Choose the sentence closest in meaning to the sentence given.

(11/5)
A. It’s possible that we’ll know all the answers tomorrow.
We may know all the answers tomorrow.
We should know all the answers tomorrow.
B. I don’t think you should ring him now. It’s rather late.
You might not ring him now. It’s rather late.
You’d better not ring him now. It’s rather late.
C. You needn’t come if you don’t want to.
You mustn’t come if you don’t want to.
You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.
D. I thinks it’s wrong for you to work so hard.
You don’t have to work so hard.
You shouldn’t work so hard.
E. Perhaps these are the keys.
These might be the keys.
These must be the keys.
F. I know! Why don’t we go out to eat instead?
I know! We must go out to eat instead.
I know! We could go out to eat instead.
G. It would be quite wrong for us to lock the cat in the house for a week.
We’d better not lock the cat in the house for a week.
We can’t lock the cat in the house for a week.
H. It’s possible that the decision will be announced next week.
The decision might be announced next week.
The decision will be announced next week.
I. Although I try hard, I can never solve The Times crossword.
Try as I may, I can never solve The Times crossword.
Try as I can, I may never solve The Times crossword.

Put one suitable modal verb in each space. (15/1)

1
Some people always have good advice to give you, but only after the event. You …………….
2
have come across the type, who somehow always knows what you …………….. have done
3 4
when it has become too late. By now I …………… spot them a mile off. It ……………… be
5
because I have had so much practice. Last week, for example, I ………………. to take my car
to the garage because the lights weren’t working. It was an expensive job, but I decided that I
6 7
…………… as well pay and get it over quickly. “You ………… have told me,” said a friend
8 9
when I was telling him how much I ………… to pay. “I …………. easily have fixed it for you.
Then you ……………… 10 not have wasted so much money.” You …………….. 11
imagine how I
12 13
felt! Actually, he …………….. probably had made a mess of the job, and I ……………….
14
well have ended up paying more. But it does seem strange that everyone else ……………….
know exactly what I ……………. 15 to do.

Advanced Language Practice, Heinemann ELT

© Michael Vince, 1994
 Answers

A. may 1. must
B. ‘d better 2. should
C. don’t have to 3. can
D. shouldn’t 4. must
E. might 5. had
F. could 6. might
G. can’t 7. should
H. might 8. had
I. Try as I may 9. could
10. need/would
11. can
12. would
13. might
14. should
15. ought