Item 11.2. Modal verbs. (negative sentences)

Exercise 1. Write sentences with might not.

1. (it's possible that Mary will not be here)

2. (it's possible that I won't have time to meet you)

Exercise 2. Complete these sentences. Use can or can't + one of these verbs:

come find hear see speak

1. I'm sorry but we can't come to your party next Saturday.

2. I like this hotel room. You …… the mountains from the window.

3. You are speaking very quietly. I …… you.

4. Have you seen my bag? I …… it.

5. Catherine got the job because she …… five languages.

Exercise 3. Complete these sentences. Use can't or couldn't + one of these verbs:
eat decide find go go sleep

1. I was tired but I couldn't sleep.

2. I wasn't hungry yesterday. I …… my dinner.

3. Ann doesn't know what to do. She ……

4. I wanted to speak to Martin yesterday but I …… him.

5. Jim …… to the concert next Saturday. He has to work.

6. Paula …… to the meeting last week. She was ill.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences. Use mustn't or needn't + one of these verbs:
clean forget hurry lose wait write

1 The windows aren't very dirty. You needn't cleanthem.

2 We have a lot of time. We……

3 Keep these documents in a safe place. You……them.

4 I'm not ready yet but you……for me. You can go now and I'll come later.

5 We……to turn off the lights before we leave.

6 I……the letter now. I can do it tomorrow.

Exercise 5. Put in must / had to / mustn't / needn't.

1 You needn't go. You can stay here if you want.

2 It's a fantastic film. You mustsee it.

3 We've got enough food, so we……go shopping.

4 We didn't have any food yesterday, so we……go shopping.

5 I want to know what happened. You... tell me.

6 You……tell Sue what happened. I don't want her to know.

7 I……hurry or I'll be late.

8 'Why were you so late?' 'I……wait half an hour for a bus.'

9 We……decide now. We can decide later.

Exercise 6. Complete the sentences with can / can't / could / couldn't + one of these verbs:
come eat hear run sleep wait

1 I'm afraid I can't come to your party next week.

2 When Tim was 16, he was a fast runner. He…… 100 metres in 11 seconds.

3 'Are you in a hurry?' 'No, I've got plenty of time. I……'

4 I was feeling sick yesterday. I……anything.

5 Can you speak up a bit? I……you very well.

6 'You look tired.' 'Yes, I……last night.'

Exercise 7. Put in must or can't.

1 You've been travelling all day. You mustbe very tired.

2 That restaurant……be very good. It's always full of people.

3 That restaurant……be very good. It's always empty.

4 You're going on holiday next week. You.. be looking forward to it.

5 It rained every day during their holiday, so they …… have had a very nice time.

6 Congratulations on passing your exam. You…….be very pleased.

7 You got here very quickly. You……have walked very fast.

8 Bill and Sue go away on holiday very often, so they……be short of money.

Exercise 8. Write these sentences in a different way using may not or might not.

1. Perhaps she doesn't want to see me.

2. Perhaps she isn't working today.

3. Perhaps she wasn't feeling well yesterday.

Exercise 9. Complete the sentences using might not or couldn't.

1 A: Do you think she saw you?

B: No, she was too far away. She couldn’t have seen me.

2 A: I wonder why she didn't say hello. Perhaps she didn't see me.
B: That's possible. She might not have seen you.

3 A: I wonder why Ann didn't come to the party. Perhaps she wasn't invited.

в Yes, it's possible. She……

4 A: Tom loves parties. I'm sure he would have come to the party if he'd been invited.
B: I agree. He……

5 A: I wonder how the fire started. Do you think it was an accident?
B: No, the police say it……

6 A: How did the fire start? I suppose it was an accident.

B: Well, the police aren't sure. They say it……

Exercise 10. Write sentences with may not or might not.

1 (I don't know if Ann will come to the party.) Ann might not come to the party.

2 (I don't know if I'll go out this evening.) I……

3 (I don't know if Tom will like the present I bought for him.)

Tom……

4 (I don't know if Sue will be able to meet us this evening.) ……

Exercise 11. Complete these sentences using don't / doesn't / didn't have to + one of these verbs:

do get up go go pay shave wait work

1 I'm not working tomorrow, so I don't have to get up early.

2 The car park is free – you……to park your car there.

3 I went to the bank this morning. There was no queue, so I……

4 Sally is extremely rich. She……

5 We've got plenty of time. We……yet.

6 Jack has got a beard, so he……

7 I'm not particularly busy. I've got a few things to do but I……

them now.

8 A man was slightly injured in the accident but he……to

hospital.

Exercise 12. Complete these sentences with mustn't or don't/doesn't have to.

1 I don't want anyone to know. You mustn't tell anyone.

2 He doesn't have to wear a suit to work but he usually does.

3 I can stay in bed tomorrow morning because I……go to work.

4 Whatever you do, you……touch that switch. It's very dangerous.

5 There's a lift in the building, so we……climb the stairs.

6 You……forget what I told you. It's very important.

7 Sue……get up early. She gets up early because she wants to.

8 Don't make so much noise. We……wake the baby.

9 I……eat too much. I'm supposed to be on a diet.

10 You …… be a good player to enjoy a game of tennis.

Exercise 13. Complete the sentences using needn't + one of these verbs:

ask come explain leave tell walk

1 We've got plenty of time. We needn't leave yet.

2 I can manage the shopping alone. You……with me.

3 We……all the way home. We can get a taxi.

4 Just help yourself if you'd like something to eat. You……first.

5 We can keep this a secret between ourselves. We……anybody else.

6 I understand the situation perfectly. You……further.

Exercise 14. Read the situations and make sentences with needn't have.

1George went out. He took an umbrella because he thought it was going to rain. But it didn't rain. Heneedn' t havetaken an umbrella.

2 Ann bought some eggs when she went shopping. When she got home, she found that she already had plenty of eggs. She……

3 A friend got angry with you and shouted at you. You think this was unnecessary. Later you say to him/her: You……

4 Brian had no money, so he sold his car. A few days later he won some money in a lottery.
He……

5 When we went on holiday, we took the camera with us but we didn't use it in the end. ……

6 I thought I was going to miss my train so I rushed to the station. But the train was late and in the end I had to wait 20 minutes. ……

Exercise 15. Write sentences with don't/doesn't/didn't have to....

1 Why are you going out? You ……

2 Why is Ann waiting? She ……

3 Why did you get up early? You ……

4 Why is Paul working so hard? He ……

5 Why do you want to leave now? You ……

6 Why do you work alone? You ……

7 Why does he speak to her? He ……

8 Why are you watching TV? You ……

9 Why is she going to the cinema? She ……

10 Why are you talking on the phone? You ……