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8 Modal Verbs
8 Modal Verbs
1. Make polite requests in the following situations. Choose expressions from the list below.
b. It is very hot.
c. You want to know how to write a word.
d. You can’t hear very well.
e. Your homework is very difficult
f. You haven’t got money to buy a newspaper
g. You want someone to repeat something.
h. You have a headache.
3. Match the following dreams with their possible interpretation. Complete the blanks with
one of the expressions below.
I was swimming and I felt very tired. Then I found a dolphin that took me to a wonderful
island.
I was climbing and I saw a work mate. I called her name but she looked back and kept
climbing
a. …………………… you want to be free but you can’t do whatever you want.
b. …………………… you think you should get some promotion at work but
someone is interfering.
c. …………………… you need more attention from people around you.
d. …………………… you are very happy because a friend has helped you a lot.
a. Look! Peter ------------ be at home. His car is here and the kitchen light is on.
Let’s go.
b. This man ----------- be English. He’s got an American accent.
c. I ------------- go skiing this weekend, but I don’t know yet.
d. Your friend --------------- be 25. She looks older. I think she’s lying.
e. I haven’t seen Laura recently. She --------------- be on holiday or she
-------------- be ill.
f. Extraterrestrials --------------- exist. I don’t believe in those things.
5. Say what these people should have done , and why, as in the example
6. Answer these questions with MUST HAVE and the words in brackets.
1. giving advice?
2. saying that something is necessary?
3. politely asking someone to do something?
4. asking someone for permission to do something?
5. asking a simple question about the future?
6. saying that perhaps something will happen?
7. saying that something will almost certainly happen, as long as
nothing unexpected prevents it?
8. expressing an opinion about something that the speaker is very sure about?
9. What would you say in the situations below? Use MAY , SHOULD, MUST or WILL.
a. Ask your boss for permission to leave the office early tomorrow.
b. Advice your friend to sturdy harder.
c. You are a doctor. Tell a patient it is absolutely necessary to take all the medicine.
d. Someone asks you the time. You haven’t got a watch but you’re sure it’s ten
o’clock.
e. Your phone is ringing. You’re busy. Ask a friend politely to answer it.
f. You are on a plane and want to know the arrival time in Paris. Ask the stewardess.
g. You are the stewardess. Say the plane will almost certainly arrive at 12.10 if nothing
goes wrong.
It --------------
b. The plant will die if you don’t water it regularly.
It -----------------
c. A man is sitting in a police car with handcuffs on.
He -------------------
5 You …………. worry about paying for the drinks - I’ve already done it.
A Needn’t B Daren’t C Can’t D Might not
7 You …………… blame yourself for the accident. It wasn’t your fault.
A Daren’t B Mustn’t C Won’t D Oughtn’t
8 This car is in terrible condition - you ……….. have an accident at any time.
A Should B Could C Would D Can
1. You / should see / should have seen / his face when I told him.
2. When you visit Florence, you / ought to go / ought to have gone / to see the Uffizi
gallery.
3. You / shouldn't have taken / shouldn't take / my camera on holiday with you. I was
very angry.
4. It's a pity we didn't ask Kelly. We / should think / should have thought / of her earlier.
5. You /ought to write / ought to have written / a book about it soon.
14. Read this information. Then write an example for each line.
15.Change the sentences so that you have a modal verb in the part underlined.
Write more conversations like the one above. Use these expressions to ask for permission:
Can I ? --- May I ? --- Do you mind if ? --- Is it all right if ?
and answers like: Well, actually ... --- Sorry, but ...
Example: Shall I bring you some tea?.- Yes, please. // All right. // If you like.
No, thank you.
Here are some situations. Offer to do things in each case, using: Shall I .....?
-- You are in a class. It's hot and the windows are shut.
-- Your brother is having difficulty with his homework.
-- Your father feels thirsty.
-- You are going to London in your friend's car. He feels tired.
-- Your teacher is carrying an enormous pile of books.
-- Your mother is reading. It's getting dark.
-- It's lunchtime, but your mother doesn't feel well.
...........................................................................
Put yourself in the situations above and ask your friends to do something for you.
Eg: I'm thirsty. Would you bring me ..... ?
I'm having difficulty with my homework. Could you .....?
18. Probability
Complete the sentences using must have or can't have and the verb in brackets.
Ex.: She didn't answer the door bell even though I rang several times.
She ..... (be) asleep. ---> She must have been asleep.
- I ..... (run out of ) petrol. I only filled up the tank this morning.
- I ' m sorry I ' m late. You ..... (wonder) what had happened.
- Cathy's got a new BMW! She ..... (win) a lottery.
- I ..... (lose) my glasses. They were here a minute ago.
- The flowers are beautiful! They ..... (cost) you a fortune.
- Alan ..... (get lost). I gave him the address and drew a map.
20. Speculate about the past.
Gerry is late for a business meeting. Speculate about what has happened to him using the notes
below.
Ex.: He may / might / could have got caught in a traffic jam.
Alec Slugg smokes 40 cigarettes a day. He gets up late every morning and drives to a café in the
next street. He has a big breakfast and takes 3 spoons of sugar in his tea. Then he drives to the pub
and has 3 or 4 pints of beer before a big lunch. He never has any fruit after lunch because he
prefers to have a cake or sweets. The only exercise he gets is when he walks upstairs for his
afternoon sleep. Later, he has a few more pints of beer, cigarettes, and goes to sleep with all his
windows closed.
This morning his car broke down. When he tried to push it to a garage, he suddenly felt very ill.
He is going to see his doctor this afternoon.
Write down the instructions you think the doctor is going to give him.
Ex: Don't drive to the café. Walk instead.
Use the imperative and should, shouldn't; ought to, oughtn't to.