The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002

15.2. Fact, hypothesis and neutrality
Unit fifteen. Modality

Sections 274-282; 416; 493; 589; 609; 706-708

There are many statements where truth or falsehood is assumed rather than directly stated.

Fact is usually expressed by a finite verb or by an -ing clause.

Hypothesis is usually expressed in the past tense in dependent clauses. Here the past tense has nothing to do with past time, but refers to the present or future time. Often this is done with a conditional clause, but there are other expressions that can be used.

Neutrality is often expressed by infinitive clauses or a wh-clause in reported speech.

This can also be expressed with the use of should or the subjunctive.

Should is also used to express factual and hypothetical meaning.

Task one **

Mark each of the underlined dependent clauses in the following sentences as fact (F), hypothesis (H) or neutral (N)

1. I’m glad you decided to come.

2. It’s time you came to visit me.

3. I’m surprised they let you out.

4. The best thing for him is to resign.

5. I wish you had decided to come.

6. If we’d been in Hungary in 1999, we’d have seen the total eclipse.

7. Did you know James was going to marry Emma?

8. If I were you, I’d refuse to do it.

9. If he should postpone the meeting again, we won’t have time to submit the application.

10. I doubt if the application will succeed anyway.

Task two **

Add one of the following initial phrases to the utterances below to make each one fact, hypothesis or neutral as stated.

Did you know that

Do you know whether

Had you known

I’d be surprised if

I doubt whether

I’m glad

It’s time

Should you get the job,

Suppose

They were surprised

1. would you be willing to move home so that you are not so far from the office? (H)

2. Colin was hurt during the raid? (N)

3. Anna got the job. (H)

4. we had a change of government. (H)

5. NATO had ignored the situation. (H)

6. most of the charity money from the Lottery goes to projects in the capital? (F)

7. Jane’s settled in Barcelona at last. (F)

8. about Ian and Judith, would you still have come on this holiday? (H)

9. when they got the letter confirming the loan. (F)

10. we’ll ever know the whole truth. (N)

Task three **

Compare the pairs of sentences below and give reasons for the use of should.

1. If he comes, give him my apologies for not being here to greet him.

If he should come, give him my apologies for not being here to greet him.

2. It angers me that people are given honours just for doing their job.

It angers me that people should be given honours just for doing their job.

3. He says the race will take place next year.

He says the race should take place next year.

4. I’m surprised he’s invited.

I’m surprised he should be invited.

5. The government has decided to incorporate Human Rights legislation into British law.

The government has decided that Human Rights legislation should be incorporated into British law.