Grammar Exercises

Modals + Perfect Infinitive

I. Read and translate the sentences.

1. The witness testimony could have discovered the identity of the criminal.

2. He cannot have confessed.

3. The officers should have gone to the crime scene once again.

4. The investigator ought not to have interviewed those witnesses in their office.

5. Tracing the fugitive must have been included in this plan of the investigation.

6. The criminal must have already been identified as the perpetrator of the criminal acts.

7. The identity of the criminal may have been discovered by eyewitnesses’ testimony.

8. The criminal’s confession may not have been sufficient to prove his guilt.

9. The investigating officers must have discovered some more additional facts to associate the accused with the crime scene.

10. Competent and credible witnesses must not have been discovered at the beginning of the investigation.

II. Say that the criminal may have done it.

1. to confess of breaking into apartment;

2. to use a knife in committing a crime;

3. to enter the apartment through the open window;

4. to break into the house late at night;

5. to leave traces at the crime scene;

6. to hear the knock at the door and escape through the window;

7. to commit several robberies at that town;

8. to leave some fingerprints on the glass and on the bottle of wine;

9. to use a stolen car;

10. to take a hostage at the crime scene.

III. Say that the detectives must have done it.

1. to find the wanted person;

2. to gather sufficient facts for court presentation;

3. to locate the suspect on that very day;

4. to discover credible witnesses very soon;

5. to make the plan of the investigation;

6. to obtain additional evidence from a patent study of records;

7. to use unofficial sources of information;

8. to secure the area with crime-scene tape;

9. to send the evidence to the crime lab;

10. to talk to the victims.

IV. Last night Lord Milton was found dead in his study at his home in Devon. Someone shot him. Detectives are trying to find out who the murder is. Read what the detectives are thinking and add a sentence with a modal verb +have +-ed form. Use must, might, couldn’t or shouldn’t.

Example Lord Milton was shot in the head from about two feet. He certainly died instantly

He must have died instantly.

1. His wife Lady Evelyn found the body. She picked the gun up from the carpet. It was a mistake to touch it.

2. The doors and windows were locked. The murderer was certainly one of the five people in the house.

3. Lord Milton had made a new will. He wanted to leave some money to his secretary Warren Digby. It’s a pity he told anyone about it.

4. We can’t find the will. Perhaps the murderer took it.

5. Lord Milton’s daughter Barbara was ill last night. It was impossible for her to walk to the study.

6. The writer Felicity Gray is staying in the house. She’s writing the life story of Lord Milton. Why would she kill him? But it’s impossible.

7. It doesn’t make sense for Warren Digby to take the will. It’s impossible.

8. Barbara’s husband John was in London yesterday. Lady Evelyn says he rang her in the evening from his club. It’s certain he was in London.

Discuss the murder and write three or four more sentences about it using a modal verb +have +-ed form.

V. Translate into English.

1. Отпечатки пальцев, должно быть, были отправлены давно.

2. Возможно, адвокат прибыл вчера.

3. Возможно, соглашение было подписано.

4. Не может быть, чтобы он это сказал.

5. Опер группа, должно быть, работала на месте преступления.

6. Не может быть, чтобы это была правда.

7. Вам следовало бы извиниться: вы не правы.

8. Им не следовало бы доверять незнакомому человеку.

9. Не может быть, что свидетель забыл о встрече.

10. Неужели он украл ваши часы?

11. Она могла бы попросить меня об этом. Почему она этого не сделала?

TEST YOURSELF

Choose the most suitable verb and translate the sentences:

1. The witness…………..have given more information if he wasn’t frightened.

a. must b. should c. may d. is allowed to

2. We……………have sent the lawyer all the necessary information.

a. must b. should c. can d. is allowed to

3. The car…………….have been stolen an hour ago.

a. must b. is to c. could d. ought

4. The family status of early Roman jurisconsults ……….. have been more important than their legal expertise.

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

5. Some politicians ……….. have forgotten all the horrors of the world war II reviving fascism in new forms.

a. must b. is to c. could d. ought

6. The “ alibi warning ” notice ……….. have been given to the prosecution

a. must b. might c. could d. be able to

7. Perhaps, it …….. have been the reason of the accident.

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

8. Evidently, the police ………. have banned parking in this street.

a. must b. might c. could d. have to

9. The police say that he ……….. have been an arsonist, but they are not sure.

a. might b. should c. can d. is allowed to

10. The police officer …… have spoken to this witness like this!

a. can’t b. shouldn’t c. may not d. didn’t have to

UNIT 13