English grammar for university students. Part 3. Учебное пособие

Exercises

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with can or may and their forms.

1. What are you going to do tonight? I don’t know. I …………. go over to Ben’s house or I…………. stay at home. 2. The test is about to begin. If you need to leave the room, please raise your hand. You …………. leave the room without permission. 3. Would you like some more chicken? No, thanks. I

………….eat another bite. I’m full. 4. …. I have some sweets, Mom? No, but you …………. have an orange. 5. Which of these oranges is sweet? How

………….I know? I …………. tell if an orange is sweet just by looking at it. Here, try this one. It …………. be sweet enough for you. 6. What are you going to order? - I am not sure. I …………. order pasta. 7. Where is Alicia? I don’t know. She …………. be at the mall. 8. It …………. be possible one day to detect disease simply by looking at people's eyes. 9. Stop the car! We……… have been killed! 10. I …………. have stayed overnight with Don and Mary, but I thought I should get home as soon as possible. 11. In factories in the 19th century, a worker …………. be dismissed for being ill. 12. I …………. have cleaned the house by the time you get home. 13. The butterfly …………. be recognised by the orange streaks on its wings. 14. “She's probably on holiday.” “Yes, you

………….be right.” 15. Peter …………. have a big screwdriver. I'll go and ask him. 16. 4 Infections …………. sometimes actually be made worse by taking antibiotics. 17. Moving to a new job …………. be a very stressful experience. 18. I think Michael …………. enjoy himself if he joins the football club. 19. This 17th century chair …………. be of interest to you.

20. The seeds from this plant …………. be up to 20 centimetres long. 21. With the factory closing next week, he …………. lose his job. 22. Around this time of year, eagles …………. sometimes be seen in the mountains. 23. “Do you know where Mark left the car keys?” “He …………. have left them on the ta-

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ble.” 24. If Jerry hadn't grabbed my arm, I …………. have fallen off the bridge. 25. They …………. have chosen anyone for the job, but they picked me. 26. David …………. do the work. He is competent enough. 27. You …………. take the last copy if nobody needs it. 28. …………. I ask you to look after the child? 29. You …………. never tell what …………. come to her mind. 30. A fool ………….

ask more questions than a wise man ... answer. 31. Helen …………. grasp the idea. She was thinking of something else. 32. I never thought that they

………….get lost in the area. 33. ... I smoke here? - No doubt you certainly

………….not! 34. You ... read this paper, it's not secret. 35. You …………. never go back to your past; you have got to move on.

Exercise 2. Make a conclusion about each of the following situations. Use can or may and different Infinitive forms. You may want to make the situation more detailed.

1. There is still no sign of Alex. 2. I wish you wouldn’t leave your bag near the door like that. 3. You’d better take your umbrella with you. 4. Sorry, these are your keys. 5. Running is not allowed on the stairs. 6. You’d better not use this ladder. 7. Ouch! The cake is hot! 8. I can see a lot of dirt in your room. 9. Mary has already returned home. 10. I’m so thirsty!

Exercise 3. Correct if necessary.

1. I think I saw her go out, so she mightn't be at home. 2. It mightn't be true. There must be some mistake. 3. It's snowing heavily in Scotland so it can take Hugh a long time to get here. 4. If we don't get to the market soon they can't have any flowers left. They will all have been sold. 5. If you're free at the moment, we may have a job for you. 6. May you be given the job permanently? 7. I thought they were on holiday - but I can be wrong, of course. 8. I might go out later if the weather improves. 9. Children may enter only when accompanied by

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an adult. 10. “I've had this birthday card, but it doesn't say who sent it.' 'May it be from Ron?”

Exercise 4. State the meaning of the modal verb may and translate the sentences into Russian.

1. He always asks me if he may stay. 2. I may as well admit I liked the mystery side of our talk. 3. I want to make him relax, both for his own good and so that one day he may make a mistake. 4. He said: “You might have hurt me, that door's very heavy”. 5. I may seem very reasonable at the moment, but I don't feel it. 6. I thought someone may have heard, but it was windy. 7. I told Aunt Annie and Mabel I might go abroad, but I didn't truly know. 8. Then I thought of the terrible things he might have done. And hadn't. I decided not to fly at him. 9. You may leave on Monday. Three days. No more. Maurice will take you to the station. 10. May I have a word with you, sir? he asked, turning to Charlie. 11. Her behavior causes you greater anxiety and you fear that the results of your efforts may be less successful than with her sister. 12. After all the assistance your father has given me over the years, may I say how glad I am to be able in some small way to return the favor to his daughter. 13. If you had asked me two questions or four I might have been able to lie, but three…

(Источники: Fowles, 1963; Murdoch, 1973; Setterfield, 2006)

Exercise 5. Translate into English using the verbs can and may whenever possible.

1. He может быть, чтобы она рисовала картину три дня; она, возможно, только сделала набросок за это время. 2. Не может быть, чтобы я потеряла анкету, я могла оставить ее на работе. 3. Не может быть, чтобы Джон уже приехал, я получила телеграмму только вчера. 4. Неужели он уже получил мое письмо? 5. Неужели он не получил моего письма? 6. Ваши часы, воз-

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можно, спешат; не может быть, чтобы сейчас было девять часов. 7. Он не мог получить книгу, потому что библиотека была закрыта. 8. Не может быть, чтобы он получил книгу, ведь библиотека была закрыта. 9. Не могли ли бы вы дать мне эту книгу дня на два? 10. Не может быть, чтобы ты меня обманывала сейчас. 11. Я останусь дома; она, возможно, будет мне звонить. 12. Том, ты мог бы помочь мне нести этот тяжелый чемодан, разве ты не видишь, как мне это тяжело? 13. «Где ключ?» — «Не знаю, Ольга могла взять его с собой по ошибке». — «Не может быть, чтобы она его взяла, у нее ничего не было в руках, когда она уходила». 14. Наконец-то вы пришли! Вы могли прийти пораньше, ведь вы же знали, что я больна.

(Каушанская, 2009)

MUST

The verb must has only one form. The expressions to have to and to be obliged to can be used to supply the missing tense forms of the verb must.

Must expresses necessity, duty, formal rules, an urgent command or prohibition, and probability bordering on assurance.

Necessity and duty

We must keep this room locked.

Everyone must preserve nature.

To get a cheap ticket, you must book in advance.

To express past necessity have to is used

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Sorry I am late. I had to stay at work.

The absence of necessity is expressed by need not or don’t have to:

Must I go there to-morrow?

Yes, you must.

No, you needn’t (don’t have to).

Formal rules and regulations

All passengers must present their passports at customs upon arrival. Safety helmets must be worn.

A command, an urgent request strong opinion or a prohibition. In this

meaning it is used only with the Indefinite Infinitive.

You really must go and see this play.

You mustn't tell anyone until I let you.

Probability bordering on assurance, almost a conviction.

In this meaning must is used with all the forms of the Infinitive in affirmative sentences only. It corresponds to the Russian должно быть. If the action refers to the present, the Indefinite (Continuous) Infinitive is used; if the action refers to the past the Perfect (Perfect Continuous) Infinitive is used.

You are shivering, you must be cold.

Listen, it must be raining outside.

Someone must have taken the keys, because they are not here.

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In negative sentences probability is expressed by means of the modal word evidently or can’t.

Evidently, she did not know my address.

She couldn’t have known my address.

Probability referring to the future is expressed by must+ Continuous Infinitive.

The modal word probably or the modal expression to be likely are also used.

The meeting must be happening next Friday.

She is not likely to come so late.

She will probably come tomorrow.

Exercises

Exercise 1. Make a conclusion about each of the following situations. Use must and different Infinitive forms. You may want to make the situation more detailed.

Example: Emily is crying. - She must be unhappy.

1. Mrs. Smith has a big smile on her face. 2. Nadia is coughing and sneezing. 3. Rick is wearing a gold ring on the fourth finger of his left hand. 4. Sam is shivering and has goose bumps. 5. Olga always gets the highest score on every test she takes. 6. James is sweating. 7. Rita rents ten movies every week. 8. You are at Eric's apartment door. You have rung the doorbell several times. Nobody has answered the door. 9. Jennifer reads all the time. She sits in a corner and reads even when people come to visit her. 10. David gets on the Internet every day as soon as he gets home from work. He stays at his computer until he goes to bed.

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11. Paula fell asleep in class this morning. 12. Marco had to give a speech in front of 500 people.

Exercise 2. Use can, may or must and the appropriate form of the Infinitive.

1.Lucky you managed to hang on to that tree. You …………. (fall) down the cliff.

2.I don’t know what time I’ll be at home. I …………. (be) very late I am afraid. 3. There is no sign of the dog anywhere. Someone …………. (let) it out.

4.Why don’t you ask Nick about that? He …………. (know) the answer, I suppose. 5. The baby is only a year old, but she …………. (say) a few words. 6. “I’d like to go to a warm sunny place. Any suggestions?” “You …………. (go) to Hawaii or Mexico. 7. “Mrs. Wilson has got a traffic ticket. She hasn’t stopped at a stop sign”. “That’s surprising. She is usually so careful. She

…………. (see) the sign. 8. In some countries a girl or a boy …………. (go) on a date unless they are accompanied by a chaperone. 9. “What kind of fish is this?” “I’m not sure, let’s ask”. 10. This is Steve’s laptop, isn’t it? It ………….

(be) his. He doesn’t have a laptop. It …………. (belong) to Jana or Mindy.

Exercise 3. Rewrite the following sentences, using must, can't, or might to express probability and possibility.

Example: I'm sure Harry's at least sixty.

Harry must be at least sixty.

1. I'm sure he hasn't retired yet. He still leaves the house every morning. 2. They're talking about money. Perhaps Harry owes the other man some money. 3. Now I can't hear anything. I'm sure they've gone inside. 4. My God! A gun shot! I'm sure Harry has killed him! 5. I'm sure he isn't very well off. His house is in a terrible mess. 6. No, there's Harry outside, so it wasn't Harry who was shot. 7. I'm sure he does a lot of gardening. His garden looks beautiful. 8. Look

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at all those lights and cameras. Ah! Now I understand. They were making a film! 9. I'm sure he's working in his garden now. I can hear someone digging. 10. Now I can hear voices. Perhaps he is talking to Miss Appleby. 11. No, I'm sure it isn't Miss Appleby. It's two men's voices.

(Azar, Hagen, 2009).

Exercise 4. State the meaning of the modal verbs and translate the sentences into Russian

1. All this time I never thought it was serious. I know that must sound very strange, but it was so. 2. I knew nothing of hers must ever leave the house. No laundry. 3. That first day I bought a gramophone too. Only a small one, but I must say she looked very pleased. 4. She told me once it was a sign of madness to want everything clean. If that is so, then we must both have been mad. 5. But there must be something you want to do with me? - I just want to be with you. All the time. 6. I must have talked half an hour there, until she stopped and said, that's enough. 7. You must realize that I've sacrificed all my principles tonight. 8. He wants desperately to please me. But that's what madmen must be like. 9. If I ever try to escape, and fail, he'll never let me out again. So I must not jump at the first chance. 10. You must act, if you believe something. Talking about acting is like boasting about pictures you're going to paint. 11. I must have always wanted to believe in those things; I did believe in them in a vague sort of way, before I met him. 12. I'm making him cook better. Absolute ban on frozen food. I must have fruit, green vegetables. 13. Such people. I must have stood next to them in the Tube, passed them in the street, and I knew they existed. But never really believed they exist. 14. I told him this evening that I must have some daylight. 15. He took me straight to the Rembrandt and talked about it, I thought, we must look like father and daughter.

(Источники: Fowles, 1963; Murdoch, 1973; Setterfield, 2006)

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Exercise 5. Translate into English using the verbs can, may, must.

1. Уже пять часов. Собрание могло уже кончиться; подождем немножко, он может скоро прийти. 2. Петя, должно быть, заболел, иначе он был бы уже в театре, он никогда не приходит в последний момент. 3. Не может быть, чтобы она забыла о концерте, это совсем на нее не похоже. 4. Я его сегодня не жду; но, кто знает, может быть, он и придет. 5. «Хотела бы я знать, где она достала «Три товарища" Ремарка?». — «Она могла взять ее в нашей библиотеке». — «Не может быть, чтобы она взяла ее в нашей библиотеке: Семенова вчера взяла последний экземпляр». — «Ну, должно быть, она взяла ее в другой библиотеке». 6. «Где Павел?» — «Не знаю, он, возможно, пошел в филармонию”. — «Ну, это не очень-то любезно с его стороны; он мог бы взять билет и для меня». — «Посмотрите-ка, на столе что-то лежит, он, должно быть, оставил вам билет и записку». 7. Не может быть, чтобы она здесь была вчера. Если бы она была здесь, она оставила бы мне записку. 8. Не возвращайте пока книгу в библиотеку; она может вам понадобиться для доклада. 9. Может мне взять вашу книгу? 10. Можно употребить здесь настоящее продолженное время? 11. Он сказал, что доклад у него уже готов и он может прочесть его завтра на собрании. 12. «Он, должно быть, уже ушел». — «Не может быть, чтобы он ушел, не повидав меня». 13. «Где Мария?» — «Она, должно быть, еще спит». 14. Вы, должно быть, ошибаетесь, на двадцать пятой странице нет таких слов.

(Каушанская, 2009)

TO HAVE TO + INFINITIVE

The modal expression to have to is used to express a range of communicative functions.

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Obligation or necessity. Its meaning is close to that of to be obliged. It is often rendered in Russian by приходится, должен, вынужден.

Have to is used much more frequently in everyday speech and writing than must.

I have to wear glasses for reading.

I have to go, my wife is waiting for me.

We often use have to in questions instead of must.

Do I have to sign here?

Do you really have to go?

In colloquial English have got + Infinitive is often used in the same meaning as have + Infinitive.

Have you got to do all this work yourself?

No, I have not got to work so much.

Absence of necessity is rendered by the negative form of have to.

You don’t have to pay, it’s free.

We don’t have to go to class tomorrow because it is a holiday.

Advice or recommendation

You have to get a new hat.

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