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Modals of Deducation and Speculation

This document provides a grammar summary of modals used to express certainty, uncertainty, and impossibility in the present and past tense. It includes examples of modals like "must", "may", "might", "could", and "can't" followed by phrases. There are also exercises for students to complete sentences using these modals appropriately. The exercises focus on filling in gaps or rewriting sentences to practice using modals to speculate or deduce about past or present situations.

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arabin2007
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233 views2 pages

Modals of Deducation and Speculation

This document provides a grammar summary of modals used to express certainty, uncertainty, and impossibility in the present and past tense. It includes examples of modals like "must", "may", "might", "could", and "can't" followed by phrases. There are also exercises for students to complete sentences using these modals appropriately. The exercises focus on filling in gaps or rewriting sentences to practice using modals to speculate or deduce about past or present situations.

Uploaded by

arabin2007
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Worksheet: Modals of deduction and Speculation: Present

and Past
A. GRAMMAR SUMMARY:
Certainty in the present
 She lives in a mansion. She must be rich.
 He wants to jump off that cliff. He must be crazy.
 My friend Youssef passed his baccalaureate exam; he must be happy.
 Salma got married! You must be kidding. She said she would never get married.

Uncertainty in the present


 It may rain today. Look at the clouds.
 We may go to Europe next week. I am not sure.
 There could be a problem with the network. I can´t download the song.
 She might come late today. There is too much traffic.

Impossibility in the present


 She can’t be the new teacher; she is too young.
 He can’t be at school; its Sunday.
 She can’t be serious. Nobody will buy her apartment for that hefty price.
 He can’t be upset with me. I haven’t done anything to him.

Certainty in the past


 He is the best student in school. He must have passed the test.
 Mark must have been happy yesterday when he heard he had got the promotion.
 Someone must have stolen her phone. There is no other explanation.

Possibility in the past


 You could have left your phone in the car. Did you check there?
 The thieves might have come from the window. We are not sure.
 I can't reach her. She might have changed her number. It’s a possibility.

Impossibility in the past


 Aya can´t have arrived. She lives far away from the city.
 He can´t have passed the test. He didn’t revise his lessons.
 She can’t have lied to you. She is an honest person.

B. Rule:
Modals of the present:
 Must/ May/ might/ could/ can't + ………………
Modals of the past:
 Must/ May/ might/ could/ can't + ………………+…………………

Exercises
A. COMPLETE THE CONVERSATION WITH MUST, CAN'T, OR MIGHT.

Sandra: Good morning, Paul. Do you know where Dan is? I didn't see his car outside.
Paul: I'm not sure. He might be at a doctor's appointment.
Sandra: No, he ___________have a doctor's appointment today. I have all his
appointments in my calendar.
Paul: You're right. He___________ be taking the bus today. The buses are often late.
Sandra: Well, he___________ have a good reason. He's never late.
Paul: Wait! My phone's ringing. It___________ be Dan. Let me see....
No, it ___________ be Dan. It's not his number.
Sandra: Well, you should answer it! Dan___________ be calling from a different
phone if there's a problem.
A few minutes later
Paul: Yes. It was Dan. He ___________ be feeling pretty stressed. He ran out of gas and
had to ask a stranger to drive him to a gas station. But he left his cell phone in his car,
so he had to ask the stranger to use her phone.

B. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH PAST MODALS. Use must, couldn't, or


might and the correct form of the phrases in the chart.

Not sure Sure


Steve be sick be at home
Clara go out with friends not stay at home
Diana miss the bus have a good reason
Ken watch the baseball game on TV forget about class
Tina go to a job interview need to miss class
Mr. Anderson think there was no class not check the class schedule
1. Steve thinks Larry might have been sick. He must have been at home because
his car was there.
2. Clara thinks Larry__________________. She says he __________________ because
she went to his house after school, and he wasn't there.
3. Diana thinks Larry__________________. She says he __________________for not
coming.
4. Ken thinks Larry__________________. He says Larry __________________.
5. Tina thinks Larry__________________. She says he__________________.
6. Mr. Anderson thinks Larry__________________. He says Larry
__________________.
C. FILL IN EACH GAP WITH AN APPROPRIATE WORD OR PHRASE FROM THE
LIST.
1. Jane: Look! Is that Tim crossing the street?
Rich: No, it ……………………. Tim . He is on holiday in Turkey.
can’t be -- shouldn’t be -- needn’t be
2. Richard can’t find his mobile phone. He …………………………..... left it in his father’s car.
might have -- would have -- will have
3. Sami ………………………. have cheated in the exam. He is honest and hard-working.
won’t -- doesn’t -- can’t
4. He ………………………………… the project. He has just started.
a. must finish b. should have finished c. can't have finished
5. I did not find my electricity bill. I …………………………………it away by mistake.
a. may have thrown b. must throw c. can't have thrown
6. You ………………………….. serious. James is not qualified to run the company.
a. must be b. can't be c. mustn't have been
D. REWRITE THESE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN.
1. It’s 9.30 and my friend hasn’t arrived yet. It’s probable that he missed the bus
He might ………………………………………………………………………..
2. Aicha has an American accent. I’m sure she studied in the USA.
She must…………………………………………………………………………
3. Why don’t you call the ambulance immediately after the accident?
You should ……………………………………………………………………

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