right time, please? b Could you tell to me the right time, please? c Could please tell me the right time, please?
In the following sentences, which one do you think is correct? a Would you please to call me at seven o'clock? b Would you ask him please to call me at seven o'clock? c Would you please ask him to call me at seven o'clock?
In the following sentence, which option do you think is correct? a Would you mind buying two loaves of bread on your way home? b Would you mind to buy two loaves of bread on your way home? c Would you mind buy two loaves of bread on your way home? The correct choice is option a, as it properly uses the gerund form after "would you mind."
In the following sentences, identify which one is in the passive voice of a modal verb: a The problem could have been solved by her b The problem could been solved by her c The problem could been have solved by her.
( ) 38 “Would …… please bring me a glass of beer?” Em chọn từ nào? a you b I c we
( ) 39 “He …………been very happy if he had known about it.” Em chọn từ nào? a will b would c would have
( ) 40 “Would you be so kind as ……… ?” Em chọn từ nào? a doing this b to do this c have done this
(Designed for collecting mistakes related to semantico-pragmatic usage)
* Choose the suitable modal verb Identify your answer by circling the corresponding letter A, B, or C (Hãy chọn động từ tình thái thích hợp Khoanh tròn đáp án A, B, hoặc C)
1 I wish I ……… buy a new mobile phone but I don‟t have enough money
3 Judy is not at home She ………… have gone to Madrid, I don‟t know
4 ………… we go out tonight, please?
5 Jack ………… come to our wedding, but we aren‟t sure
7 Jane ………… not play the violin when she was five
8 ……… you water my plants while I am away?
9 I haven‟t decided yet where I will go in my next holidays I think I ……… go to Paris
10 Marco, …………you please erase the blackboard for me?
11 He ……… come if you asked him
12 You ……… be right but I'm going back to check anyway
13 You ……… leave now if you wish
14 Don‟t climb the wall without a rope because you ………… fall
15 Perhaps, he ………… not have heard He did not hang up the phone!
16 You ……… not do the job if you didn‟t speak Arabic fluently
17 It ………… have been Sam who called and didn‟t leave a message on the answering machine
18 Take an umbrella It ………….rain later
19 ………… I ask a question? Yes, of course
20 He asked if he ……… borrow the car
21 A: Where is James? He should already be here, shouldn't he?
B: Yes, he should but I don't know why he isn't here – he……….have missed the bus
22 A: I'm not sure if I passed the exam I don't feel very sure that I passed
B: I ………… not have passed the exam
23 A: They're coming this week but I don't know which day
24 I advised her not to go out late at night on her own, but she ……… not listen
25 I ……… be grateful if you could send me further information
* Choose the best answer and write a, b, c, or d to the left of the sentence (Chọn câu trả lời đúng và viết chữ a, b, c, hoặc d về phía bên trái của câu)
Chúng ta sử dụng động từ tình thái để diễn đạt khả năng, xin phép và đưa ra những sự gợi ý và yêu cầu.