Modal verbs - Possibility, Certainty and Expectation Grammar

3 Modal verbs for possibility, certainty and expectation

We use the modal verbs may, could, might, can't and must to talk about things that are possible or
certain.

Modal verb Use Examples

must • to say that you are You haven't eaten all day. You must be
certain that something hungry.
is true You must be joking if you expect me to cook
for you again. That’d be the third time this
week.
can't • to say that you are A: Is Mary at home?
certain that something B: No, she can't be at home. She's working
is not true today."

They can't have the same exam results.

could • to say that it is possible Mary may be at work, but I'm not sure.
that something is true
or not true
may / may not A: Who's that at the door?
B: It could be the post- man.

X: Ask Jack if he knows a good restaurant.

Y: Sure, but he may not know.

might / might not • to say that it is possible You might like to know that we are
(but not very likely) that having a meeting tomorrow evening.
something is true or not
true It might not be a good idea to call John. He
usually prefers email.

should /shouldn't • to say that we expect or The price should be $10, not $20.
don't expect something
to happen or to be If we leave now, we should get there on time.
different
Philip shouldn't be back before midnight.

Dialogue
A: Where is Henry?
B: He should be at work.
A: He can't be at work. Today is his day off.
B: He might be at home then.

Let's create some examples of our own:

1. A:

B:

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 Modal verbs - Possibility, Certainty and Expectation Grammar

3.1 Let’s practice [must or can't]

Complete the sentences below with must or can't:

a) Taylor's new boyfriend _________________ be very popular. Everybody seems to know him.

b) Phillip _________________ be on Facebook. Everybody is these days.

c) You know English grammar really well. This exercise _________________ be difficult for you.

d) Running a marathon _________________ be really difficult if you don't run every week.

e) It _________________ be John at the door. He left the party an hour ago.

f) You've been working in the garden all day. You _________________ be exhausted now.

g) The dog _________________ be hungry. Feed her!

h) It _________________ be easy living in an extremely cold climate like in Siberia.

3.2 Let’s practice [should or shouldn't]

In each of the pictures below, something is wrong or not expected. Complete each person's
thought using should or shouldn't and a suitable infinitive:

1. "The bill ____________________ so expensive."

2. "My food ____________________ here by now."

3. "I ____________________ feeling so ill after taking the medicine."

4. "There ____________________ all these spelling mistakes."

5. "She ____________________ how to use a printer."

6. "They ____________________ here. The meeting is about to start."

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 Modal verbs - Possibility, Certainty and Expectation Grammar

3.3 Homework
Rewrite the sentences below using a suitable modal verb from page 1. More than one answer
is possible in some cases.

1. There is a chance that Caitlin is at home.

Caitlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. I expect that it won't be difficult to finish this task on time.

This task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. It is possible that Patrick isn't playing football with his friends.

Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4. It is possible that the criminal is dangerous.

The criminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5. Alison doesn't speak Italian (this is unexpected because her mother is Italian).

Alison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6. I don't know the score, but I am certain Spain are winning the match.

I don't know the score, but Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7. I don't expect that we will have any problems on our journey.

We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8. You can ask Alan, but it's possible that he doesn't know.

You can ask Alan, but . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9. It's impossible that Sorocaba is in Argentina. It sounds more like a Brazilian city.

Sorocaba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .