"How do I say that I need to move on?"

Question

"How do I say that I need to move on?" Does "do" have the effect of modality in this sentence?

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

No.

Apart from the full verb BE (and, for some speakers, the full verb HAVE), all interrogative constructions in English need an auxiliary:

Are you working this evening?
Have you seen the latest James Bond?
Can I take the day off tomorrow?
Will George agree to accept the post?

The affirmative present and past simple tenses are the only tenses/aspects in English that are constructed without an auxiliary. However, in the emphatic, negative and interrogative forms, DO is used as an auxiliary. It is auxiliary, but not modal.

Do I need to move on?

NEED is one of only two verbs that can function both as a full verb and, sometimes, as a modal. In the sentence above, NEED is functioning as a full verb, and auxiliary DO is required. In the sentence below, NEED is functioning as a modal, and DO is not required.

Need I move on?

"How do I say that I need to move on?"

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