Grammar Exercises:

I. Explain the meanings of can and may in the following sentences and translate them.

1. He didn't get drowned because he could swim. 2. Can (could) James be a good misician? 3. Harry has good ear for misic. He could be a good misician if he wanted to. 4. When can I leave? 5. Lawrence can't have been so naive, it's unlike him. 6. Can (could) they have failed to arrange everything? I could help them, but I'm not sure they want me to. 7. The police can't have failed to catch the criminal. 8. If you don't apologise, he may get offended. 9. Don't wait. The manager may not come soon. 10. I was afraid the child might lose his way. 11. The question may have been asked out of curiosity. 12. May I give you a hand with the dishes?

II. Fill in the blanks with can or may. Translate the sentences.

1. Why should you help him? I'm quite sure he ... do it alone. 2. He's never punctual, he just ... not come at the appointed time. 3. I can't say he's always punctual, so he ... not come in time. 4. Speak louder, he ... not hear you. 5. ... you do me a favour? 6. ... I ask you to do me a favour? 7. Take the umbrella, you ... need it. 8. You never ... tell, everthing ... change. 9. He ... be a talanted conductor, but I ... not say I enjoyed the concert. 10. It's a very popular tune, you ... hear it everywhere. 11. "... I trouble you for a moment?" "Yes, what ... I do for you?" 12. "We've missed the train". "It ... not be helped".

III. Answer these questions to express possibility.

Example: "Why do you think the driver was fined?"- "He may/might have jumped the red light".

1. Why do you think the performance was cancelled? 2. Where do you think the conference will be held? 3. What do you think Roger did to make Ann so angry? 4. What do you think is keeping Mr. Goods? 5. Why do you think Helen is upset? 6. Where do you think Donald is? 7. Why do you think the ship sank? 8. Where do you think he is from? 9. How do you think they got there? 10. Where do you think I left my bag? 11. What do you think he does for a living? 12. Why do you think there is light in the office?

IV. Say what conclusions may be drawn from the following facts. To express certainty use the verb must.

Example: Charles has got a good tan. He must have spent his holiday in the south.

1. Miss Gray got an Oscar for this film. 2. Max went to school in England. 3. The watch didn't stop when I dropped it. 4. The man was put in prison. 5. Robert caught up with the class. 6. Jane is ill with tonsillitis. 7. The Browns have moved to a new house. 8. They missed their train. 9. He didn't phone me yesterday. 10. The house caught fire. 11. It's a pity John refused to join us for the trip.

V. Say why one of these facts can't be true. To express disbelief use can't.

Example:

Ada takes size thirty-five in shoes, but she says these shoes are too small for her. If Ada (really) takes size thirty-five in shoes, these shoes can't be too small for her.

1. Mr. Webb has never left England. But Agnes says she saw him in Paris. 2. James is a hard-working and conscientious student, but Alice says he has failed his examination. 3. Thomas knows French, but Ann says he failed to translate the article. 4. Ann has been living in this neighbourhood since she was a girl, but Jack says she has lost her way. 5. Mr Stale uses hearing aids, but he says that his heаring is good. 6. The TV programme was thoroughly bad, but Walter says he enjoyed it. 7. Alice is not on speaking terms with Mrs Webb, but Jane says Alice asked Mrs Webb to dinner. 8. Ronald spoke to Agnes on the phone, but she says she was out all evening yesterday. 9. I've just seen Alan leave the Institute, but Jane says he's working in the library. 10. Charles knows where we are, but Ann says he is looking for us.

VI. Change these sentences to express a) possibility; b) certainty; c) disbelief. See Notes 3 and 4. Pay attention to the form of the infinitive. Translate the sentences.

Example:

The flight has been cancelled. a) The flight may/might have been cancelled. b) The flight must have been cancelled. c) The flight can't/couldn't have been cancelled.

1. The door is locked on the inside. 2. Jane is still lecturing at Moscow University. 3. The Browns will make a stop-over in Paris. 4. They didn't get Mr Cater on the phone. 5. The driver took a side-road. 6. Robert won't violate traffic rules. 7. Jane has forgotten all about it. 8. Ann is so naive. 9. Mr. Sanders will change his mind. 10. Joseph didn't recognise you. 11. I've left my passport at home. 12. She didn't give me your massage. 13. Donald will go on holiday in June. 14. The mechanic is testing the engine. 15. There was a mistake in the calculations.

VII. Translate into Russian using modal verbs wherever correct grammatically, to express possibility (may/might), disbelief (can't), uncertainty, doubt (can), certainty (must).

1. Возможно, вы забыли паспорт дома. 2. Не может быть, чтобы Дэвид не поздравил их. 3. Очевидно, мисс Грей хорошая актриса. 4. Вероятно, она будет играть главную роль в новом фильме. 5. Возможно, дождя не будет. 6. Не может быть, чтобы пошел дождь. 7. Неужели будет дождь? 8. Мы будем рaно пить чай. Ты, наверное, умираешь с голоду (to starve). 9. Она, должно быть, не знает, что вы здесь. 10. Может быть, он уже видел их. 11. Возможно, они не ждут нас. 12. Не может быть, чтобы они ждали нас. Они, должно быть, уже ушли. 13. Он, вероятно, не захочет говорить по-английски. 14. Она такая бледная. Наверное, она была больна. 15. Не может быть, чтобы она не заметила пропажи. 16. Неужели они не договорились о встрече? 17. Они, наверное, не встретили его на станции.

VIII. When giving advice, expressing disapproval or reprimanding somebody, use should. When stating that the action was or will be a waste of time and effort, use need. React to these statements. Use should (shouldn't) or needn't with the Perfect infinitive. Translate the sentences.

Example:

John was rude to her and she was hurt. John shouldn't have been rude to her.

1. He bought a ticket for me but I've got one. 2. I didn't ask him for permission and he got angry. 3. Why did Felix wait for Mr Tweed? The question could have been settled without him. 4. I sat up late and didn't get enough sleep. 5. Mr Baker signed the paper without reading it and it caused a lot of trouble. 6. Harry produced references but they would have taken him on without any references. 7. They spoke loudly and woke up the children. 8. George wrote a twenty-page essay, but a ten-page paper would have been sufficient. 9. Tom wrote a detailed account. But a brief outline would have been just as good. 10. Michael interferd and spoiled everything. 11. Frank told Mary about it and upset her.

IX. Fill in the blanks using to be or to have in the correct form. Translate the sentences.

1. If you want to achieve anything, you ... to take a chance. 2. The conference ... to begin next week. 3. All the seats in the stalls were sold out, so I ... to book seats in the balcony. 4. When ... the film to be released? 5. There were many people at the box-office and we ... to queue for about half an hour. 6. "When will you see the producer?" "We ... to meet tomorow morning". 7. The film ... to be dubbed into Russian. 8. Who ... to take part in the amateur performance? 9. Edith didn't feel well, so we ... to send for the doctor. 10. "Did you have your tooth filled?" "No, the dentist says it's too late, I ... to have it out". 11. They agreed that she ... to be at the station at eleven thirty. 12. "Will you be in the office today?" "I ... to be there at three. We have a meeting".

X. Read the following jokes. Explain the meanings of the modal verbs and translate the jokes into Russian. Retell the jokes.

1. Father. How did Jimmy do in his history examination?

Mother. Oh, not at all well. But the poor boy is not to blame. He had to answer questions they oughtn't to have asked him. They asked him things that happened before he was born.

2. Billy. Why should I wash my face, Ma?

Mother. Because it's dirty.

Billy. But couldn't I just powder (пудрить) it like you do?

3. "My poor fellow," said a kind old lady giving a quarter to a beggar. "It must be terrible to be lame (хромой), but just think how much worse it would be if you were blind".

"You are right, madam", agreed the beggar, "when I was blind I was always getting false coins".

4. "I hear your sister is sick in bed, Bobby," remarked a neighbour. "Could you tell me what's the matter with her?"

"We were playing a game seeing who could lean (высовываться) the furthest out of the window, and she won".

5. Aunt. Harry, do you know that tomorrow will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of our wedding? I thought we ought to kill two chickens.

Uncle. How can you blame the chickens for what happened twenty-five years ago?

6. Manager (to an office boy, who is half an hour late). You should have been here at nine o'clock.

Office Boy. Why, what happened?

7. First Clerk. Poor old Watkins has completely lost his hearing. I am afraid he may lose his job.

Second Clerk. Nonsense. He is to be transferred to the Complaint Department.

8. "Why has a woman never been President?"

"Don't you know the President has to be over 35?"

9. Wife. "I've been asked for a reference (рекомндации) for our last maid. I've said she's lazy, unpunctual and rude. Now can I add anything in her favour?"

Husband. "You might say she's got a good appetite and sleeps well".

10. "Do you think I should put more fire into my books?" the writer asked.

"No", said his editor. "Vice versa".(наоборот)

XI. Translate the following sentences using suitable modal verbs.

1. Мне позвонить ей самому? 2. Он сказал, что, возможно, примет участие в вечере самодеятельности, если закончит свою работу вовремя. 3. Не было необходимости вдаваться в подробности, вопрос был всем ясен. Вы только утомили всех. 4. Хорошо, что вопрос был всем ясен и мне не было необходимости вдаваться в подробности. 5. Когда должны состояться выборы? 6. Почему вы были вынуждены принять такое решение? 7. Режиссеру следовало бы отдать эту роль более опытной актрисе, тогда бы пьеса наверняка не провалилась. 8. Вам не следовало вмешиваться в их дела. Теперь вам придется извиняться перед ними. 9. Нам не нужно брать бинокли, наши места в первом ряду. 10. Он, наверное, не сказал им об этом, и они, возможно, не придут. 11. Неужели он забыл сказать им об этом? 12. Мы должны с ним встретиться во вторник. 13. К сожалению мне не удалось (не смог) поговорить с отцом. Его не было дома. Мне следовало бы приехать рано утром. 14. Она, должно быть, не поняла, по какой дороге ей идти, и, возможно, она заблудилась. 15. Тебе ведь пришлось остаться там до вечера? 16. Ты вся промокла. Зря ты не попросила кого-нибудь подвезти тебя. 17. Мне, возможно, придется поехать туда на такси. 18. С какой стати я должен их ждать? 19. Тебе следует захватить плащ. Может пойти дождь. 20. Не может быть, чтобы они все еще работали. 21. Неужели она такая наивная, чтобы поверить этому. 22. Вам незачем было приходить. Мы могли бы закончить и без вас. 23. Вечером она должна была пойти на вечеринку, поэтому после завтрака ей пришлось мыть голову. 24. Я не вижу, почему бы нам не быть друзьями.