GRAMMAR UNIT 7

Modal verbs: ability, permission, advice and obligation

1 Complete the sentences with the modal verbs in the box.

• can • can’t • could • couldn’t • may • will be able to

1 He’s not coming rafting because he swim.

2 I wanted to watch a fi lm, but I make the DVD player work.

3 I play guitar, but not well enough to play in your band.

4 Wendy relax as soon as her exams finish next week.

5 Oliver solve difficult maths problems when he was really young.

6 I use your phone, please?

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the modal verbs in brackets.

1 Sssh, stop talking! You (must) make noise.

2 If you feel bad, you (should) lie down and take a rest.

3 He can go home now. He (have to) stay here.

4 If I cook, then Caroline (have to) do the washing-up.

5 You (must) stop spending the whole day on the internet. It’s not healthy!

6 She (need to) do something with her hair – it looks terrible!

7 You (need) come with us if you don’t want to.

8 Sebastian (ought to) register with a social networking site.

3 Choose the correct option to complete the text.

If you’re going camping in the mountains, you 1may / must make some preparations. First, you 2should / needn’t think

about yourself: are you fi t enough? Go for a walk with your rucksack on your back. If it’s too heavy for you on fl at land,

you 3don’t have to / mustn’t try to carry it up a mountain! But if you’re young and healthy, you’re probably fi t enough.

Take a light tent and a sleeping bag, but remember that the sleeping bag 4shouldn’t / needs to be warm enough for

mountain nights. You’ll 5must / have to carry a map and a compass and some cooking equipment, too. And it’s not a

bad idea to carry a whistle. If you get lost, you will 6be able to / can make a loud noise so that people can fi nd you.

Finally, you 7can’t / must always have enough water. Last year, I 8had to / must come back down a mountain late one

evening because I didn’t have water for the next morning!

Modal verbs: possibility and certainty

4 Order the words to write the answers.

1 Where’s Fiona?

She / in / kitchen / be / might / the / .

2 Why is the baby so quiet?

asleep / be / He / must / .

3 What’s that noise?

It / someone’s / could / mobile / be / phone / .

4 How much do you think that costs?

can’t / very / It / expensive / be / .

5 He learned to speak Indonesian in just one year!

a / be / language / can’t / It / diffi cult / very / .

Modal verbs with the perfect infi nitive

5 Write the answers using the prompts.

1 How did he earn so much money?

He / must / get / good job.

2 Where did she meet her boyfriend?

They / might / meet / on holiday.

3 Why do you think he’s so tired?

He / can’t / sleep / much.

4 Do you think I bought the right shirt?

No. / You / should / buy / the green one.

5 He doesn’t look very happy, does he?

He / shouldn’t / split up / his girlfriend.