Модальные глаголы английского языка. Учебное пособие

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If reference is made to the present, the continuous in‘nitive is used with dynamic verbs.

e.g. ’e book is not on the shelf. Jane must be reading it. Let’s have something to eat. You must be starving.

Must in combination with the perfect in‘nitive refers the action to the past.

e.g. It is 6 o’clock. She must have come home.

Do you see him smoking over there? He must have nished his work. ’e combination of must with the perfect continuous in‘nitive in-

dicates an action begun in the past and continued into the moment of speaking.

e.g. It must have been raining all the night. ’ere are big puddles in the garden.

However, if must is followed by a stative verb, the perfect in‘nitive is used.

e.g. He must have known it all along. He must have been here since breakfast.

NOTE: Occasionally the combination of must with the perfect continuous in‘nitive may express an action going on at a given moment.

e.g. He must have been writing a letter when I came.

When must expresses supposition implying strong probability, its use is restricted in two ways:

a)It is not used with reference to the future. In this case we ‘nd attitudinal adverbs in the sentence.

e.g. He will probably feel lonely. He will evidently know all about it.

b)It is not used in the interrogative or negative form. It is found only in the a•rmative form.

NOTE: ’ere are several ways of expressing the negative meaning of supposition implying strong probability in such sentences: by negative af- ‘xes, or negative pronouns, or lexically:

e.g. He must have failed to get in touch with her. He must have misunderstood you.

He must be unaware of that.

He must never have guessed the truth. No one must have told him about it. ’ey must have been inattentive.

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He must have had no chance to warn you. ’e letter must have been le• unanswered.

Besides the above mentioned shades of meaning, sometimes accompanied by emphasis, the modal verb must may be used solely for the sake of emphasis. In this case must is not translated into Russian, it merely emphasizes some action or idea.

e.g. Of course ašer I gave her my advice she must go and do the opposites (… • ).

Just when we were ready to go away for the holidays, the baby must catch measles ( … • †, … • -

†).

NOTE: Must has a sarcastic use in some utterances. e.g. Why must you always be ‘nding fault with Sally?

Note the following set expressions with the modal verb must:

Must needs denotes obligation.

e.g. He must needs go there. (‚ œ • • .)

I must be going and I must be o˜ both mean ‘it is time for me to go’ (inœRussian ).

I must tell you that … and I must say … are stereotyped phrases in which the meaning of obligation is considerably weakened in must.

►FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 21. Comment on the meaning of the modal verb must:

1.I have brought back your man — not without risk or danger; but every must do his duty. (Hardy) 2. I’m sorry. I must have lost my head for a moment. (Tennessee Williams) 3. “’ere must be something wrong somewhere,” he said with a solemn, dejected movement of his head. (Caldwell) 4. Something must have happened. He behaves quite di˜erently to me, he’s cold and he looks at me in such a terrifying was as if he were thinking about killing me. (King) 5. She passed the girls’ room, noticed that they were quiet and therefore must be doing as they had been told, and went on to the children’s room. (Benson) 6. Remember, an editor must have proved quali‘cations or else he would not be an editor. (London) 7.

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’at must have been a pretty long time ago. (Tennessee Williams) 8. She must be found and brought back here at once. (Campbell) 9. She must have watched him hide the books in the garden and brought them back in. (Hardy) 10. “I am afraid I must be going, Basil,” he murmured. (O. Wilde)

Exercise 22. e ‘Hotel Strict’ is not a very nice hotel. It has a lot of rules. Read the list of rules and change each one into a sentence using must or must not:

Example: You must leave your key at reception when you go out.

1. You ___________ food into your room. 2. __________ for your room when you arrive. 3. __________ your room by 9 am on the day you leave. 4. __________ in the restaurant. 5. __________ to the hotel before 10 o’clock every night.

Exercise 23. Look at this table of instructions for students in a school. Use the table to make sentences with must or mustn’t:

Attend all classes.

Take school books home with you.

Make a noise in the corridors.

Write in school books.

Arrive for lessons on time.

Bring your own pens and paper.

Example: You must attend all classes.

1. _________ school books home with you. 2. __________ a noise in the corridors. 3. __________ in school books. 4. __________ for lessons on time. 5. __________ your own pens and paper.

Exercise 24. Rewrite the sentences in brackets using must or mustn’t / must not:

Example: (Have some of this ‘sh. It’s wonderful.) You must have some of this sh. It’s wonderful.

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1. (Don’t tell lies. It’s bad) You __________. It’s bad. 2. (Passengers: Do not open the door while the train is moving.) Passengers __________ while the train is moving. 3. (Come for dinner with us one evening next week!) You __________ one evening next week! 4. (All sta˜ __________ when they enter the building. 5. (It’s bad for you to eat so much unhealthy food.) You __________ so much unhealthy food. 6. (Follow the instructions when using this machine). You __________ when using this machine.

Exercise 25. Use the required form of the in nitive a er the modal verb must:

1. Both sisters must _____ (toœbe) ashamed of having spoken as they had in front of a third person. 2. Fred knew that the girl’s father was a draper and had four assistants. “He must _____ (toœdo) well,” he said to her. “He doesn’t complain,” said the girl. 3. ’e night porter was very good-looking and it must _____ (toœtake) him a half-hour to comb his hair into such shining black perfection. 4. “You must _____ (toœbe) right,” I said. 5. ’ey must

_____ (toœhear) that the fellow was in London. 6. But at last he rose realizing dully that he had work which he must _____ (toœdo). 7. He had a faint feeling of satisfaction in the thought that Mait must _____ (toœwonder) why they had gone o˜ together. 8. I must ______ (toœsit) there for a quarter of an hour waiting and thinking about it before I saw the letter. 9. “His relatives do not think so.” “’en they must _________ (toœbe) a lot of damned fools.” 10. Mrs. Cromwell took us round the yacht. ’ere was no doubt that it must _____

(toœcost) her a lot of money. 11. He had said that he himself was an admirer of Stendahl. ’is must _____ (toœinŸuence) him in making decision. 12. At half past two I heard Hudson grunt, put down his book and switch out the light. He must _____ (toœread) since midnight. 13. “I must _____ (toœget) old,” she said, “to be talking like that.” 14. ’ere were a lot of mirrors that must _____

(toœbuy) at the sale of some old restaurant. 15. When I jumped up the thing fell o˜ my knee. It must _____ (toœlie) there yet.

Exercise 26. Change these sentences, making them opposite in meaning:

Remember: e verb must is not used to express certainty in the negative. Use the verb fail, negative pronouns or negative pre xes.

1. Alice must have forgotten our arrangement. 2. He must have been quite conscious of having made a mistake. 3. Somebody must have called

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in your absence. 4. ’e patient must have followed the doctor’s advice. 5. She must be aware of her clumsiness. 6. ’ey must have shown us the right way. 7. Everybody must have noticed that he was not used to speaking in public. 8. He must have been very careful. 9. ’e telegram must have reached him in time. 10. She must have understood your question.

Exercise 27. Remembering that must in the meaning of probability is not used either with reference to the future or in the negative form,nd a suitable way of translating the following sentences into English:

1.¡ • Œ • •. , , ¥ -

Œ • . 2. , • • • ‰

• • • •. 3. • † • . ¡ • , • , , •‰ . 4. ‚ , • • ,

• • • • . 5. - • , • ,

‰ • . 6. ‚ , ,

• . 7. ¡ Œ • , • • • , •

• -• † . ‚ , , • † • . 8. „ , • , ‰ • • • . 9. ‚ , • • , , • • . 10. ‚ , , -

… . 11. « • • •?» — «¡,

, •». 12. ‚ , , • •-• . 13. €• , , • • . 14. « Œ

?» — « • • ».— «ƒ• ‰ ‰ !» — «¡ ‰ • . ƒ•, • • , • • ».

MUST AND MAY COMPARED

Must and may can be compared in two meanings:

1)Both may and must serve to express supposition but their use is not parallel. May denotes supposition implying uncertainty whereas the supposition expressed by must implies strong probability.

Compare: I saw him an hour ago. He may still be in his o•ce now. He always comes at 10 sharp. So he must be in his o•ce now.

2)May and must are used to express prohibition in negative sentences. But may is seldom found in this meaning. In negative answers to questions with may asking for permission we generally ‘nd must not or cannot. e.g. “May I smoke here?” “No, you mustn’t (you can’t).”

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 28. Comment on the meaning of the modals. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. When the clock struck three, Elizabeth felt that she must go. (Crichton) 2. Mr. Rochester must have been aware of the entrance of Mrs. Fairfax and myself. (Maugham) 3. Mind, you mustn’t spend it all at once. (Wilde) 4. “It must be getting late,” he said, “what’s the time?” (Caldwell)5. Jan must be at the station by now. (King) 6. It may rain tonight. (Douglas) 7. “May I have a cigarette?” he asked. (Benson) 8. He may have written the letter, but the signature is certainly not his. (Priestley) 9. Justice may be slow, mother, but it comes in the end. (Greene) 10. May the New Year be a happy one to you! (Douglas) 11. You may not smoke here. (Fischer)12. “I didn’t know I might smoke,” he said. (Hichens) 13. For the ‘rst time she faced the thought that she might never be well again. (Greene) 14. Surely Holly might have told him all this before! (Fitzgerald) 15. We feared that we might lose our way in the darkness. (Wilson)

Exercise 29. Paraphrase the following sentences using modal verbs must, may or might to express supposition:

1. ’ere are plenty of people at the entrance. In all probability they are asking for extra tickets. 2. Helen is neither in the lab, not in the readinghall. I’m afraid, she’s gone home or anywhere. 3. Maybe, you have leš

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your gloves at home. 4. He leš America and, I believe, has been tramping Europe since. 5. She takes pains to be always smartly dressed. I suppose, she has an eye for clothing. 6. Evidently, they have been trying to get in touch with you. 7. ’e child feels poor and has a rash all over her body. I’m afraid it’s measles. 8. I don’t remember when I went to the Caucasus last. It was perhaps six years ago. 9. I believe John has already recovered. 10. Maggie hasn’t made up her mind yet, maybe she will join us for the trip. 11. Possibly you heard that the Bolshoi ’eatre went on tour to Japan. 12. Perhaps we’ll arrive a bit earlier. 13. Certainly it is nice to have a daughter. 14. He’s taken his hat and coat. In all probability he’s gone out.

Exercise 30. Fill in the blanks using modal verbs must, may or might:

1. She looks pale, she _____ be waiting anxiously for the results of the X-ray. 2. Nell looks gloomy. She ______ be just homesick, though. 3. Why should we put the trip o˜? ’e weather is beastly, I admit, but it _____

change for the better. 4. Look at that fussy man. He _____ be looking for a taxi. 5. She _____ have stayed away from classes for no reason, but I strongly doubt it. 6. Hold the line, please, he _____ be at the neighbours’. 7. Harry _____ have been studying at the moment, that’s why he didn’t answer my call. 8. Don’t be so jumpy. ’e child _____ be playing somewhere in the yard. 9. He _____ have taken o˜ence, he looks hurt. 10. ’ey _____ have reached their destination by now. 11. Martini stole a glance at Gemma and understood she _____ be thinking of the past. 12. Barbara _____ be still working in the lab, but it’s highly improbable because it’s too late. 13. You speak very good French, you _____ have been studying it hard. 14. Michael

_____ be translating the article, though I’m not quite sure.

Exercise 31. Combine the modal verbs must, may or might with the right form of the in nitive in brackets:

1. It was some special occasion; I don’t remember what. It may (toœbe) my birthday. 2. Look! People are hurrying along the street with collars and umbrellas up. It must (toœrain) hard. 3. She might (toœenjoy) the ballet, of course, but her face was utterly expressionless. 4. ’ey must (toœski) now as they usually do on Sundays. 5. Don’t be angry with him. He may (toœdo) it by mistake. 6. Mary must (toœfall) ill. She looked so pale and tired last night. 7. ’ey laughed at this as heartily as children might (toœdo). 8. He may not (toœlearn) the news, that’s why he looks as if nothing has happened. 9. ’e

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dog must (toœrecognize) his master. It did not bark as we approached the house. 10. “Jan feels quite poor in the sun, but she might (toœgrow) still worse at home,” Bart insisted. 11. Oh, dear, think how he must (toœsu˜er)! Poor man! 12. He may (toœarrive) in the course of the next half an hour or he may (toœbe) here at any moment. 13. Is she still waiting? She must (toœwait) for an hour. 14. Let’s ask for our papers, they may (toœsign) already.

Exercise 32. Translate the following sentences into English using modal verbs must, may or might:

1. ‡ • † • . € • • , • … -• . 2. Œ , , • • Œ • . 3. ‹ -

• • , • † . 4. • • , ˆ -

• , … . 5. ƒ• • •

, • , • • . 6. ‹ • • , - • • ,

†, • • ‰ … . 7. € , • • ,• , • • • . 8. „ ‰ • •. 9. ‹ • ‰ . „ - • • , . 10. €• , • • , • • . 11. , • -

• • † ‰ . 12. € , ,

. 13. • • , … • ,

• • . 14. ‚ , • • , . •

• • .

TO HAVE TO

To have to as a modal verb di˜ers from the others in that it is not a defective verb and can have all the necessary ‘nite forms as well as verbals. It is followed by a to-in‘nitive and combines only with the non-perfect form of it.

e.g. He is an invalid and has to have a nurse. She won’t have to walk the whole way, will she?

We had to look all over town before we found what we wanted. I have had to remind you of writing to her all this time.

My impression was that he was having to force himself to talk. Having to go so soon we were afraid of missing the man.

’e interrogative and negative forms of the modal verb to have to are build up by means of the auxiliary verb to do.

e.g. Do you have to work so hard?

You don’t have to do what your sister tells you. Why does he have to go there?

Did he have to tell them about it?

’e verb to have to serves to express obligation or necessity arising out of circumstances. It is rendered in Russian as , . e.g. She is usually short of time so she has to go by air ( • •

, ).

In this meaning it is found in all kinds of sentences — a•rmative, interrogative and negative — and it is combined only with the simple in‘nitive.

e.g. He had to do it.

Did he have to do it? He did not have to do it.

In the past tense to have to indicates a ful lled obligation.

e.g. We had to do a lot of things during the week we stayed in the country (were obliged and did it).

’ey made such a noise that I had to send one of the boys to make inquiries (itœwas necessary and I did it).

Have to replaces must where must cannot be used:

a)to express past necessity or obligation e.g. We had to do it again.

’ey had to do what they were told.

b)to express absence of necessity (inœthe sense of needn’t), since must not means prohibition