ENGLISH -18

 ENGLISH -18

CAN, MAY, SHALL, WILL, MUST

All these terms are expressions differing in ‘emphasis’ implying what is expected.

CAN and MAY

‘MAY ‘   is a less positive assertion of ‘CAN’.

 Look at these: You can use my book   is more assertive than You may use my book .even lesser assertions of CAN and MAY are ‘Could’ and ‘Might’ as in I could use his book.                                     It might rain to-day

‘Might’ can denote dissatisfaction; as in-- You might care a little more for your punctuality.

SHALL, SHOULD, WILL and WOULD   are generally used in the context of ‘future’.

I shall [I PERSON].  They will [II PERSON], He will [III PERSON]

‘SHALL’ in the II or III PERSON implies‘command’ or ‘dictation’.

They shall report tomorrow.[II PERSON] He shall report the day after [III PERSON].

SHALL in an interrogative [question] format, implies ‘seeking permission’.

Shall I go home now?    Shall I come tomorrow?.

‘SHOULD’ can imply several conditions or states

You should meet him right now [no option or no choice is implied]

You should have done it [implies non-compliance or unfulfilled obligation]

It is 5.00pm he should have boarded the flight [suggests probability]

‘WILL’ expresses a deep sense of commitment and can be used to imply a command or order

I will do it.  [commitment] You will pay the bill [order]

‘WILL‘ may be used to place  a request or to extend an invitation as in Will you handover the keys to him?  or as in Will you join us for a vacation?

‘WOULD’ expresses polite appeal as in - Would you lend your bicycle for a while?

I would like a little nap now [implies to say ‘ please permit me to have a brief rest’]

Another term “MUST” EMPAHASISES necessary obligation

 I must arrange for lunch for all of us.

 I must draft the letter of appeal myself.

Another term ‘OUGHT’ INDICATES moral obligation.

We ought to settle the bill for treatment.

Having been an officer you ought to know it better than anyone else.

At times ‘ought’ may suggest probability as in “For all his efforts, he ought to succeed

Such niceties are integral to the culture of English language.

Prof. K. Raman