MODALS AND MODAL-LIKE EXPRESSIONS

◦ USE MODALS AND MODAL-LIKE EXPRESSIONS TO

SPECULATE BASED ON LOGIC AND FACTS.
◦ HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE COMPLETELY SURE ABOUT
SOMETHING, DON’T USE MODALS.

SHE MUST BE VERY SAD HE'S FROM ASGARD

• MODALS ARE USED WITH SIMPLE
AND PROGRESSIVE FORMS.

HE MAY BE STUCK IN TRAFFIC

HE MIGHT BE SLEEPING
 MUST
ALMOST SURE HAVE TO
HAVE GOT TO

A: Luis hasn’t come today.

B: He must be sick. He looked
terrible yesterday.

A: Look at my new ring!

B: Wow! You boyfriend has to
have a lot of money.
 CAN'T
IMPOSSIBLE COULDN'T

A: Did you know that Suzie was the

one who killed Marcos?
B: What? She can’t be the killer. She
seemed so in love with him!
A: Where's Mary?
B: She's with John.
A: She couldn’t be with John. I just
saw John at the park with Izzie.
 ASSUMPTION IN NEGATIVE
YOU CAN MAKE AN ASSUMPTION IN NEGATIVE
USING MUST NOT. JUST DON'T CONTRACT MUST
NOT WITH THIS MEANING OF MUST.

Look at her face.

That dish must not
taste good.
 MAY
POSSIBLE MIGHT
COULD

I might be late. There’s been a car accident, so

you may have to wait a little longer.
THERE'S A CHANCE THAT MAY NOT
SOMETHING WILL NOT MIGHT NOT
HAPPEN

He might not call you tonight because it's already

too late, but I bet he'll call you tomorrow.
 TASK #1
Read each situation and together
with your partner, think of two
possible explanations for each of
them using modals speculating
about the present.

1) Your friend isn’t answering the

phone.
2) You received a mysterious
package in the mail.
3) The teacher isn’t here today.
4) A new student in class is very
quiet.
 MODALS SPECULATING ABOUT THE PAST
MODALS SPECULATING ABOUT THE PAST ARE
FOLLOWED BY HAVE + THE PAST PARTICIPLE.

She could have won the lottery.

past
participle

She may have gotten a big raise.

 MUST HAVE
ALMOST SURE HAD TO HAVE

They must have moved to

an exotic island.

He had to have robbed a

bank.
 CAN'T HAVE
IMPOSSIBLE COULDN'T HAVE

They couldn’t have moved away.

They just
moved here.

What? He can’t have died.

He looked so
healthy
 ASSUMPTION IN NEGATIVE
YOU CAN MAKE AN ASSUMPTION IN
NEGATIVE USING MUST NOT HAVE.

He must not have had

breakfast.
 MAY HAVE
POSSIBLE MIGHT HAVE
COULD HAVE

Luis and George are nowhere to

be found.
- They may have been abducted
by aliens.
- They might have gotten caught in
traffic.
 TASK #2
In groups, think of two possible explanations
for each of the situations in the following
slide.
Use modals speculating about the past.
EXERCISE 2
EXERCISE 3
SPECULATING ABOUT THE FUTURE 1
Use should or ought to to suggest that something is
true or will be true in the future. You usually have a
reason to make this kind of suggestion.

- The new Iphone XIl should be a

good cell phone. They’ve taken
ages to develop it.
- The new Harry Potter movie
ought to be good. I heard
Johnny Depp is in it.
- Ask Miranda. She should know.
- It's nearly six o'clock. They
should arrive soon.
SPECULATING ABOUT THE FUTURE 2
Use may, might, and could when you are less
certain. In the negative, use may/might +
not/never + base form.

The Chins may not return.

The house might never

get sold.

Someone new could move

in soon.