Transcript Slide 1

Modal Verbs
INSTRUCTIONS 1
In sentences 1-18 which follow, put a tick () next to
those sentences where the modal verb expresses a
degree of probability. What are the uses in the other
sentences?
Click on the line after ‘Check’ or press Enter to see
the correct answer.
1
He always looks so stressed. He must have a very
demanding job.
Check:

2
You must come with us next time. You’d love it.
Check:
Strong obligation
3
I can’t hear you – the line’s bad.
Check:
(Lack of) Ability.
4
They can’t be coming – they would have been here
by now.
Check:

5
She might change her mind if we keep on urging her.
Check:

6
You could be right.
Check:

7
You can borrow the car. I don’t need it.
Check:
Permission.
8
We may stay over at Samantha’s if the party finishes
late.
Check:

9
No, you may not go out on a school night just
before your exams.
Check:
Prohibition.
10
You’re good at exams, so you should have no
trouble passing.
Check:

11
The exams are drawing near – you should be
studying 3 hours a night at least.
Check:
Advice.
12
Will you give me a hand with this trunk?
Check:
Willingness.
13
It’s half past ten – she’ll be at the airport by
now.
Check:

14
I won’t lend you any money until you return the
books I loaned you.
Check:
Unwillingness.
15
There’s no need to rush. It’s only 5.30, and the film
won’t have started yet.
Check:

16
It’s so annoying. He won’t admit when he’s
wrong.
Check:
Unwillingness.
17
That’s amazing – he can read, and he’s only three!
Check:
Ability.
18
Learning English can be difficult.
Check:

INSTRUCTIONS 2
In the pairs of sentences 19-28 which follow, put the
modal verb from the first sentence into the past to
complete the second sentence.
Click on the line after ‘Check’ or press Enter to see the
correct answer.
19
It must be raining. Everybody’s putting up their
umbrellas.
It _________________ – the ground is still wet.
Check:
must have been raining
20
I must stop smoking.
I _____________________ because I became
breathless just walking upstairs.
Check:
had to stop smoking
21
He should stop smoking before it’s too late.
He _____________________ before it was too
late.
Check:
should have stopped smoking
22
He can speak French, Italian, and Arabic.
He _______________ French when he was only
three and a half!
Check:
could speak
23
We can go to Tom’s party on Saturday.
We ____________________to Tom’s party last
Saturday instead of watching that boring play.
Check:
could have gone
24
You needn’t buy any wine – we’ve got plenty.
She _________________ any wine as she knew we had
plenty, so she didn’t.
Check:
didn’t need to buy
25
You needn’t buy any wine – we’ve got plenty.
She _________________ any wine as we had plenty,
but she didn’t know that and bought some anyway.
Check:
needn’t have bought
26
That’s the phone. It’ll be Paul, for he said he’d ring
at about this time.
That __________________ Paul you spoke too –
only he has the kind of deep voice you describe.
Check:
will have been
27
Let’s take a map. We’ll get lost if we don’t.
I’m glad we took the map. We __________________
if we hadn’t.
Check:
would have got lost
28
My grandfather is very antisocial – he’ll sit staring
into space for hours.
My late grandfather was quite antisocial – he
__________________ into space for hours.
Check:
would sit staring
INSTRUCTIONS 3
In sentences 29-38 which follow, choose the correct
option from those in italics.
Click on the line after ‘Check’ or press Enter to see the
correct answer.
29
Sorry I’m late. I should have gone / had to go to the
post office.
Check:
had to go
30
I looked for Janet everywhere but couldn’t find /
couldn’t have found her.
Check:
couldn’t find
31
I really don’t know where Tom is. He had to go /
must have gone home early.
Check:
must have gone
32
To succeed, I had to work / must have worked hard
when I was a student.
Check:
had to work
33
You needn’t have said / shouldn’t have said
anything to Sheila about the birthday party. It
was meant to be a surprise.
Check:
shouldn’t have said
34
You needn’t have bought / couldn’t have bought a
new DVD player – I managed to mend the old one.
Check:
needn’t have bought
35
You should have asked / must have asked me earlier.
I might have helped / will have helped you with your
problem.
Check:
should have asked; might have helped
36
You can’t have finished / couldn’t finish the report
already – you started working on it only a few
minutes ago!
Check:
can’t have finished
37
You could have told / must have told me this
morning’s lecture had been cancelled! If you had
been kind enough to do so, I shouldn’t have got up /
wouldn’t have got up so early!
Check:
could have told; wouldn’t have got up
38
You were really lucky to get out of the car
unharmed. You would have been / could have
been seriously hurt.
Check:
could have been