|
MODAL VERBS: must /
may /
might /
must /
can't /
should |
|
As well as for obligation, we also use must +
bare infinitive to say that we
are almost sure something is true about the present, and must have + past
participle to say that we are almost sure something was true or happened in
the past. |
|
1. |
Pol and Ann
must be very well off.
They've got a huge house. |
|
2. |
You
must have seen him.
He was standing right in front of you! |
|
|
We use can't and can't / couldn't + perfect infinitive (NOT
mustn't / mustn't have
) to say that we are almost sure that something is not true in
the present or didn't happen / wasn't true in the past. |
|
3. |
That old actress
can't be dancing
at her age. |
|
4. |
They
can't be playing very well
– they're losing 0-3. |
|
5. |
You
can't / couldn't have spent very long on this essay
because you've only
written 100 words! |
|
|
We use may / might / could and
may / might / could + perfect infinitive to
say that we think it is possible that something is true in the present or was
true / happened in the past.
Compare:
He might not have done it. (= Maybe he didn't do it.)
He couldn't have done it. (= It is impossible that he did it.) |
|
6. |
I haven't seen our boss today. He
may
/ might / could be off
sick. |
|
7. |
Do you think someone
may
/ might / could have taken
my keys? |
|
8. |
He
may / might not have heard the message I left on his voicemail. |
|
|
Use should + infinitive (or should have + participle) to describe a
situation you expect to happen (or would expect to have happened in the
past).
Now compare the use of the infinitive and the continuous infinitive after
these modals.
He must work really hard. He never gets home before 9.00 p.m.
= deduction about a habitual action
There's a light on in his office. He must still be working.
= deduction about an action in progress at the moment of speaking. |
|
9. |
If I post the letter today, it
should arrive on Friday. |
|
10. |
I posted the letter a week ago. It
should have arrived by now. |
|
|
SPECULATION: ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS |
|
Bound and sure are adjectives. We use be
bound or be sure + infinitive to
say that you think something is certain to be true or to happen. |
|
1. |
He's bound
/ sure to be here in a minute. He left an hour ago.
|
|
2. |
She's sure
to know. She's an expert on the subject. |
|
|
Likely / unlikely are also adjectives (not adverbs). We can use
these two structures: subject +
be likely / unlikely + infinitive, or it is likely / unlikely +
that clause. |
|
3. |
I think she
is likely to agree to our proposal.
We've given her some very
good reasons. |
|
4. |
The doctors say that at his age he
is unlikely to recover. |
|
5. |
I think
it's very likely that the meeting will be over by 6.00. |
|
6. |
It's unlikely that the government will raise interest rates this year. |
|
|
Definitely and probably are adverbs. They go before a main verb and after
the auxiliary (if there is one) in affirmative sentences and before the auxiliary
verb in negative sentences.
With be they go after the verb in affirmative sentences and before it in
negative sentences, e.g. He's probably British. The painting definitely isn't
genuine.
Be likely to and will probably are very similar in meaning, but
be likely
to is more formal. Compare: The new coach is likely to be appointed today.
The new coach will probably be appointed today. |
|
7. |
She
will definitely pass the exam. She's worked really hard. |
|
8. |
She
definitely won't pass the exam. She hasn't done any work.
|
|
9. |
He'll
probably be here around 8.00. He usually leaves work at 7.30. |
|
10. |
He
probably
won't be here until 8.30. He's stuck in a traffic jam. |
|
|
On the next page you will be able to practise
this grammar. |
