Touchstone 2nd Edition • Language summary • Level 3

Unit 11 • Lesson A: Speculating

Vocabulary
Problems and accidents
be / get in trouble (v)
be / get lost (v)
throw a tantrum (v)

Speculation
can't (n)
could (n)
may (not) (n)
might (not) (v)
must (not) (v)

Other words
proud (adj)
cap and gown (n)
genius (n)
get in shape (v)
graduate from college (v)
train (for a marathon) (v)
wear a cap and gown (v)

© Cambridge University Press 2014 Unit 11, Lesson A Page 1

Touchstone 2nd Edition • Language summary • Level 3

Grammar
Modal verbs for speculating
Modal verbs are verbs like: must, can't, could, may and might.

You can use some modal verbs with a simple or continuous verb to speculate (= make
guesses) about the present:

She must work hard. (modal + verb)

She must be graduating today. (modal + be+ verb + -ing)

Use must (not) when you are 100% certain about your guess:

She must be a genius. (= I bet she's a genius.)

She must be graduating today. (= I bet she's graduating today.)

She must not go out much. (= I bet she doesn't go out much.)

Use can't when you feel very certain that something is impossible:

She can't be more than 12. (= It's not possible she's more than 12.)

Use could, may and might when you feel less than 100% certain about a guess:

He could be one of her friends. (= It's possible he's one of her friends.)

He may be her professor. (= Maybe he's her professor.)

They might be feeling sad. (= Maybe they're feeling sad.)

© Cambridge University Press 2014 Unit 11, Lesson A Page 2