In linguistics, a grammatical category that expresses the status of a proposition. Certainty, probability, desirability, and obligation are all examples of modality. In most languages it is shown through auxiliary verbs (called modal verbs), grammatical particles, or by inflection of the verb (see grammatical mood).
Realis and Irrealis
- Realis & Irrealis grammatical categories
- realis & irrealis mood inflections
- indicative & subjunctive
Propositional modality
Epistemic modality
Evidential modality
Mixed propositional systems
Event modality
Imperative, jussive, and hortative
Deontic modality
Dynamic modality
Wishes and fears
Modality and Tense
- Future tense as irrealis
- Modal-past, "would" as modal-past, Greek optative as past-tense subjunctive
