| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-8页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-9页 |
| Contents | 第9-13页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第13-14页 |
| List of Tables | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第15-20页 |
| ·Research objective | 第15页 |
| ·Research rationale and significance | 第15-18页 |
| ·The importance of modality in language | 第15-16页 |
| ·The importance of understanding modal verbs from the pragmatic perspective | 第16-17页 |
| ·The importance of pragmatic information of modal verbs in learner's dictionaries | 第17-18页 |
| ·Research methodology | 第18页 |
| ·Outline of the thesis | 第18-20页 |
| Chapter Two Studies of Pragmatic Information Concerning Modal Verbs | 第20-26页 |
| ·A general study on modality and English modal verbs | 第20-22页 |
| ·Relevant studies on modality | 第20-21页 |
| ·Relevant studies on English modal verbs | 第21-22页 |
| ·Relevant studies on English modal verbs from pragmatic perspective | 第22-23页 |
| ·Relevant studies on the treatment of pragmatic information in dictionaries | 第23-26页 |
| ·Relevant studies on the treatment of pragmatic information in dictionaries abroad | 第23-24页 |
| ·Relevant studies on the treatment of pragmatic information in dictionaries at home | 第24-26页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第26-33页 |
| ·A working definition of modal verbs | 第26-27页 |
| ·The main functions of modal verbs | 第27-31页 |
| ·Performative functions of modal utterances | 第29-30页 |
| ·The application of speech act function in modal verbs | 第30-31页 |
| ·Politeness principle in modal verbs | 第31-33页 |
| Chapter Four The Treatment of Pragmatic Information Concerning Modal Verbs in English ELDs and Existing ECLDs | 第33-64页 |
| ·Classification of pragmatic information concerning modal verbs | 第33-35页 |
| ·The treatment of pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in English MLDs | 第35-55页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in LDOCE4 | 第35-40页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in OALD7 | 第40-44页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in COBUILD5 | 第44-47页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in CALD2 | 第47-51页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in MACMILLAN | 第51-53页 |
| ·Summary | 第53-55页 |
| ·The treatment of pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in existing ECLDs | 第55-64页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in ECD2 | 第55-60页 |
| ·Pragmatic information concerning modal verbs in NAECD | 第60-62页 |
| ·Summary | 第62-64页 |
| Chapter Five An Investigation into Students' Errors in Using Modal Verbs | 第64-76页 |
| ·A study of Chinese EFL learners' errors in using modal verbs based on COLEC | 第64-71页 |
| ·Research methods | 第64-65页 |
| ·Results and discussions | 第65-70页 |
| ·Summary | 第70-71页 |
| ·Questionnaire | 第71-76页 |
| ·Research methods | 第71页 |
| ·Results and discussions | 第71-74页 |
| ·Summary | 第74-76页 |
| Chapter Six A Systematic Presentation of Pragmatic Information Concerning Modal Verbs in ECLDs | 第76-84页 |
| ·Presentation at the megastrueture level | 第76-78页 |
| ·Presentation at the macrostructure level | 第76-77页 |
| ·Presentation on the outside matter | 第77-78页 |
| ·Presentation at the microstrueture level | 第78-82页 |
| ·Definitions | 第78-79页 |
| ·Illustrative examples | 第79-80页 |
| ·Usage information | 第80-81页 |
| ·Error warnings aiming at students' pragmatic errors in modal verbs | 第81-82页 |
| ·Presentation at the mediostructure level | 第82页 |
| ·A sample entry | 第82-84页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第84-87页 |
| ·Findings of the present study | 第84-85页 |
| ·Implications of the present study | 第85-86页 |
| ·Limitations of the present study | 第86页 |
| ·Suggestions for further study | 第86-87页 |
| Bibliography | 第87-91页 |
| Appendix A | 第91-95页 |
| Appendix B | 第95页 |
