Chapter 7. VERBS Modal verbs
Entry Test
Unit 2
1. Correct any errors inserting either can/could or to be able to where necessary.
I read when I was four years old, but I not write very well.
His writing was so bad that I not read his letter at first, but with an effort I make out what he said.
We not afford to pay for our journey across Africa, but we make it in the end because the bicycle firm lend us the money.
When he arrived in Africa, no one tell Stanley if Livingstone was alive or dead, but after a long journey, we find him.
2. Rewrite the following sentences so that each sentence contains the modal verb can.
It’s hardly possible that he was puzzled by such a simple question.
I doubt that she was making notes of what he said.
It’s hardly possible that he feels more dead than alive.
It’s impossible that she is keeping to a milk diet.
I doubt that he has been cured of pneumonia so quickly.
Where is Silvia hiding? – I’m looking for her everywhere!
Unit 3
3. Complete these sentences with modal verbs to express possibility or uncertainty.
Where are you going for your holidays? – I haven’t finally decided but I...
What sort of car are you going to buy? – I’m not sure yet but I ...
I can’t find Monica anywhere. I wonder where she is. – She ...
Why didn’t Tom answer the doorbell? – I’m sure he was in the house at the time. He ...
Is Jack in his office? – I’m not sure. He...
Look! Sue’s going out. – I wonder where she is going. – She ...
4. Respond to the following questions. Express supposition implying uncertainty.
Her eyes are red. What’s the matter? (to cry)
Why is Ann absent? (to be interviewed)
He looks sick and tired. What’s the matter? (to catch a cold)
Where is the nurse? (to give injections to the patients)
5. Insert may/might or can/could or to be able to.
I think, when I’m twenty-five, then I ... get control of money.
I wonder if I ... ask your advice.
It ... never be forgotten!
I wish he ... have a pony of his own.
If a letter comes for me ... you please forward it to this address.
I ... help laughing.
The police were suspicious at first but I ... convince them that we were innocent.
The swimmer was very tired but he ... reach the shore before he collapsed.
I don’t think I ... drive you to the airport.
Unit 4
6. Make the following sentences negative.
She must have been quite conscious of having made a mistake.
The telegram must have certainly come in time.
She must have been very careful. She didn’t spill a drop of milk.
They must have given us the correct information about the road.
The students have passed the tests. They must have understood the rules.
The dog must have recognised his master. It didn’t bark as we approached the house.
He must have been very experienced in sailing navigation.
7. Rewrite the following sentences using a modal verb to express strong supposition.
Evidently, the doctor is still examining the patient.
Surely, she is preparing her report now.
I will not bother you any longer; no doubt, you are tired of my talking.
Probably, Nancy has been given her impressions of England for an hour already.
Evidently, they have been treating him for pneumonia for a month.
8. Translate from Russian into English.
Вы, должно быть, не узнали меня и поэтому не подошли ко мне.
Вы, наверное, и не пытались это сделать, иначе вы бы не говорили, что это легко.
Она, должно быть, заболела. Иначе она была бы уже на работе.
По-видимому, это труднее, чем вы предполагали.
В окнах нет света. Должно быть, опять никого нет дома.
Мне пора домой.
У вас очень много ошибок. Надо уделять больше внимания грамматике.
Этот вопрос надо решить немедленно.
Unit 5
9. Rewrite these sentences so that each sentence contains the modal verb need.
We had to stop at the frontier but we were not required to open our cases.
It wasn’t necessary to walk. He took us in his car.
My employer said, ‘I shan’t require your work tomorrow’.
Most people think that civil servants are not required to work very hard.
Was it obligatory for us to vote?
Unit 7
10. Answer these questions. Show that a planned action was not carried out using the modal verb to be to.
Did they start on Saturday?
Did she wear that nice dress at the graduation party?
Did he join you in your trip?
Did they treat you to a ballet?
Did he take his child fishing?
Did she keep her birthday?
Unit 8
11 Complete each gap using must, need or have to or their negative contracted forms.
You ... take an umbrella. It isn’t going to rain.
Don’t lose your purse! You ... leave it in the bus.
Come on. We ... hurry. We ... be late.
We... make our own fun in the old days. There wasn’t any television there.
There is so much traffic now. You ... wait ages to cross the road.
This report isn’t so important. You ... type the report today.
Unit 9
12. Respond to the following remarks to criticise a past action.
The accident happened because Tom was driving on the wrong side of the road.
He was not careful while crossing the road.
She didn’t hire a taxi and missed her train.
She left her umbrella at home and was caught in the heavy rain.
13. Respond to the following remarks making the following statements emotionally coloured.
You are to go to the dean’s office to tell him all about your problems in your group.
Why don’t you go to the station to meet your friend?
Your friend is lagging behind the group. He needs your help.
Your friend misses lessons very often. You should talk to him to know the reasons.
You have done a wrong thing. Now you feel sorry.
Unit 10, 11
14. Put in shall, will or would. Open the brackets.
My grandfather always ... (get up) at half past five.
...we (go) to the park? – That … (be) nice.
I’m in terrible trouble. What ... I (do)?
We ... (not to be) here next September. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?
I ... (not to listen to) to any more of this nonsense.
You ... (do) as I say!
My aunt loved writing letters. She … (write) twenty or thirty a week.
Units 211
15. Translate from Russian into English
Должно быть, она потеряла его адрес.
Вам бы следовало послушаться моего совета.
Подумать только! Она согласилась на это предложение.
С какой стати я должен это делать!?
И до чего дело дошло!
Страшно, что с ней случилась такая неприятность.
Случись так, что вы увидите Анну, расскажите ей обо всём, что произошло.
Ты будешь выполнять мои указания!
Неужели она так и не получила мое письмо?
Ты могла бы, по крайней мере, посоветоваться с сестрой!
Возможно, он боится, что ему сделают укол.
Я зря дожидался окончания программы.
Мы с вами договорились, что вы ничего не должны говорить!
Не двигайся! Стой, где стоишь!
Его, возможно, забрали в больницу вчера.
Я полагаю, это и есть твой дом!
Ей совсем необязательно присутствовать при нашем разговоре.
Ради чего я буду разговаривать с ней?
Total: 100/____
Unit 1 Meaning and use
1. Modal verbs, or simply modals, express modality, i.e. the speaker’s attitude towards the action in the sentence. The area of meaning referred to as modality is rather broad, and the degree of modality may be strong or weak. Thus, modal verbs are used to express:
necessity (must shows strong necessity; need shows weaker necessity; to have to expresses necessity due to some circumstances);
possibility (can is used for strong possibility; may for weak possibility);
duty (should and ought to are used to talk about duty, but ought to is stronger,) etc.
Each modal verb may express a wide range of modality. Here is a quick reference to the major meanings of the modal verbs dealt in this chapter:
can /could express ability, possibility, uncertainty, doubt, astonishment, permission, prohibition;
may/ might express possibility, criticism, requests, permission, hope;
must is used to express obligation, necessity, prohibition, supposition;
need expresses obligation or absence of obligation;
to have to expresses necessity;
to be to is used for possibility, obligation, orders, and to express things fated to happen;
ought to and should express obligation, advice, deduction. Should is also found in emphatic constructions and subordinate clauses;
shall/ will/ would are used for requests, orders, offers, and to describe characteristic habit, certainty or supposition.
2. Modal verbs have the following peculiarities in use:
They are followed by the Infinitive (all types of the Infinitive are possible) (See Ch. 8) without the particle to (with the exception of ought to, have to, to be to; need may be used with and without to): I must water the flowers tomorrow. They must have been right. This work can be done at once. But: I have to work. She ought to know that.
They have no auxiliaries in questions, negatives, tags and short answers: Can you swim? – No, I can’t. Dorothy shouldn’t be doing that, should she?
Many of them lack the ending “-s” in the Present Indefinite for the third person singular: She may know her address. He can play the piano. But: He needs to look his papers through. She has to work hard.
Only some modals have past forms (could, should, would, might, had, was/were). Certain past ideas can be expressed by a modal verb followed by a Perfect Infinitive (have + Past Participle): You should have told me the truth.
Besides a full negative form (should not, may not, need not, etc.), modal verbs have contracted negative forms: can - cannot – can’t, could – couldn’t, will – won’t, shall – shan’t, should – shouldn’t, may – mayn’t, might – mightn’t, would – wouldn’t, must – mustn’t, ought to – oughtn’t to, need (to) – needn’t : I said that he couldn’t have done it. He mustn’t smoke. You needn’t do it.
Modals have no infinitives or participles. It is impossible to say: *to may, *canning or *musted.
E x e r c i s e s
1. Read the following dialogue. Find the modal verbs in it, comment on their meaning, peculiarities of use, and fill in the chart arranging them from possibility to necessity.
Possibility
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Ability
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Probability
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Obligation
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Necessity
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John and Anastasia meet on the way home from work.
John:
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– Hello, Anastasia. Are you going to Uncle Ari’s party next Thursday?
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Anastasia:
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– I may go, but I’m still not sure.
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J.:
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– Does that mean that you’re not planning to go?
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A.:
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– I didn’t say that. I said that there is a possibility that I might not go. It’s still doubtful.
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J.:
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– Why don’t you know for sure?
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A.:
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– Well, I can come only if I get the night off from work.
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J.:
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– I really think that you should try to attend. We all have an obligation to be there. After all, Uncle Ari is the head of the family, and he will expect everyone to come. Remember, he is arriving from Athens and is bringing our newly married cousins, Christine and Theodore. There will be a large dinner. Most of the food will come from Uncle George’s restaurant.
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A.:
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– That sounds great, but I’m having trouble getting the evening off from work. What would you do in my place?
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J.:
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– In that case, I would try to get someone to replace me.
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A.:
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– I never thought of doing that. Perhaps I could convince my friend Barbara to switch with me.
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J.:
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– Oh, you really should try. In fact, you must be there. We won’t have a good time without you.
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A.:
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– Thanks, John. You’ve made me realize that I must come.
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Unit 2 Can/Could
The modal verb can has two forms: can for the Present Indefinite Tense and could for the Past Indefinite Tense. The equivalent expression to be able to supplies all the missing forms of the verb can:
I can explain it.
I could explain it.
I don’t think I’ll be able to explain it when I see her.
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