189 The modal verbs "could" and "might" in conditional sentences
Exercise 1
Translate the following sentences from English into Russian.
He could play the piano better if he tried.
You might find him in the reading-hall if you went there now.
Jane could have passed her test better yesterday if she had been revising all the week.
You might have seen him yesterday if you had called at seven.
She might phone me in the evening if she has time.
You could have come, if you had wanted to.
We could have gone home earlier if it hadn't been for the rain.
Lucy could have never translated the telex so well if I hadn't helped her out.
Exercise 2
Paraphrase the following sentences according to the pattern.
> Pattern: The теш isn't ready. We can't eat it now. If the meat were ready, we could eat it now.
Danny doesn't earn much. He can't travel a lot.
I have no money on me. I can't lend you any.
He hasn't got any free time tonight. He can't watch this film.
I don't listen to the news. I can't tell you anything about that accident.
Pete doesn't know Washington well. He can't show you about it.
6.' I don't ever see him in my office. I can't give him your message.
You never pay back the money you've taken. You can't borrow any.
I don't like her husband. They can't come to my birthday party.
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9.
She can't type. She can't have this job.
10. She isn't a student of this University. She can't borrow books from the library.
Exercise 3
Make the following sentences conditional.
> Pattern: Luckily she didn't find out or she might have been furious.
If she had found out, she might have been furious.
Unfortunately I didn't se# her, so I couldn't tell her about the party.
Fortunately you locked the door properly or someone might have got in.
He didn't pass his exams or he might have gone to the University.
I didn't watch the film yesterday, so I couldn't answer his questions about it.
Gerry didn't have much money left, so he couldn't go anywhere in summer.
He was unwell and he couldn't enjoy the dinner.
Ben was sleepy and couldn't listen to the lecture.
Margie didn't have any free time yesterday. She couldn't go and see her friends.
The weather was nasty yesterday. We couldn't go anywhere.
I was so busy in the morning, I couldn't even eat к proper breakfast.
She couldn't come to your party yesterday because she was away on holiday.
Exercise 4
Complete the following sentences using COULD or MIGHT.
If the weather were better ...
But for the late hour ...
If it hadn't been for that noise ...
If the hotel had been better ...
If the central heating were working …
If the host had been more polite...
But for your behaviour ...
If it were summer now ...
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9. But for his/her help ...
10. But for his absence ...
11. If it hadn't been so slippery ...
12. If I had known everything before hand…
13. If it were not for your money ...
14. If they had been more attentive ...
15. But for his lack of ambition ...
Exercise 5
Translate into English.
Они могли бы прийти пораньше, если бы их не задержали.
Он мог бы отвечать лучше, если бы постарался.
Вы могли бы пойти с нами на концерт, если бы.
Вы, может быть, прошли бы собеседование гораздо успешнее, если бы лучше подготовились к нему.
Лесли мог бы играть потише, если бы думал о тех кто живет рядом.
Если бы мы могли оставить с кем-нибудь ребёнка мы могли бы пойти в гости.
Если бы не ты, я бы мог потратить на это гораздо больше времени.
Он мог бы стать знаменитостью, если бы не отсутствие честолюбия.
Если бы нам не удалось поймать такси, мы, может быть, опоздали бы на самолёт.
Он мог бы давно согласиться с нашим предложением если бы он не был таким упрямым.