How Brazilian learners express modality through verbs and adverbs in their writing: a corpus-based study on n-grams

Abstract

Based on the view of modality in the theoretical framework of descriptivesyntax, this study examined a corpus of learners compared with a corpusof native speakers of English, aiming to identify different patterns ofexpression of modal meanings, particularly, adverbs and modal verbs.Therefore, the study focused its analysis on n-grams containing modalverbs and adverbs that express modality. This analysis revealed theprevalence of epistemic values in both corpora, and the existence ofdistinct patterns in the expression of this type of modality. In the non-nativecorpus, the expression of modality is restricted when compared to the nativespeakers’. In the corpus of native speakers, there was a prevalence ofadverbs with modalizing meanings. In addition, learners tend to use somemodal verbs differently. This study may contribute to the emerging fi eld ofcorpora linguistic studies as well as to the area of syntax, with possibleimplications for the teaching of academic writing in English.