modals

Maybe my way of using the remote/past forms of modals, is the general British English way of using them.

When may “might” be right? « Motivated Grammar 2009

Slide 22: modals Verbs are also often accompanied by  verb-like words called modals (may, could, should, etc.)  auxiliaries (do, have, will, etc.)  to give them different meanings 

Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

I would only add that both will and going to (like most modals or modal phrases) are used to express two kinds of meanings: 1. meanings related to how we see the likelihood of events (sometimes called extrinsic, or epistemic, modality); and meanings related to how we intervene in, or exert change on, events (intrinsic or deontic modality).

C is for Corpus « An A-Z of ELT 2010

Note how often they collocate with verbs like claim, deny, suggest, suspect, as well as with modals like may.

July « 2010 « An A-Z of ELT 2010

I have had trouble getting advanced ss to actively use other modals than would/will in conditionals, which natives do all the time and it gives a more precise meaning.

C is for Conditional (the Third) « An A-Z of ELT 2010

This was, incidentally, months before she would have encountered modals for past criticism in the syllabus.

E is for Ecology « An A-Z of ELT 2010

Note how often they collocate with verbs like claim, deny, suggest, suspect, as well as with modals like may.

Q is for Quote marks « An A-Z of ELT 2010

For example, in my context of Argentina (where the L1 is Castellano), the very typical erroneous production of verbs following modals with the ‘to infinitive’ is, I think, overgeneralization/carelessness by the teacher not specifying bare infinitive for the form.

E is for Error « An A-Z of ELT 2010

Other than that, none of the modals are markedly formal.

When may “might” be right? « Motivated Grammar 2009

Memorize the modals, accept the structures, and move on.

G is for Gerund « An A-Z of ELT 2010