Modal adverbs are adverbs, such as probably, necessarily, and possibly that express modality, i.e., possibility, necessity, or contingency.[1][2]
In English
editThe Cambridge Grammar of the English Language provides the following non-exhaustive list of modal adverbs at different levels of strength.[3]
Strong: assuredly, certainly, clearly, definitely, incontestably, indubitably, ineluctably, inescapably, manifestly, necessarily, obviously, patently, plainly, surely, truly, unarguably, unavoidably, undeniably, undoubtedly, unquestionably
Quasi-strong: apparently, doubtless, evidently, presumably, seemingly
Medium: arguably, likely, probably
Weak: conceivably, maybe, perhaps, possibly
Syntax and meaning
editModal adverbs often appear as clause-initial adjuncts, and have scope over the whole clause,[4] as in (1) with the adverb in bold.
- Probably, the biggest push for corruption prosecutions came in the mid-2000s.
This has the same meaning as (2) with the paraphrase using the modal adjective (in bold).
- It is probable that the biggest push for corruption prosecutions came in the mid-2000s.
Without the comma, the adverb has scope only over the NP only, as in (3).
- Probably the biggest push for corruption prosecutions came in the mid-2000s.
This can be paraphrased as (4).
- It is probable that push for corruption prosecutions that came in the mid-2000s was the biggest such push.
There is a tendency for modal adverbs to follow auxiliary verbs but precede lexical verbs, as shown in (5–8) with the adverbs in bold and the verb underlined.
- That's probably going to fail.
- That probably failed because of poor planning.
- It could possibly help me.
- It possibly helped me.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Matthews, Peter (2003). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 768.
- ^ Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 102.
- ^ Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 436.
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