Modal verbs and their equivalents.

1.Read and translate the following sentences. Put questions to them.

1.I can answer your question. 2.It may be true. 3.You must not argue with the boss. 4.She must stop eating! 5.The lecture is to begin at eight. 6.It was nine already and he had to go. 7.In a couple of months you will be able to read French. 8.The children weren’t allowed to go far from the house. 9.You needn’t do the translation of this letter, I know what it is about. 10.You should invite Mr.Bruce to the office. 11.You should have invited Mr.Bruce to the office.

II.Fill in the blanks with may or can.

1.... you see anything in this inky darkness? 2.You ... go when you have finished your report. 3.What shall we do if the train is late? It .... be late, you know, after the terrible snowstorms we’ve had. 4.When ... you come and see me? – Let me see: I ... not come tomorrow, but on Sunday I’ll find time. Yes, you ... expect me on Sunday about three o’clock. Will that be all right? 5.Be careful: you ... spill the milk if you carry it like that. 6.Most children ... slide on the ice very well. 7.You ... come in: the boss ... speak to you now. 8.I don’t think I ... be here by eleven o’clock tomorrow, but I ... be. 9.Libraries are quite free, and anyone who likes ... get books there. 10.Do you think you ... do that? 11.I ... finish the work tomorrow if no one bothers me any more. 12.A fool ... ask more questions than a wise ... answer. 13.You ... read this book: you know the language well enough. 14.You ... take this book: I don’t need it. 15.... I help you? 16.... I ask you to help me?

III.Fill in the blanks with can, may or must.

1.... I come in? 2.You ... not smoke here. 3.... take your book? – I am afraid not: I need it. 4.He ... not speak English yet. 5.I have very little time: I ... go. 6.They ... not go to the exhibition today because they are busy. 7.You ... read the text: it is easy enough. 8.What ... we see on this diagram? 9.... you speak Spanish? – No, unfortunately I ...not. 10.At what time ... you come to the office? 11.She ... still live in Paris. 12.He is too busy. He ... finish the work up to half past five. 13.But he is happy. He ... enjoy life. 14.My friend Danielle isn’t a famous artist. But she ... even paint Russian icons. I .... only admire her beautiful pictures. She ... be a woman of great talents. She ... speak German, French and English.

IV.Fill in the blanks with may, can, must or need.

1.... I take this book for a little while? – I am sorry, but I ... return it to the library at once. 2.Alec ... practice this sound specially, but the other students ... not: they all pronounce it properly. 3.They ... come at any time they like between ten and twelve in the morning, but they ... not come if they don’t want to. 4.... go there right now? – Yes, you ... . 5.... we hand in our compositions tomorrow? – No, you ... not, you .... hand them in after Sunday. 6.... John really do this today? – No, he ... not, he ... do it tomorrow if he likes. 7.You ... park your car only in your own space in the back of the building. 8.Peter ... return the book to the library: we all ... it. 9.Why ... not you understand it? It is so easy. 10.... we do the translation at once? – Yes, you ... do it at once. 11.... you show me the letter once more? 12.You ... not write this letter: I ... phone him. 13.I ... not go out today: it is too cold. 14.... I take your pen? – Yes, please. 15.... you translate this article without a dictionary? 16.Everything is clear and you ... not go into details now.