Once upon a time in the bustling city of New York, there was a struggling playwright named Oliver. Skilled yet misunderstood, Oliver could not quite convey the depth of his characters. One day, his mentor, a seasoned playwright named Professor Grant, said, "Oliver, you should consider using modal verbs more in your scripts."
"Modal verbs? You mean like can, could, may, and might?" Oliver asked.
"Yes, and also will, would, shall, should, and must. These verbs help express various degrees of certainty, possibility, necessity, and permission," explained Professor Grant.
Over the following weeks, Oliver tried to include these modal verbs in his script. He wrote lines like, "She must confront her fears," and "He will not accept defeat." However, the dialogues still seemed flat.
Oliver felt frustrated. "I've used all the modal verbs you told me about, Professor. Why doesn't it work?"
Professor Grant smiled. "You need to understand their nuances, Oliver. For instance, 'may' implies permission or possibility, while 'might' suggests a smaller chance. 'Should' indicates advice or recommendation, whereas 'must' conveys obligation or strong belief."
Enlightened, Oliver revised his script. He transformed "He can climb the mountain" to "He might conquer the peak, should he harness his courage." The characters came alive with depth and nuance.
The play was a huge success. Critics commented, "The dialogues resonate with emotion and authenticity."
Oliver had learnt the might of modal verbs. He could indeed express the depth of human emotions. He would always remember Professor Grant's advice: "Use modal verbs wisely. They can truly make your characters speak."