Use of English

Modal Verbs.

Giving instruction Use the imperative to tell people what to do or not to do: Eat regularly. Don’t smoke.

Giving advice Use should to say what the right/best thing to do is. You should often exercise your listening skills. Use shouldn’t to say what isn’t the right/best thing to do. You shouldn’t speak so aloud. Use I think it’s a good idea…, Why don’t you..., I don’t think it’s a good idea to…to give advice. I think it’s a good idea to start with this exercise.

Can/can’t, must/mustn’t, could/couldn’t, might/mightn’t, have to, ought to/ought not Use can to give permission. You can listen to music. Use can’t to refuse permission. You can’t keep pets in your room. Use must to tell someone to do something. You must clean your room. Use mustn’t to tell someone not to do something. You mustn’t smoke at home. Use could to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of "can." Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city (possibility) I could run ten miles in my twenties. (past ability) You could spend your vacation in Hawaii. (suggestion) Could I have something to drink? (polite request) Use couldn’t to say that it is impossible for something to happen. Jack could not have the key. (it is impossible that he has the key) Use may to ask permission or suggest something is possible. May I borrow your pen? It may rain later today. Use might to suggest a small possibility of something. She might be at home. Use might not to suggest you do not know if something happens. I might not go. Use have to to say that something is obligatory. Children have to go to school. Use ought to to advise or make recommendations. "Ought to" also expresses assumption or expectation as well as strong probability, often with the idea that something is deserved. You ought to stop smoking. Use ought not (without "to") to advise against doing something, although Americans prefer the less formal forms "should not" or "had better not." John ought not drink so much. Use had better plus the infinitive without “to” to give advice in the present or future time. You’d better tell her everything. The negative form is had better not. You’d better not come. Use had better to give advice about specific situations, not general ones, you must use should. You shouldn’t listen to negative people. Use had better to give suggestion that if the advice is not followed, that something bad will happen. You’d better do what I say or else you will get into trouble.

Listen to the dialogues and fill in the missing modal verbs.

Dialogue 1.  A Visit to London

A: What do you think I ­­­­­ _____ see in London first? B: Well, historical places, I think. You _____ go to Westminster Abbey, and if you can, go to the Houses of Parliament and the National Gallery. A: And what about the British Museum? I was told one _____ see it. B: I suppose you _____ go there. There you can find masterpieces of the world’s best artists. A: How _____ I get to the centre? B: I think you _____ go by steamer down the Thames from Westminster to Tower Bridge. That’s a very pleasant way to travel, and you _____ see London bridges and quite a number of buildings on the way.

Dialogues 2. Asking the Way A: Excuse me. _____ you tell me where South Street is, please? B: Take the second turning on the left and then ask again. A: Is it far? B: No, you _____ walk it under ten minutes. A: Thanks very much. B: It’s a pleasure. ***  A: Excuse me, please. _____ you tell me how to get to the town centre? B: First right, second left. You _____ miss it. A: Thank you. B: That’s OK. ***  A: Does this bus go to the station? B: No, you’ll _____ get off at the bank, and take 178. A: _____ you tell me where to get off? B: It’s the next stop. ***  A: Is this the right bus for the Town Hall? B: No, you _____ have caught a 12. Get off at the bridge and get one there. A: _____ you tell me when we get there? B: It’s the next stop but one

Read the text and fill in the missing modal expressions below.

must have had,  cannot account for,   must have been born, must have been beating, might live, could not feel , could conclude, need do, must be, must have been 

I remember going to the British Museum one day to read up the treatment for some slight ailment of which I had a touch. I read all I came to read and then I began to study diseases, generally, turning the leaves idly. I came to typhoid fever, read the symptoms and discovered I 1) _____ it for months without knowing it. Cholera I had with severe complications and diphtheria I 2)  ____ with. I was relieved to find that Bright’s disease I had only in a modified form and, so far as that was concerned, I 3) ______ for years. The only disease I 4) ______ I had not got was housemaid’s knee. I sat and pondered. I thought what an interesting case I 5) _____ from a medical point of view. I was hospital in myself. All students 6) _____ would be to walk round me and after that take their diploma. I tried to feel my heart. I 7) ______ my heart. I think now that it 8) _____ there all the time, and 9)_____,but 10)_____ it. I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man, I crawled out a decrepit wreck.

(After "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome)

Rewrite the sentence.

1.may go month. You next 2. leave. school ask may for He a 3. headmaster may go. let Do,the not you 4. I your May computer,please? use 5. I dictionary? borrow your Can 6. a drink? I him May give 7.He not me. may believe 8.You book find the in library. the can 9. effective. method may The be 10. reduce the also stress. It may

Rewrite the sentences correctly.

1. You’d had better call the doctor today.

2. I ought paying my bills today.

3. You should always going with friends.

4. I am afraid I couldn’t to come to the party next week.

5. You look tired. Yes, I cannot sleep last night.

Choose the right modal according to the context.

e.g.: My car has broken down, I think I_____call a mechanic. should

1. Brenda is very talented. She _____ sing and dance at the same time.

2. John is often nervous. I think he _____ take a break and spend a few days in the country.

3. I know you _____ hungry, so I prepared you a sandwich.

4. Helen is too fat. I think she _____ear so much junk food.

5. You _____ see a doctor. You look very pale.

6. I _____ visit you next week. I will let you know.

7. You _____ wear your uniform all the time, if you don't like it.

8. You _____ put on weight.

9. You _____ make your bed every morning.

10. Helen _____ cook her lunch on Monday, because her mum isn’t at home.

11. It’s Sunday David _____ get up early.

12. You _____ tell lies.

13. We _____ tidy our room, because our nurse did it.

14. I _____ believe it. Did he fail his exam?

15. John _____ leave his work early, because he was ill.

16. I _____ wash them.

17. I am hot. You _____ drink something cool.

18. Have you seen my book? I _____ find it.

19. Ann has got the job, because she ____ three languages.

20. You _____ keep the room clean.

Read the sentences 1-5; match them to the sentences a-e according to the meaning. Which sentences refer to the past/present/ future?

1. I am sure he is lying to you. A) They can’t be twins

2. I am sure they aren’t twins. B) He must be lying to you.

3. It is possible that they’ve come. C) She may/might come

4. Perhaps she will come. D) They could have come

5. It is impossible to do it. E) It cannot be done

Make deductions using modals.

1. Have they got married?

They _____ have got married, because are wearing rings.

2. Susan goes to work from 9 am to 5 pm. It's 4:30 pm. Where's Susan?

She _____ be at home. She _____ be at work.

3.   Tom likes playing football on Saturday afternoon. It's Saturday evening. What's Ron doing?

He _____ still be playing football, can he? He _____ be at home by now.

4.  Joanna never leaves her house before eating breakfast. Today she's running late. What's she doing?

She _____ be leaving yet. She _____ be still at home.

5.  Did they enjoy the play?

They _____ enjoy the concert, because they left it before the end.

Study the table

	adjective	comparative	superlative
one-syllable adjective	cheap large big	cheaper larger bigger	the cheapest the largest the biggest
y-adjectives	noisy	noisier	the noisiest
adjectives with two or more syllables	expensive	more expensive	the most expensive
irregular adjectives	good bad little much many	better worse more more less	the best the worst the most the most the least

Use the comparative form to compare two things, people, places etc. After than with comparative adjectives. Use the superlative form to compare more than two things, people, places etc. Use the…of/in with the superlative adjectives. Use (not) as +adjective + as to compare two things, people, places etc. Use much + comparative degree

The pictures show views of Framlingham, a quiet town in England, and New York, a noisy city in the USA. Make collocations of these places matching the adjectives and nouns, and then use them to make sentences, as in the example. Framlingham is a quiet place, while New York is a noisy place. The streets in Framingham are…

quiet – noisy, clean – dirty/polluted, tall – small, cheap – expensive, modern – old, exciting - boring

city/town, place, nightlife, shops/hotels/restaurants, streets, building/houses

Look at the pictures and use the adjectives below to compare two places, as in the examples.

Presteigne New Yourk

Bigger, more expensive, cleaner, quieter, more polluted, cheaper, older, more crowded, more interesting, more modern, more exciting

New York is noisier than Presteigne.

New York is more expensive than Presteigne.

Use the adjectives in the list to compare London with the place you live in.

quiet, noisy, clean, dirty/polluted, tall, small, cheap, expensive, modern, old, exciting, boring

London is larger than my city. My city is more polluted than London.

Find the synonyms.

district, not dangerous, memorable, well-known, interesting, near

1. safe

2. close

3. fascinating

4. famous

5. unforgettable

6. area

Fill in the missing prepositions.

down around in over through into

1. Come _______! It’s nice to see you.

2. Don’t drive _______the tunnel. It’s dangerous.

3. We walked _______the street until we found a good restaurant.

4. He came _______ the kitchen and sit down.

5. There was a long walk _______ the lake.

6. Go _______ the bridge and take the first turning on the right.