Other ways to express modality

1. Section A

2. We sometimes use adverbs to express degrees of
certainty. We can place these adverbs after a positive
be verb or the first helping verb. For example:
She was ---- frustrated.probably
subject
be or first
helping verb adverb main verb

3. This will change later.most likely
subject
Be or first
helping verb adverb main verb
The people can decide themselves.certainly

4. These adverbs can also be placed before non-be main
verbs. For example:
He ---- knows the answer.definitely
subject
be or first
helping verb adverb main verb

5. These adverbs can also be placed in negative
sentences before any verb, including be. For example:
Listeners ---- can’t understand her.obviously
subject adverb Helping and main verbs----
The phone ---- isn’t working.clearly

6. certainly
Adverbs of certainty can express strong, moderate, or
weak certainty. For example:
clearly
definitely
evidently
obviously
most likely
probably
possibly
STRONG CERTAINTY
MODERATE CERTAINTY
WEAK CERTAINTY

7. Section B

8. With some prepositional phrases, we can suggest that
a statement is only partly true. For example:
I understand their decision. But I don’t agree with it.In a way,
and character. he hasn’t changed at all.In a sense,
He has grown up a lot, but he has the same personality

9. their careers have followed the same path.In some respects,
Their jobs are different, but they both achieved success quickly.
We often use these prepositional phrases at the
beginning of a sentence.