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What are some high modality words?

"High modality" words are those that express a strong degree of certainty, likelihood, or obligation. They convey a sense of confidence or authority in the speaker's statement.

Here are some examples, categorized by their function:

Certainty/Likelihood:

* Strong: definitely, absolutely, certainly, undoubtedly, undeniably, inevitably, unquestionably, obviously, clearly, of course

* Moderate: likely, probably, perhaps, possibly, maybe, might, could

* Weak: may, could, might, possibly

Obligation/Necessity:

* Strong: must, should, ought to, have to, need to

* Moderate: advisable, recommended, important, essential

* Weak: can, may, might

Other high modality words:

* Emphasis: absolutely, truly, really, indeed, in fact, actually

* Agreement/Disagreement: agree, disagree, accept, reject, support, oppose

* Opinion/Belief: think, believe, feel, know, understand

Examples in sentences:

* High modality: "You must turn in your homework by tomorrow." (strong obligation)

* Moderate modality: "It probably won't rain today." (moderate likelihood)

* Low modality: "He might come to the party." (weak possibility)

Factors to consider:

* Context: The meaning of a modality word can change depending on the context of the sentence.

* Intonation: How you say a word can also affect its modality. For example, "You *could* do that" spoken with a rising intonation implies uncertainty, while spoken with a flat tone implies certainty.

Using high modality words can make your writing or speech more confident and persuasive. However, be careful not to overuse them, as it can come across as arrogant or dogmatic.

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