modal
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++mo·dal1 /ˈməʊdl $ ˈmoʊdl/ noun [countable] SLGa modal verb 情态动词
Examples from the Corpus
modal• There are no stylistic flourishes, such as departures from the basic syntax through the use of modals, questions and negatives.• Where do evokes the infinitive as a reality, the modals evoke it as a potentiality.• Infinitival usage after how and why thus confirms our analysis of the way the modals are put into relation with the infinitive.modal2 adjective technical 1. [only before noun] modal meanings are concerned with the attitude of the speaker to the hearer or to what is being said 语气的；情态的2. APMrelated to or written in a musical mode(5) 〔音乐〕调式的 —modality /məʊˈdæləti $ moʊ-/ noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpus
modal• A 10% fall in seven author papers occurred during 1989-91 when the modal author number rose to 6.• The different modal authorship numbers could explain why this was not seen.• On a size frequency histogram the size class in which the greatest percentage of grains is represented provides the modal class.• Working in pairs the students readily found contexts in which some of the modal forms are used, but not all.• The emperor is confronted with the case of a modal legacy, the modus being restitution of some property to another individual.• Others introduce Gregorian or modal material on high days and special occasions.• The expression of modal meanings can take quite a different form in each language.• On the size frequency distribution plot the highest point on the curve provides the modal value.Origin modal2 (1500-1600) Medieval Latin modalis, from Latin modus; → MODEmo·dal1 nounmodal2 adjectiveChineseSyllable
modal a Corpus verb
See modal verb for more
modal
ˌmodal ˈverb 
(also modal) noun [countable] technical
one of these verb forms: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, used to, need, had better, and dare. They are all used with other verbs to express ideas such as possibility, permission, or intention ⇨ auxiliary verb
mo‧dal1 /ˈməʊdl $ ˈmoʊdl/ noun [countable]
a modal verb
modal2 adjective technical1. [only before noun] modal meanings are concerned with the attitude of the speaker to the hearer or to what is being said
2. related to or written in a musical mode(5)
—modality /məʊˈdæləti, məʊˈdælɪti $ moʊ-/ noun [uncountable]
| I |
(also modal) noun [countable] technicalone of these verb forms: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, used to, need, had better, and dare. They are all used with other verbs to express ideas such as possibility, permission, or intention ⇨ auxiliary verb
| II |
noun [countable]a modal verb
| III |
adjective technical1. [only before noun] modal meanings are concerned with the attitude of the speaker to the hearer or to what is being said2. related to or written in a musical mode(5)
—modality /məʊˈdæləti, məʊˈdælɪti $ moʊ-/ noun [uncountable]
The modal verbs arecan ,could ,may ,might ,must ,ought to ,shall ,should ,will andwould .Dare ,need ,have to andused to also share some of the features of modal verbs.* can、could、may、might、must、ought to、shall、should、will 和 would 均为情态动词。dare、need、have to 和 used to 亦具有情态动词的某些特性。 Modal verbs have only one form. They have no -ing or-ed forms and do not add-s to the 3rd person singular form.情态动词只有一种形式，没有 -ing 或 -ed 形式，第三人称单数也不加 -s ：◆ He can speak three languages. 他会说三种语言。 ◆ She will try and visit tomorrow. 她明天将设法去参观。 Modal verbs are followed by the infinitive of another verb without to . The exceptions areought to ,have to andused to .情态动词后跟不带 to 的动词不定式，但 ought to、have to 和 used to 例外 ：◆ You must find a job. 你必须找到一份工作。 ◆ You ought to stop smoking. 你应当戒烟。 ◆ I used to smoke but I gave up two years ago. 我过去抽烟，但两年前就戒了。 Questions are formed without do /does in the present, ordid in the past.疑问句现在时不用 do/does，过去时不用 did ：◆ Can I invite Mary? 我可以邀请玛丽吗？ ◆ Should I have invited Mary? 我本该邀请玛丽吗？ Negative sentences are formed with not or the short form-n't and do not usedo /does ordid .否定句用 not 或简约式 -n't，不用 do/does 或 did。