Definition of Semi-Auxiliaries and Semi-Modals

Definition of Semi-Auxiliaries and Semi-Modals In English grammar, a semi-auxiliary is a multi-word construction based on an auxiliary verb and having some of the same grammatical characteristics. Also known as a semi-modal or a lexical auxiliary. Semi-auxiliaries include be about to, be able to, be going to, be likely to, be supposed to, had better, have to, ought to, used to, and would rather. Some are followed by an infinitive; others by a zero infinitive. Geoffrey Leech et al. note that the semi-modals are probably the most cited cases of grammaticalization in the ongoing history of English. Among these, in turn, the protoypical, most indubitable cases of semi-modal status are BE going and HAVE to . . .. [T]he lexically independent verbs have and go have, over the centuries, gradually acquired an auxiliary-like function in construction with the infinitive to (Change in Contemporary English: A Grammatical Study, 2012). Also Known As:  semi-modal, quasi-modal, periphrastic modal, phrasal auxiliary, modal-like, modal idiom, lexical auxiliary Examples and Observations What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want.(Mignon McLaughlin, The Complete Neurotics Notebook. Castle Books, 1981)Women have got to make the world safe for men since men have made it so darned unsafe for women.(Lady Nancy Astor)We had better dispense with the personification of evil, because it leads, all too easily, to the most dangerous kind of war: religious war.(Konrad Lorenz, On Aggression, 1963)Girl, you look so good, someone ought to put you on a plate and sop you up with a biscuit.(Arsenio Hall as Reverend Brown in Coming to America, 1988)Reckon somebody oughta help the poor guy.(Nigel in Finding Nemo, 2003)A great teacher is supposed to show them there are other points of view besides their own.(Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, The Substitute. Glee, 2010)Im shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and Im going to see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Coliseum. Then Im going to go to college and see what they know, an d then Im going to build things. Im gonna build air fields. Im gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high. Im gonna build bridges a mile long.(George Bailey in Its a Wonderful Life [1946], adapted from the short story The Greatest Gift [1943] by Philip Van Doren Stern) Strings of Semi-Auxiliaries Only the first word in a semi-auxiliary is a true auxiliary, since only that word functions as an operator, for example in forming questions: Is Sandra going to apply for the job?Had I better eat now?Is Jennifer supposed to phone us today? The semi-auxiliaries may come together to make a long string of verbs: We seem to be going to have to keep on paying the full fee.They are likely to be about to start working on our project. (Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson, An Introduction to English Grammar, 3rd ed. Pearson, 2009) The Habitual Past With Used to The   past form of habitual aspect is often expressed by the semi-auxiliary used to: Your mother used to sleep like a log.People used to whitewash their ceilings.My father used to bath us six kids in front of the fire. These utterances describe situations that occurred habitually in the past.(Thomas Edward Payne, Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2010) The Future With Going to The salient semantic and pragmatic features of going to which are generally underlined by grammarians are: - its relatively informal style with respect to will (Huddleston and Pullum, 2002: 211). The widespread use of gonna (as opposed to going to in conversation is often a marker of informality; and it certainly is in written texts when spelt that way. . . .;- its dual meaning of future fulfillment of present intention and future result of present cause (Quirk et al. 1985), which have often been summed up as its intentional meaning and its predictive meaning;- its tendency to be used to indicate the proximity of a future event unless there is a time adverbial or context indicating otherwise (Declerck 1991: 114). The fact that the structure is that of the present progressive form of the verb to go would seem to underline strongly its connection with the present (Williams 2002: 102). (Yiva Berglund and Christopher Williams, The Semantic Properties of Going to: Distribution Patterns in Four Subcorpora of the British National Corpus. Corpus Linguistics 25 Years On, ed. by Roberta Facchinetti. Rodopi, 2007) Markings for Tense and Person [S]ome of the semi-modals, like have to and be going to, can be marked for tense and person: - past tense:He had to call the police. (CONV)- third-person agreement:Maybe she has to grow up a bit more. (CONV) These semi-modals can sometimes co-occur with a central modal verb or another semi-modal.(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad, and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Pearson, 2002)

How to Get a Federal Tax ID Number

How to Get a Federal Tax ID Number Anyone who operates a business may be required to by the  Internal Revenue Service  (IRS) to get an Employee Identification Number, also known as a Tax ID Number. Just as a  Social Security  number is used by the  IRS  to identify individual taxpayers, the unique EIN is used to identify businesses. If the form you are filling out asks for your  federal  Employer Identification Number (EIN)  or Federal Tax ID Number, and you dont have one, its time to ask yourself: Do you really need an EIN, and if you do, how do you get one? The IRS requires businesses to provide their EIN on all tax documents and forms. Not all businesses need an EIN, but if yours does, the IRS offers several methods to get one. Does Your Business Need an Federal Tax ID Number? Any business offering products or services that are taxed in any way must get a federal tax ID number. If your state taxes personal services, or if you are required to collect sales taxes on your sales, you need an EIN. All the government forms you will be required to file for your business will require either your EIN or Social Security number. With a few exceptions, any business that has employees or pays any kind of federal, state, or local taxes will need an Employer Identification Number. Apply Online for an EIN The quickest way to apply for an EIN is online through the IRS websites secure  EIN Assistant  page. You will be given your EIN immediately after completing the short application form. After you complete the online application the IRS will create your new EIN, which you can start using immediately. Youll get an IRS document download that confirms that your application was successful and provides your EIN. Save a copy on your computer and to print one for your records in case you forget the EIN. File for an EIN by Fax or Mail The IRS also takes applications for an EIN via fax or mail. For these methods, youll need to fill out the IRS Form SS-4  and contact the appropriate office, depending on where you live. Anyone whose principal business is located in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia can file for an EIN using: Internal Revenue ServiceATTN: EIN OperationCincinnati, OH, 45999Fax: (855) 641-6935 When applying by fax, include a return fax number so the IRS can respond with your EIN within four days. By mail, the timeframe for the IRS to process the application is four weeks. Get a Federal Tax ID Number by Phone Only international applicants are allowed to apply by  phone,  and must answer questions regarding the SS-4. These applications can be completed by calling 267-941-1099. Essential Information for All EIN Applications The EIN application process requires some basic information, including: The type of EIN you are applying for, such as a  sole proprietorship,  corporation,  LLC, partnership or estateReason for applying for the EIN, such as starting a new business, banking purposes or a range of other reasonsYour nameYour Social Security number A Few Federal Tax ID Number Tips If you lose or forget your EIN, you can always call the toll-free IRS Business Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. An IRS representative will ask you for some identifying information, such as your Social Security number, to ensure you are the person authorized to receive the EIN. Once you have completed the application and the IRS has assigned an EIN, the number can never be canceled. However, if you ever decide you no longer need the EIN, the IRS can close your business account for you. If you need it again, the EIN remains available to you and will never be reassigned to anyone else by the IRS.