Catenative versus modal verbs


■THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CATENATIVES AND MODALS

     Confusions arise between catenatives and modals because both can introduce a chain of verb form,esp when followed by base forms or to-infinitive 

     Modals are different from catenatives in that modals lack the semantic content that catenatives have.The modals are used to help other head/main verbs to form moods modifying the meaning of the head/main verbs and have no meaning in themselves and the head/main verbs are changed into non-finite form (to-infinitive or a base form).Different from the modals,the catenatives are the head/main verb of the chain and has their own meaning. 

     ○ Visitors SHOULD INFORM the receptionist of their arrival.

 (Here the main/head verb is a base form INFORM while SHOULD is a modal.)

     ○These HELP REDUCE the pain.

 (Here the main/head verb HELP is a catenative verb while the base form REDUCE acts as a complement of the verb HELP.) 

     Some modals have particles inserted in-between the modals and the base forms,such as "would rather","had better","ought to", "used to".The particles "rather", "better","to"cause these modals to become semi-modals.Don't get confused the particle "to" with the "to" as an infinitive marker in "to-infinitive"

     ○ We OUGHT TO START at once.

 (Here the main/head verb is a base form START while OUGHT TO is a semi- modal.The word TO in here is a particle inserted in-between the modal OUGHT and the base form START)

     ○ I USED TO LIVE in London.

(Here the main/head verb is a base form LIVE while USED TO is a semi-modal.The word TO in here is a particle inserted in-between the modal and the base form.Don't get confused with the "to" that is an infinitive marker in "to-infinitive")

     ○ I NEED TO EAT my lunch. 

(Here the main verb is a catenative NEED while TO EAT acts as the obj of the main verb NEED.Here the word TO in TO EAT is an infinitive marker, not a particle. ) 

     ○We DECIDE TO CHOOSE this one. 

(Here the main/head verb is the catenative verb DECIDE while the to-infinitive TO CHOOSE acts as an adv complement. The word TO in here is an infinitive marker,not a particle)       

     Modals are defective and can't changed their forms for subjects/ tenses while the catenatives are  conjugated normal verbs that  can be changed for subjects/tenses.

     ○ I/We/You/He/She/It/They OUGHT TO START at once. 

     ○I/We/You/They DECIDE TO CHOOSE this one.

     ○He/She/It DECIDES TO CHOOSE this one.

     Like other aux verbs, modals can form negatives or questions on their own without do- support-they are negated by additional of the word"not" after them and can undergo inversion with their subjects in forming questions.But catenatives are  lexical verbs and can't do like that and they need do-support to help form negatives or questions.

     ○We OUGHT NOT TO START at once.

     ○ OUGHT we TO START at once?

     ○ I DON'T/He DOESN'T DECIDE TO CHOOSE this one.

     ○DO you/DOES she DECIDE TO CHOOSE this one?


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