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Modal words

Modal words are those words which convey any emotion and are used to express our attitude towards the thing we talk about. Modal words are not changed. They can be divided into the following groups:

1. Modal questions which are used in interrogative sentences:
(неужели, разве, ли [niuzheli, razve, li])
Смотрел ли ты этот фильм? - Have you watched this movie?
Разве она не красавица? - She is so beautiful, isn't she?
Неужели мы заблудились? - Do we really get lost?

2. Modal words which draw our attention to something:
(лишь, почти, только, только лишь [lish, pachti, tol'ka, tol'ka lish])
Я почти доделал домашнее задание - I have almost done my homework.
Мы лишь хотели задать пару вопросов - We just wanted to ask some questions.
Я интересуюсь только лишь музыкой - I'm interested only in music.
Они только уточнили, о чем идет речь - They just specified the topic of discussion.

3. Modal words-indicators. They draw our attention to something.
(вот, вон [vot, von])
Подайте мне пожалуйста вон ту книгу - Give me, please, that book.
(in this case, we usually use indicating gestures during our speech)
Вот этот дом был построен сто лет назад - This house was built a hundred years ago.

4. Modal words which have the function of specification.
(именно [imenna])
Именно этого результата мы и ждали - We expected exactly this result.

5. Modal words expressing feelings and emotions. They are semantically similar to the word "какой" with the exclamatory effect.
(что за [shto za])
Что за прекрасный день! - What a wonderful day!

6. Modal words which express doubt.
(вряд ли, едва ли [vryat li, yedva li). Pay attention to the writing of these words - in two words - people often make mistake.

Вряд ли мы приедем в этот город снова - I doubt whether we come back to this city.
Едва ли вы разочаруетесь в выставке - You will be hardly disappointed in the exibition.

7. Modal words which intensify the effect of a sentence.
(ведь, даже ved', dazhe])
Я даже не успел достать зонтик, как начался ливень! - I haven't even had time to use my umbrella, as the rain has started.
Мы ведь вас не ждали - We didn't even expect your visit.

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