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pt/

Modals
1. can, will be able to

Compare these sentences:

Can I have an ice-cream, please?
Will your grandfather be able to climb the stairs?
Can you come / Will you be able to come to my party next week?

In the first sentence, the speaker is asking for permission. In the second sentence, asks if it will be
possible for the old man to climb the stairs. We also use can for present possibility, and sometimes future
possibility as in the third sentence.

Look at this dialogue:

Terry broke his leg playing football yesterday. Now he is in hospital and his leg is in plaster.

Terry: Can I get up this afternoon?

Doctor: Of course you can't.
Terry: Can my friends come to see me?
Doctor: Yes, they can come this evening.
Terry: When will I be able to get up?
Doctor: Quite soon. You won't be able to walk immediately but you'll be able to go around on
crutches.

2. may, might

Notice the use of may and might in these sentences:

Roger and Carol are at the casino.

Roger: I'm going to bet on the red. It may win. (perhaps it will win — the chances are about 50/50)
Carol: But it may not. The black may win. I'm going to bet on one of the numbers, number 11.
Roger: Then you're almost certain to lose. You have only one chance in 36.
Carol: I might not. Number 11 might win. (It's possible but unlikely.)

Note that can is only used for possibility when we are talking about what is possible at all times, not one
particular time,
e.g. Accidents can happen ,

but in giving a particular person advice, whether or not he is driving at the time, we would say,
e.g. Drive carefully, you may (might) have an accident.

3. must and need to

a must

Look at these sentences:

I've got toothache. I must go to the dentist.
In England, you must drive on the left-hand side of the road.

Remember, do not use to after must.

b need to, don't/doesn't need to, needn't

Look at these sentences:

A: I need to go to the bank.
B: I've got plenty of money. I don't need to go till next week (or: I needn't go till next week).

The verb need is usually a main verb; it then goes with an object, e.g. He needs some new shoes, or a
verb with to, e.g. We need to tell everybody. Main verb need forms questions and negative with do,
e.g. Des he need some new shoes?, We don't need to tell everybody.

Positive statement Negative statement question

I need to go I don't need to go Do I need to go?
She needs to go She doesn't need to go Does she need to go?

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c must and don't/doesn't need to

Look at these sentences:

Fred must go but I don't need to (go).

We don't need to repeat the second go, because we know what the sentence means without it.

4. must (to express a logical deduction)

a must

Look at these sentences:

It's getting dark. It must be about 7 o'clock.
You've been working hard all day. You must feel tired.
They are all shivering. The water must be very cold

Must (and not have to) is used when we are almost certain something is true because our logic tells us
so.

b must have

Look at the following:

A: He couldn't find it when he arrived at the office.
B: He must have dropped it on the way.

Must have + past participle is the past tense form of must when it expresses a logical conclusion about
a past action.
The negative is formed with can't have (normally present perfect) and couldn't' have (normally past
simple) + past participle.

e.g.
A: He says he's lost it.
B: He can't have lost it. I've only just given it to him.

5. had to

Look at these sentences:

I must go to the dentist. My teeth are very bad.
I had to go to the dentist seven times last year.

The past of must is had to.

e.g.
A: Why didn't you go to the club on Sunday?
B: Because I had to write letters to Pat and Jean.

The negative of had to is didn't have to and the question form did you / he / etc. have to.

6. should

Look at these sentences:

A: I really enjoy watching tennis, but I don't often get the chance.
B: You should go to Wimbledon. You'll see first-class tennis there.
A: I'd like to play tennis, too, but I don't know where to play.
B: You should join a club. Then you can use their tennis courts.

In these examples you should go, you should join mean "It would be a good idea for you to…"

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7. ought to

Look at these sentences:

He's too fat. He ought to eat less.
He ought to visit his old mother more often.

Ought goes with to and an infinitive, e.g. ought to go, ought to pay, ought not to eat.

You ought to go means "It's your duty to go" or "I strongly recommend you to go" Note that it does not
mean "You are obliged to go".
If you have received a present by post, someone could say to you,
e. g. You ought to write and thank him/her.
and this means "It is your duty to write"

Ought to is something that a doctor often says to a patient,

e.g. You ought to take more exercise, and you ought not to smoke.
and this means that the doctor strongly recommends the patient to take more exercise, but warns him
that smoking is bad for him.

EXERCISES

1. COMPLETE THESE DIALOGUES WITH CAN, CAN'T OR WILL/WON'T BE ABLE TO AND A MAIN VERB. THE
FIRST LETTER OF EACH MAIN VERB IS GIVEN:

a. Terry is talking to the doctor.

Terry: ________ I t_______ the radio on?

Doctor: Yes, of course you _______ .

Terry: _______ I g_______ downstairs and watch the football match on TV?

Doctor: No, I'm sorry you _______ .

Terry: _______ my girl-friend c_______ to see me this evening?

Doctor: Yes, she _______ .

Terry: _______ she s_______ the night here?

Doctor: Of course she _______ . This is a hospital, not a hotel.

Terry: When _______ I w_______ ?

Doctor: I don't know yet. I _______ t_______ you when we take the plaster off.

b. Terry is talking to his girl-friend Karen.

Karen: Hello, Terry. _______ I w_______ my name on your plaster?

Terry: You _______ if you like.

Karen: When are they going to take it off?

Terry: The doctor thinks they _______ t_______ it off next week. But I _______ p_______

football again for two months.

Karen: Oh! _______ you d_______ ? There's a dance at the club next weekend.

Terry: Of course I _______ d_______! I can't walk yet, so I _______ d_______, _______ I?

Karen: Oh. _______ I g_______ to the dance without you?

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Terry: With Johnny Bradshaw? No, you _______ .

Karen: That's not fair. You say I _______ d_______ because you've got a broken leg. You're

selfish.

Terry: All right, Karen. You _______ g_______ to the dance. But I _______ g_______ too,

because the doctor says I _______ w_______ on my crutches. So I _______ t_______

you to the dance and w_______ you dancing, and if Johnny Bradshaw dances too close, I

_______ h_______ him with my crutch. _______ I?

2. COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES WITH MAY (NOT) OR MIGHT (NOT). CHOOSE MIGHT (NOT) IF YOU THINK
THE POSSIBILITY IS MORE REMOTE.

Mr Pryor, an insurance salesman, knocks on Adam's door one morning, trying to sell insurance.

Mr Pryor: Good morning. I represent the Beacon Insurance Company. You _______ be fully insured,

so I'd like to talk to you about our policies.

Adam: Well, I'm not insured, actually.

Mr Pryor: Ah, well, you _______ be sorry about that one day. For instance, your wife and children

_______ be left in difficult circumstances.

Adam: But I'm not married.

Mr Pryor But you're still young, sir. You _______ get married quite soon. You _______ even meet

the lady on your way to work this morning.

Adam: Well. I _______, but it's not very likely, is it? On the other hand, I _______ miss my train if I

stand here talking to you.

Mr Pryor: You _______ be sorry if you don't, sir. You say this flat is not insured?

Adam: Well, no, it isn't.

Mr Pryor: Good heavens: Thieves _______ break in while you're out. They _______ even break in

today. Of course, they _______ , but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Adam: Well, you _______ be right. I'd better take your telephone number.

Mr Pryor: I'd rather make an appointment to see you, sir. I travel a lot in my job, so I _______ be at

the office when you ring.

3. PUT THE CORRECT FORM OF NEED AND THE APPROPRIATE PRONOUN IN THESE SENTENCES:

A: I want to go to Mexico. What _______ to do before I go?

B: You _______ to book your airplane ticket. You _______ to buy some summer clothes. You
_______ to get some travellers’ cheques.
A: _______ to get a visa?
B: Oh yes, I forgot that.
A: _______ to take any special medicines?
B: Well, you _______ to take something for malaria if you're going to the coast. If you're only
going to Mexico City, you _______ to.

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4. REWRITE THESE SENTENCES CHANGING DON'T NEED TO OR DOESN'T NEED TO INTO NEEDN'T, AND
MAKE ANY OTHER NECESSARY CHANGES:

1. Joan doesn't need any new winter clothes.

2. We don't need to phone Mick until tomorrow.
3. Bob doesn't need to bring both his guitars.
4. We don't need any potatoes this week.
5. We don't need to buy any potatoes this week.

5. USE MUST AND THE WORDS IN BRACKETS TO MAKE A SENTENCE, AS IN THE EXAMPLE, ABOUT EACH OF
THESE SENTENCES:
e.g. Brian has a good job. He's got a big house and an expensive car.
(earn… money)
He must earn a lot of money.

1. The ashtrays in Colin’s house are always full of cigarette ends. (smoke… cigarettes)
2. Dora wears different clothes every day. (have… clothes.)
3. Eric spends every evening in the pub. (drink… beer)
4. Flora plays tennis very well. (win… matches)
5. Gordon is a translator in the United Nations. He translates for people of different countries.
(speak… languages)
6. Harry is a car salesman. His firm is very pleased with him. (sell… cars)
7. Ingrid goes to cocktail parties every week. (meet… people)
8. Julian's car is very big and old. (use… petrol)

6. READ THE FOLLOWING AND MAKE SENTENCES, USING MUST HAVE AS IN THE EXAMPLE BELOW:

Mrs Cooper has a new cleaning lady. Before she left the house in the morning, Mrs Cooper told Doreen:
"You mustn't smoke, play any records or open the drinks cupboard.. And please don't invite your friends
in or use the telephone."
When Mrs Cooper came home, Doreen was not there, but the house was in a mess. Doreen had done
everything she wasn't allowed to do.
e. g. She must have smoked a lot of cigarettes.

1. One of the records was scratched.

2. The whiskey bottle was empty.
3. There were four dirty glasses on the table.
4. There were some telephone numbers written down next to the telephone.

7. LOOK AT THE DIARY IN EXERCISE 3:

It is now Sunday 28 April, and you have done all the things that are in the diary. A friend asks you why
you didn't go to the club last week,
e.g. A: Why didn't you go to the club on Sunday?
B: Because I had to write letters to Pat and Jean.

Answer in the same way:

1. Why didn't you go to the club on Monday?

2. Why didn't you go to the club on Tuesday?
3. Why didn't you go to the club on Wednesday?
4. Why didn't you go to the club on Thursday?
5. Why didn't you go to the club on Friday?
6. Why didn't you go to the club on yesterday?

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8. LOOK AT THE PASSAGE AND TIMETABLE BELOW:

Some young people want to see some of the European Games, but they want to go on the days when
there is something they really like.
This is the timetable for the games:

EUROPEAN GAMES

MONDAY Running THURSDAY Swimming

TUESDAY Boxing FRIDAY Jumping

WEDNESDAY Shooting SATURDAY Diving

Fred likes diving, so should he go on Sunday? Yes, he should.

Sara likes jumping, so should she go on Saturday? No, she shouldn't. She should go on Friday.

Complete the following, using the information above:

1. Jim likes jumping, so should he go on Friday? Yes, _______ .

2. Bill likes swimming and diving, so should he go on Tuesday? No, he _______ . He _______ .
3. Beryl likes boxing, so should he go on Tuesday? Yes, _______ .
4. Tom likes shooting, so should he go on Thursday? No, he _______ . He _______ .
5. Ann likes running and swimming, so should he go on Wednesday? _______ .
6. Tina likes running and jumping, so should he go on Monday and Friday? _______ .

9. PUT OUGHT OR OUGHT TO IN THE FOLLOWING AND COMPLETE EACH SENTENCE WITH ONE OF THE
SUGGESTIONS BELOW:

a eat so much c go and see her e disturb

b smoke so much d pay me back f eat more

1. You are too thin. You _______ .

2. Tom is too fat. He _______ .
3. I lent John £5 two months ago. He really _______ .
4. Jill is in hospital. We _______ .
5. Mary is preparing for exams. We _______ .
6. He has a very bad cough, so he _______ .

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