GRAMMAR PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS - Winter here can be really cold.

MODALS: PRESENT AND FUTURE V. Must and can't

I. Don't have to and must not These refer to present time only. In expressing certainty, they are opposites.
• Don’t have to refers to an absence of obligation. - This must be our stop. (I’m sure it is.)
- You don’t have to work tomorrow. - This can’t be our stop. (Tm sure it isn't.)
• Must not refers to an obligation not to do something. VI. May and might
- You must not leave the room before the end of the test. • May can be used to express although clauses.
II. Should and ought to - She may be the boss, but that is no excuse for shouting like that.
Should and ought to have the same meaning where used in the examples below. VII. May as well / might as well
• Expectation This describes the only thing left to do, something which the speaker is not enthusiastic
- This film should be really good. / This film ought to be really good. about.
• Recommendation - Nobody else is going to turn up now for the lesson, so you may as well go home.
- I think you should / ought to talk it over with your parents. • May and might both express possibility or uncertainty. May is often used in formal
In writing, should (but not ought to) can be used to express a strong obligation language.
politely. - The peace conference may find a solution to the problem.
- Guests should vacate their rooms by midday. • There is an idiomatic expression with try, using may for present reference, and might
• Criticism of an action for past or present reference.
- You shouldn’t / oughtn’t to eat so much late at night - Try as I might, I could not pass my driving test.
• Uncertainty (Although I tried hard, I could not pass my driving test.)
- Should I leave these papers on your desk? VIII. Shall
• Should and verbs of thinking • Shall can be used in the first persons to emphasize something which the speaker feels
Should is often used with verbs of thinking, to make an opinion less direct. is certain to happen or wants to happen.
- I should think that model would sell quite well - I shall definitely give up smoking this year.
Should with be and adjectives describing chance - We shall win! (Shall is stressed in this sentence.)
This group of adjectives includes odd, strange, funny (= odd) and the expression • In the second and third persons, shall is now only used in very formal contexts, such
‘What a coincidence’. as rules and regulations.
- It’s strange that you should be staying in the same hotel! - No player shall knowingly pick up or move the ball of another player.
Should after in case to emphasize unlikelihood IX. Will
- In case I should be out, this is my mobile number. • Will can be used to express an assumption.
III. Could - A: The phone's ringing: B: That'll be for me.
• Could is used to express possibility or uncertainty. • Will / won’t can be used emphatically to tell someone of the speakers intention, or to
- This could be the house. forbid an action, in response to a will expression..
• Could is used with comparative adjectives to express possibility or impossibility. - A: I'll take the money anyway; so there!
- The situation couldn’t be worse. B: You won't!
- It could be better. A: I will!
• Could is used to make suggestions. Similarly I won't can mean I refuse, and I will can mean I insist.
- We could go to that new restaurant opposite the cinema. A: I won't do it! B: Yes, you will!
• Could is used to express unwillingness. X. Would
- I couldn’t possibly leave Tim here on his own. Would is often used in situations where a conditional sense is understood but not
IV. Can stated.
• Can with be is used to make criticisms. - Nobody would agree with that idea. (if we asked them)
- You can be really annoying, you know! - Life wouldn't be worth living without you. (if you weren’t there)
• Can is also used with be to refer to capability. - I think Jim would be the best candidate, (if he was under consideration for the job)
Thẩm Tâm Vy, November 26th, 2018 GRAMMAR PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS ~ MODALS
 - Sue wouldn't do that, surely! (if she was in that situation)
XI. Need and need to
• Need to is a modal auxiliary, and behaves like a normal verb.
- Do you need to use the photocopier?
• Need is a modal auxiliary, but mainly in question and negative forms.
- Need you make so much noise?
XII. Dare
• Dare can be used in two ways. It can be an intransitive verb followed by infinitive
with to.
- I didn't dare to say anything.
It can also be a modal auxiliary mainly in questions and negatives.
- She dare not refuse. How dare you!
Related non-modal expressions
XIII. Had better
This is a recommendation and refers only to the present or future.
- You'd better not phone her again.
It can be reported in the past without change of form.
- He told me we'd better come back another day.
XIV. Be bound to
This makes a future prediction of certainty.
- It's bound to rain tomorrow.
PRACTICE
I. Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence.
1. I don’t think yon could / should tell anyone yet.
2. I couldnt i shouldn’t possibly leave without paying.
3. That mustn’t / cant 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 i must be better.
6. You couldnt t shouldn’t really be sitting here.
7. You could l may be older than me, but that doesn’t mean you’re cleverer.
8. You might i should like to look 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 of the association must i shall remove official documents from these
premises without written permission.
II. Complete the dialogue, using one word in each gap. Contractions (e.g. can't)
count as one word.
Bill: This (1).....................be the house, I suppose: number 16 Chu Van An.
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.
Thẩm Tâm Vy, November 26th, 2018 GRAMMAR PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS
Bill: I don’t think much of it from the outside, to be honest.
Jane: Yes, it (6) certainly do with a coat of paint or two.
Bill: Rather you than me! I (7).....................like to have to paint it all! mAnd 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. Tam Vy (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 I’ve seen enough already. I (15)...
...........possibly live here.
III. 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.
1. I couldn’t be happier at the moment. COULD
I’m as ...........................................at the moment
2. Although I tried hard, I couldn’t lift the suitcase. MIGHT
Try...................................., I couldn’t lift the suitcase.
3. I’m sure that Peter won’t be late. BOUND
Peter...................................................on time.
4. Fancy you and I having the same surname! SHOULD
It’s odd ...........................................the same surname!
5. I think you should take up jogging. WERE
If I ..............................................................take up jogging.
6. It’s possible that this kind of snake is poisonous. COULD
This snake............................................the poisonous kinds.
7. You can’t borrow my car! WON’T
I.....................................................................borrow my car!
8. I’m sure this isn’t how you get to Norwich! CAN’T
This ......................................way to Norwich!
9. It makes no difference to me if we call it off. MAY
We....................................................................call it off!
10. Although it’s summer, the temperature is more like winter. MAY
It....................................the temperature is more like winter.
IV. Choose the sentence (A or B) that is closest in meaning to the sentence given
1. It’s possible that well know the answers tomorrow. ...A...
A. We may know the answers tomorrow.
B. We should know the answers tomorrow.
2. I don't think you should ring him now. It’s rather late. ..........
A. You might not ring him now. It's rather late.
B. You’d better not ring him now. It’s rather late.
~ MODALS
3. You needn’t come if you don’t want to. .......... VI. Complete the text, using one word in each gap. Contractions (e.g. mustn't)
A. You won’t come if you don’t want to. count as one word.
B. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I (1) might as welladmit it - I’m one of those peoplewho run in marathons dre seed as
4. I think it’s wrong for you to work so hard. ......... a duck, it’s not normally something you (2)...........want to admit to your frlends, but I
A. You don’t have to work so hard. (3).............imagine life without running in my Donaid Duck costume. You’re probably
B. You shouldn’t work so hard. thinking I (4)............bean idiot who just wants to show off, and well, you (5)............be
5. Perhaps these are the keys. ......... right, I suppose! And you (6)............think that running so far was hard enough, without
A. These might be the. keys. the silly costume! I (7)...........to admit that I do enjoy the laughter as I run past, but
B. These must be the keys. that’s only part of it. I (8)..........look silly, but it’s all in a good cause, as I run to raise
6. It would be wrong for us to lock the cat in the house for a week ......... money for children’s charities - people promise to give me money for running in the
A. We’d better not lock the cat in the house for a week. race. I (9).............cheerfully run for hours tn the rain because I’m doing something
B. We can’t lock the cat in the house for a week. useful. Call me mad (10)..............you like, but I’d far (11)..............run through the
7. It’s possible that the decision will be announced next week. ......... streets dressed as a duck (12).............sit at home and watch the race on television.
A The decision might be announced next week. Some of the other runners (13 )............be a bit mad too ~ I | (14).............be the only
B The decision will be announced next week. duck to be narrowly beaten in a race by three gorillas in bikinis. I (15).............miss
8. Although I try hard, I can never solve The Times crossword. ......... charity marathons for all the world!
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?........ ANSWER KEY
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
V. Complete each sentence with a phrase from the list below.
couldn’t be - wouldn’t be - I might - don’t have to - couldn’t possibly
must be - must like - need to - may be - might as well
1. The heating comes on automatically You.....don’t have to.... turn it on.
2. Of course I’ll help! I ..........................let you do it on your own.
3. It’s a lovely hotel And the staff.........................more helpful
4. George...............................it there if he 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 love these trees. Without them the garden.......................the same.
8. There’s the phone call I was expecting. It...........................George.
9. Thanks. And now you just.............................sign on the dotted line.
10. Try as.............................I simply couldn’t open the lid.
Thẩm Tâm Vy, November 26th, 2018 GRAMMAR PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS ~ MODALS