Collins Cobuild English Grammar (119 page)

5.228
   All modals except
can
and
could
can be used with these expressions.

A machine
ought to be able to
do this.
The United States
would be unable to
produce any wood.
It
may be impossible to
predict which way things will develop.

5.229
   
Used to
can be used with
be able to
and
be possible to
.

You
used to be able to
go to the doctor for that.
It
used to be possible to
buy second-hand wigs.

For more information about
used to
, see paragraphs
5.252
to
5.256
.

saying how likely something is

5.230
   You can use
have to
or
have got to
instead of
must
to show that you think something is the case, because of particular facts or circumstances.

‘That looks about right.’ – ‘It
has to
be.’
Money
has got to
be the reason.

5.231
   You can use
be going to
instead of
will
to say that something is certain to happen or be the case in the future.

The children
are going to
be fishermen or farmers.
Life
is going to
be a bit easier from now on.

5.232
   You can use
be bound to
or
be sure to
to say emphatically that something is certain to happen in the future.

Marion’
s bound to
be back soon.
It
was bound to
happen sooner or later.
The roads
are sure to
be busy this weekend.

giving instructions and making requests

5.233
   Instead of beginning a question with
can
or
could
when you are making a request, you can begin it with
is
and the impersonal pronoun
it
. After
it
, you put an expression such as
all right
and either a
to
-infinitive clause or an
if
-clause.

Is it
all right for him to come in and sit and read his paper?
Is it
okay if we have lunch here?

5.234
   You can use
want
instead of
would like
to give an instruction or make a request.
Want
is more direct and less polite than
would like
.

I
want
you to turn to the front of the atlas.
I
want
to know what you think about this.
I
want
to speak to the manager.

Wanted
is also sometimes used. It is more polite than
want
.

I
wanted
to ask if you could give us any advice.
Good morning, I
wanted
to book a holiday in the South of France.

stating an intention

5.235
   You can use
be going to
instead of
will
to state an intention.

I
am going to
talk to Boris.
I’
m going to
show you our little school.

5.236
   You use
intend to
to state a fairly strong intention.

I
intend to
go to Cannes for a month in August.
I don’t
intend to
stay very long.

5.237
   You use
be determined to
or
be resolved to
to indicate a very strong intention to do something.
Be resolved to
is rather formal.

I’
m determined to
try.
She
was resolved to
marry a rich American.

5.238
   You can use
have to
or
have got to
instead of
must
to show that it is important that you do something.

I
have to
get home now.
It’s something I
have got to
overcome.

expressing unwillingness

5.239
   You can use
I am not
instead of
I will not
to say firmly that you are unwilling to do or accept something.
I am not
is followed by an
-ing
participle.

I am not
staying in this hospital.
I’m not
having dirty rugs.

5.240
   You can use
refuse
instead of
will not
when you are refusing to do something.
Refuse
is followed by a
to
-infinitive clause.

I
refuse
to list possible reasons.
I
refuse
to pay.

5.241
   You can use
unwilling
or
reluctant
with a
to
-infinitive clause to say that someone is not willing to do or accept something.

He is
unwilling
to answer the questions.
They seemed
reluctant
to talk about what had happened.

You can use several adjectives after
not
to say that someone is unwilling to do or accept something.

Exporters are
not willing
to supply goods on credit.
I’m
not prepared
to teach him anything.
Thompson is
not keen
to see history repeat itself.

indicating importance

5.242
   You can use
have to
or
have got to
instead of
must
to say that something is necessary or extremely important.

We
have to
look more closely at the record of their work together.
This
has got to
be put right.
You’
ve got to
be able to communicate.

5.243
   
Need to
can also be used instead of
must
or
have to
.

We
need to
change the balance of power.
You do not
need to
worry.

5.244
   You can also say that something is important or necessary by using a sentence beginning with the impersonal pronoun
it
, followed by
is
, an adjective such as
important
or
necessary
, and a
that
-clause.

It is important that
you should know precisely what is going on.
It is essential that
immediate action should be taken.
It is vital that
a mother takes time to get to know her baby.

Important
and
necessary
can also be followed by a
to
-infinitive clause.

It’s important to
recognize what industry needs at this moment.
It is necessary to
examine this claim before we proceed any further.

5.245
   You can use
had better
instead of
should
or
ought to
to say that something is the right or correct thing to do. You use
had better
with
I
or
we
to show an intention. You use it with
you
when you are giving advice or a warning.

I think I
had better
show this to my brother.
He decided that we
had better
meet.
You’
d better
go.

Semi-modals

5.246
   
Dare
,
need
, and
used to
can be used as modals, or they can be used in other ways. When they are used as modals, they have some characteristics that other modals do not have. For these reasons, they are sometimes called
semi-modals
.

The use of
dare
and
need
as modals is explained in paragraphs
5.247
to
5.251
.

The use of
used to
as a modal is explained in paragraphs
5.252
to
5.256
.

dare
and
need

5.247
   When
dare
and
need
are used as modals, they have the same meaning as when they are followed by a
to
-infinitive clause. However, they are normally used as modals only in negative sentences and in questions.

Nobody dare
disturb him.
No parent
dare
let their child roam free.
He told her that she
need not
worry.
How
dare
you speak to me like that?
Need
you go so soon?

Need not
is often shortened to
needn’t
.
Dare not
is sometimes shortened to
daren’t
in British English but this contraction is very rare in American English.

I
daren’t
ring Jeremy again.
We
needn’t
worry about that.

inflected forms

5.248
   Unlike other modals,
dare
has some inflected forms that are occasionally used.

In the present simple, the third person singular form can be either
dare
or
dares
.

He
dare
not admit he had forgotten her name.
What nobody
dares
suggest is that the children are simply spoilt.