Lesson 5

The Modal Auxiliaries

The modal auxiliaries in English are: can, could, had better, may, might, must, ought
to, shall, should, will, would, have/has to.
Modal auxiliaries generally express the speaker attitudes or moods, for example:
advisable, permissible, possible, probable.

MODAL AUXILIARIES; Modals do not take a final –s even when the

subjects are: he, she or it.
can do it CORRECT : He can do it
I could do it INCORRECT: he cans do it
We had better do it Modals are followed by immediately by the simple
You may do it form of a verb.
They + might do it CORRECT : He can do it
He must do it INCORRECT: He can to do it / He can does it / He
She shall do it can did it
It should do it
will do it The modal expressions that are followed by an
would do it infinitive (to + simple form of verb (I) only:
ought and have/has/had.
CORRECT: She ought to go to the meeting
She has to go to the meeting
You have to go to the meeting

Use of Modals:
1. Asking With Politeness (Permintaan Sopan)
May I borrow your pen?
Could I borrow your book?
Would you (please) pass the bottle?
Could you (please) pass the bottle?
Would you mind if I closed the window?
Would you mind if I used the phone?
Would you mind closing the door?

2. Expressing the Necessity (Mengekspresikan Kepentingan)

a. All applicants must take an entrance Must and have to, keduannya
exam. mengekspresikan keharusan
b. All applicants have to take an entrance (perlunya)
exam In (a) and (b) setiap pelamar harus
menjalani ujian masuk, tidak
ada pilihan lain.
 c. I am looking for Mery. I have to talk to Dalam menyatakan kepentingan,
her about our lunch date tomorrow. I have to lebih umum digunakan
can’t meet her for lunch because I have daripada must, tetapi must
to go to a business meeting at 1:00. menyatakan tingkat keharusan
d. Where is Andi? I must talk to him right yang lebih kuat (stronger)
now. I have an urgent message for him. daripada have/has to.
e. I have to be home by eight
f. He has to go to a meeting tonight

3. Expressing the Suggestion (Mengungkapkan Anjuran):

1. You should study harder. Should, ought to = seyogyanya, sebaiknya
2. You ought to study harder. Had better = sebaiknya
3. Drivers should obey the speed limit.
4. You should not (shouldn’t) leave your key in the car.
5. You had better take care of that cut on your hand soon, or it will get infection.
6. You had better not be late.
7. I am having trouble in math in class.
+ You should talk to your teacher soon.
4. Expressing the Possibility (Mengungkapkan Tingkat Kepastian)
Example:
Why isn’t Wawan in class?
100% sure : He is sick
95% sure : He must sick
Less than 50% sure : He may be sick
He might be sick
He could be sick
Passage Using Modal Auxiliaries:
Agricultural Export
Indonesia has a big potential for non-fuel exports. Agricultural based businesses
can help promote international trade. However, in order to achieve this objective,
Indonesian farmers should make improvements in various aspects of agriculture.
Firstly, they have to improve the quality of their food products to compete with
products from advanced countries. Secondly, Indonesian farmers have to increase
their production so that they have enough supply for demands. Thirdly, farmers
must join financial organization that can supply them with the necessary funds to
finance their projects. Finally, and equally important, is the role of the government.
Government ought to give financial help to farmers. With all these efforts, it is
hoped that Indonesia can boost (mendorong) its non-fuel exports.

Transformation of Sentences Using The Modal Auxiliaries

How do you change sentences using the modal auxiliaries into the negative and
interrogative? This is done by putting the modal auxiliary in front of the sentence
followed by the interrogative. For the negative, “not” is added.
Examples:
They can harvest rice twice a year.
Can they harvest rice twice a year?
They can not harvest rice twice a year.
Haw many times a year can they harvest rice?

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 What crop can they harvest twice a year?

The Present Tense

He has to increase corn production.
Does he have to increase corn production?
He does not have to increase corn production.
What does he have to increase?
Who does have to increase corn production?

The Past Tense

Farmers had to adopt the intensive fish culture.
Did farmers have to adopt the intensive fish culture?
Farmers did not have to adopt the intensive fish culture.
What did farmers have to adopt?
Who did have to adopt the intensive fish culture?
Exercise 23:
Fill in the gap in every sentence with an appropriate modal auxiliary!
1. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour but Andi is driving at 50. He …………. be
driving so fast.
2. ……….. you like a cup of coffee?
3. She spoke in a low voice but I ………… understand what she was saying.
4. You have been traveling all day. You …………. be tired.
5. Alan has got three houses, six cars, a yacht and a helicopter. He …………
must be a rich man.
6. You ………. see many kinds of fish in Sea world-Jakarta.
7. You ………........ introduce me to Dr. Herman. We have already met.
8. In order to be a good salesclerk, you …………….. be rude to a costumer.
9. A person ……………… eat in order to live.
10. A person ……………… eat a balance diet.
Exercise 24:
Transform/change the sentences bellow:
1. Many fishermen of Tanjung Luar, along the Southern coast of East Lombok
have to live at a subsistence level.
2. The government should encourage businesses to boost non-fuel exports.
3. Businesses based on agriculture can substantially help the government.
4. Indonesian farmers have to develop their own cross-breeding of soya bean
seeds.
5. These farmers must make some efforts to improve their economic welfare.

Read the next dialogue thoroughly.

WHAT IS AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING?
Two new students of Mataram University, Anita and Deni, are discussing their
respective field of study. They are both going to study agriculture engineering;
however, since they are beginners, they still talk about their subject in general.
The dialogue takes place in the library.

Anita : Hi…How are things with you….

Deni : Pretty good… pretty good…thanks..
Anita : (look at Deni’s book) What are you reading now? …What’s this book about?

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Deni : Agricultural engineering…. I should say the various branches of engineering.
The main emphasis is on the application of engineering to agricultural
science.
Anita: What’s the difference between agricultural engineering and agricultural
science?
Deni : Agricultural engineering is the application of engineering science to
agricultural problems. For example, the basic knowledge of DNA is being
used to produce good seeds or strains. This is what scientists call genetic
engineering.
Anita: To make it easier for me, perhaps you can start with what engineering is in
general.
Deni : That’s a difficult question. Engineering is knowledge applied to develop
ways to economically utilize the materials and forces of nature for the
benefit of mankind.
Anita: You see, I have not done any reading on the subject yet. What does ‘force of
nature mean’?
Deni : waterfalls and magnetism are force of nature. Engineering use the forces for
the benefit of people………. I know your next question, how many branches
of engineering are there?
Anita: Great… You are a mind-reader. That’s my next question, all right.
Deni : There are several branches: civil engineering, electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, mechanical engineering,
industrial engineering, chemical engineering, and, of course, agricultural
engineering.
Anita: Give me a short definition of each branch.
Deni : Ah.., there you go again….. Why don’t you read it yourself?
Anita: Aw…, come on… Don’t you see I’m also busy doing math and chemistry
assignments.
Deni : All right…. Now listen carefully. I’ll start with civil engineering. Civil
engineering is concerned with such works as constructing offices, public
buildings, highways, railroads, bridges, tunnel (terowongan) and dams. Civil
engineering plan and design those things. Electrical engineering deals with
devices that operate at very small voltages. Electrical engineering produce
electronics such as (seperti) radios, TVs, satellites and computers.
Aeronautical engineering is concerned with…er…well, I forgot… Now, why
don’t you tell me about your subject? Did you say you are taking agricultural
science at the Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Mataram?
Anita: Yes, I want to become an agricultural scientist. This branch of engineering is
concerned with the development, maintenance and uses of farm machinery
and other equipments.
Deni : I think your field will deal mostly with farming. You also have to know about
farm buildings, preparing the soil, planting, harvesting, packing, and
storing crops; and the need for farm animals.
Anita: That’s right, but there are other subjects too. Foe example (umpamanya), we
have to know a better utilization of the soil and nature through land
development, irrigation, and other controls. Hmm….., agricultural
engineering is very crucial in Indonesia since the population of this country
consists of 55% farmers and 45% non-farmers. So…, you see, I really plan
to increase the welfare (kesejahteraan) of the farmers.
Deni : I see…. I see….. You always have big ideas, but, I think ideas are nothing
unless they are implemented.

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Exercise 25
Based on the conversation above, answer the following questions
1. What do the two students discuss?
2. What is agricultural engineering?
3. Give several examples of the force of nature.
4. Why does Anita want to become an agricultural engineer?
5. How many percent of Indonesian people are farmers?
6. What does agricultural engineering deal with?
7. Why is agricultural engineering very important in Indonesia?
8. In what ways you can help increase the welfare of the farmers?
Exercise 26
Vocabulary Activity
The following paragraph is concerned with horticulture. Study the words given in
boldface, try to explain the meaning.

Mrs. Marni has no land, she lives in an apartment in Jakarta. However, every year
she raises eggplants, beans, tomatoes and other vegetables for her table. Her
small garden grows in pots and boxes on the roof of her building. Mrs. Marni’s
method is useful even for suburbanites with small yards of stony soil. All you
need is a sunny spot and containers of any size or type as long as they have holes
in the bottom to let excess of water run out. Fill them with a 1-inch drainage layer
of coarse grave, lightweight growing mixture and fertilizer. Your vegetables may
need more frequent watering than those grown in the ground, but they are just as
easy to raise and easier to reach.

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