[ti:You Really Should Learn Modals!]
[al:Everyday Grammar]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2024-09-13]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar.
[00:06.18]This week we are going to show you how to give advice using modal verbs. 
[00:12.48]Modal verbs (called modals for short) are auxiliary verbs that express a speaker's attitude and the strength of that attitude.
[00:27.50]For example, "He should visit Prague."
[00:32.02]In this sentence, should is the modal verb, and visit is the main verb.
[00:39.49]The simple form of a verb goes after a modal. 
[00:44.72]Do not add the third person "s" to a verb after a modal.
[00:51.32]It would sound strange to say, "He should visits Prague" or, "He should to visit Prague."
[01:00.35]The correct way is, "He should visit Prague."
[01:05.31]There are about 17 modals in English - grammar experts do not agree on an exact number.
[01:14.98]Today we will focus on three common modals used for giving advice: should, ought to, and had better.
[01:26.84]Let's start with should. Should has multiple meanings.
[01:33.13]It can be used to express certainty, such as, "He should be here by 5 o'clock."
[01:41.81]Should can be a substitute for the conditional word if. You might hear someone say, "Should you need help, just ask me."
[01:55.09]But more often, we use should to give suggestions and friendly advice, such as, "You should apply for that job," or "You should try that new restaurant."
[02:10.02]The past form of the modal should is should have + the past participle. 
[02:17.57]For example, "I should have brought my wallet." 
[02:21.62]Notice that the main verb brought is in the past participle form.
[02:27.66]Use should have to express regret, or a negative feeling about the past.
[02:34.90]Imagine you trusted someone and that person later cheated on you. 
[02:40.51]You could say, "I should have known better than to trust him." 
[02:45.48]The Beatles used the expression in a popular song.
[02:51.09]I should have known better with a girl like you
[02:58.58]That I would love everything that you do
[03:02.16]And I do
[03:04.32]Hey hey hey
[03:05.30]The next modal we will talk about is ought to. 
[03:09.26]Ought to is another modal for giving advice.
[03:13.73]Sometimes ought to sounds more like "otta" as in this romantic song by Al Green.
[03:32.11]Sit back down and talk to me
[03:36.85]About how you want to be
[03:40.84]You ought to be with me
[03:43.55]Yeah you ought to be with me
[03:53.26]Ought to is similar in meaning to should, but it is not used as often. 
[04:01.05]In modern American English, ought to is seldom used with the past tense or in the question form.
[04:10.99]Let's move on to had better.
[04:14.32]Had better is stronger than should and ought to.
[04:19.75]Had better carries an indirect threat.
[04:23.87]For example, if you said, "You had better finish the report," you are not making a polite suggestion. You are making an indirect threat.
[04:36.54]In other words, if you don't finish the report, you are in trouble.
[04:42.90]Authority figures sometimes use had better when speaking to people below them.
[04:50.68]Parents also use this form often.
[04:54.96]Listen to cartoon character Malory Archer. 
[05:00.01]Malory is the head of a spy agency.
[05:03.75]People think she is arrogant and heartless. 
[05:08.37]Listen to her tone when she uses had better.
[05:12.57]Oh for - I'll send up some help.
[05:16.12]And Missy, you had better watch it!
[05:18.37]As you can hear, Malory is not making a polite suggestion.
[05:24.78]She is threatening someone in a lower position.
[05:28.80]Had better is not always impolite, it could express a sense of urgency as in, "Your plane is leaving! You had better run!" 
[05:40.28]In other words, "If you don't run, you will miss your flight."
[05:45.63]Had better has no past tense or question form.
[05:51.38]Should, ought to, and had better can be difficult for English learners to hear. 
[05:59.51]Native speakers often shorten these words in casual conversation. 
[06:05.02]In rapid speech, modals seem to disappear because they are shortened and often fall on unstressed syllables.
[06:15.16]We will read some examples for you. 
[06:18.71]The first sentence will be in slow, careful speech.
[06:23.40]Then we will read it again in rapid, informal speech.
[06:28.18]I should have been listening to what she had to say.
[06:33.44]I shoulda been listenin' ta what she had t' say.
[06:36.74]You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
[06:40.92]You otta be ashamed of yourself.
[06:42.81]You had better decide what you want to do.
[06:47.36]You'd better decide whatcha wanna do.
[06:49.95]That's all the advice we have for you today. 
[06:53.33]There is much more to learn about modals.
[06:56.16]We will cover them in more detail in future episodes. 
[06:59.79]Until then, you should practice modals with British punk band, The Clash.
[07:11.89]Darling you've got to let me know
[07:16.00]Should I stay or should I go?
[07:20.05]If you say that you are mine
[07:24.81]I'll be here till the end of time
[07:28.68]So you've got to let me know
[07:33.11]Should I stay or should I go?
[07:34.22]I'm Pete Musto.
[07:35.57]And I'm Jill Robbins.