Mood and Modality

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Mood and Modality
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Systems of Choice
Mode Medium influences the
message (mode)
Subject Matter determines the
representation (field)
Roles Relationships affects the exchange
(tenor)
through
through
through
Participants (people, places, things
and ideas)
Mood (statements, questions and
commands)
Theme (prominent part of the message)
Processes (doing, thinking, saying
and being)
Modality (degree of probability
or obligation)
Cohesion (the links
between messages)
Circumstances (how, when, where
and why ?)
Clauses in the Text
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The Mood System
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The mood system enables us to make statements,
ask questions and give commands.
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The Declarative Mood
This is a dog.
Statements - You give information
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The Interrogative Mood
Who owns this dog ?
Questions - You want information
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The Imperative Mood
Get this dog out now !
Commands - You want something done.
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Intonation Patterns
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• Statements have even intonation
• Questions have an upward inflection at the end.
• Commands generally have emphasis placed on the
  initial verb
• Exclamations generally have emphasis placed on
  what the speaker chooses to highlight

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Punctuation
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A single dot is all I am, The sentence traffic
cop. When I say, stop ! They cannot go, I never
start, I end the show. Im officer Full Stop !
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Where am I used ? What is my name ? Why keep me
in the dark ? Why am I always curious ? Why do
you get so furious ? Am I the Question Mark ?
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Ho, ho hooray ! For me make way ! I wont stand
at the rear ! I show things that are absurd
! And I can shout !!! Without a word ! Because
the Exclamations here !
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Clause Structure (The Declarative Mood)
I have a pet dog .
Participant
Full Stop
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Clause Structure (The Interrogative Mood)
Whose dog is this ?
Determiner
Question Mark
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Clause Structure (The Imperative Mood)
Get this dog away from me !
Process
Exclamation Mark
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Statements
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Statements are used to provide information, make
remarks, assertions and so on. Most written texts
and oral presentations consist mainly of
statements, unless there is a deliberate effort
to interact with the audience.
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Examples
Silk is one of the strongest, most flexible
materials produced in the natural world. Shelly
sulked all afternoon. Once there was a man and
his donkey.
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Questions
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Questions are used to enquire about something, to
request information or to probe. It is Through
asking questions that we stimulate
interaction. Questions are used primarily
in oral conversation, but can
also be found in the form of dialogue in written
texts.
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Question Starters
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Types of Questions
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Yes/No Questions
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Who, What, Where, when, How and Why
Where were you last night ?
Verb
Subject
Question Word
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Question Tags
Youre his friend, arent you ?
Verb
Declarative Clause
Subject
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Questions
Questions are formed by
inverting the subject and the
first part of a verb phrase.
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Why Questions ?
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Making a request Would you pass the salt, please ?
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Asking permission May I come also ?
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Seeking suggestions Have you a good idea ?
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Seeking advice What will we do ?
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Willingness Would you mind helping the kids ?
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Deciding What are we going to do ?
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Offering Would you like me to do it for you ?
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Invitation Do you feel like going to the movies ?
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Preference Which would you like ?
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Likes and Dislikes How do you like your coffee ?
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Persuading Why dont you come with us ?
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What questions might the waiter ask a diner ?
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Commands
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Commands are used to get things done or to
obtain goods or services. Commands are usually
used in oral interactions, though they can be
found in written procedures (such as
instructions) or in dialogue.
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To give orders Answer the phone
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To give a warning or caution Watch out for the
sharp point of the knife !
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An informal matter Have a piece of this !
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To instruct Add the butter and
then mix at high speed.
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A reminder Make sure you come next week.
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To insist I insist that you stop fighting at once
!
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While this may be the most typical way of giving
a command we often use other structures when we
want something done or someone to do something.
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If we want to be polite or make a gentle
request, we might use a question as a command
Will you get me a cup of tea ?
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Statements can be made to imply
a request
The phone is ringing.
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Polite Expressions
When we request something from someone or
invite someone to do something,
we use a polite form of address rather
than a command.
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Requests
(Please) pass the sugar. Would you (please) pass
the sugar ? Will you (please) pass the sugar
? Could you (please) pass the sugar ? May I
(please) have the sugar ? Can I (please) have the
sugar ? Would you mind passing the sugar (please)
?
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Invitations
Please come to my party. Would you come to my
party (please) ? Will you come to my party
(please) ? Could you come to my party (please)
? Wont you come to my party (please) ? Would you
like to come to my party ?
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Putting it in Context
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Identify the statements, Questions and commands
in the text Death of a Whale
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Death of a whale
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When the mouse died, there was a sort of
pity The tiny, delicate creature made for
grief. Yesterday, instead, the dead whale on the
reef Drew an excited multitude to the jetty. How
must a whale die to bring as tear ? Lugubrious
death of a whale the big Feast for the gulls and
sharks the tug Of the tide simulating life still
there, Until the air, polluted, swings this
way Like a door ajar from a slaughterhouse. Pooh
! Pooh ! Spare us, give us the death of a
mouse By its tiny hole not this in our lovely
bay. - sorry, we are, too, when a child dies But
at the immolation of a race, who cries ?
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Identifying Mood
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Write as many questions, commands
and statements as you can from a
picture.
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E-mail
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When composing an e-mail message, the lower case
is used to express the declarative mood with
normal punctuation. The use of capital letters
within a message indicates the composers use of
the imperative mood and is considered by the
recipient as shouting.
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(No Transcript)
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Modality
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Modality is used to interact with others in
a number of degrees
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Certainty
We will visit Grandad today.
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Usuality
We usually visit Grandad today.
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Possibility
We may visit Grandad today.
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Probability
We probably will visit Grandad today.
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Obligation
We must visit Grandad today.
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Inclination
We are keen to visit Grandad today.
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Modal Adjuncts
Modal adjuncts express a writers judgement
regarding the truth of the proposition. They
typically appear just before or after the finite
or a preposition.
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Presumption
evidently, apparently, presumably, clearly, no
doubt, obviously, of course, personally, honestly
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Certainty
can, could, should, ought, would, may, might,
must, will
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Usuality
always, often, usually, regularly, typically,
occasionally, seldom, rarely, ever,
never, once
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Degree
quite, almost, nearly, totally, entirely,
utterly, completely, literally, absolutely,
scarcely, hardly, on the whole, provisionally
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Probability or Obligation
certainly, surely, probably, perhaps, maybe,
possible, definitely, positively
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Intensity
just, simply, ever, only, really, actually,
seriously
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Time
yet stilll already once soon just
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Inclination
gladly willingly readily
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Modal Auxiliaries
Auxiliary verbs are divided into primary
auxiliaries (be, have, do) and Modal
auxiliaries (can, may, shall, must,
ought to, need, done)
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Auxiliary Verbs
In verb groups that express probability or time,
the modal auxiliary comes first
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Putting it in Context
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Probability or Obligation ?
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The Distance from Yes to No
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Modality can also be seen as the distance from
yes to no. It adds probability, certainty or
obligation. Modality is often expressed by
verbs, modal verbs including can, could, will,
would, shall, should, ought to, must, may and
might.
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Yes
Cigarettes are bad for you Cigarettes must be bad
for you. Cigarettes can be bad for
you. Cigarettes could be bad for you. Cigarettes
may be bad for you. Cigarettes might be bad for
you. Cigarettes might not be bad for
you. Cigarettes may not be bad for
you. Cigarettes could not be bad for
you. Cigarettes cannot be bad for you. Cigarettes
should not be bad for you. Cigarettes are not bad
for you.
No
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High (positive)
Cigarettes are bad for you Cigarettes must be bad
for you. Cigarettes can be bad for
you. Cigarettes could be bad for you. Cigarettes
may be bad for you. Cigarettes might be bad for
you. Cigarettes might not be bad for
you. Cigarettes may not be bad for
you. Cigarettes could not be bad for
you. Cigarettes cannot be bad for you. Cigarettes
should not be bad for you. Cigarettes are not bad
for you.
Low (positive)
Low (negative)
High (negative)
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High and Low Modality
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High Modality
High modality shows a high
degree of certainty, persuasiveness or something
that is desirable or likely.
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You must buy this little car. Seriously, you will
never get a better bargain than this. It is
definitely worth every cent. Usually it sells for
much more. Actually, it is certainly the best
value car we have in the yard.
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Low Modality
Low modality shows that we are unsure and there
Is room for negotiation.
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You may hang blue curtains which match the colour
of the carpet. We could possibly put the bed
under the window. We might put posters on the
back wall. Perhaps there could be a small TV set
in the corner ? Indoor plants can look nice in a
bedroom.
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The Affirmative
Modality refers to the degrees of
possibility or certainty expressed
through affirmative or negative statements,
questions or commands.
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The Affirmative
This is my cat. (statement) Will it be alright
? (question) Make it better. (command)
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The Negative
This is not my cat. (statement) Wont it be
alright ? (question) Dont Make it
better. (command)
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Modality may also refer to the possibility
expressed by the processes. These statements are
somewhere between it is and it isnt.
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The Affirmative
This certainly is my cat. This probably is my
cat. This possibly is my cat.
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The Negative
This certainly isnt my cat. This probably isnt
my cat. This possibly isnt my cat.
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Putting it in Context
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Welcome to the Pacific Palms Caravan Park
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Rules

• Rents to be paid in advance.
• Visitors cars must be left outside the park.
• Strictly no permanency. Site occupancy allowable
  up to 6 weeks. Apply in writing to Manager for
  additional occupancy beyond this period.

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• Sites must be vacated by 10 a.m. on the day of
  departure or an extra nights rent will be
  charged.
• All caravans when taking site must have drawbar
  of van facing roadway.
• Boom gate cards are not transferable. Cards can
  be voided if used by unauthorised persons without
  consent of management.

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• Children under 10 years of age must be
  accompanied by an adult person while using all
  amenities.
• Fires are not to be lit in the park.
• All garbage must be wrapped and placed in green
  bulk garbage bins at amenities block.
• Campers must observe speed limit signs (walking
  pace only) and all vehicles must Keep to the
  roadways.

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• All water outlets under caravans must be drained
  into a container or directly into sullage drain.
• Parents must ensure that children do not damage
  trees or general park equipment.
• The park takes no responsibility for losses of
  property or damage to vehicles while on the
  caravan park.

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• Fish must not be cleaned under taps visitors
  must use cleaning tables provided on waterfront.
• Noise must be kept to a minimum from 1000 p.m.
  to 800 a.m.
• 5 Amp plug and lead to be used only. Not 10 amp.

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• No pets allowed on the reserve.
• Drain gutters must not be dug nor grass or
  shrubs damaged in any way.
• Note accommodation maximum 2 adults per unit,
  unless otherwise arranged with management.

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Failure to comply with the
above rules could result in the
cancellation or loss of site
at the managers discretion.
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Consider

• Do you consider the rules to be welcoming and
  friendly ?
• Would this be a pleasant place for a holiday ?
• Would people obey these rules ?

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Your Task
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With a partner, turn the rule provided into a
polite request
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For Example
Rent to be paid in advance. Can be changed to We
would appreciate rent payments in advance.
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This time, make the rule provided stronger
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For Example
Fires are not to be lit in the park. Can be
changed to Under no circumstances must fires
be lit in this park.