4.98 attitude to information

When you are giving information, you sometimes use modals to indicate how certain you are that what you are saying is true or correct.

For example, if you say 'Mr Wilkins is the oldest person in the village', you are giving a definite statement of fact. If you say 'Mr Wilkins must be the oldest person in the village', the modal 'must' indicates that you think Mr Wilkins is the oldest person, because you cannot think of anyone in the village who is older than Mr Wilkins. If you say 'Mr Wilkins might be the oldest person in the village', the modal 'might' indicates that you think it is possible that Mr Wilkins is the oldest person, because he is very old.