Lesson 3
Modal Verbs
There are ten modal verbs:can couldshall should
may mightwill would
must ought to
•The third person singular does not take s.
•We use a bare infinitive (a verb without to) after all modal verbs
• except ought which we follow with a to-infinitive:
You should go home early. You ought to go home early.
•We form questions by inverting the modal verb and subject:
Can you swim? Must I go to bed now?
•We form negatives by adding not or n't. We do not use do:
I cannot swim. You mustn't tell lies.
•We often use modal verbs in tag questions and short answers:
You can drive, can't you? Yes, I can. /No, I can't. / Modals do not exist in all tenses. There isnormally no Past Simple form:
The train might be in the station. (= present) The train might arrive late. (= future)
•There are Perfect forms of modal verbs: You could have done better.
•When a tense of a modal verb does notexist, we use another verb with the same meaning:
I was able to buy a ticket with my credit card.
Ihad to help my father yesterday.
•We cannot use one modal verb after another:
/ She must be able to do it.
You will be able to go.
•Don't have tois the opposite of must: You don't have to be a member.
Remember!
mustn’t – нельзя
don’t have to – недолжен
Obligation and necessity
Here are common uses of modals for obligation and necessity (ordinary verbs are in brackets):
Verb / Meaning/Use / Example (Present) / Example (Past)must / obligation / You must eat less. / You should have eaten less.
(have to) / I must do some work. / Ihad to do some work.
should / You mustn't smoke. / You shouldn't have smoked.
ought to / I have to return the book now. / I had to return the book immediately.
You should wear a seatbelt. / You should have worn a seatbelt.
He ought to apologise. / He ought to have apologised.
donot have to / no obligation / We don't have to wear a tie. / We didn't have to wear a tie.
must / necessity / They must have clean water. / They had to have clean water.
(have (got) to) / We have to get some sleep. / We had to get some sleep.
I've got to find a job. / I had to find a job. *
( need) / I need new glasses. / I needed new glasses.
(need to) / We need to book in advance. / We needed to book in advance.
{don't have to) / no necessity / We don't have to wear a tie. / We didn't have to wear a tie.
(needn't) / We needn't book in advance. / We needn't have booked in advance.
(don't need to) / We don't need to book in advance / We didn't need to book in advance.
Must and have to / need and need to
Must is often personal and expresses someone's opinion. Have to often refers to laws and regulations:
Youmust get your hair cut.(= I think it's a good idea)
Youhave to wear a uniform. (= It's a regulation) Youmustn't tell lies. (= It's necessary that you DO NOT lie)
Youdon't have to lie. (= It's NOT necessary for you to lie)
•Unlike must, have to exists in all forms so we can use it wherever must is not possible: She's having to travel by bus instead. / We can use need as if it is a modal verb: Nooneneed feel left out.
•We normally use need with a to-infinitive. It means the same as have to:
Weneed to get some sleep.
•Need is nearly always negative. Notneed tois also possible:
Youneedn'tgo. {= modal pattern)
Youdon't need to go. (= normal negative patternwith don't)
Ability and permission
Here are common uses of modals for ability and permission (ordinary verbs are in brackets):
Verb Meaning/use Example (Present) Example (Past)
can(be able to) / ability / She canplay the piano.
We canbuy a new house now. I cansmell something burning! She's able to play the piano whenever she wants to. / She could play the piano from theage of five. We were able to buy a new house. I could smell something burning. She was able to play the piano
whenever she wanted to.
cannot /can't (not be able to) / no ability / She can'tplay the piano today. She isn't able toplay the piano because her hand hurts. / She couldn'tplay the piano yesterday. She wasn't able toplay the piano because her hand hurt.
can may
(be allowed to) / permission / You canpark here. Visitors mayuse the car park. Visitors are allowed touse the car park. / We couldpark there. Visitors coulduse the car park. Visitors were allowed touse the car park.
cannot /can't may not
(not be allowed to) / prohibition / You can'tpark here.
Visitors may notuse the car park.
Visitors are not allowed touse the car park. / We couldn'tpark there.
Visitors could notuse the car park.
Visitors were not allowed touse thecar park.
be able to / could
We use be able to for particular instances, and it often suggests 'managing to overcome difficulties':
She was able toswim across the river although it was very wide.
We were able to pay although we were poor.
•We also use be able to for things which a person will be capable of doing in the future but not now:
If she practices, she'll be able to play Chopin. / Could does not always have a past meaning: You canvisit the museum. (= now or in future) You couldvisit the museum. (= now or in future)
It canbe very cold at night. (= generally speaking)
It couldbe very cold at night. (= generally speaking)
I. Underline the correct modal verb in these sentences:
1. When we were at school, we had to/ought to wear a uniform.
2. You don’t have to/mustn’t wear your seatbelt during the whole of the flight.
3. You should/have got to tell her that you are sorry.
4. You need/must be a member of the library before you can borrow the books.
5. I don’t need to/shouldn’t wear glasses because my eyesight is still very good.
6. We weren’t allowed to/ wouldn’t talk to our partner because it was an examination.
7. Weneedn’t have/couldn’t have ordered so much food as nobody was hungry.
8. She didn’t need/needn’t have to take any money because her friend was going to pay.
9. When I first came to Madrid I could/couldn’t speak only a few words of Spanish.
10. Did you have to/Must you have your hair cut before the interview last week?
II. Complete the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning as possible to the first sentence, using the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given:
Example: The teacher gave me the permission to leave the room. could
The teacher said I could leave the room.
1.In the end, I couldn’t make it to the party because I had too much work to do. able
In the end, I …… come to the party because I had too much work to do.
2. At school, she was the fastest runner in her class. could
At school, she …… than anyone else in her class.
3. Although I’m good at physics, I don’t think I’ll manage to pass the exam. able
In spite of being good at physics I don’t think ….. pass the exam.
4. We weren’t obliged to attend all the classes because some of them were optional. have
We ….. to all the classes because some of them were optional.
5. If I don’t find a job soon, I won’t be able to pay the bills. have
I need to pay the bills so ….. find a job soon.
6. “All telephone calls made from the office must be paid for”, said the manager. had
The manager told ….. for all telephone calls made from the office.
7. I took a lot of suntan lotion with me but I didn’t need it. taken
I ….. so much suntan lotion with me.
8. The traffic warden said we weren’t allowed to park the car outside the bank. could
The traffic warden told ….. park the car outside the bank.
9. I think you can manage without a pullover in this weather. need
You ….. wear a pullover in this weather.
10. Oxygen masks were essential when they reached the top of the mountain. had
They …. oxygen masks …. when they got to the top of the mountain.
Сertainty, probability and possibility
We use modal verbs to talk about certainty, probability and possibility. Here are examples:
Certainty: negative / Possibility / Probability / Certainty: positivePresent
She can'tbein France. / She may be in France. / She’ll be in France now. / She must bein France now.
She couldn'tbein France. / She could bein France. / She should /ought to bein France. / She must bein France.
(= It's impossible, e.g. I saw her a moment ago) / (= I'mnot sure) / (= She set off hours ago) / (= I'm certain)
Past
She can't have beenin
France. / She must have beenin
France.
She couldn't have beeninFrance.
We use will to express a strong probability that something is true, especially when we don't have actual evidence at that moment: That'll be Maria on the phone - she said she'd call.
' We use must to express complete certainty: That mustbe Maria on the phone - she's the only person with my new number.
•We can also use had to bemeaning 'must have been' to express certainty in the past:
She had to bethe person I saw on the train.
•We use can/could or will/ wouldto form questions:
Who canthat be on the phone?
Who would havephoned, so late? / •We can use modal verbs of possibility to refer to the past, present or future:
Don't drink it - it could/ may / mightbe
poisonous. (= present)
It can't be /could be / may be / might have been poisonous. (= past)
We may/ought to/might / shouldget a reply tomorrow. (= future)
It could / may / mightrain, so take an umbrella. (= future)
•There is sometimes a change in meaning: It may have/might haverained. (= I'm not sure)
It could haverained. (= but luckily it didn't)
Communicating
We also use modal verbs in the following situations:
making requests / Can I ask you to do me a favour?Could I ask you to do me a favour?
May I use your telephone? (= polite)
Would you do me a favour?
Would you help me carry these bags?
Will you please be quiet in here.
giving and refusing permission / “You can have the day off”, said the manager.
You can’t borrow my car now because I need it.
Could I leave the class early today?
You may register for the exam until the end of March.
asking for advice / Shall I take the exam now or wait till later?
Should I go by car or by train?
Would you accept the job if you were me?
giving advice / You should get your hair cut.
You should have had less to drink.
You ought to use a decent dictionary.
You ought to have revised a bit more.
making offers / Shall I help you clear the table?
Can I give you a hand with your luggage?
Would you like a lift to the airport?
making suggestions / Shall we open a window in here?
We can hire a video and stay in tonight if you like.
We could hire a video and stay in tonight.
(= less definite)
complaining / You could at least have asked me before taking the money.
You should make less noise while other people are asleep.
You shouldn’t have taken the car without asking me.
You ought to have turned up in time.
You might at least have helped with the washing up!
III. Underline the correct modal verb in these sentences:
1.She can/can’t be an Italian with a name like Smith!2. I may/can’t be able to come. 3. A: Someone’s at the door. – B: That can be/will be John. 4. You could have been /must have been crazy to do something as dangerous as that! 5. He can’t have been/may have been the murderer because he has an excellent alibi. 6. I might/can not be able to come so don’t wait for me. 7. It may/mast be cold tomorrow. 8. Who could have /should have done such a terrible thing? 9. He could/can be the one who started the fire but we’re not really sure.
IV. Match a first sentence (1-10) with a second sentence (a-j) to make short exchanges:
1'Shall we go to a Chinese restaurant this evening?'2'May I borrow your calculator for a moment?'
3'Would you help me get the dinner ready?'
4'You shouldn't get upset so easily.'
5'You ought to have gone to the doctor as soon as you felt bad.'
6'Do you think I should go and complain to the manager?'
7'I'm sorry but you can't hand in the assignment a month late.'
8'Could I have some time off to visit my friend in hospital?'
9'Can I get you anything from the shops?'
10 'You shouldn't have spoken like that to your mother.' / a 'Not really; I'll be popping out myself in a minute.'
b 'I'd rather stay at home.'
c 'Actually, it would be difficult to do
without you right now.'
d 'Could you give me another week then?'
e 'It's up to you really; it depends how
strongly you feel.'
f 'I'm sorry but I'm using it.'
g 'I've apologised; what else can I do?'
h 'Do I have to? I've got to do myhomework.'
i 'I can't help it; he really makes me furious.'
j 'I couldn't because there was no one totake me.'
V. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a plus(+). If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word. The first two have been given as examples.
0By the time you will get this letter I expect you will will
00have been in Calcutta for a week or so. You will +
1have been and able to settle in a bit and get used to the
2place. It must can have been an exhausting journey.
3It can't have been being much fun flying non-stop for nearly
4twenty-four hours. I must to say I admire your decision
5to go and work in Calcutta. I know the poverty is
6depressing but the job at least should to be quite worthwhile.
7I suppose your boss might have been sent you somewhere
8where there was war and famine so it could have been
9worse. And it really must have be a fascinating culture to explore -
10it must couldn't be more different from living in Manchester, I bet.
11I wonder if you could able do me favour? I've always wanted
12a genuine Indian sari - and it must be really easy to get
13hold of a good one there. I should have been given you the money
14before you left but I'll put it in your bank account if you like.
15I could and send you a cheque if you prefer but would you be able to cash it there? That's all for now.
VI. Complete the sentences using a suitable form of the word in brackets:
The Statue of Liberty is so closely identified with the United States that it is almost impossible to imagine the Lady standing (1. ANY)___ than on Liberty Island, with her gaze directed out over the Atlantic. But had historical events gone as Bartholdi originally planned, the colossal sculpture (2. HOLD) __not in New YorkHarbor but at the mouth of the Suez Canal. Bartholdi was a sculptor of limited talent but of grandiose vision and tireless energy. He(3. SEIZE) ___ with the ambition to createsome new colossus that would symbolize the values of his own time, just as the ancient monuments had personified the values of (4. THEY)____. When he first visited Egyptin 1856, talk of the grand engineering project at Suez was already in the air (excavations for the canal began three years later). In 1867, two years before the canal was opened, Bartholdi proposed to Ismail Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, that a lighthouse in the form of an Egyptian peasant — robed, female, and, like Liberty, carrying a torch — be constructed at the entrance to the canal. Bartholdi(5.WORK)____ for two years on the project, which hecalled Progress or Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia. He even attended the Suez Canal opening ceremonies and showed Ismail Pasha his plans. But to Bartholdi's disappointment, the Egyptian leader, (6.TROUBLE) ___ with a great amount of debt and other problems, had lost interest in the scheme. In 1865, however, it was proposed that
the people of France construct a monument in the United States that would celebrate American (7. DEPEND) ___ and the bonds between the two nations. Bartholdi turned with increased vigor to the idea of an American colossus. In 1871 hejourneyed to the United States(8. FIND) ____ a harbor for his statue. He was impressed with America but did not find everything to his liking.New York was the (9. NATION) ___ busiest portand largest city, and thus an obvious choice for Liberty. The sculptor selected for the site of his monument Bedloe's Island (renamed Liberty Island in 1956), which had a commanding view of the harbour. Plans for "Egypt" were reshaped to fit "Liberty," and in France fund-raising for the project began. The statue cost $250,000, (10. CONTRIBUTE)____ by the French people.
I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Let it bring you success and wonderful discoveries!
Raisa Vasilyevna
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