Exercises

Ex. 1. Insert the correct form of may/might except in 10 and 36, where a be allowed form is necessary.

1. It - ... rain, you'd better take a coat. 2. He said that it ... rain. 3. We ... as well stay here till the weather improves. 4. ... I borrow your umbrella? 5. You ... tell me! (I think I have a right to know). 6. Candidates ... not bring textbooks into the examination room. 7. People convicted of an offence ... (have a right to) appeal. 8. If he knew our address he ... come and see us. 9 ... I come in? ~ Please do. 10. When he was a child he ... (they let him) do exactly as he liked. 11. I think I left my glasses in your office. You ... ask your secretary to look for them for me. (request). 12. He ... be my brother (I admit that he is) but I don't trust him. 13. I ... never see you again. 14. He ... be on the next train. We ... as well wait. 15. If we got there early we ... get a good seat. 16. The police ... (have a right to) ask a driver to take a breath test. 17. You ought to buy now; prices ... go up. 18. I'll wait a week so that he ... have time to think it over. 19. He isn't going to eat it; 1 ... as well give it to the dog. 20. You ... at least read the letter. (/ think you should). 21. You ... have written, (I am annoyed/disappointed that you didn't). 22. We'd better be early; there ... be a crowd. 23. Nobody knows how people first came to these islands. They ... have sailed from South America on rafts. 24. You ... (have permission to) use my office. 25. He said that we ... use his office whenever we liked. 26. I don't think I'll succeed but I ... as well try. 27. You ought to go to his lectures, you ... learn something. 28. If we can give him a blood transfusion we ... be able to save his life. 29. Two parallel white lines in the middle of the road mean that you ... not overtake. 30. If I bought a lottery ticket I ... win Ј1,000. 31. If you said that, he ... be very offended. 32. I wonder why they didn't go. ~ The weather ... have been too bad. 33. Warning: No part of this book ... be reproduced without the publisher's permission. 34. He has refused, but he ... change his mind if you asked him again. 35. ... I see your passport, please? 36. He ... (negative) drive since his accident. (They haven't let him drive).

Ex. 2. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Может быть, он говорит правду. 2. Возможно, он сказал тебе правду. 3. Возможно, он тебе не солгал. 4. Может быть, она именно сейчас печатает это письмо. 5. Возможно, она уже напечатала письмо. 6. Может быть, она напечатает письма завтра. 7. Может быть, он послал ей телеграмму. 8. Может быть, он не послал ей телеграмму. 9. Возможно, он понимает по-норвежски. 10. Может быть, его напугали. 11. Может быть, он сейчас занят. 12. Возможно, их вчера не было в городе. 13. Может быть, он сейчас завтракает. 14. Может быть, она вас неправильно поняла. 15. Может быть, он неправильно написал имя. 16. Может быть, она потеряла мой адрес.

Ex. 3. Translate into Russian.

1. I may tell him about it later. I haven’t decided it yet. 2. You may have made a mistake. 3. My mother might have given me the money! I needed it badly at that time. 4. He may have asked you about it. Maybe he will, who knows. 5. Sir! May I go home at bit earlier? My parents may be waiting for me. 6. We asked the teacher if we might use dictionaries. 7. Our teacher may come any moment. Let’s stop smoking.

Ex. 4. Make the necessary changes according to the model.

Model. Possibly you left your book behind. You may have left your book behind.

1. Perhaps you left your umbrella in the bus. 2. Perhaps he went to the cafe to wait for us. 3. Perhaps it was Helen who rang you up. 4. Perhaps they came by plane. 5. Perhaps she had a very good English teacher. 6. Perhaps it was too cold for the children to go out. 7. It is possible that he took his children to the zoo. 8. Possibly they did not see us in the crowd. 9. Perhaps Robert used a dictionary. 10. Possibly Mary misunderstood you. 11. Perhaps Henry waited for us there. 12. Possibly Ann returned very late last night. 13. Possibly they have seen the new play. 14. Perhaps Nick has left his exercise book at home.

Ex. 5. Express ironical requests based on the following sentences. Use the Perfect Infinitive to refer the situation to the past and in this way express reproach.

Model: You do not remember your child’s birthday. You might remember your child’s birthday.

You did not switch off the lights before leaving. You might have switched off the lights before leaving.

1. You do not wear yow new suit to the office. 2. You did not sew the buttons on, Alice. 3. You did not even notice how well she played. You do not pay enough attention to your child. 4. Do come and help me choose it. 5. You did not try hard enough. 6. You did not get up a little earlier and help me to clean up after the party. 7. You never let me know when something like this happens. 8. You didn’t give a detailed account. 9. You did not meet her at the station.

Ex. 6. Use may or might perfect infinitive to express possibility, uncertainty in the past.

1. Может, Мери, уже приехала. Я позвоню. 2. Может, мама уже пришла, а ты все гуляешь. 3. Где же мой зонт? – Ты, наверное, оставила его в автобусе. 4. Где же Коля? – Он, наверное, остался ждать нас на остановке. 5. Кто звонил? – Не знаю. Возможно, это была Наташа. 6. Он, наверное, оставил книгу в школе и зря ищешь. 7. Ты не застал Нину дома? – Она, наверное, уже уехала. 8.Пойдем в кино? – Может быть, мы смотрели уже этот фильм. Однако, неважно, посмотрим еще раз. 9. Что же девочки не приходят на собрание? – Возможно, они приходили вчера. Они могли спутать дату. 10. Как удалось Кириллу сделать такой хороший перевод, хотела бы я знать? – Вероятнее всего, он все же принес словарь.

Ex. 7. Use the verb may to express uncertainty, supposition.

1. Возможно, я ошибаюсь, но мне кажется, что я вчера видел Марину. 2. Борис ушел, но возможно, что он еще вернется. 3. Ты знаешь, а "Спартак" может выиграть! 4. Скорее одевайся: брат может войти в любую минуту. 5. Возможно, тебе фильм понравится. 6. Вероятно, мы поедем на каникулы в деревню. 7. Возможно, этот лодырь все же выдержит экзамен. 8. Ты знаешь, а наша команда может проиграть. 9. Может пойти дождь. Возьми зонтик. 10. Пошли в кино? – Пошли. Давай позвоним Наташе. Она, может быть, тоже пойдет.

MUST

The modal verb "Must" is used in it's three important meanings

Concrete	Imperative	Suppositional
Immediate obligation or necessity, or an obligation referring to the future/in the affirmative sentences/. We must begin before 5p.m. He must move the furniture himself.	Prohibition, negative commands/only in the negative sentences/. The little girl must nit go home alone. You must not do it!	Probability, near certainty about the present and the past/only in statements He must be crazy. She must be so lonely! Did you always live with Bob? You must have led a quiet life! In these sentences "Must" has the same meaning as: Probably, Evidently.
Obligation referring to the present or future in the reported speech He said we must invite her to dinner.	Invitation. You must come and see me somehow! You must come and have dinner with us!	If we use the perfect Progressive infinitive, it indicates the process in the past It must have been raining when you left.
With the 2D person "You" "Must" expresses an obligation which has an effect as a command You must do as you are told! You must leave now. I want to sleep.