>the first

9
GRAMMAR

Modals: present and future

tely, sir.
Dcm't hove to ancll must not

ir health. • Don't have to refers to an absence of obligation.

You don't have to work tomorrow.
@ Must not refers to an obligation not to do something.
i resign. You must not leave the room befare the end of the test.

Should and ought to

Should and ought to have the same meaning where used in the examples below.
teeting.
@ Expectation
This film shoulfl be really good. / This film ought to be real/y good.
....... fer. • Recommendation
I think you should / ought to talk it over with your parents.
In writing, should (but not ought to) can be used to express a strong obligation politely.
Guests should vacate their rooms by midday.
;Jasgow.
@ Criticism of an action
You shouldn't / oughtn't to eat so much late at night.
~ room. e Uncertainty
Should I leave these papers on your desk?

• Shóuld and verbs of thinking

warden.
Should is often used with verbs of thinking, to mal<e an opinion less direct.
I should think that model would sell quite well.

,. El Should with be and adjectives describing chance

This group of adjectives includes odd, strange, funny (= odd) and the expression
What a coincidence.
It's strange that you should be staying in the same hqtel!
,ework.
El Should after in case to emphasize unlikelihood
In case I should be out, this is my mobile number.
See Grammar 7 fer similar uses in conditional sentences.

Could
e Could is used to express possibility or uncertainty.
This could be the house.
e Could is used with comparative adjectives to express possibility or impossibility.
The situation couldn't be worse.
It could be better.
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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR AIJVANCED

@ Could is used to make suggestions. Wii

We could go to that new restaurant opposite the cinema.
@ Could is used to express unwillingness.
l couldn't possibly leave Tim here on his own.

Can
@ Can with be is used to make criticisms.
You can be real/y annoying, you know!
@ Can is also used with be to refer to capability.
Winter here can be real/y cold.

Must and can't

These refer to present time only. ( See be bound to.) In expressing certainty, they
are opposites.
This must be our stop. (I'm sure it is.)
This can't be our stop. (I'rµ sure it isn't.)

May and might

@ May can be used to express although clauses. N
She may be the boss, but that is no excuse far shouting like that.
See also Grammar 12 for emphasis.

o May / might as well

This describes the only thing left to do, sornething which the speaker is not
enthusiastic about.
Nobody e/se is going to turn up now for the lesson, so you may as well go home.
l
o May and might both express possibility or uncertainty. May is often used in
formal language.
The peace conference may find a solution to the problem.
o There is an idiomatic expression with try, using may for present reference, and might
for past or present reference.
Try as I might, I could not pass my driving test.
(Although I tried hard, I could not pass my driving test.)

Shall
@ Shall can be used in the first persons to emphasize sornething which the speaker feels
is certain to happen or wants to happen.
I shall definitely give up smoking this year.
We shall win! (Shall is stressed in this sentence.)
@ In the second and third persons, shall is now only used in very formal contexts, such
as rules and regulations.
No player shall knowingly pickup or move the ball of another player.

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 GRAMMAR 9 MODALS: PRESENT AND fUTURE

Will
@ Will can be used to express an assumption.
A: The phone's ringing. B: That'll be for me.

@ Will I won't can be used emphatically to tell someone of the speaker's intention, or to
forbid an action, in response to a will expression.
A: I'll take the money anyway, so there!
B: You won't!
A: I will!
Similarly I won't can mean I refuse, and I will can mean I insist.
A: I won't do it! B: Yes, you will!

Would
inty, they Would is often used in situations where a conditional sense is understood but
not stated.
Nobody would agree with that idea. (if we asked them)
Lije wouldn't be worth living without you. (ifyou weren't there)
I think Jim would be the best candidate. (ifhe was under consideration for the job)
Sue wouldn't do that, surely! (if she was in that situation)

Need and need to

e Need to is a modal auxiliary, and behaves like a normal verb.
Do you need to use the photocopier?

; not e Need is a modal auxiliary, but mainly in question and negative forms.
Need you make so much noise?
See Grammar 6 for need doing.
lgo home.
:ed in Dare
® Dare can be used in two ways. It can be an intransitive verb followed by infinitive
with to.
:nce, and might I didn't dare to say anything.
e lt can also be a modal auxiliary, mainly in questions and negatives.
She dare not refuse. How dare you!

Related non-modal expressions

e Had better
1e speaker feels
This is a recommendation and refers only to the present or future.
Youit better not phone her again.
It can be reported in the past without change of form.
He told me weit better come back another day.
contexts, such
e Be bound to
This makes a future prediction of certainty.
It's bound to rain tomorrow.

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

1 Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence.

1 I don't think you could / should tell anyone yet.
2 I couldn't / shouldn't possibly leave without paying.
3 That mustn't ! can't be the hotel Jane told us about.
4 There are times when the traffic here can / could be really heavy.
5 We are enjoying our holiday, though the weather could / must be better.
6 You couldn't ! shouldn't really be sitting here.
7 You could ! may be older than me, but that doesn't mean you're cleverer.
8 You might ! should like to Iook over these papers if you have time.
9 I'm afraid that nobody should ! would help me in that kind of situation.
10 No member ofthe association must ! shall remove official documents from these
premises without written permission.

2 Complete the dialogue, using one word in each gap. Contractions (e.g. can't)
count as one word.
Bill: This (1) .......!Af.½!éL .... be the house, I suppose: number 16 Elland Way.
Jane: I pictured it as being much bigger, from the estate agent's description.
Bill: Well, we'd (2) ....................... go inside.
Jane: We (3) ....................... as well. Wait a minute. I (4) ....................... to
just find my glasses. I (5) ....................... see a thing without them.
Bill: I don't think much of it from the outside, to be honest.
Jane: Yes, it (6) ....................... certainly do with a cciat of paint or two.
Bill: Rather you than me! I (7) ....................... like to have to paint it all!
And the gutters (8) ....................... replacing.
Jane: I (9) ....................... think they haven't been replaced since the house
was built.
Bill: They (10) ....................... really be replaced every four years ideally.
Jane: And I don't like that big ivy plant growing up the side. Ivy
(11) ....................... get in the brickwork and cause all sorts of damage.
Bill: I wonder if there's a lock on that big downstairs window? It looks very
easy to break in to.
Jane: There's (12) ....................... to be one, surely.
Bill: Well, (13) ....................... we go inside?
Jane: Do we (14) ....................... to? I think !'ve seen enough already. I (15) ...................... .
possibly live here.

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 GRAMMAR 9 MODALS: PRESENT AND FUTURE

3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.
l I couldn't be happier at the moment.
COULD
I'm as ..~.0.P,-P,¡;j.0!i..~P.l-:\f0.. i!L ................................................. at the moment.
etter.
2 Although I tried hard, I couldn't lift the suitcase.

verer. MIGHT
Try ......................................................................... , I couldn't lift the suitcase.
.tion. 3 I'm sure that Peter won't be late .
,nts from these BOUND
Peter ..................................................................................................... on time.
; {e.g. can't) 4 Fancy you and I having the same surname!
SHOULD
lt's odd ................................................................................ the same surname!
N'ay.
5 I think you should take up jogging.
on.
WERE
If I ............................................................................................ take up jogging.
6 lt's possible that this kind of snake is poisonous.
COULD
This snake ........................................................................ the poisonous kinds.
7 You can't borrow my car!
WON'T

e I ................................................................................................. borrow my car!

8 l'm sure this isn't how you get to Norwich!
.CAN'T
This ......................................................................................... way to Norwich!
9 lt makes no difference to me if we cal! it off.
,ge.
rery
MAY
We ...................................................................................................... cal! it off.
10 Although it's summer, the temperature is more like winter.
MAY
i) ...................... .
lt .............................................................. the temperature is more like winter.

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

4 Choose the sentence (A or B) that is closest in meaning to the sentence given.

1 lt's possible that we'll know the answers tomorrow. ...!.'i. ...
A We may know the answers tomorrow.
B We should know the answers tomorrow.
2 I don't think you should ring him now. lt's rather late .......... .
A You might not ring him now. It's rather late.
B You'd better not ring him now. lt's rather late.
3 You needn't come if you don't want to .... ,..... .
A You won't come if you don't want to.
B You don't have to come if you don't want to.
4 I think it's wrong for you to work so hard .......... .
A You don't have to work so hard.
B You shouldn't work so hard.
5 Perhaps these are the keys .......... .
A These might be the keys.
B These must be the keys.
6 lt would be wrong for us to lock the cat in the house for a week. ......... .
A We'd better not lock the cat in the house for a week.
B We can't lock the cat in the house for a week.
7 Ifs possible that the decision will be announced next week. ..........
A The decision might be announced next week.
B The decision will be announced next week.
8 Although I try hard, I can never solve The Times crossword.......... .
A Try as I may, I can never solve The Times crossword.
B Try as I can, I may never solve The Times crossword.
9 I know. Why don't we go out to eat instead? ......... .
A I know. We must go out to eat instead.
B I know. We could go out to eat instead.
10 Using Punter's Paints couldn't be easier.......... .
A You may as well use Punter's Paints.
B You should find Punter's Paints easy to use.
11 Peter often really annoys people .......... .
A Peter can be really annoying.
B Try as he might, Peter annoys people.
12 Jane wouldn't talk about people like that, surely! ......... .
A Jane didn't want to talk about people like that.
B Jane isn't the kind of person to talk about people like that.

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 GRAMMAR 9 MODAlS: PRESENT AND FUTURE

tence given. 5 Complete each sentence with a phrase from the box.

couldn't be wouldn't be I might don't hfrve to couldn't possibly

must be must like need to maybe might as well

1 The heating comes on automatically. You ....... f!gr.;,'.t!'.i.0.V.~..tP. ....... turn it on.
2 Of course I'll help! I .......................................... !et you do it on your own.
3 It's a lovely hotel. And the staff .......................................... more helpful.
4 George .........................................._it there ifhe has stayed there for so long.
5 You .......................................... right, but I'm still not convinced.
6 We .......................................... go in this museum. There's nothing else to do.
7 I !ove these trees. Without them the garden .......................................... the same.
8 There's the phone call I was expecting. lt .......................................... George.
9 Thanks. And now you just .......................................... sign on the dotted line.
10 Try as .......................................... , I simply couldn't open the lid.

6 Complete the text, using one word in each gap. Contractions (e.g. mustn't) count
as one word.

1(1) ....tl:l,k@.llt. ..... as well admit it - l'm one ofthose peoplewho run in mara·thons dressed
as a duck. lt's not normally something you (2) ....................... want to admit to your friends,
but 1(3) ....................... imagine life without running in my Donald Duck costume. You're
probablythinking 1(4) ....................... be an idiot whojust wants to show off, and weli, you
(5) ....................... be right, 1suppose! And you (6) ....................... think that running so far
was hard enough, without the silly costume! 1(7) ..................... to admit that Ido enjoy the
laughter as I run past, butthat's only part of it. 1(8) ....................... look silly, but it's ali in a
good cause, as I run to ralee money far children's charities - people promise to give me money
far running in the race. 1(9) ....................... cheerfuliy run far hours in the rain because l'm doing
something useful. Cali me mad (1 O) ....................... you like, but l'd far (11) ....................... run
through the streets dressed as a duck (12) ....................... sit at home and watch the race
on television. Some ofthe other runners (13) ....................... be a bit mad too -1
(14) ....................... be the only duck to be narrowly beaten in a race by three gorillas in bikinis.
1(15) ....................... miss charity marathons for ali the wórlil!

.SEEALSO
Grammar 6: Passive 2
Grammar 7: Conditionals
Grammar 1O: Moda Is: past
Grammar 12: Emphasis

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