CURS LIMBA ENGLEZA, AN II, SEM I, 26 OCT 2021

MODAL VERBS (1)

*can, could may, might shall, should will, would must ought to

*before other verbs, tags and short answers

You can speak Japanese, can’t you? Yes, I can.
You shouldn’t be here, should you? No, I shouldn’t.

1. Compare the modal verbs and the ordinary verbs in the examples, and answer the
questions:

MODAL VERBS ORDINARY VERBS

I may see him. I hope to see him.
He must be happy. He seems to be happy.
Shall we stop? Do you want to stop?
I can’t sing. She doesn’t like to sing.
He ought to tell her. He plans to tell her.

a. Which sort of infinitive is used after modal verbs? ……………………

b. Which is the exception? ………………………
c. What is special about the third person present (he/she/it…….) of modals? ……………….
d. What is special about the question and negative forms of modals? ……………………..

2. Use some of the infinitives from the box to complete the sentences:

be to be do to do get to get go to go leave to leave

make to make move to move pass to pass phone to phone
play to play

1. Can you………….the piano? 6. She hopes…………a new car.

2. She seems……….better today. 7. Must you…………so much noise?
3. I want…………….some shopping. 8. Could you………..the salt?
4. We may………….to France soon. 9. We ought………………Angela.
5. When will you………..school? 10. I’d like………….to another house.

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#no infinitives or participles; instead - be able to, have to, be allowed to
He’d like to be able to travel abroad more.
I’ve never been able to understand maths.
I’m sorry to have to tell you this…..
We’ve had to get new shoes for both the kids.
She has always been allowed to go out alone.

3. Choose the best word (s).

1. …………………you swim? (may, can, shall)

2. I really ……………..go now. (shall, would, must).
3. We……………….see Ann tomorrow. (might, ought, would)
4. You………………to see the doctor. (should, could, ought)
5. I ………………….understand him. (couldn’t, mustn’t, be able)
6. You………………be here at exactly 10.00. Don’t be late. (must, may, might)
7. ………………I carry your bag? (might, will, can)
8. It………………..rain tomorrow. (may, would, shall)
9. It……………….be 10 o’clock already! (might not, can’t, oughtn’t to)
10. You ………………be very tired after your journey. (would, must, can)

*must, should and ought to

- must = orders, strong suggestions, advice and opinions
You must stop smoking or you’ll die.
You must not park here.
People must realize that the world is in trouble.
- should = less strong suggestions, advice and opinions
I really think you should stop smoking.
You shouldn’t park here; somebody will steal your car.
People should do more to help others.
- in questions – we’re wondering what to do
Should I change my job or stay where I am?
- ought to = should – People ought to do more to help others.

4. Put in the best word: must or should

1. You know, I think you………………..take a holiday.

2. Tell Mark he………………..tidy his room at once.
3. Visitors are reminded that they ………………..keep their bags with them.
4. I’m sorry, but you……………go. We don’t want you here.
5. I really……………….go on a diet. I’ll start today!
6. I suppose I…………….write to Aunt Rachel one of these days.
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7. You absolutely……………..check the tires before you take the car out today.
8. All officers ………………report to the Commanding Officer by midday.
9. You ……………….have your hair cut at least once a week.
10. I think everybody………………….know two or more languages.

*have to and must

- have (got) to = must
I have to/must finish this report before tomorrow.
Do you have to / Must you make all that noise?
We’ve got to/must check in before six o’clock.
- must – the feelings and wishes of the speaker/hearer.
I must stop smoking. (I want to)
Must you wear those dirty jeans? (Is that what you want?)
- have (got) to – obligations that come from somewhere else.
I’ve got to stop smoking – doctor’s orders.
Do you have to wear a tie at work? (Is there a rule?)
You have to drive on the left in England. (sounds more natural)

5. Complete the sentences with expressions from the box and must or have/ has (got) to.
do military service do some shopping get a haircut
give my love hold a general election pay pay income tax
phone him take more exercise try to get work

E.g.: In some countries, men have (got) to do military service.

1. I’m getting very unfit. I ……………………………………………….

2. I haven’t heard anything from James for a long time. I………………………
3. Nearly everybody………………………………………………………….
4. In Britain, we ……………………………………………………every five years or less.
5. You……………………………………………to Gareth when you see him.
6. Jack’s really upset. He ………………………….all of next weekend.
7. There’s nothing to eat in the house. We really……………………………..
8. You……………………………… You’re beginning to look very strange.
9. Children can get into the museum free, but adults………………………..
10. I’m getting very tired. I………………………………..more sleep.

*must not; do not have to; do not need to/ needn’t

- must not = prohibition
Students must not leave bicycles in front of the library.
Passengers must not speak to the driver.
- do not have to; do not need to/ needn’t = unnecessary

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 Friday’s holiday – I don’t have to work.
You needn’t pay now – tomorrow’s OK.

*had better – You’d better take your umbrella

= This is a good thing to do now.
= strong advice to people (including ourselves)
You’d better stop that, young lady.
I’ d better not stay any longer; I’ve got work to do.
- had better and should – both say “This is a good thing to do now”
- only should - “This is a good thing to do in general”
We’re late (now). We’d better phone Mum.
You should always drive very carefully near schools.
= quite direct – NOT in polite requests
Could you help me if you’ve got time?
You’d better help me or there’ll be trouble.

6. Put the beginnings and ends together. Use ‘d better with the verbs in the box.

do not drink give go invite phone phone

remember see not sit stop

0 My husband worries if I’m late. B A. I…………………………….it.

1. This milk smells bad. ….. B. I’d better phone him. 0
2. That chair looks very dirty. ….. C. We ……………………..the doctor.
3. The baby’s temperature is 40°. ….. D. We …………………and get some.
4. You have to get up early tomorrow. …. E. You ………………..to bed.
5. There’s almost no petrol in the car. ….. F. You…………………………on it.
6. Sheila forgot my birthday last year. ….. G. We ………………….him around.
7. There’s somebody at the door. ….. H. I …………………..some washing.
8. Helen needs her camera. ….. I. You………………..it back to her.
9. We haven’t got anything to wear. …. J. I…………………….who it is.
10. We haven’t seen John for ages. …. K. She ………………………it this time.

*supposed to – You’re supposed to start work at 8.30.

= talk about rules
You’re not supposed to park on double yellow lines.
= what people believe or suspect
This stuff is supposed to kill flies.
He’s supposed to be rich.
She was supposed to be here an hour ago. Where is she?

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 That’s a strange picture. What’s it supposed to be?

7. Complete the sentences with (be) supposed to and the expressions in the box.

be be come cure headaches do go go to church

have pay for phone smoke

E.g.: Is this supposed to be coffee? It tastes like dishwater.

1. Aspirins …………………………………………….
2. Catholics …………………………………………………………….on Sundays.
3. Wasn’t Jack ………………………………….us today?
4. The computer ……………………………….. an instruction manual, but I couldn’t find it.
5. What am I …………………………………….with all this chicken salad?
6. You ………………………………………….and see me yesterday.
7. You’re not ……………………………………into the shower with shoes on.
8. You ………………………………good at geography – where the hell are we?
9. You ………………………………………everything at the cash desk on the way out.
10. You’re not ………………………….in food shops.

*must/can’t: certainty – She must be in. He can’t be hungry.

- must = seems sure/ certain
Anna’s gone to bed. She must be tired. (= I am certain that she is tired)
Look at her clothes. She must have plenty of money. (= I feel sure that she
has plenty of money.)
If A is bigger than B, and B is bigger than C, then A must be bigger than
C.

- can’t – negative of must – for certainty

It can’t be true. (= It’s certainly not true)
‘There’s the doorbell. It must be Roger.’ ‘No, it can’t be Roger – it’s too
early.’
She always wears old clothes. She can’t have much money.

8. Rewrite the sentence in italics with must.

E.g.: Her light’s on. She’s certainly in. She must be in.

1. John’s coming to see me. I’m sure he wants something. ……………………

2. Listen to her accent. I feel sure she’s French. ……………………………..
3. Look at all those books. He certainly reads a lot. ……………………………

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4. So you’re studying politics. I’m sure that’s interesting. ………………………..
5. Are those his shoes? He certainly has very big feet. ………………………….

9. Rewrite the sentence in italics with can’t.

E.g.: Her light’s out. I’m sure she’s not at home. She can’t be at home.

1. Listen to his accent. He is certainly not American.…………………………….

2. He has a very expensive car. I’m sure he’s not a teacher. …………………..
3. She’s very bad-tempered. I feel sure she doesn’t have many friends. …………………………….
4. I filled up the car yesterday. I’m sure we don’t need petrol.
5. He had lunch an hour ago. He’s not hungry: it’s impossible.

MODAL VERBS (2)

- may and might – It may rain. It might even snow

= things are possible = perhaps they are true, or perhaps they will happen
‘Who’s that?’ ‘I’m not sure. It may be Celia.’
I might go and see Dad at the weekend.
The company might lose money this year.
= perhaps things are not true – may/might not
I may/might not get that new job after all.
- might – sometimes – smaller possibility
She may be at home. (50% chance)
Tina might be there too. (smaller chance)
According to the radio, it may rain today. It might even snow.
- difference – may/might not and can’t
The game may/might not finish before ten. (Perhaps it won’t)
The game can’t finish before ten – it only started at 9.30. (It’s not possible)
- sometimes – could = might
The company could lose money this year.
It could rain today.

1. Put in may/might not or can’t.

1. I’ll go to the supermarket, but it……………………………………….be open.

2. Their car’s not outside. They………………………………….be at home; I’m not sure.
3. ‘Can I see you tomorrow?’ ‘Perhaps, I……………………………have time – I’ll see.’
4. ‘You’ve won first prize in the lottery.’ ‘No, it…………………..be true!’

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5. ‘They’ve found giraffes in Scotland.’ ‘That………………be right’.
6. We can try to see that play, but they ……………………………..have any tickets left.
7. He’s got a strong French accent. He……………….be English.
8. I ………………pass the exam, but I’m hoping for the best.
9. I’m going to see my old primary school teacher tomorrow, but she …………….remember me.
10. You………………want more to eat – you’ve just had an enormous meal.

-can, could, may = permission, requests

- can, could = more formal, polite
- may = very formal, less common
Can I ask you a question?
Could I look at your newspaper?
May I sit here?
- can, may = offer to do things for people
Can I get you a drink?
May I help you, sir?
-can’t/cannot, may not = give or refuse permission
You can use my car if you want to.
I’m sorry, you can’t come in here.
Visitors may park in Elm Road.
Visitors may not park in front of the hospital.

2. Give or refuse permission, using the words in the box.

come into have make park ride use

E.g.: you/here (can) You can park here.

1. students / this lift (may not) ………………….

2. you / these tickets (may) …………………….
3. nobody/ my horse (can) ………………………
4. you/ my room (can’t) …………………………
5. employees/ personal phone calls (may not) ………………………..

- can, could = ask people to do things

Can you put the children to bed?
Could you help me for a few minutes?
- could you possibly….? and I wonder if you could….are very polite.
Could you possibly help me?
I wonder if you could give me some advice.

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3. Make sentences, using the words in the box.
luggage supper the dogs the TV this letter time to go

Ex: could/ tonight/ you/ cook/? Could you cook supper tonight?

1. translate/ can/ for me/ you/? …………………………………

2. you/ feed/ could/ ? …………………………………..
3. can/ it’s/ you/ tell me/ when/? ………………………………….
4. watch/ you/ for a minute/ could/ my/? ………………………………….
5. switch on/ you/ can/ ? …………………………………..

-shall in questions – What shall we do?

- make offers, suggestions, ask for instructions, decisions
Shall I carry your bag?
What on earth shall we do?
Shall we go out for a meal?
What time shall we come and see you?
- we DON”T use “shall” in the answers!
Shall we go home now? Yes, good idea.

4. Make sentences with Shall I…?

E.g.: put/ the car/ in the garage? Shall I put the car in the garage?
what/ tell/ Sandra? What shall I tell Sandra?

1. where/ put the coats? ………………………………

2. when / pay you? ……………………………….
3. lock/ the door? ………………………………
4. what time/ come tomorrow? ………………………………….
5. go/ now? ………………………………….

5. Can you complete these sentences? (They are from a discussion about holiday plans.) Use
shall we

We: where? where shall we go?

1. France or Scotland? ………………….

2. seaside or mountains? …………………..
3. when? …………………..
4. how long for? ………………..
5. fly? train? drive? …………………..

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- can, could = ability – past and future
- future = can – we are deciding now what to do in the future
- in other cases – will be able to
I can see you tomorrow morning for half an hour.
One day we will be able to live without wars.

6. Put in can or can’t if possible; if not, use will/won’t be able to.

E.g.: I can pick it up tonight, if that’s convenient.

I think I will be able to speak English quite well in a few months.

1. ‘We need some more oil.’ ‘Ok, I………………let you have some this week.’
2. ‘Dr Parker……………………see you at twelve on Tuesday.’ ‘Thank you.’
3. She……………………………………………….walk again in a few weeks.
4. Do you think one day people………………………………….travel to the stars?
5. In a few years, computers………………………………..think better than we do.
6. I’m free at the weekend, so the kids……............................................come round.

-can, could - past = NOT – could; YES – managed to, succeeded in ….ing (we managed to do
something on one occasion)
I managed to get up early today. (NOT I could…….)
After six hours, we succeeded in getting to the top of the
mountain. (NOT could….)
BUT: She could read when she was four. (Not one occasion)
He couldn’t find the ticket office. (He didn’t manage it).

7. Complete the sentences with could, couldn’t, managed to.

E.g.: 200 years ago, most people could ride a horse.

At her third try, she managed to pass the driving test.
I think I had the wrong key, because I couldn’t open the door.

1. I………………speak French really well when I lived in Paris.

2. He …………….repair the car, but it took him a long time.
3. At last I………………………..make her understand what I wanted.
4. We wanted to go to the opera, but we……………get tickets.
5. I ……………..swim across the river, but it was harder than I expected.
6. All three children…………….ride as well as they…………….walk.
7. He………………already walk when he was ten months old.

- used to = I used to play; Did you use to play?; She did not use to play.

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 = not really a modal – we usually make questions and negatives with did
= used to + infinitive (finished habits and situations) = things that were
true, but are not now
She used to live in Liverpool.
I didn’t use to like her.
Did you use to play football?
I use not to like her. (more formal)
= only past – for present habits = simple present tense
My sister plays tennis occasionally. (NOT uses to play)

8. Make sentences about the past and present habits and situations:

E.g. Penny/ play badminton/ golf Penny used to play badminton. Now she plays golf.

1. Anna/ have lots of boyfriends/ be married ………………………………….

2. John/ study mathematics/ physics ……………………………………
3. Mary/ climb mountains/ cycle ……………………………………
4. Joe/ be a builder/ driver ………………………………………
5. Gary/ work in Germany/ England ……………………………………….

9. Make sentences with used to and didn’t use to about how people lived hundreds of years ago:

E.g.: read or write Most people didn’t use to read or write.

1. travel/ by horse …………………………….

2. cook/ on wood fires. ……………………………..
3. live so long ………………………………….
4. fight/ spears ……………………………..
5. hunt/ bows and arrows …………………………………

- will, would = She will talk to herself

- will = habits, typical behavior
She’ll sit talking to herself for hours.
If something breaks down and you kick it, it will often start working
again.
- if we stress will = critical
She WILL fall in love with the wrong people.
- would = past
On Saturdays, when I was a child, we would all get up early and go
fishing.
He was a nice boy, but he WOULD talk about himself all the time.
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10. Complete the sentences with will+ verbs from the box.

be drive fall keep listen play ring talk tell

1. ‘Dad, I’ve broken my watch’. ‘Well, you………………..playing with it’.

2. That child’s no trouble – he………………….by himself for hours.
3. She’s nice, but she ……………………..about people behind their backs.
4. People ………………………….to you if you listen to them.
5. If you drop toast, it …………………….butter side down every time.
6. If you’re having a bath, the phone ……………….And if you answer it, it………………a
wrong number.
7. He ……………….you one thing one minute and the opposite the next – he’s crazy.
8. I’m not surprised you had an accident – you ……………….too fast.

11. Complete the text with would + verbs from the box.

come exchange find go go make swim skate take

When I was a child we lived by a lake. It was a beautiful place. On summer evenings we (1)
…………………….in the lake, or take a canoe out, and in winter we (2)…………………across
to the other side. School was boring, but weekends were fun, especially when Dad was home.
Sometimes he (3) ………………us fishing; or we (4) ……………exploring in the woods. We
always got lost, but we (5)……………our way home again somehow. On Sundays Mum
(6)…………….us pancakes for breakfast, and then we (7)…………….to the little village church
for the Sunday service. We had a lot of relations living in the same part of the country, and we
saw a lot of them. At Christmas everybody (8)……………….to our house for dinner, and then
we (9)……………………..presents. It was a good time.

12. Here are some laws of nature. Join the beginnings and the ends.

0 After you have bought something, G A it will.

1. If anything can go wrong, ….. B. somebody will.
2. If there are two good TV shows, ….. C. they will both be on at the same time.
3. If you explain so clearly that nobody can D. will always move faster.
misunderstand, ….
4. If you throw something away,….. E. you’ll never do enough.
5. No matter how much you do, ….. F. will fall asleep first.
6. The one who snores…… G. you will find it somewhere else cheaper
7. The other queue……… H. you’ll need it the next day.

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- should have = I should have gone; Should you have gone?; he/she/it should not have gone
= if somebody didn’t do something that was important
Julia should have gone to the doctor, but she forgot.
I should have studied harder at school.
= if somebody did something wrong, we can say he/she shouldn’t have done it
You shouldn’t have told the policeman that he was stupid.
- may have, must have
= may have happened = perhaps it (has) happened
Suzy isn’t answering the phone. She may have gone out (=
Perhaps she’s gone out).
= must have happened = we feel sure that it (has) happened.
# can’t have
She’s late. She must have missed the train.
He can’t have gone away. His car’s still outside.
= note the difference
Joe must have gone home. (= It seems certain that he has gone
home)
Joe had to go home (= It was necessary for him to go home)

13. Rewrite these sentences using may have.

Perhaps Shakespeare travelled in Italy. Shakespeare may have travelled in Italy.

1. Perhaps she’s broken her leg. ……………………………………….

2. Perhaps I’ve lost my keys. …………………………………………
3. Perhaps Alice had gone back home. ………………………………………..
4. Perhaps my great-grandfather was a soldier. ……………………………………….
5. Perhaps I’ve found a new job. ……………………………………………

14. Rewrite these sentences in italics with must have or can’t have.

E.g. The exam was easy. I’m sure I’ve passed. I must have passed.

1. Her office is locked. I’m sure she’s gone home. ………………………

2. I can’t find my umbrella. I feel sure I left it on the bus. ……………………..
3. The fridge is empty. Peter has certainly not been shopping. …………………………...
4. Helen hasn’t come. I’m sure she’s forgotten. ………………………………
5. The flowers are dead. Obviously you didn’t water them. …………………………..

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15. Choose the best expression.

1. Castles in the Middle Ages must have been/ had to be cold places.
2. When I was a child, we must have got/ had to get water from the village pump.
3. At my secondary school I must have learnt/ had to learn Latin.
4. So you broke your leg skiing. That must have been/ had to be terrible.
5. The kitchen window’s broken. Those kids next door had to do it/ must have done it.

- could have, needn’t have

= could have done it = somebody didn’t do something that was possible
I could have gone to university, but I didn’t want to.
= needn’t have done something = we did it, but it was unnecessary
I needn’t have done cooked all that food. Nobody was hungry.
= note the difference
We needn’t have hurried – we got there much too early. (It was
unnecessary to hurry, but we did)
We didn’t need to hurry; we had lots of time. (It was unnecessary
to hurry, so we probably didn’t).

16. Complete the text with could have, using words from the box.

be be get go hit lend marry phone study win

1. Amy……………………………………Ethan or Peter, but she didn’t love either of them.

2. Why didn’t you ask me for money? I……………………………………………you some.
3. I……………………………………….mathematics, but I decided to do language instead.
4. Our team………………………………………the match, but they didn’t try hard enough.
5. The holiday was Ok, but it …………………………………………………better.
6. When she said that, I……………………………………………………..her.
7. Things were bad, but they……………………………………………….much worse.
8. We………………….to Paris last weekend, but we thought this weekend would be easier.
9. He …………………………………………the police, but he didn’t want to cause trouble.
10. I…………………………………….a job in a bank, but I’m not very interested in money.

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