practical way: be able to fill in forms, choose
the correct solution in a multiple choice,
ENGLISH (module 3 + 4) decide whether a sentence is grammatically
correct (in a true or false exercise), be able to
Grammar order words applying neutral word order,
choose the correct form from a list etc.
Chapter 2. Modal auxiliaries (p. 41-55)
The modal verbs are:
- Can (No) necessity
- Could The right things to do
- Must Permission
- Should Certainty
- Ought Possibility
- May Impossibility
- Might Probability
- Will Ability
- Would Hypothesis
- Shall Past habits
Excercise 1: ‘Must’ and ‘have to’. Complete the conversation. Put
in must, have to, has to or having to. You will need to use some of
them more than once.
Anna: This novel is really good.
Jake: What is it? A Suitable Boy – it looks very long. What’s it about?
Anna: It’s about an Indian girl, a student called Lata. Her mother says she
has to get married, so they have to find someone suitable.
Jake: It doesn’t sound exciting.
Anna: Oh, it’s good. You must read it. There are a lot of characters. I can’t
explain it all. You’ll have to find out for yourself.
Jake: I had to study novels when I did my English exam. I don’t like having
to analyse them. I just want to enjoy reading them.
Anna: You’ll enjoy this. You can have it when I’ve finished.
Jake: I’ll have to wait a long time then. You’ve got another 500 pages to
go.
Anna: I must hurry up and finish it. I want to know who Lata marries in the
end.
Exercise 2: Have to. Use a form of have to so as to complete the
sentences.
Example: Students can get advice from the Careers Office any time. They
can call in without making an appointment. They don’t have to make an
appointment.
1. Matthew failed his exam. He wants to get the qualification, but this
means retaking the exam. He has to retake the exam.
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, 2. I usually get up early because I live a long way from work. But
fortunately tomorrow is a public holiday. I don’t have to get up early
tomorrow.
3. Sophie’s garage has an automatic door. She can open it without
getting out of the car. She doesn’t have to get out of the car.
4. You and your friends want to watch a TV show at a studio. You can
only do this if you book tickets in advance. We have to book tickets
in advance.
5. Ed hates painting. He’s having some new plastic windows put in.
They don’t need painting. In future he won’t have to paint his
windows.
Exercise 3: ‘Needn’t’, ‘don’t have to’ and ‘mustn’t’. Put these
sentences in the right place.
We mustn’t stop here. You needn’t stay any longer.
We don’t need to stop here. He mustn’t clean it.
We mustn’t ring her now. He doesn’t have to clean it.
We don’t need to ring her now. You mustn’t shout.
You mustn’t stay any longer. You needn’t shout.
Example: There’ll be trouble if someone finds you here. You mustn’t
stay any longer.
1) I can hear you quite clearly. You needn’t shout.
2) Tom’s flat looks perfectly clean. He doesn’t have to clean it.
3) Emma is expecting an important call about now. We mustn’t ring her
now.
4) There’s another garage a few miles further on. We don’t need to
stop here.
5) If Tom tries to clean the picture, he’ll damage it. He mustn’t clean it.
6) This place isn’t safe. We mustn’t stop here.
7) You can go home if you like. You needn’t stay any longer.
8) I told Emma I’d ring her some time in the next few days. We don’t
need to ring her now.
9) You’ll disturb everyone. You mustn’t shout.
Exercise 4: ‘Needn’t have + PP’ and ‘didn’t need to + inf’.
Complete the sentences using the forms mentioned in the title
together with one of these verbs: buy, do, put, take, wait, water.
Example: I’ve already had a hot meal today. You needn’t have cooked
anything for me.
1. The car was all right, so fortunately the garage didn’t need to do any
repairs.
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, 2. The postman came and collected all the parcels, so we didn’t need
to take them to the post office.
3. It’s been raining all night. Louise needn’t have watered the garden
yesterday.
4. I thought someone might want a cool drink, but no one did. I needn’t
have put this bottle in the fridge.
5. The sales assistant kindly pointed out that the clock already had a
battery in it, so I needn’t have bought one separately.
6. Alan was able to see the doctor right away. He didn’t need to wait
long.
Exercise 5: ‘Should’ and ‘ought to’. Comment on these situations
using the modal verbs in brackets.
Example: Angela isn’t very well, but she doesn’t take her medicine. She
just pours it down the sink. (ought, should) She ought to take her
medicine. She shouldn’t pour it down the sink.
1. Simon promised to help, but now he’s sunbathing. He isn’t helping.
(should, should) He should help. He shouldn’t be sunbathing.
2. Louise lent Gemma a book. Gemma found a £20 note in the book,
and she kept it. She didn’t give it back to Louise. (should, ought) She
should give the £20 note back to Louise. She ought to be honest.
3. Paul has got exams next week, and he hasn’t done any work for
them. And now he’s chatting to his friends. He isn’t studying.
(should, should) He should study for his exams. He shouldn’t be
chatting to his friends.
4. Karen has to decide about her career soon. She never makes her
mind up. She puts off the decision. (ought, should) She ought to
make up her mind. She shouldn’t put off the decision.
Exercise 6: Expressing permission. Write a sentence for each
situation. Use can, could or may.
1. Ask someone’s permission to look at his/her magazine. Could I
look at your magazine?
2. Say that you have permission to take photos because you are a
professional photographer. I may take photos because I’m a
professional photographer.
3. Tell someone it is OK for them to watch TV in your room if they want
to. You can watch TV in my room if you want to.
4. Ask to borrow someone’s bicycle. Could I borrow your bicycle?
5. Refuse someone permission to use the computer just now. You are
using it yourself. Sorry, you can’t use the computer right now. I’m
using it.
Exercise 7: ‘May’, ‘might’, ‘can’ and ‘could’.
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