9 G R A M M A R Modals present and futur � Don''''t have to and must not • D o nt have to refers to an absence of obligation You don’t have to work tomorrow • M ust not refers to an obligation not to do[.]
9 GRA M M AR Modals: present and futur Don't have to and must not • D o n t have to refers to an absence of obligation You don’t have to work tomorrow • M ust not refers to an obligation not to something You must not leave the room before the en d o f the test S hould Where *should appears, ought to can also be used • Expectation T hisfilm *should be really good • Recommendation I thinkyou *should talk it over with y ou r parents In writing, should can be used to express a strong obligation politely Guests should vacate their rooms by midday • Criticism of an action You *shouldn’t eat so m uch late at night • Uncertainty Should I leave these papers on y o u r desk? • Should and verbs of thinking Should is often used with verbs of thinking, to make an opinion less direct I should think that m odel would sell ąuite well • With be and adjectives describing chance This group of adjectives includes odd, strange, fu n n y (= odd) and the expression W hat a coincidence Its strange that you should be staying in the sam e hotel! • After in case to emphasize unlikelihood In case I should be out, this is my mobile number See Grammar for similar uses in conditional sentences Could • Could is used to express possibility or uncertainty This could be the house • Could is used with comparative adjectives to express possibility or impossibility The situation couldn’t be worse It could be better 65 ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE • Could is used to make suggestions W e could go to that new restaurant opposite the cinema • Could is used to express unwillingness I couldn’t possibly leave Tim here on his own Can • Can with be is used to make criticisms You can be really annoying, you knowl • Can is also used with be to refer to capability W inter here can be really 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 (Fm sure it is.) This can’t be our stop (I’m sure it isn’t.) M ay and might • M ay can be used to express although clauses She may be the boss, but that is no excuse fo r shouting like that See also Grammar 12 for emphasis • M ay/m ight as well This describes the only thing left to do, something which the speaker is not enthusiastic about Nobody else is going to turn up n o w fo r the lesson, so you may as well go home • M ay and m ight both express possibility or uncertainty M ay is often used in formal language The peace conference m a y fin d a solution to the problem • There is an idiomatic expression with try, using may for present reference, and might for past reference Try as I might, I could not pass my driving test (Although I tried hard, I could not pass my driving test.) S hall • Shall can be used with all persons to emphasize something which the speaker feels is certain to happen or wants to happen I shall definitely give up sm oking this year We shall win! {Shall is stressed in this sentence.) • Similarly, shall is used in formal rules and regulations No player shall knowingly pick up or move the bali o f another player 66 GRAMMAR M ODALS: PRESENT AND FUTUR Will • Will can be used to express an assumption A; The phones ringing B: That’11 be fo r me • Will/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; r i l take the money anyway, so there! B: You won’t! A: I will! Similarly I wont can mean I refuse, and I will can mean I insist A: I won’t it! B: Yes, you willi Would 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) Life wouldn’t be worth Uving without you (if you werent there) I think Jim would be the best candidate (if he was under consideration for the job) Sue wouldnH that, surely! (if you think shes capable of doing that) Need and need to • N eed to is a modal auxiliary, and behaves like a normal verb Do you need to use the photocopier? • N eed is a modal auxiliary, but mainly in ąuestion and negative forms Need you make so much noise? See Grammar for need doing Dare • Dare can be used in two ways It can be an intransitive verb followed by infinitive with to I didńt dare to say anything • It can also be a modal auxiliary, mainly in ąuestions and negatives She dare not refuse How dare you! Related non-modal expressions • Had better This is a recommendation and refers only to the present or futurę 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 • Be bound to This makes a futurę prediction of certainty It’s bound to rain tomorrow 67 ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence 10 I don t think you could/should tell anyone yet I couldńt/shouldnt possibly leave without paying That mustnt/cant be the hotel Jane told us about There are times when the traffic here can/could be really heavy We are enjoying our holiday, though the weather could/must be better You couldnt/shouldnt really be sitting here You could/may be older than me, but that doesnt mean youre cleverer You might/should like to look over these papers if you have time Tm afraid that nobody should/would help me in that kind of situation No member of the association must/shall remove offidal documents from these premises without written permission Complete the dialogue by writing one word in each space Contractions {can't ) count as one word Bill: This ( ) be the house, I suppose, number 16 Elland Way Jane: I pictured it as being much bigger, from the estate agents description Bill: Weil, we’d ( ) go inside Jane: We ( ) as well Wait a minutę I ( ) to just find my glasses I ( ) see a thing without them Bill: I dont think much of it from the outside, to be honest Jane: Yes, it ( ) certainly with a coat of paint or two Bill: Rather you than me! I ( ) like to have to paint it all! And the gutters ( ) replacing Jane: I ( ) think they haven t been replaced sińce the house was built Bill: They (1 ) really be replaced every four years ideally Jane: And I dont like that big ivy plant growing up the side Ivy ( 1 ) get in the brickwork and cause all sorts of damage Bill: I wonder if theres a lock on that big downstairs window? It looks very easy to break in to Jane: Theres (1 ) to be one, surely Bill: Well, (1 ) we go inside? Jane: Do we (1 ) to? I think lVe seen enough already I ( ) possibly live here 68 GRAMMAR M ODALS: PRESENT AND FUTUR 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 I couldn t be happier at the moment, could I’m a s at the moment Although I tried hard, I couldn t lift the suitcase might T ry I couldn t lift the suitcase I’m sure that Peter wont be late bound Peter on time Fancy you and I having the same surname! should Its o d d the same surname! I think you should take up jogging, were If I take up jogging Its possible that this kind of snake is poisonous could This snake the poisonous kinds You cant borrow my car! won’t I borrow my car! I’m sure this isn t how you get to Norwich! can’t T h is way to Norwich! It makes no difference to me if we cali it off may W e cali it off 10 Although its summer, the temperatura is more like winter may I t the temperature is more like winter 69 ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Choose the sentence (A or B) that is closest in meaning to the sentence given It’s possible that we’11 know the answers tomorrow A We may know the answers tomorrow B We should know the answers tomorrow I dont think you should ring him now Its rather late A You might not ring him now It s rather late B You’d better not ring him now Its rather late You neednt come if you dont want to A You won t come if you dont want to B You dont have to come if you don t want to 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 Perhaps these are the keys A These might be the keys B These must be the keys It would be wrong for us to lock the cat in the house for a week A Wed better not lock the cat in the house for a week B We cant lock the cat in the house for a week Its 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 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 I know Why dont 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 Punters Paints couldnt 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 wouldnt talk about people like that, surely! A Jane didnt want to talk about people like that B Jane isnt the kind of person to talk about people like that 70 GRAMMAR M ODALS: PRESENT AND FUTUR Com ple te each sentence with a phrase from the box couldnt be wouldn t be I might don’t-have to couldnt possibly must be must like need to may be might as well The heating comes on automatically You .turn it on O f course Tli help! I let you it on your own It’s a Iovely hotel And the staff more helpful George it there if he has stayed there for so long Y ou right, but I’m still not convinced W e go in this museum Theres nothing else to I love these trees Without them the garden the same Theres the phone cali I was expecting I t George Thanks And now you ju s t sign on the dotted line 10 Try a s I simply couldnt open the lid Complete the text by writing one word in each space Contractions {mustn't) count as one word I ( ) .as well adm it it - 1’m one of those people who runs in marathons dressed as a duck It ’s not normally something you ( ) want to admit to your friends, but I ( ) imagine life without running In my Donald Duck costume You’re probably thinking I ( ) be an Idiot who ju s t wants to show off, and well, you ( ) be right, I suppose! And you ( ) think th a t running so far was hard enough, without the silly costume! I ( ) to adm it th a t I enjoy the laughter as I run past, but th a fs only part of it I ( ) look silly, but it ’s all in a good cause, as I run to raise money for children’s charities - people promise to give me money for running in the race I (9 ) cheerfully run for hours in the rain because l’m doing somethlng useful Cali me mad ( ) you like, but l’d fa r ( 1 ) .run through the s treets dressed as a duck ( ) s it a t homeand watch the race on telewsion Some of the other runners ( ) be a bit mad too - ( - ) be the only duck to be narrowly beaten in a race by three gorillas In biklnls I ( ) m isscharity marathons for all the world! ^ SEE ALSO Grammar 6: Passive Grammar 7; Conditionals Grammar 10: Modals: past Grammar 12: Emphasis 71 10 GRA M MAR Modals: past H a dto Had to is the past form of must and refers to a past obligation Sorry Im late, I had to post some letters The negative form is didn’t have to and refers to an absence of obligation S hould have and ought to have Where '^should appears, ought to is also possible • Expectation Should have refers to something which was supposed to happen The parcel I sentyou *should have arrired by naw • Criticism of an action You *shouldn’t have eaten so much last night • Should have and verbs of thinking The past form knew in the example is an unreal verb form, and the should have form is used according to seąuence of verb forms’ See Grammar I should have thought you knew • With be and adjectives describing chance It was strange that you should have been staying in the same hotel last year • As a polite expression of thanks on receiving a gift or a favour 7Ve done the washing up fo r you - Oh, you really shouldn’t have! Could have and couldn't have • Could have refers to past possibility or uncertainty David could have won the race ifh e had tried (possibility/ability) It could have been Sue, I suppose (uncertainty) • Couldnt have can be used with comparative adjectives We couldn’t have been happier in those days • Could have can also express unwillingness She could havegone to the party with herfriends (but she didnt) Could • Could refers to past permission or past ability When I was sixteen I could stay out till 11.00 (I was allowed to) Mary could swim when she was three (she actually did) Compare: Mary could have swunt when she was three (but she didnt) 72 GRAMMAR 10 M ODALS: PAST M ay have and might have • M ight have refers to past possibility which did not happen You might have drowned! • M ight have and may have refer to uncertainty I suppose I may have been rather critical • Both can be used in the negative to express uncertainty They might not have received our letteryet • M ight have is used to express annoyance at someones failure to something You might have told m e my trousers were split! • I might have known + would is an idiom by which the spealcer expresses ironically that an action was typical of someone else might have known that he would be late Must have and can't have • These refer to the speaker s certainty about a past action Som eone must have taken it (I am sure they did) You can’t have lost it (I am sure you didn t) • Both can also be used with surely in exclamations Surely you can’t have eaten all o fit! Surely you must have noticed it! Would not • This expresses an unwilUngness in the past Everyone was angry because Sam wouldn’t turn o ffth e television Would have • W ould have can refer to events in the past which did not actually happen I would have accepted this job, but I d id n t want to move house • Assumptions about the past are also possible with would have A : Som eone called a ftery o u left but d id n t leave a message B: That would have been Cathy, probably Needn't have and didn't need to N eed n t have done refers to an unnecessary action which was actually done You needn’t havepaid all at once (you did pay) D id n t need to refers to an unnecessary action which was not done I didn’t need to go to the dentist again, luckily Adverbs and modals Adverbs such as easily, just, really, well, are often used to emphasize modal expressions, in both present and past time You could easily have been killed I might just takeyou up on that You couldnt really have m anaged without me I might well decide to come 73 ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence That ca n th a v e been/shouldrithave been Nickthatyou saw 10 You m ust have given/m ight have given me a hand! I caught a later train because I had to see/m ust have seen a client I suppose Bill should have lost/might have lost his way I didn t refuse the cake, as it should have been/w ould have heen rude I don t know who rang, but it could have been/m ust have been Jim It was odd that you should have bought/would have bought the same car I asked them to leave but they might not/w ouldńt go It s a pity you didn t ask because I ca n t help/could have helped you Its your own fault, you ca n th a v e/sh o u ld n th a v e gone to bed so late Com ple te the text by w riting a verb from the box in each space cant have must have shouldnt have cant have shouldnt have may not have ought to have may have didnt need to shouldnt havc You and your big mouth! It was supposed to be a secret Y ou told her! The piane is late I t landed by now Y ou met my brother I havent got one! There is only one explanation Y ou left your keys on the bus Y ou heard me right I definitely said 204525 The meat is a bit burnt You cooked it for so long I’m sorry I accept I been a little bit rude You really taken so much trouble over me Was it really necessary? You tell the police, you know 10 Keep your fingers crossed! The traffic warden noticed the cars parked next to a No Parking sign! 74 GRAMMAR lO M ODALS: PAST Com ple te the second sentence so that it has a sim ilar m e aning to the first sentence, using the word given Do not ch ange the word given It wouldn t have been right to leave you to all the work on your own couldn’t I .all the work on your own Perhaps they didn t notice the tyre was flat might T h ey .the tyre was flat All that trouble I went to wasn t necessary in the end needrft I all that trouble Apparently someone has borrowed my laptop have Som eone my laptop Fm disappointed that you didnt back me up! might Y ou .me up! Our worrying so much was a waste of time needn’t W e .so much It s just not possible for the cat to have opened the fridge possibly The c a t the fridge It would have been possible for Helen to take us in her car could H elen us a lift Its possible that the last person to leave didnt lock the door might The last person the door unlocked 10 School uniform wasnt compulsory at my school wear W e school uniform at my school 75 ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Comple te each sentence by w riting one word in each space Contractions (can't ) count as one word I have become a millionaire, but I decided not to Y ou have been here when Helen told the boss not to be so lazy! It was great! Peter wasn t here then, so h e have broken your vase I have bought that car, but I decided to look at a few others If you felt lonely, y ou have given me a ring Dont take a risk like that again! W e have lost because of you It’s been more than a week! Y ou have had some news by now! We were glad to help W e have just stood by and done nothing You really have gone to so much trouble! 10 I have thought that it was rather difficult Correct any errors in these sentences Som e sentences are correct Surely you mustnt have forgotten already! Even Paul couldn t have foreseen what was coming next Frances might not have understood what you said It was funny that she should have remembered me Harry may have won the match with a bit more effort You must have told me you had already eaten Look, there’s £30 in my wallet I shouldnt have gone to the bank after all You mustnt have been so unkind! I couldn t have managed without you 10 I have no idea who it was, but I suppose it would have been Ann Comple te each sentence with a modal verb Som e are negative Pay no attention to what Jim said H e been serious Fancy borrowing all my clothes like that! Y ou asked me first! The exam wasn t a problem at all In fact, i t .been easier! We should cali Jack again, to be sure H e heard the phone the first time Phew, that was a lucky escape! W e killed! Hello, I’m home early I .stay late at work after all Thanks a lot! You told me that the meeting had been cancelled! Ann didnt get home until 4.30 this morning That party been good! This bus is taking ages W e taken the metro, after all 10 There were plenty of spare seats on the train W e booked in advance after all 76 GRAMMAR 10 M ODALS: PAST Underline the most suitable adverb in each sentence 10 Someone obyiously/currently/fortunately must have picked it up by mistake He could really/cheerfully/easily have stolen the painting without anyone knowing I may surely/well/clearly have made a mistake You really/dearly/needlessly shouldn t have spent so much on my present Bill rarely/simply/certainly wouldnt listen to anything we said I co u ld ń t just/yet/already have left without saying a word Certainly/Rarely/Surely you cant seriously believe that I am guilty! I opened the window, I greatly/surely/simply had to get some fresh air I still/unfortunately/surely couldn t have come to your party How dangerous! You could still/strongly/well have been injured! Com ple te the text by writing a verb from the box in each space might have found would have meant must be cant have been might havc hcard should have resigned might have known must have thought neednt have worried would have had G D C D (^ (S )-[C To Katie From: Tina Hi Katie, Just a quicl< update on my latest news As you (1) from Paula, I w on't be go ing to Australia after all Basically, it ( ) taking two months off, and l'm not sure whether I ( ) a job when I came back I really like my job at the hospital here, so i decided to play it safe M aybe I ( ) from the job and hoped for the best After all, perhaps I ( ) a really great job out there, or met the man of my dreamsl Do you think I did the right thing? I kept changing my mind right up to the last minut Bill and Sue in Sydney ( ) I was really annoying I thought they'd never speak to me again, but I ( ) I go t a cali from them last w eek, and they were very sympathetic Paula told me you've decided to go back to university to study law - that ( ) an easy decisioni You ( ) the world's coolestlooking lawyer! So no more w orking in the Insurance company? I ( ) you'd find it a bit duli! Good for you Keep in touch, Love, Tina SEE ALSO Grammar 8: Unreal time Grammar 9: Modals: present and futur Consolidation 3: Units 9-12 77 ... s it a t homeand watch the race on telewsion Some of the other runners ( ) be a bit mad too - ( - ) be the only duck to be narrowly beaten in a race by three gorillas In biklnls I ( ) m... world! ^ SEE ALSO Grammar 6: Passive Grammar 7; Conditionals Grammar 10: Modals: past Grammar 12: Emphasis 71 10 GRA M MAR Modals: past H a dto Had to is the past form of must and refers to a past... you Keep in touch, Love, Tina SEE ALSO Grammar 8: Unreal time Grammar 9: Modals: present and futur Consolidation 3: Units 9-1 2 77