Should, ought to
Exercise 25
Translate into Russian and comment on the use of the modal verbs HOULD and OUGHT TO.
These words cut me: what could I do or say? I ought to have done or said nothing.
I think you ought to let your parents know that you are here; otherwise they'll be angry.
George did not see why he should not discuss the matter with his chief.
He remembered that he should not smoke unless invited to do so.
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You should have taken part in that amateur performance. Why should you miss a chance to show how artistic you may be?
Nancy is so graceful. You should have seen her on horse-back: she looks like a born queen.
Your father ought to know about you financial failure: he is always ready to help you, don't forget about it.
He drove at great speed. He knew that the guests had already all arrived at his house.
Anything we can do to clear up this miserable affair ought to be done.
Tea is between half past five and six and it should be ready now.
I am working late today but I ought to be able to do my shopping: the stores are open until eight.
Now I am all right since I know that nothing has happened to you. But you ought to have told me about it earlier.
How should I know when he is coming? I am not his personal secretary.
Jack who should have been sweating at the gym was sitting comfortably in a gardener's shed reading a book.
Exercise 26
Translate into Russian and compare the use of the modal verbs NEED and SHOULD in the meaning of necessity/absence of necessity.
You should not have done it yourself: all you had to do is ask me.
You need not have paid your debt so soon. I do not need this money so urgently.
You should not give the child so much care. It may make him dependent on your attention. He should be more self-confident.
You needn't have come so early. Now you will have to wait until four o'clock.
I am sorry, I should not have told you that: it has upset you so much!
You need not have carried this luggage yourself: there were a lot of porters around.
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Exercise 27
Fill in the blanks with the modal verbs MUST, SHOULD and OUGHT TO followed by the appropriate form of the infinitives in brackets.
1. ‘You are grown up enough and you ... (to know) that such things ... (not to say) in public.
2. He could not see anything in the cave. He thought he ... (to bring) a torch.
3. If one is in love it is only natural that he ... (to be) happy and radiant.
Then, logically, he ... (to laugh) but he heard himself saying: 'You are absolutely right', instead.
How I ... (to know) where you have left your glasses? They can be anywhere considering your absent-mindedness.
It is too late and you are exhausted after such an eventful day. I ... (to think) about it and (to let) you have a rest.
You ... (to take) a long walk every morning. Exercise will only do you plenty of good.
You ... (to be) there with your friends, fighting. While they are risking their lives it's mean of you to stay here.
Children, you... (to say) good-bye to your grannie and then we ... (to go).
10. 'Who is going to come to young Collins' wedding?'
‘I suppose, there ... (to be) Nick and Sarah, since they are always invited to any of the gatherings organized by the Collins and the rest will be quite mixed.'
11. Molly telephoned that she was on her way home, so at any moment she ... (to arrive).
12. How I... (to know) what you have told Michael? I did not hear your talk and I haven't seen Mike as yet.
There ... (to be) many guests yesterday, I suppose: the Oxleys are so hospitable.
She ... (to tell) the truth then. Now nothing can be done to improve the situation.
My goodness! You are still reading! This text is as simple as it can be! You ... (to go) to bed: you are definitely tired. In the morning you ... (to be) fresh and bright.
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Exercise 28
Translate into English.
Я не ожидал, что мои слова так подействуют на Вас. Мне не следовало этого говорить Вам.
Ей совсем не следовало вставать: она ещё не оправилась после болезни, и эта прогулка может иметь нехорошие последствия.
Я сожалею, что был с тобой более откровенен, чем следовало.
Я думаю, тебе уже нужно бы знать, что этого делать не следует в обществе людей старше тебя.
С какой стати я Должна звонить ему первая? Он начал это дело, пусть он теперь и отвечает за всё.
Откуда же мне знать, что он устроил скандал в школе? Я уже вторую неделю сижу дома и не вижу никого.
Вам нужно побольше двигаться и бывать на свежем воздухе. Вашему сердцу это полезно.
Должно быть, Алиса уже приехала, и нам следует поторопиться, чтобы встретить её.
Наверное, спектакль начнётся в семь часов вечера. В этом, театре все вечерние спектакли начинаются в семь.
Я сказал что-нибудь такое, чего не нужно было говорить? Должно быть, её расстроила моя новость. Но откуда мне было знать это?
— Я уже второй день ищу Алекса. Он куда-то исчез!
Как, ты не знаешь? Он же уехал в Австралию!
Да! Он же говорил! Мне бы следовало догадаться!
Нелли всегда очень пунктуальна. Если она что-нибудь обещает, то Обязательно сделает. Значит, с минуты на минуту она будет здесь.
Ты плохо выглядишь, ты бледен и слаб. Не надо было тебе приходить на работу. Ничего бы не произошло, если бы ты не пришёл.
14. Как ты мог поступить так с ней? Стыдись! Тебе надо попросить у неё прощения.
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Это же твоя специальность! Ты же профессионал и должен знать такие вещи.
Девочки тайком убежали на танцы, в то время как они должны были учить уроки.
Exercise 29
Make up situations to illustrate the use of the modal verbs in the sentences below.
1. a) He ought to know.
You should do it.
You should have done it.
2. a) You ought to do something for him.
b) You ought to have done something for him.
3. a) You should not tell anyone about it.
b) You should not have told anyone about it.
a) How should I know?
b) Why should I do that?
Exercise 30
Look at these notices. Try to explain what they mean and say where you might come across them.
Final date for application: 1 September.
Emergency exit only.
Pay cash here.
Please enter without knocking.
5. Prepaid envelope. No stamp required.
No smoking.
Silence.
Fasten your seat belts.
9. Admission: Adults: £1, Children 50p.
Come in and look around — no obligation to buy.
Exact fare only. No change given.
12. No photographs.
13. Private.
Not transferable.
Evening dress optional.
16. Valid on day of issue only.
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Exercise 31
Look at these road signs. Try to explain what they mean. Work in pairs or individually.
> Pattern: You should slow down: the gates might be closed in case there is a train coming.
These words might be useful: crossroads, level-crossing, the turn of the road, slippery, steep, slope, rise drawbridge, delay, roadworks, precipice, landslip.
Exercise 32
Giving advice. Work in groups. Use the situations below to make up dialogues of your own.
1. Someone you meet at a party asks you to recommend a good place to spend an evening in your town.
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Your friend's husband took the dog for a walk five hours ago. The dog has just come back without him.
Your friend has been working twelve hours a day for the last month and he/she is beginning to look ill. This morning for no reason at all he/she lost his/her temper.
Your friend is digging in his/her garden when he/she discovers an old chest full of gold coins.
Your friend got engaged. Her fiancee gave her a very expensive diamond ring just before she went to France. When she got back she realized that she had lost the ring. She doesn't know what to do.
Exercise 33
Translate into Russian. Pay attention to the modal verb WOULD expressing an habitual action in the past.
That's Harris all over — so ready to take the burden of everything himself, and put it on the backs of other people.
He always reminds me of my poor Uncle Podger. You never saw such a commotion up and down a house in all your life, as when my Uncle Podger undertook to a job. A picture would have come home from the frame-maker's and be standing in the dining-room, waiting to be put up; and Aunt Podger would ask what was to be done with it, and Uncle Podger would say: 'Oh, you leave that to me. Don't you, any of you, worry yourselves about that. I'll do all that.'
And then he would take off his coat, and begin. He would send the girl out for sixpenn’orth of nails, ... and from that, he would gradually work down, and start the whole house.
'Now you go and get me my hammer, Will,' he would shout; 'and bring me the ruler, Tom.'...
And then he would lift up the picture, and drop it, and it would come out of the frame, and he would try to save the glass, and cut himself; and then he would spring round the room, looking for his handkerchief. He could not find his handkerchief, because it was in the pocket of the coat he had taken off, and» he did not know where he had put the coat, and all the house had to leave off looking for his tools, and start looking for his coat; while he would dance round and hinder them...
(After Jerome K. Jerome)
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Exercise 34
Fill in the blanks with the modal verb WOULD where necessary. Think of other ways of expressing an habitual action in the past.
...That was a Tuesday. He ... (to come) on Wednesday; he ... (to come) on Thursday; he ... (to come) on Friday; and he ... (to come) on Saturday. It is true that each visit... (to begin), (to continue) or (to conclude) with a declaration of love, but in between there was much room for silence. They ... (to sit) on either side of the fire-place and sometimes the Archduke ... (to knock) over the fire-irons and Orlando ... (to pick) them up again. Then the Archduke ... (to bethink) him how he had shot an elk in Sweden, and Orlando ... (to ask), was it a very big elk, and the Archduke ... (to say) that it was not as big as the reindeer which he had shot in Norway; and Orlando ... (to ask), had he ever shot a tiger, and the Archduke ... (to say) he had shot an albatross, and Orlando ... (to say) (half hiding her yawn) was an albatross as big аз an elephant, and the Archduke ... (to say) — something very sensible, no doubt, but Orlando heard it not, for she ... (to look) at her writing-table, out of the window, at the door. Upon which the Archduke ... (to say), 'I adore you', at the very same moment that Orlando... (to say) 'Look, it's beginning to rain,' at which they ... (to be) both much embarrassed, and blushed scarlet, and could neither of them think what to say next...
(After Virginia Woolf)
Exercise 35
Translate into English paying attention to the way you render an habitual action taking place in the past.
…Обыкновенно двое должны были придерживать стул, а третий помогал ему (дядюшке Поджеру) забраться на него (стул) и поддерживал его на стуле. Четвертый же держал и подавал ему гвоздь, пятый подавал молоток. И, как обычно, дядюшка брал гвоздь и ронял его.
«Вот так! — говорил он обиженным голосом,— ну, теперь гвоздя нет.»
И мы все обыкновенно опускались на четвереньки и ползали таким образом в поисках гвоздя, в то время как он
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(дядюшка), как всегда, стоял на стуле и ворчал, спрашивая «Мне что, стоять здесь весь вечер?»
Наконец гвоздь находился, но к этому времени, обыкновенно, терялся молоток... Мы находили ему молоток, и затем он терял из виду отметку, которую он сделал на стене, и куда должен был быть вбит гвоздь. И каждый из нас должен был забраться на стул рядом с ним и попытаться найти эту отметину. И каждый из нас находил её в разных местах, и он называл нас дураками одного за другим, и приказывал спуститься...
(По Джерому К. Джерому)
Exercise 36
Write a composition. Imagine that, fifty years from now, someone in your group is very famous. Write an account of his/her life. Describe his/her habits and ways, his/her daily routine etc. Try to use as many modal verbs as you can in your composition.