By competence is meant the possession of those qualities that make it possible to carry out an action. These qualities are known as the modalities. A subject needs first:

All action presupposes the desire and/or the necessity to act. The decision to look for buried treasure on a desert island, for example, must be motivated by a particular desire or need: it could be economic deprivation that impels me to embark on the quest - as indeed is the case in many fairy-tales.

 A subject in possession only of the desire and/or need to act is known as a virtual subject. To become an actualized subject and to become fully competent, the subject must in addition possess the capability to act. It must therefore possess at least one of the following modalities:

Thus, doing itself presupposes a wanting-to-do (or having-to-do) as well as a being-able-to-do (and/or knowing-how-to-do). In my quest for the buried treasure, for example, I will need to acquire a ship or other means of transport. Maps and tools such as a shovel could also be my helpers providing me with the necessary competence.

 The four modalities can be considered as objects with which the subject must be conjoined in order to carry out the performance. Modal objects- which constitute competence - can thus be distinguished from the object of value (which is at stake in the performance). The abstract representation of the competent subject is as follows:

The qualifying test is the series of narrative programmes in which the subject acquires or manifests competence.

See also modalities and qualifying test.