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8 Grammar Worksheet
Modals of speculation
1 What do the modal verbs indicate? Write P (something
is possible), I (something is impossible) or C (something
is certain).
1 It can’t be a ghost. They don’t exist! I
2 You must have thirty pairs of shoes! _
3 Mum might know Timothy. We should ask her. _
4 Max couldn’t come with me because he had to revise. _
5 It must be true because it’s in all the newspapers. _
6 Sophie can’t learn to drive yet. She’s only fifteen. _
2 Choose the correct answer.
1 You can’t / couldn’t be serious! I don’t believe that Kylie
would do that!
2 Someone mustn’t / might be able to solve the riddle one
day, but I don’t think it will be soon.
3 Dad may / must buy a new car today! We’re excited!
4 He must / couldn’t just disappear without a trace.
Someone must know where he is.
5 Toby’s train must / might be late. He said it would arrive
at 8pm, but it’s already 8.15pm.
6 You can’t / might swim in the sea today. There’s a flag
warning that it is dangerous.
3 Complete the sentences with the modal verbs below.
can’t (x2) couldn’t might (x2) must
1 That old house down the road might be haunted. People
say they have seen something strange.
2 Sorry, I help you at the moment. I’m
really busy.
3 Danni come to the cinema last night
because she was feeling ill.
4 The secret disappear forever, if
something happens to Mrs Grant.
5 There be something sinister here.
I’ve got goosebumps.
6 The English class be at 2pm. My
timetable says 2.30.
50 UNIT 8 GRAMMAR WORKSHEET Support
Modal perfects of speculation
4 Match the parts of the sentences.
1 Freya thought the house might F
2 Thomas is a good student. He couldn’t _
3 Sally and Tom can’t _
4 Dad must _
5 Could you have _
6 Mum might not _
A got a refund?
B have forgotten their appointment. I reminded them
yesterday.
C have heard the phone ring. She had the radio on.
D have failed his exam. He prepared really well for it.
E have worked late. He didn’t get home till nearly nine.
F have been haunted. She had heard strange noises there.
5 Correct the sentences.
1 Tom may forgotten to open a new savings account
yesterday.
Tom may have forgotten to open a new savings account
yesterday.
2 Oh, no! Cathy is back. She must has missed the bus.
3 It can’t have be icy conditions that caused the accident.
4 There might been a misunderstanding.
5 Could you headed home earlier?
6 The tsunami must have cause a lot of damage.
6 Complete the sentences with the modal perfect form of
the verbs in brackets.
1 I could have decided (could / decide) to study medicine
but, in the end, I wanted to study languages.
2 Mrs Martin (could not /
see) the bicycle, or she wouldn’t have had the accident.
3 Frank (must / be) busy
or he would have answered the phone.
4 You (might not / hear)
of him, but he’s a really famous actor.
5 I (cannot / lose) my
jacket. I was wearing it earlier!
6 It (might / be) David
who broke the glass.
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