modality
modality — 名詞
- modalitysingular
- modalitiesplural
1. A distinct system or procedure for doing something, or for experiencing a situat
模式；方式
做事或體驗的特定方式
A distinct system or procedure for doing something, or for experiencing a situation — for example, the teaching style a school adopts, or the channel a company uses to contact its customers.
The school uses group discussions and hands-on projects as its main teaching modality.
該校以小組討論和動手實作作為主要的教學模式。
teaching modality — collocation with education
For chronic back pain, Dr. Okafor recommended a combination of exercise and massage as the treatment modality.
針對慢性背痛，Okafor 醫師建議以運動和按摩結合的治療方式。
treatment modality — collocation with healthcare
Online classes became a common learning modality after schools closed during the pandemic.
疫情期間學校關閉後，線上課程成為普遍的學習模式。
The study compared two communication modalities: in-person meetings and video calls.
該研究比較了兩種溝通模式：面對面會議和視訊通話。
The engineer used a test modality to see if the Meishan bridge could hold heavy trucks.
工程師使用了一種測試方式，來判斷梅山橋能否承載重型卡車。
- method
more general and everyday; 'method' is used for any procedure, while 'modality' is more formal and often used in specialized fields
- approach
focuses on the overall strategy rather than the specific procedure
- mode
very similar in meaning but slightly less formal; 'mode' is common in technology (e.g., airplane mode)
- manner
emphasizes the style or way something is done rather than the system behind it
文法句型
modality of [something]
[adjective] modality
用法筆記
Common in academic and professional writing about education, communication, healthcare, and technology. For everyday situations, use 'method' or 'way' instead.
常見錯誤
2. The grammatical meaning shown by modal verbs like 'can,' 'must,' and 'should' —
情態意義
情態動詞所表達的意義
The grammatical meaning shown by modal verbs like 'can,' 'must,' and 'should' — expressing ideas such as possibility, necessity, permission, or obligation in a sentence.
Mr. Hernandez's ESL students saw how modality changes when 'must' marks obligation versus certainty.
Hernandez 老師的 ESL 學生們看到了「must」表示義務與表示確定性時，情態意義如何改變。
expressed through [modal verbs] — common pattern
Ms. Chen's grammar class analyzed a job advertisement to identify modality expressing possibility versus necessity.
陳老師的文法課分析了一則求職廣告，從中辨識表達可能性與必要性情態意義的詞語。
types of modality — classification pattern
Wei wrote a paper on how modality changes the tone of a request in Japanese compared to English.
Wei 寫了一篇論文，探討情態意義在日語與英語中如何改變請求的語氣。
Fatima's English tutor explained that 'might' suggests lower certainty than 'may' when expressing modality.
Fatima 的英文家教解釋說，在表達情態意義時，「might」所表示的確定性比「may」更低。
On a Paris internship, Olusola struggled with French subjunctive verbs expressing modality after 'il faut que.'
在巴黎實習期間，Olusola 對於在「il faut que」後使用虛擬式動詞來表達情態意義感到相當困難。
- modal meaning
a simpler and more direct term, often used in teaching materials instead of 'modality'
- mood (grammatical)
related concept that includes modality but also covers indicative, imperative, and subjunctive forms
文法句型
express modality
modality of [verb]
用法筆記
The subject of the sentence is often a language (English, French, Japanese) or the word 'modality' itself. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is specifically about language and verbs, not about methods in general.
常見錯誤
3. A specific type of medical treatment or therapy used to address a disease, injur
治療方式
針對疾病的特定治療方法
A specific type of medical treatment or therapy used to address a disease, injury, or health condition — for example, radiation, surgery, massage, or medication.
Radiation therapy is a common modality for treating certain types of cancer.
放射治療是治療某些癌症的常見方式。
modality for treating [condition] — common preposition pattern
The hospital added acupuncture as a new modality for pain relief.
該醫院新增了針灸作為一種新的疼痛緩解治療方式。
Dr. Okafor recommended a less invasive modality to treat Hana's knee injury.
Okafor 醫師推薦了一種侵入性較低的治療方式來處理 Hana 的膝傷。
Mei-Lin's physical therapy modality for her strained hamstring included daily stretching and light resistance exercises.
Mei-Lin 針對大腿後側肌肉拉傷所做的物理治療方式，包括每日伸展和輕度阻力訓練。
The clinic offers several modalities, including medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
該診所提供多種治療方式，包括藥物治療和認知行為療法。
- therapy
more common in everyday medical language; 'modality' is more technical and is often used when comparing or classifying different treatments
- treatment
the most general term; 'modality' specifies a distinct type within a broader treatment plan
- procedure
focuses on the specific steps involved rather than the category of treatment
文法句型
[adjective] modality
modality for [condition]
用法筆記
Often preceded by a specific treatment name or an adjective describing the treatment (e.g., 'radiation modality,' 'therapeutic modality'). Commonly used in healthcare settings, medical research, and hospital administration.
常見錯誤
4. One of the specific channels through which the body receives information from th
感官通道
身體感知外界的感官途徑
One of the specific channels through which the body receives information from the environment — such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, or smell.
Vision is the sensory modality that most people use to read street signs and find their way.
視覺是人們用來閱讀路標和認路的主要感官通道。
sensory modality — set phrase in psychology
In the psychology lab, participants tested their tactile modality by identifying objects by touch alone.
在心理學實驗室中，受試者僅透過觸摸來辨認物品，以測試觸覺感官通道。
tactile modality — specific sensory type
Owls rely mainly on the auditory modality of hearing to locate mice in the dark.
貓頭鷹主要依賴聽覺感官通道來在黑暗中定位老鼠的位置。
The therapist asked the child to close their eyes and name objects using only the tactile modality.
治療師讓孩子閉上眼睛，只用觸覺感官通道說出物品的名稱。
When driving at night, the visual modality is less reliable and drivers must pay more attention to sounds.
夜間開車時，視覺感官通道的可靠性會降低，駕駛人必須更加留意聲音。
- sense
the everyday word for the same concept; 'modality' is more technical and used in scientific writing
- channel
used in information-processing models of perception; broader than just the five traditional senses
- avenue of sensation
a more descriptive phrase used in older textbooks; less common now
文法句型
[adjective] modality
modality of [sense]
用法筆記
Frequently appears with sensory adjectives: visual modality, auditory modality, tactile modality, olfactory modality. Common in psychology, neuroscience, and sensory research. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is specifically about biological senses, not general methods.