Grammar exercise

CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE MODAL

SOLUCIÓN
Grammar exercises
CORRECT THE ERRORS IN THESE SENTENCES (Errors can be
related to the modal forms or uses)
SOLUCIÓN

a) débese cambiar “should” por “must” (= conclusión lóxica)

b) débese cambiar “may” por “could” (= posibilidade no pasado quenon se cumpriu)
c) a forma correcta é “had better”
d) a forma correcta é “would rather”
e) débese cambiar “must” por “ought to” (= debería)
f) a forma correcta é “ought to”
g) débese cambiar “should” por “must” (= certeza no pasado)
h) a forma correcta é “might have written”
i) débese cambiar “should” por “must” (= certeza no pasado)
j) a forma correcta é “had better take”
k) a forma correcta é “would rather keep” (por lóxica non pode ser negativa)
 SUMMARY OF MODAL VERBS
OBLIGATION
Modal Use Example
Must To talk about an obligation You must take this medicine.
Have to I have to do it right now.

LACK OF OBLIGATION
Modal Use Example
Needn’t To say there is no obligation to You needn’t pay for it. It is free.
Not have to do something You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.

PROHIBITION
Modal Use Example
Musn’t To talk about prohibition You mustn’t speak during the exam

ADVICE
Modal Use Example
Ought to To give advice You ought to wear lighter colours.
Should He shouldn’t worry so much.

CERTAINTY
Modal Use Example
Must To say we are sure something is true She must be his daughter.
Must have To say we are sure something was He must have forgotten his keys.
true in the past

ABILITY
Modal Use Example
Can To talk about ability in the present I can drive a car.
Will be able to To talk about ability in the future We won’t be able to go on holiday
until next month
Could To talk about ability in the past Jane could swim at four.

POSSIBILITY
Modal Use Example
May To say something is possible in the You may be right.
Might present or future He might not have seen you
Could They could be here next week.
Can Dancing can be very healthy.
May have To say something was possible in the She may have forgotten.
Might have past You might have been there.
Could have The noise could have been a thunder.
Could have To refer to a past possibility that They could have crashed but they
didn’t happen didn’t
Can’t To say something is impossible It can’t be his car. He has no car.
 A. Choose the correct answer:

1. Phone her now. She ____ home by now. (certainty)

a. has to be
b. must be
c. would be

2. Already as a child Mozart ___ play the piano beautifully. (ability)

a. might
b. could
c. should

3. You ___ eat so much chocolate. It’s not good for you. (advice)
a. don’t have to
b. mustn’t
c. shouldn’t

4. You can come to the meeting if you want but you ____. (no obligation)
a. have to
b. don’t have to
c. mustn’t

5. Jack ___ go to hospital yesterday. (obligation)

a. must
b. had to
c. need

B. Complete the sentences using NOT HAVE TO(= needn’t) or MUSTN’T:

1. You ______________ make so much noise. The neighbours will complain!

2. You _______________ smoke in the cinema. It’s banned.
3. You _______________ eat the cake if you don’t want to. There are many other
things.
4. It’s the summer holidays. I ______________ worry about school any more.
5. You ________________ wash the lettuce. It has already been washed.
SOLUCIÓNS

A. Choose the correct answer

1. b 2. b 3. c 4. b 5. b

B. Complete the sentences using NOT HAVE TO(= needn’t) or MUSTN’T

1. mustn’t 2. mustn’t 3. don’t have to
4. needn’t 5. needn’t/don’t have to
Giving advice exercise
Read this family 's complaints and give advice to each one
about what to do. Choose among these pieces of advice

SOLUCIÓN
 Idioms

Un "idiom" ou frase idiomática é un grupo de palabras que adquire un significado

especial e diferente do que terían cada unha das palabras que o
constitúen por separado.

Existen moitas frases idiomáticas en inglés. Estes son algúns exemplos:

To have a heart of gold = ter un corazón de ouro

She 's always helping people. She has a heart of gold
To be water under the bridge = ser auga pasada
I 've already forgotten her love. It is water under the bridge.
To smell a rat = ulir mal un asunto, algo turbio
I smell a rat in this case. I think it was a murder.

EXERCISE 1
EXERCISE 2
SOLUCIÓN EXERCISE 1

SOLUCIÓN EXERCISE 2

a) over the moon

b) got out of bed on the wrong side
c) has a bee in one’s bonnet
d) kicks the bucket
e) give …. the sack
f) spill the beans
g) to learn …. by heart
h) give … the elbow
i) opened our eyes
j) is a storm in a teacup
k) with his tail between his legs
Idioms exercise
Trata de adiviñar o significado dos seguintes “idioms”:

a) Don't Look A Gift Horse In The 1.To hope that something happens the way
Mouth you want it to.

b) Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining 2. Tapping on wood in order to avoid some
bad luck.
c) Hit The Books
3. A very loud and noisy rain storm.
4. Something that will never ever happen.
d) Raining Cats and Dogs
5. After no success the first two times, the
e) Saved By The Bell third try is a lucky one.

f) When Pigs Fly 6. Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead

to better days.
g) Third times a charm
7. To study, especially for a test or exam.
h) Knock On Wood 8. When someone gives you a gift, don't be
ungrateful.
i) Cross Your Fingers
9. A visual presentation is far more
j) A Picture Paints a Thousand descriptive than words.
Words
10. Saved at the last possible moment.
2.-

SOLUCIÓN
a) 8 b) 6 c) 7 d) 3 e) 10 f) 4 g) 5 h) 2 i) 1 j) 9
1.- Match the words of the two blocks to form compound nouns

2.- Match the words of the two blocks to form compound adjectives
3.- Now match some of the compounds you have got with their
definitions
SOLUCIÓNS

EXERCISE 1

a) landlord: patrón, caseiro, o que aluga a casa

b) database: base de datos
c) headmaster: director
d) breakdown: avaría
e) pedestrian crossing: paso de cebra
f) drawback: desvantaxe, inconveniente
g) greenhouse: invernadoiro
h) meeting point: punto de encontro
i) petrol station: gasolineira
j) apple pie: pastel de mazán
k) tennis court: pista de tenis

EXERCISE 2

a) water-proof: impermeable
b) bad-tempered: malhumorado, de mal xenio
c) easy-going: de trato fácil
d) red-haired: pelirroxo
e) good-looking: atractivo, guapo
f) short-sighted: corto de vista
g) open-minded: sen prexuizos
h) first-class: de primeira clase
i) broad-shouldered: de ombreiros anchos

EXERCISE 3

a) easy-going
b) petrol station
c) good-looking
d) greenhouse
e) drawback
f) bad-tempered
g) landlord
h) short-sighted
Compound nouns exercise
1.- Match the beginnings with the endings

1. The police officer made him pay a. a hundred-question test.

2. Mary's husband bought her b. a two-way street.
3. Her brother married c. a three-carat diamond ring.
4. The teacher set up d. a terrible twenty-second TV
5. He lent me commercial.
6. The secretary typed e. a twenty-year-old girl.
7. Watch out! This is f. a hundred-dollar fine.
8. They are showing g. a five-dollar bill.
h. a ten-page report yesterday.

2.- Choose words from each column to form compound

nouns

Museum Shop racket entry

Winter ticket
Beach hall
City Gold Tennis festival
Car window
Bus bar ring
Boxing park gloves
Solución 1
1-f
2-c
3-e
4-a
5-g
6-h
7-b
8-d

Solución 2
Museum entry
Shop window
Beach bar
City hall
Winter festival
Gold ring
Tennis racket
Car park
Bus ticket
Boxing gloves