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die modalen Hilfsverben - the modals - the defective auxiliaries

Das größte Problem mit den modals ist ihre Bedeutung. Jedes modale Hilfsverb kann mehrere Bedeutungen haben. Wenn ein Sprecher oder Schreiber sich für dieses und nicht jenes defective auxiliary entscheidet, dann will er durch seine Wahl seinem Gegenüber damit etwas Bestimmtes mitteilen.

Die Schwierigkeit ist also, das richtige modale Hilfsverb mit der richtigen, der gewünschten Bedeutung nämlich, in Einklang zu bringen.

Die modalen Hilfverben drücken die Stimmung und die Einstellung des Sprechenden oder Schreibenden zu dem auf das modale Hilfsverb folgende Hauptverb aus.

Die verschiedenen Abstufungen von Sicherheit, Möglichkeit, Verpflichtung, Rat, Erwartung, Fähigkeit, Stimmung, etc. werden mithilfe der modals aus Sicht des Sprechenden oder Schreibenden ausgedrückt. So entscheidet sich also, ob z. B. can, may, must oder could, might oder should gebraucht wird.

Im Englischen unterscheiden sich die modalen Hilfsverben von den anderen Verben durch verschiedene Merkmale:

   ▪ die modals werden immer von einem Infinitiv ohne to begleitet (aber: ought to, dare (to), used / not to)
     Zwar gibt es im Englischen auch andere Verben, welche mit einem Infinitiv ohne to stehen, diese erfüllen aber nicht die anderen Kriterien für modals .
   ▪ sie werden bei Frage und Verneinung nicht mit do, does, did umschrieben
   ▪ sie haben keinen richtigen Infinitiv
   ▪ sie haben kein richtiges past tense (aber: can - could, dare - dared)
   ▪ sie haben kein past participle
   ▪ sie können nicht konjugiert werden (kein -s in der 3. Person Singular Präsens)
   ▪ modals kommen nie im gleichen Prädikat nebeneinander vor.

Aufgrund dieser Tatsachen müssen Infinitive, Partizipien und die zusammengesetzten Zeiten durch Umschreibung oder durch sinnverwandte Verben ersetzt werden. Deshalb heißen die modalen Hilfsverben oft auch unvollständige Hilfsverben (defective auxiliaries). Sie stehen im Gegensatz zu have, be und do, die alle Tempora bilden können.

Es gibt die folgenden modalen Hilfszeitwörter:

Da die unvollständigen Hilfsverben nicht alle Zeiten bilden können, weil Infinitive und Partizipien fehlen, benötigt man Ersatzformen, die je nach Sprecher- oder Schreiber - Absicht verwendet werden:

positive form	negative form

can	cannot, can't
could	could not, couldn't
shall	shall not, shan't
should	should not, shouldn't
will	will not, won't
would	would not, wouldn't
may	may not, mayn't
might	might not, mightn't
must	-
-	must not, mustn't
dare	dare not, daren't
dared	dared not
need	need not, needn't
ought to	ought not to, oughtn't to
used to	used not to

modal auxiliary	substitute	example

can	to be able to, to manage to	We have been able to sell the house.

could	to be able to, to manage to	I was able to leave the town after the strike.

shall	to be to, to be supposed to, to be said to, to be reported to, to be believed to	The match was to have taken place yesterday. This is how you are supposed to do it. Wales is said to be very beautiful.

should	to be to, to be supposed to, to be said to, to be reported to, to be believed to, ought to	I was to have met Jayne in front front of the station, but unfortunately I completely forgot. He was supposed to be here at three. She was said to be very ugly.

will	to be prepared to, to be willing to, to intend to, to want, to wish, to mean to, to be going to	The police are prepared to shoot. They are not willing to shoot, but in self-defense they intend to. He means to do it at once.

would	to be prepared to, to be willing to, to intend to, to want, to wish, to mean to, to be going to	The strikers were not willing to leave the building. They were prepared to fight with the police, although they didn't intend to.

ought to	should	You should have come, but you didn't.

may	to be allowed to, to be permitted to, to be possible, to be uncertain	Children are not allowed to climb trees. Neither are they permitted to drink alcohol. It is possible that he's gone out.

might	to be allowed to, to be permitted to, to be possible, to be uncertain	He would be allowed to do it. The children were not permitted to play in the yard. It was possible that it would snow. It was uncertain that it would rain.

must	to have to,to have got to, to be obliged to, to be compelled to, to be forced to, need not, don't have to	The children had to leave the premises. They have got to their classrooms. The workers were obliged to work late hours. Will they be compelled to go on strike? They didn't have to work on Sundays. The waiters didn't need to work on Wednesdays. The students were forced to work very hard.

must not	to be obliged not to	They will be obliged not to leave the house.

Für dare und used to gilt:

Unter den modalen Hilfsverben nimmt das stilistisch neutrale used to eine Sonderstellung ein, weil es nur als Vergangenheitsform zum Ausdruck eines früheren Zustandes oder einer ehemaligen Gewohnheit vorkommt.

dare kann in negativen Sätzen und Fragesätzen als unvollständiges Hilfsverb gebraucht werden. dared wird nur in der geschriebenen Sprache, meistens in der Literatur gebraucht. daren't ersetzt manchmal didn't dare.

used to → immer auf die Vergangenheit bezogen	We used to go shopping on Wednesdays. He used not to watch detective films. Used you to go swimming a lot when you lived near the sea?
dare (to), (seltener) dared (to)	Dare she come? She doesn't dare (to) leave the house. No student in this class has ever dared (to) question the teacher's authority so far.

Welche verschiedenen Bedeutungen und Nuancen mißt der native speaker den modalen Hilfszeitwörtern bei?

Man sollte sich darüber klar sein, dass sich Bedeutungen überschneiden können.

modal auxiliary

meaning

example

can

ability

permission

offer

request

instruction

possibility

criticism

success

supposition

inability

impossibility

supposition

Can you play the guitar?

When I was 18, I could go out as late as I wanted.

Sir, can I help you?

Can you write this letter for me?

You can do it like this. First ...

The summers in Ireland can be really hot.

John can be a real pest at times.

I'm sure you can open the tin.

Can your ticket be in your handbag?

I can't come to your party on Saturday.

I'm sure the match can't have started yet.

They can't have changed that rule again.

could

ability

possibility

uncertainty

request

suggestion

permission

unwillingness

possibility (+ comparative)

impossibility (+ comparative)

Joff could walk by the age of 5 months.

This could be your lucky day.

Dad, she could be the one for you.

Could you turn on the lights, please?

We could go to the seaside tomorrow.

You could use my car while I am away.

I couldn't leave her alone with the state she's in.

Jack could have done much better in this test.

I'm sure you couldn't run faster.

shall

certainty

suggestion

threat

formal rules

I shall give up smoking, I promise.

Shall we go to the movies tonight?

You shan't have anything for Xmas.

Sexism shall not be tolerated in this country.

should

expectation

advice

suggestion

supposition

decision

surprise

uncertainty

criticism

polite order

unlikelihood (in case)

if + should

If you like Stephen King, you should read his last book.

Syd should work harder before the A-levels.

Next time you should carry a valid licence.

The bus should arrive before 10.

It was agreed upon that the wearing of seatbelts in cars should be made compulsory.

She was so surprised that I should remember her birthday that she started to cry.

Should I call a doctor?

You shouldn't shout at your parents like that.

Payments should be made by January, 1st.

I'm not helping them again in case they should call.

If he should call, tell him to ring again later.

will

assumption

request

intention

order

insistence

typical behaviour

criticism

willingness

Oh, the bell's gone. That'll be the postman.

Will you do me a favour?

I'll go with them to the match tonight.

Will you please shut up?

- I won't do the washing-up. - Yes, you will.

She'll sit in the classroom and daydream all morning.

He will smoke too many cigs when he goes out.

I will wash the dishes if you dry.

would

offer

request

invitation

habit

assumption

determination

wish

Would you like a glass of wine?

Would you buy a house for me?

Would you come to my party on Friday?

We would catch little fish, sleep in our tents, ...

What a big letter. Would it be from Mom?

I would not again pay for the damage.

Would you like to play in the next match?

ought to

expectation

advice

criticism

supposition

reproach

If you like golf, you ought to enjoy that course.

They ought to smoke less.

You ought not to shout like mad.

The bus ought not to take longer than an hour.

You ought to be ashamed for what you did.

may

uncertainty

unreal situation

prohibition

suggestion

wish

improbability

There may be a cure for cancer in a few years.

If I knew her better, I might ask her for the next dance.

You may not borrow my biro this time.

May I give you a piece of advice?

May the Lord bless you.

We may not go to the beach because it looks like rain.

might

uncertainty

permission

polite prohibition

suggestion

supposition

improbability

fear

It might rain.

Might I see him for a moment?

You might be more careful not to stand on the flowerbeds.

Might I suggest we have lunch in a restaurant?

He might have left his hat in the car.

We might not go for a run because it looks like rain.

There might be a drastic rise in the price of wood.

must

order

intention

deduction

feeling sure

supposition

obligation

strong suggestion

personal feelings

requirement

strong advice

You must see a doctor.

I must go to the shop before it closes.

It's 5. They must be ready now.

The football match must be over by now.

He must have left his wallet in the car.

He must work hard to earn a living for his family.

You must stop smoking now or you'll die of lung cancer.

I haven't given them a ring for quite a long time. I must give them a call today.

You must have a working visa before you get a job in the United States.

That's a picture you really must see.

must not

prohibition = negative order

You mustn't leave the house until you have done your homework.

need not

absence of obligation

You didn't need to help me yesterday and you needn't help me now.

could, would, may und might können in höflichen Fragen und Vorschlägen gebraucht werden. Dabei ist, je nachdem welches modale Hilfszeitwort gebraucht wird, ein bestimmter Höflichkeitsgrad festzustellen.

degree of politeness	modal auxiliary	example

somewhat polite	could	Could I open the window?
polite	would	Would you open the window?
quite polite	may	May I open the window?
very polite	might	Might I open the window?

Wenn es um die Wahrscheinlichkeit geht, verwendet man in der nachstehend gezeigten Abstufung may, might und must.

degree of probability	modal auxiliary	example

somewhat probable	may might	There may be a thunderstorm this afternoon. It is possible they may have called the police while we were out. He might be right. The boy might have stolen the money, but it seems unlikely.
highly probable	must	They must be mistaken. It must have rained last night. My car is still wet.

Der Satzbau mit den modalen Hilfszeitwörtern

Der Aussagesatz

Ergänzung / en	Subjekt	Hilfsverb / en	Verneinung	Hauptverb	Ergänzung / en

In Britain	you	have to		drive	on the right.
	He	will	not	have done	it by tomorrow.
	She	need	not	buy	such an expensive car.
In London	we	might		visit	the Tower.
	You	'll have to		go	to the dentist's.
Of course	this	can be		viewed	from a different angle.
But	they	would	not	speak	French properly.
Honestly	you	should	not	take	a taxi.
So	they	can	't	form	the perfect tenses.
	They	may		open	the windows.
Now	she	will	not	be able to	free herself.
Next time	you	must		visit	us.
	John	must	not	open	the garage door.
	Laura	might		work	in my shop.
	I	shall	not	receive	my passport before 6.
This time	Joan	ought to		enjoy	the play.
	We	could have		mistaken	the opening hours.
For them	he	need	not	have made	so much coffee.
	We	dare	not	ask	for some more money.
As a child	she	used to		believe	that the sea air did her good.

Ergänzung / en	Subjekt	Hilfsverb / en	Verneinung	Hauptverb	Ergänzung / en

Der Fragesatz

Fragewort	Hilfsverb + Verneinung	Subjekt	Adverb	Hauptverb	Ergänzung / en

	Need	I	really	peel	this orange?
	Dare	you	really	take	the last sandwich?
	Shouldn't	Sheila		stay	at home on a night like this?
How often	should	he		take	this medicine?
	Wouldn't	you		want to referee	the rugby match?
	Will	everybody	please	have	their tickets ready?
	Shall	we		go	to the theatre tonight?
	Might	they		have left	their keys in the car?
	Can	you	please	lend	me your road atlas?
	Must	I		give	you some money again?
Where	will	we		find	the broken lock?
	Oughtn't	we		bring	in the geraniums?
	Shouldn't	they		refrain	from smoking here?
	Must	I	always	water	the flowerbeds?
What	would	we	now	find	in the cellar?
When	shall	I		make	some tea for you, Linda?
	Could	you		switch	on the light for me, Harry?
	May	we		use	your cellular phone, sir?
	Oughtn't	she		to have arrived	by now?
What	must	you		do	in your country to get a driver's license?
Why	should	we		have called	you?

Fragewort	Hilfsverb + Verneinung	Subjekt	Adverb	Hauptverb	Ergänzung / en

Der Gebrauch der modalen Hilfsverben in tag questions

Die Verben im Englischen, die als Frageanhängsel vorkommen, sind Formen von

                       - be (am, is, are, was, were)
                       - have (have, has, had)
                       - do (do, does, did)

- und die modalen Hilfsverben.

Ein bejahter Satz wird häufig von einem verneinten Frageanhängsel gefolgt.

Ein verneinter Satz wird häufig von einem bejahten Frageanhängsel gefolgt.

Beispiele:

main clause	question tag	question mark

affirmative	negative

You are coming with me,	aren't you	?
We have worked all night,	haven't we	?
I am strong,	aren't I	?
He did it,	didn't he	?
They had been late,	hadn't they	?
She always orders pizza,	doesn't she	?
You would have believed it,	wouldn't you	?
I can bring my brother,	can't I	?
You will eat your porridge,	won't you	?
I may leave now,	mayn't I	?
We shall overcome,	shan't we	?
They could ask us,	couldn't they	?

negative	affirmative

He is not very nice,	is he	?
We were not supposed to act like this,	were we	?
He hasn't brushed up his Spanish,	has he	?
You are not doing the washing-up	are you	?
Greg hasn't bought the cashmere scarf,	has he	?
Your brother didn't steal the cars,	did he	?
That can't be true,	can it	?
He shouldn't do it,	should he	?
You won't be disappointed,	will you	?
She can't ride a motorbike,	can she	?
There wouldn't be too much to do,	would there	?
She won't be much happier there,	will she	?

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