MODAL VERBS

1. Make polite requests in the following situations. Choose expressions from the list below.

Open the window Spell that

Say that again Get me an aspirin
Help me Speak a little louder
Lend me 10 Speak more slowly

a. Someone is speaking very fast.

Could you speak more slowly?

b. It is very hot.
c. You want to know how to write a word.
d. You cant hear very well.
e. Your homework is very difficult
f. You havent got money to buy a newspaper
g. You want someone to repeat something.
h. You have a headache.

2. Give advice to a friend of yours. Use should y ought to .

a. I dont understand English people (radio / films)

You should listen to the radio in English.

You ought to watch films in English.

b. My English vocabulary is very poor. (English books / English newspapers)

c. My pronunciation is terrible. (practise with cassettes / repeat the sounds)
d. I am not fluent in English ( English people / Spanish people in English)
e. I find English grammar difficult. (exercises / study harder)
f. I dont know how to say something in English. ( dictionary /use another expression)

3. Match the following dreams with their possible interpretation. Complete the blanks with
one of the expressions below.

I dreamt I was shouting loudly but nobody heard me

I was walking along a corridor and, suddenly, I couldnt move my feet

I was swimming and I felt very tired. Then I found a dolphin that took me to a wonderful
island.

I was climbing and I saw a work mate. I called her name but she looked back and kept
climbing
Perhaps it means that
It could mean that
It might mean that

a. you want to be free but you cant do whatever you want.

b. you think you should get some promotion at work but
someone is interfering.
c. you need more attention from people around you.
d. you are very happy because a friend has helped you a lot.

4. Completa las frases con may. might, must o cant

a. Look! Peter ------------ be at home. His car is here and the kitchen light is on.
Lets go.
b. This man ----------- be English. Hes got an American accent.
c. I ------------- go skiing this weekend, but I dont know yet.
d. Your friend --------------- be 25. She looks older. I think shes lying.
e. I havent seen Laura recently. She --------------- be on holiday or she
-------------- be ill.
f. Extraterrestrials --------------- exist. I dont believe in those things.

5. Say what these people should have done , and why, as in the example

a. Mr Steele went to Norway for his holiday. (Greece, warm)

He should have gone to Greece. Its warmer there.

b. Bruce bought a Ferrari. (Volkswagen, cheap)

c. Peter studied chemistry. (Information Technologies, interesting)
e. I asked Arthur for some money ( Mark, rich)
f. Mr Greames ate a rock cake . (doughnut, soft)

6. Answer these questions with MUST HAVE and the words in brackets.

a. Why is Johns car going again? (buy a new battery)

He must have bought a new battery.

b. Why is Jane walking to work? (miss the bus)

c. Why is there blood on your collar? (cut myself)
d. Why does Mr Steele look so angry? (have a bad day at the library)
e. Why is Mrs Newtons fridge full of cabbages? (grow them in her garden)
 7. Matching activity. Different meanings of MAY , SHOULD , MUST and WILL .

Match the sentences with their meanings below

a. It may rain tomorrow.

b. May I open the window?
c. The tour to the Tower of London should be leaving in a few minutes.
d. You should be careful when you go out at night.
e. You must be very tired after all that walking.
g. Visitors to the Tower must leave it before 6 p.m.
h. How long will the tour take?
i. Will you give this to Claire, please?

In which sentence above is the speaker

1. giving advice?
2. saying that something is necessary?
3. politely asking someone to do something?
4. asking someone for permission to do something?
5. asking a simple question about the future?
6. saying that perhaps something will happen?
7. saying that something will almost certainly happen, as long as
nothing unexpected prevents it?
8. expressing an opinion about something that the speaker is very sure about?

9. What would you say in the situations below? Use MAY , SHOULD, MUST or WILL.

a. Ask your boss for permission to leave the office early tomorrow.
b. Advice your friend to sturdy harder.
c. You are a doctor. Tell a patient it is absolutely necessary to take all the medicine.
d. Someone asks you the time. You havent got a watch but youre sure its ten
oclock.
e. Your phone is ringing. Youre busy. Ask a friend politely to answer it.
f. You are on a plane and want to know the arrival time in Paris. Ask the stewardess.
g. You are the stewardess. Say the plane will almost certainly arrive at 12.10 if nothing
goes wrong.

10.Which of these sentences can you rephrase using YOU MUSTNT ?

a. It isnt necessary for you to do this homework.

b. Its forbidden for you to park here.
c. You arent allowed to take guns with you on the plane.
d. Dont talk to each other during the exam.
e. It isnt necessary to leave a tip but you can if you want to.
f. Dont give anybody else this information!
g. Dont wait for me if you want to leave.
11. Rephrasing

a. The building looked dirty last year, but now it doesnt

It --------------
b. The plant will die if you dont water it regularly.

It -----------------
c. A man is sitting in a police car with handcuffs on.

He -------------------

12. Multiple choice. Choose the best answer.

1.. you open the window, please?

A May B Need C Shell D Will

2 I lock the door for you?

A Shall B Will C Ought D Need

3 I wish you .. make such a noise. Im trying to work.

A Shouldnt B Wouldnt C Couldnt D Neednt

4 I go now or Ill be late for dinner.

A May B Need C Ought D Must

5 You . worry about paying for the drinks - Ive already done it.
A Neednt B Darent C Cant D Might not

6 I like to apologize for not replying to your letter earlier.

A Could B Might C Would D Must

7 You blame yourself for the accident. It wasnt your fault.

A Darent B Mustnt C Wont D Oughtnt

8 This car is in terrible condition - you .. have an accident at any time.

A Should B Could C Would D Can

9 The government increase taxes soon

A May B Need C Ought D Dare

10 You .. be exhausted after such a long walk

A Can B Need C Must D Ought
13. Choose the correct verb form in these sentences.

1. You / should see / should have seen / his face when I told him.
2. When you visit Florence, you / ought to go / ought to have gone / to see the Uffizi
gallery.
3. You / shouldn't have taken / shouldn't take / my camera on holiday with you. I was
very angry.
4. It's a pity we didn't ask Kelly. We / should think / should have thought / of her earlier.
5. You /ought to write / ought to have written / a book about it soon.

14. Read this information. Then write an example for each line.

- She can ..... > ability

- We can .....> possibility
- He could ..... > possibility
- He can .....> permission
- Can you .....? > request
- My sister may .....> permission
- We may ..... > possibility
- It might ..... > possibility
- I shall ..... > intention
- Shall we .....? > suggestion
- They will ..... > insistence
- She must ..... > duty
- My father must .....> supposition
- She ought to .....> duty
- I ought to have ...... > duty and failure
- Michael should .....> desirable action
- He should have ..... > desirable action and failure
- He used to ..... > habitual past action
- We would ......> deliberate habitual past action.

15.Change the sentences so that you have a modal verb in the part underlined.

- We intend to take English lessons next year.

- They insisted on taking the dog with them.
- I suppose that Mr Brown is at home by now.
- It is our duty to do what our parents wish.
- They used to send my son a birthday present.
- They intend to go out for dinner to celebrate.
- My family used to go to that village on holiday.
- I insist on giving you a hand to finish that.
16. .Asking and refusing permission.

Eg: A: I'm hot. Do you mind if I turn off the heating?

B: Sorry, but the house plants need to be in a warm room.

Write more conversations like the one above. Use these expressions to ask for permission:
Can I ? --- May I ? --- Do you mind if ? --- Is it all right if ?
and answers like: Well, actually ... --- Sorry, but ...

1. A: I've missed the last bus home. Can I ..... ?

B: Sorry, .....
2. A: Oh! The news is on in a few minutes. ..... ?
B: Well, .....
3. A: Oh, dear. I haven't got any money. ..... ?
B: .....
4. A: I can't find a babysitter. ..... ?
B: .....
5. A: I need to wash my hands. ..... ?
B: .....

17. Situations to use modals.

SHALL I .....? Suggestions.

WILL YOU ..... ? COULD YOU ..... ? WOULD YOU ..... ? Requests.

Example: Shall I bring you some tea?.- Yes, please. // All right. // If you like.
No, thank you.

Here are some situations. Offer to do things in each case, using: Shall I .....?

-- You are in a class. It's hot and the windows are shut.
-- Your brother is having difficulty with his homework.
-- Your father feels thirsty.
-- You are going to London in your friend's car. He feels tired.
-- Your teacher is carrying an enormous pile of books.
-- Your mother is reading. It's getting dark.
-- It's lunchtime, but your mother doesn't feel well.
...........................................................................

Example: Will you \

Could you answer the phone, please?.- All right. // Of course. // Certainly
Would you / I'm afraid not.

Put yourself in the situations above and ask your friends to do something for you.
Eg: I'm thirsty. Would you bring me ..... ?
I'm having difficulty with my homework. Could you .....?
18. Probability

Put in will, might, can't, must.

1. Next Monday ..... be my birthday.

2. I ..... go to Spain next week, but I don't think it's very likely.
3. 'Isn't that Joan over there?'
'No, it ..... be her - Joan's much taller than that?
4. There's nobody at the door. Do you think it ..... be the postman?
5. ' I've been travelling since four o'clock.'
'You ..... be tired.'
6. We haven't made definite plans for out holiday yet. We ..... go to Greece or Italy, or
we ..... even stay at home.
7. This ..... be John's coat. There's a letter addressed to him in the pocket.
8. 'I'm getting married next week.'
'You ..... mean it!'
'I do.'

19. Drawing conclusions.

Drawing a conclusion about the present.

Use 'MUST' instead of 'PROBABLY' making the necessary changes

Eg.: She is probably ill. -----> She must be ill.

- These waiters probably serve a hundred meals a day.

- Alan is probably playing.
- They probably weigh more than two pounds.
- That territory is probably explored.
- She probably wonders at your way of speaking.

Drawing a conclusion about the past

Complete the sentences using must have or can't have and the verb in brackets.
Ex.: She didn't answer the door bell even though I rang several times.
She ..... (be) asleep. ---> She must have been asleep.

- I ..... (run out of ) petrol. I only filled up the tank this morning.
- I ' m sorry I ' m late. You ..... (wonder) what had happened.
- Cathy's got a new BMW! She ..... (win) a lottery.
- I ..... (lose) my glasses. They were here a minute ago.
- The flowers are beautiful! They ..... (cost) you a fortune.
- Alan ..... (get lost). I gave him the address and drew a map.
20. Speculate about the past.

Gerry is late for a business meeting. Speculate about what has happened to him using the notes
below.
Ex.: He may / might / could have got caught in a traffic jam.

get caught in a traffic jam car/break down

forget the day oversleep
have an accident

21. Giving instructions and advice

Read the following information about a man

Alec Slugg smokes 40 cigarettes a day. He gets up late every morning and drives to a caf in the
next street. He has a big breakfast and takes 3 spoons of sugar in his tea. Then he drives to the pub
and has 3 or 4 pints of beer before a big lunch. He never has any fruit after lunch because he
prefers to have a cake or sweets. The only exercise he gets is when he walks upstairs for his
afternoon sleep. Later, he has a few more pints of beer, cigarettes, and goes to sleep with all his
windows closed.
This morning his car broke down. When he tried to push it to a garage, he suddenly felt very ill.
He is going to see his doctor this afternoon.

Write down the instructions you think the doctor is going to give him.
Ex: Don't drive to the caf. Walk instead.

Use the imperative and should, shouldn't; ought to, oughtn't to.