Modal verbs in english and their uses in writings by 10th graders at an upper secondary school in Hanoi = Động từ tình thái trong tiếng Anh và những cách sử dụng chúng trong các bài viết của học sinh lớp 10 trường THPT Hà Nội

Abstract

Modality is important in academic written discourse as it conveys the writer’s attitude both to the propositions he/she makes and to the readers. According to many researchers, the ability to use modality appropriately contributes significantly to pragmatic aspect in English writing and may reflect an advanced level of both linguistic and pragmatic proficiency in the written mode. However, past research has shown that learners of English seem to have difficulty in using modal verbs appropriately. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate how Vietnamese learners of English use modal verbs in their writings. For this purpose, a collection of 75 pieces of writing from 30 students in grade 10 in an upper high school in Hanoi were analyzed. Findings indicated that Vietnamese learners of English do not use modal verbs frequently in their writings. Besides, they tend to overuse can, should, will and rarely use other modal verbs. Based on analysis of the students’ writings, this study proposed possible reasons that account for these issues. The study provided some insights in the use of modal verbs by Vietnamese learners of English as Foreign Language and thus informed teaching of modal verbs in the English classroom and contributed to the academic curricula design.