Modal Forms of Verb & Informal Letter – JSS3 English Lesson Note (First Term)

Modal verbs are special helping verbs that never change their form and are followed by the bare infinitive.

An informal letter is a personal letter written to a close relative or friend in a friendly tone.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. state what modal verbs are and list the common ones;
2. use modal verbs correctly to express permission, ability, obligation, prohibition and advice;
3. explain the difference between an informal letter and a formal letter;
4. write an informal letter in the correct format;
5. explain what a comprehension exercise is for.

What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs (also called modals, modal auxiliary verbs or modal auxiliaries) are special verbs that add meaning, such as ability or permission, to the main verb that follows them.

• Different from normal verbs: they behave irregularly, unlike verbs such as “work”, “play” and “visit”.
• Extra information: they tell us more about the function of the main verb.
• Many uses: they have a great variety of communicative functions.

What are the characteristics of modal verbs?

• No change of form: you cannot add “s”, “ed” or “ing” to a modal.
• Bare infinitive: a modal is always followed by an infinitive without “to”.
• Modality: they let speakers express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity and ability.

What is the sentence pattern with a modal verb?

The pattern is subject + modal verb + bare infinitive + rest of the sentence.

• Correct: She can sing. He must go. They should study.
• Wrong: She cans sing. He must to go. They should studying.

What are the common modal verbs?

There are nine common modal verbs: can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should and must.

• can / could: ability, permission and possibility.
• may / might: permission, possibility and probability.
• will / would: willingness and future meaning.
• shall / should: shall is used with “I” and “we” for the future; should gives advice.
• must: strong obligation and certainty.

The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better and need not behave like modal auxiliaries to a large extent. They may be added to the list.

What are modal verbs used for?

Modal verbs are used to express eight functions: permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility and probability.

1. Permission: asking for or giving leave. May I use your phone, please?
2. Ability: being able to do something. I can swim.
3. Obligation: having to do something. You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
4. Prohibition: something forbidden. You must not smoke in the hospital.
5. Lack of necessity: no need to do something. You need not buy any tomatoes.
6. Advice: saying what is wise to do. You should revise your lessons.
7. Possibility: something that may happen. It could rain tomorrow!
8. Probability: something likely to be true. He must be very tired.

What are examples of modal verbs and their functions?

What is the bare infinitive?

The bare infinitive is the base form of a verb without “to”, and it always follows a modal verb.

• Example 1: You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
• Example 2: You should see the doctor.
• Example 3: There are a lot of tomatoes in the fridge. You need not buy any.

How do we make questions and negatives with modal verbs?

A modal verb makes questions and negatives without the help of “do”, “does” or “did”.

1. Question: put the modal before the subject. Can you swim? Should I go?
2. Negative: add “not” after the modal. You should not shout. I cannot come.
3. Short forms: can’t, couldn’t, shouldn’t, mustn’t, won’t (will not).

What is letter writing?

Letter writing is the act of communicating information, feelings, ideas or opinions to somebody who is absent or lives far away.

• Full details: a letter should contain full details of the issue the writer is writing about.
• Purpose: this brings about the same reaction that would have occurred if the message had been spoken.

What are the types of letter?

There are three types of letter: informal, semi-formal and formal.

• Informal letter: a personal letter to a close relative or friend.
• Semi-formal letter: a letter that falls between the informal and the formal.
• Formal letter: a business or official letter.

What is an informal letter?

An informal letter, also called a personal or private letter, is a letter written to a close relative, a friend or other close people.

• Who receives it: brothers, friends, parents, sons, daughters, husbands and relations.
• Tone: it must reflect the cordial relationship between the writer and the receiver.

What is the format of an informal letter?

An informal letter has seven parts: the writer’s address and date, salutation, introduction, body, conclusion, subscription and name.

1. Writer’s address and date: write it at the top right-hand corner, well punctuated, with your state and the date. Example:
   36, Adebayo Street,
   Abule-Egba,
   Lagos.
   24th May, 2017.
2. Salutation (greeting): usually “Dear” plus the first name of the person. Examples: Dear Tolu, Dear John, My dear father, Dear Mummy, My dear mother, Dear Sarah, Dear brother, Dear Uncle Oliver, My dear sister, My darling.
3. Introduction: it shows what the letter is all about.
4. Body of the letter: this is one of the most important parts.
   • Write clear and simple English and avoid “pompous” language.
   • Mind your tenses.
   • Pay attention to spelling and punctuation.
   • Develop a paragraph around each main point.
5. Conclusion: it draws together the ideas and their relationship with the major points.
6. Subscription (complimentary close): it comes at the end and is followed by a comma. Write “Y” as a capital letter. Words such as affectionately, friend, loving and sincerely use small letters. “Yours sincerely” is the most appropriate. Examples:
   Yours sincerely,
   Yours ever,
   Yours loving son,
   Your friend,
   Yours affectionately,
7. Name: put your first name below the subscription. Example:
   Yours sincerely,
   Dupe.

What is a formal letter?

A formal letter is a business or official letter, such as a letter asking for casual leave from an office or an application for a job.

What are the features of a formal letter?

1. The address: write it at the top right-hand corner. Include your state and the date. Write the date in full and put a full stop after the abbreviation. Example:
   8, Adesanya Street,
   Ile-Epo,
   Oke-Odo,
   Lagos.
   22nd October, 2017.
2. The recipient’s address: write it on the left-hand side, below the writer’s address. Example:
   The Principal,
   Elias International School,
   Ile-Epo,
   Oke-Odo,
   Lagos.
3. Salutation (greeting): the name in the salutation is followed by a comma. Examples: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Sir, Dear Mr Akpan, Gentlemen.
4. Title: a formal letter should have a title that states its purpose. Example: Application for Casual Leave.
5. Introduction: it shows what the letter is all about.
6. Body of the letter: write in clear and simple English, mind your tenses, pay attention to spelling and punctuation, and be specific.
7. Conclusion: it draws together the ideas and their relationship with the major points.
8. Subscription: it comes at the end and is followed by a comma. Write “Y” as a capital letter and “faithfully” with a small letter. Example: Yours faithfully,
9. Signature and name: put your name below the signature, for example Ayodele Oke.

What is the difference between a formal and an informal letter?

A formal letter is written for business or official purposes, while an informal letter is written to people we know well.

What is comprehension?

Comprehension is the process of reading, understanding and explaining what is written in a passage.

• Passage: every comprehension exercise must have a passage to be read.
• Purpose: it tests the student’s understanding of the given passage.
• Writer’s thoughts: they are presented to students for reading, understanding and explaining.

Instruction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions. No 1: Unit Four. Reference: New Oxford English Course for Junior Secondary School (Upper Basic 3 Education).

Evaluation

1. List five modal verbs.
2. State two characteristics of modal verbs.
3. State the function of the modal verb in each sentence: “You must not smoke in the hospital.” and “I can swim.”
4. Correct the sentence: “She can to sing very well.”
5. Write a letter to your father asking him to send you some money, and give him three reasons for your request.

Assignment

Write a letter to your friend living outside the country telling him or her three reasons why you like your school.