modality words

Meanings

1. 1nounpluraltechnical

   Words that show possibility, ability, permission, or obligation, such as 'can', 'might', 'must', and 'should'.

   Grammar: Usually plural in this phrase; a single one is called a 'modality word' or, more commonly, a 'modal verb'.

   Patterns

   • modality words like can and must
   • use modality words to show possibility

   Teachers often list modality words on the board before a writing task.

   In the sentence 'You must wear a helmet', the modality word 'must' expresses obligation.

   Students compared how modality words change the strength of a claim in two news reports.

2. 2nounpluraltechnicalspecialist

   In linguistics, words or phrases that express how likely, necessary, or desirable something is.

   Grammar: This broader sense can include adverbs like 'possibly' and 'certainly', not just modal verbs.

   Patterns

   • a range of modality words
   • modality words in academic writing

   Her paper examines modality words such as 'perhaps', 'clearly', and 'necessarily'.

   Academic writing uses modality words to avoid sounding too certain.

   The study found that modality words were more frequent in opinion pieces than in news reports.

Common combinations

modality words like can, may, and must

The worksheet asks students to underline modality words like can, may, and must.

use modality words

Good writers use modality words to soften or strengthen their claims.

a list of modality words

The teacher handed out a list of modality words for the essay.

modality words in academic writing

Modality words in academic writing help you sound careful rather than overconfident.

Synonyms and how they differ

modal verbs

The everyday term for the core group (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would); 'modality words' is broader and more technical.

modal expressions

Covers longer phrases like 'be able to' or 'have to'; it overlaps with the broader sense of 'modality words'.

hedging words

Focuses only on words that make a claim weaker, such as 'possibly' or 'seem'; modality words also include strong ones like 'must'.

Word family

modal adjective

Relating to mood or possibility, as in 'modal verb' or 'modal meaning'.

modality noun

The quality of expressing possibility, necessity, or obligation.

Commonly confused: modality words or mood words?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “modality words”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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