UNIT 4
Modal verbs
1 Complete the second sentence with a modal
verb so that it means the same as the first
sentence.
1 It’s necessary for them to cancel their holiday.
They had to cancel their holiday.
2 It was impossible to go skiing because of the
avalanche.
We couldn´t go skiing because of
the avalanche.
3 It’s forbidden to go near the waterfall.
You musnt´t go/aren´t allowed to go
near the waterfall.
4 It wasn’t necessary to take special equipment.
We didn´t have to take special equipment.
2 Complete the dialogues using must/can’t/
might and the perfect infinitive of the verbs in
brackets.
1 A: I saw Oscar yesterday.
B: No way! You can’t have seen (see) him.
He’s on holiday!
2 A: I can’t find my phone.
B: You might have left (leave) it at
home, or perhaps someone stole it.
3 A: We’ve been waiting for Camila for an hour!
B: She’s never late. I’m sure she must
have forgotten (forget)!
4 A: I think Maggie went skiing last weekend.
B: She can´t have gone (go) skiing.
She’s broken her leg.
3 Tick (ü) the correct sentences. Correct the
incorrect sentences.
1 I mustn’t go to school yesterday because it
was Saturday. I didn’t have to go to school
yesterday because it was Saturday.
Influence 5 · © Macmillan Education Limited 2021 · Your Influence B2
2 People had to be terrified when the tsunami
happened. People must have been terrified
when the tsunami happened.
3 We weren’t allowed to go fishing in the lake.
It´s correct.
4 I got lost in the jungle but luckily, I could find
my way again. I got lost in the jungle but
luckily, I could find my way again.
5 We don’t have to worry about earthquakes in
my country. It´s correct.
6 They mustn’t have gone to see the Grand
Canyon. It’s closed. They couldn´t
go/can´t have gone/ can´t go to see the
Grand Canyon. It´s closed.
Perfect modals
4 Match the sentence halves. X
5 Complete the text with a past modal form of
the verbs in brackets.
A tourist fell 10 metres into a crevasse while
walking in the Swiss Alps. She 1 could have
broken (break) a leg, but luckily, she was
uninjured.
The woman 2 should have taken (take)
proper equipment with her, but she was
wearing only shorts. When the rescue team
found her, her body temperature
had dropped to 34˚C, and she
3 wouldn´t have survived / couldn´t have
survived(survive) for long. She 4 would have
stayed (stay) in the crevasse, but fortunately,
there were other mountaineers nearby and they
alerted the rescue team.
Later, they said that she
5 shouldn´t have gone (go) walking
alone.