Module 6c

Modal verbs

Ability: can/can’t (at present) - could/couldn’t (in past)

(be)/ (be not) able to (present & past)
will be able to/won’t be able to (future)

Ex: When I was young I couldn’t face a crowd.

=
When I was young, I wasn’t able to face a crowd.

Possibility: can - may - might

Ex: I’m not sure. She may/might go to the gymnastics club.
Ex: This may/might be difficult for him.
The family can't decide where to go on vacation. They may go to
Los Angeles or they might go to Hawaii.

Impossibility: can’t
Ex: He is in London now. He can’t be in today’s party.

Advice: should/shouldn’t - ought to/ ought not to

Ex: Maya ought to help out her colleagues.
=
Maya should help out her colleagues.

Prohibition: mustn’t - (be) not allowed to

Ex: They are not allowed to play outside.
Obligation (necessity): must - have to/has to- it’s necessary for sb to -
need to (at present)
will have to - it’ll be necessary for sb to (in future)
must have p.p - had to - it was necessary for sb to (in past)

Unnecessity: needn’t - don’t/doesn’t have to - don’t/doesn’t need to -

it’s not necessary for sb to (at present)
won’t have to - it won’t be necessary for sb to (in future)
didn’t have to - it wasn’t necessary for sb to (in past)

Offering: Would you like ……?

Taking permission (requesting): Can I …? - May I …? - Could I ….? - Can

I …?

Suggestion: We can ……. / Let’s ……. / Shall we ……?

Deduction:

A) present assurance: must be

past assurance: must have + p.p

B) present possibility: may be/might be/could be

Past possibility: may/might have + p.p

C) Present impossibility: can’t be

Past impossibility: can’t have + p.p

Ex:
- Ali lives in a villa. He must be rich.
- Ali lives in a villa. He can’t be poor.
- He can hardly walk. He must be ill.
- Nada might go shopping today. I’m not sure.
- That can’t be Danny. He said he was going abroad this week.
-Put the following modal verbs in their right place:

[can - couldn't - have to - might - must - ought to - shouldn't - was able to]
1. It's very cold today. Do you think it ............. snow later?

2. You ............ leave your door unlocked when you go out.

3. They ............. have filled the car with petrol before they set off.

4. My motorbike broke down in the middle of nowhere, but luckily

I ............ fix it.

5. Mum says we ………… watch TV after we've finished our

homework.

6. You don't ………… pick me up at the station. I can get a taxi.

7. This is impossible, it ………… be a mistake!

8. Jim ………… have seen me because he walked past without saying

'Hello'.

Choose the correct answer:

1. It's a great town. You ……... visit it someday.

a. could b.might c. should d. can

2. If she wants to buy an apartment, she …..….. consult a good real

estate agent.

a. has to b. should c. may d. could

3. Children ………. eat too much chocolate.

a. must not b. may not c. could not d. cannot

4. He ……….. be punished for his terrible attitude to people.

a. might b. ought to c. can’t d. would

5. I ….…….. write an article on English grammar tonight, but I have a

bad headache. I think I'll go for a walk instead.

a. have to b. may c. should d. will

6. I ………… harder for the exam. It was very difficult, and I didn't pass it.

a. should study b. had to study

c. should have studied d. can’t have studied

7. They ……… invited that guy to the party. He got drunk and started a
fight.

a. can’t have b. shouldn't have c. couldn't have

d. wouldn't have

8. Maria ………. type 80 words per minute.

a. may b. can c. will d. has to

9. Ella ………. speak French and German.

a. may b. would c. could d. has to

10. Tom's teacher says that he ………. play the violin pretty well in half a
year.

a. can b. could c. will be able to d. will have to

11. I ………… meet him at the airport tomorrow. I’m his only relative.

a. can b. could c. ought to d. would

12. I'm sure that Nina …….….. explain everything when she returns.

a. can’t b. could c. will be able to d. would have

13. My dog ……….. very high when he was younger.

a. could jump b. could have jumped

c. might be able to jump d. might have been able to jump

14. One of the boys …………. get out of the cave. He ran to the village
for help.

a. can b. might c. was able to d. had to

15. I wanted to talk to Jim yesterday, but I ………. find him.

a. couldn't b. wouldn't c. might not d. didn’t have to

16. Anyone ……….. make a mistake.

a. may b. can’t c. must d. is able to

17. She ……….. have to sell her car and other belongings to pay her
debts.
a. must b. will c. should d. would

18. Where is Anna? – I don't know. She …………. be at the swimming

pool or in the park.

a. could b. has to c. must d. should

19. It ……… be as easy as you think.

a. ought not to b. couldn't c. must not d. might not

20. He said that he ………. go to Italy in June or July.

a. had to b. might c. should d. would

21. Don't ring the doorbell when you get there. Maria's little
baby ……….. sleeping.

a. may be b. may not be c. must be d. should be

22. How did the robbers get in? – We don't know yet. The old
woman …………. to lock the door.

a. could forget b. might forget

c. might have forgotten d. must have forgotten

23. I called her but there was no answer. She ………… left for New York
already.

a. has probably b. may have c. must have d. should have

Re-write:
- It’s possible that Shahd went to the gymnastics club. (might)
….…………………………………………………………………..
- I’m sure. She works as a doctor. (must)
….…………………………………………………………………..

- I couldn’t find Charlie. It’s possible he was lost. (might)

….…………………………………………………………………..

- I can’t believe this. It can’t be true. (must)

….…………………………………………………………………..

- It’s certain that Mary didn’t notice the traffic lights. (can’t)
….…………………………………………………………………..

1. I (may/can)arrange the flowers for the bouquet.

2. (May/Should)I borrow this pen from you?
3. The teacher (might/can) ask you to bring the homework.
4. According to the weather forecast, it (may/ought not to) snow
heavily tomorrow.
5. Rana hasn’t studied well. She (might/should) fail her exam.
6. You (may/must) follow the traffic rules.
7. It (should/must) be difficult to live amidst war.
8. My mother (will/may) scold me if I don’t go back on time.
9. We (ought to/ could) take care of our parents.
10. I (shall/can) visit the local grocery store soon.
11.You (should/ought) be punctual.
12. (Could/Might) you show me the road to the market?
13. The child (must/might) be taken to hospital immediately.
14. (Shall/Will) you have hot chocolate?
15. My teacher (can/must) speak four languages.
16. (May/should) I use your mobile to call my mother?
17. You (must/could) not speak loudly in the hospital.
18. I (could/must) use a little help in packing all these clothes.
19. Madam (could/may) you repeat what you said?
 20. I (can/might) not be able to make it tonight.
21. Sheldon (ought to/must) study more if he wants to pass the test.
22. (Can/May) you come to the prom with me?
23. My parents (will/ought to) arrive soon.
24. Leonard (can/may) easily solve the problem.
25. It (might/should) rain tomorrow.

Write [must - might - can’t]

- I'm leaving work now but I ………. be a little late if there's traffic on the
road.

- Of course John isn't here today. He was ill yesterday. He ………. must be
at the doctor’s office.

- You ………. possibly be tired. You've just woken up.

- You ………. know Peter because he went to the same school that we
went to but he is a few years younger than we are.

- I'm sorry, you ………. be confusing me with someone else, that's not my
name.
 Articles

a/an Undefined singular countable nouns

** Singular nouns and the first time we refer to

Ex: There is a lamp in my bedroom. (we mention the lamp for the first
time)

A + consonant letter / An + vowel letter

the it makes the noun defined (singular or plural)

We use “the” with:

1. A singular or plural noun when it is clear which person or thing we
are talking about.
Ex: The lamp is next to the desk. (we mention it for the second time)

2. Anything which we identify immediately.

We watched the new Brad Pitt movie last night.

3. Musical instruments and inventions (the violin, the guitar, the drums,
the flute, the piccolo, the computer, the television, the mobile phone,
the internet etc.).
Ex: She plays the piano.
NB: My dad bought me a computer yesterday. (Because he didn’t buy
me the invention itself)

4. Something that is unique or there is only one.

Ex: the sun - The moon - The Red Sea - .

5. Names of rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges and deserts (always

in capitals).
Ex: The Mississippi River - The Black Sea - The Andes - The Sahara
Desert - The Red Sea

6. Directions.
Ex: The west - The south-east - The north - The west.
no article already defined nouns don’t need article

We use no article with:

1. Refering to general ideas, plurals or uncountable nouns we do not

use THE.

2. Names of people, books, plays and planets.

Ex: I have read Romeo and Juliet.
Ex: Mars - Jupiter - Saturn

3. Towns, cities, states and countries.

Ex: Egypt - Russia - Morocco – Vietnam – Japan – Africa - Asia
(Exceptions – The USA, The UK, The AUE).

4. Sports or games
Ex: soccer - football - tennis - skiing - monopoly - hide and seek

5. Meals
Ex: breakfast - lunch - dinner - supper

Put {a - an - the - no article}

1. Are you coming to ………. party next Saturday?

2. I bought ………. new TV set yesterday.

3. I think ………. man over there is very ill. He can't stand on his feet.

4. I watched ………. video you had sent me.

5. She was wearing ………. ugly dress when she met him.

6. I am crazy about reading ………. history books.

7. She is ………. nice girl.

8. Do you want to go to ………. restaurant where we first met?

9. He is ………. engineer.

10. He thinks that ………. love is what will save us all.

11. Mum, where is ………. dog? I want to take it to ………. park.

12. I like ………. cake, but I don't like ………. cake you make.

13. It's obvious that ………. students should listen to their teacher, but
the students in my class never listen.

14. Can you pick up the kids today? I'm going to be at ………. work until
late.

15. A: Have you tried ………. tea Tim brought? B: No, I never drink ……….
tea.

16. A: He's ………. fan of Manchester United. B: I don't understand how

he can like ………. football so much.

17. My favorite day is ………. Friday, and 2010 was my favorite year.

18. I don't like ………. French. Well, I don't like ………. languages in
general.

19. We are going to fly from ………. USA to ………. Cairo.

20. I saw ……….. mobile phone and I plan to buy it.

Choose the correct answer:

1) Yesterday I bought ….. book and some flowers for Linda, but I lost …..
book on my way home.
a. a / the
b. no article / the
c. the / a
2) A: I need …… knife, can you give me one? B: You can use ….. knife on
the kitchen top.
a. no article / the
b. the / no article
c. a / the

3) We wanted to watch ….. TV, but there wasn't one in the apartment,
so we just listened to ….. radio.
a. the / the
b. a / the
c. no article / the

4) Can you turn off ….. light and close …… door, please?
a. the / the
b. a / the
c. the / a

5) I still need ……. pen, because …… pen you lent me doesn't work.
a. a / the
b. the / the
c. no article / the