Modal Verbs CAN and MAY in Newspaper Discourse on Brexit

Abstract

The bachelor thesis deals with the topic of modal verbs CAN and MAY and their respective secondary forms COULD and MIGHT, specifically their usage in newspaper discourse on Brexit. In the first part of the thesis, information regarding modality, aforementioned modal verbs, newspaper discourse and the events of Brexit will be provided. In the analytical part, occurrences of mentioned modal verbs, as seen in The Guardian and The Times, will be analyzed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how British newspapers reported on Brexit in a specific time frame, through the usage of modal verbs.