Present and future possibility
We use may, might and could to talk about present or future possibility.
'There's someone at the door.' 'It may be Sarah.' (=Perhaps it is Sarah.)
We aren't sure what we are going to do tomorrow. We might go to the beach. (= Perhaps we will go to the beach.)
'Where's Simon?' 'He could be in the living room.' (= Perhaps he is in the living room.)
Might is normally a little less sure than may. Could is normally less sure than may or might.
+++ may++ might + could
We use the negatives may not and might not (contraction: mightn't) with this meaning, but not could not.
Simon may not be in the living room. (= Perhaps he is not in the living room.) We might not go to the beach. (= Perhaps we will not go to the beach.)
Note the form: may /might /could + be + ... -ing.
They may be having dinner at the moment. (= Perhaps they are having dinner.)
Possibility in the past
We can use may/might/could + have + past participle to talk about possibility in the past.
'Where was Sally last night?' 'I think she may have been at the cinema.' (= I think perhaps she was at the cinema.) 'Peter is late.' 'He might have missed his train. (= Perhaps he missed/ has missed his train.) 'I can't find my wallet anywhere.' 'You could have left it at home.' (= Perhaps you left/ have left it at home.)
'She walked straight past me without saying hello.' 'She might not have seen you.' (= Perhaps she didn't see you.)
We also use could and might (but not may) with have + past participle to say that something was possible in the past but did not happen.
'I forgot to lock my car last night.' 'You were lucky. Someone could have stolen it.' You were stupid to try to climb that tree. You might have killed yourself.
Illustrative Situations
1. Pam: Do you know the Bartons' new address, Jeff? Jeff: No, sorry, I don't.
Pam: Do you think Steve will have it? Jeff: Yes, he may know it. Ring him. Pam (Rings the number.): No reply. Oh, it's Wednesday.
Jill may be at her evening class. Jeff: And Steve said he might have to work late. They
may not be home until after 9 o'clock.
2. It's World Cup time. Stephen and Jim are talking about football and the different matches.
Jim: I wonder what's going to happen. Do you think
Russia will win the cup? Stephen: They might win the cup, but I doubt it.
Jim: Do you? I wonder if Charlie Watts will play for
England. Stephen: He might play for England but I doubt it.
3. Mrs Collins usually has a driving lesson every afternoon. Her instructor isn't sure if he can give her one tomorrow. She might have one tomorrow.
If she has a driving lesson at all tomorrow it will be from 2 to 3 o'clock. One of Mrs Collins's friends has just rung up and has said she wants to come over at 2.30. 'Don't come over then,' Mrs Collins says. 'I might be having a driving lesson.'
4. Two weeks ago an old woman was found dead in her attic in Amsterdam. Among her scanty belongings two large paintings were discovered, each with the name of 'Rembrandt' at the bottom. An art expert is examining the paintings now. He cannot be sure about them yet. Certainly, however, the style is right and it has been established through various tests that the paintings are the right age. They might have been painted by Rembrandt.
5. Lady Crocker casually left her car with the keys still in the door. It was still there when she got back.
It could have been stolen.
Activities
/. The people interviewing Julie for the job can't understand why she is so late.
A: Why isn't Miss Wilson here?
B: She may be ill — or she might be too nervous. It may not be her fault.
What other possible explanations do the interviewers think of? Use may/might (not):
1. Perhaps her train is late.
2. Perhaps her watch is slow.
3. Perhaps she doesn't know the way.
4. It's just possible she thinks it's on another day.
5. Perhaps there's a traffic jam.
6. Maybe she feels the salary is too low.
7. There's a slight possibility that she doesn't want the job after all.
8. Perhaps she's not feeling well today.
9. It's just possible she has a good reason.
//. The dentist isn't sure if he can save the tooth but he hopes to. He says:
'Well, I may be able to save it.' What do you say in the same situation if someone asks you:
1. Can you come to the party?
2. Can you do this work?
3. Can you learn all these words?
4. Can you repair the damage?
5. Can you carry this case?
III. Make up similar dialogues using the prompts.
1. James/win/tennis championship?
A: Do you think James will win the tennis championship? B: Well, he might, but I doubt it. He hasn't been playing very well recently.
1. you/pass/exam?
2. Peter/get/promotion he wants?
3. there/be/nuclear war?
4. we/find/cure for cancer?
2. When/you/be/back home? 6.00
A: When do you think you'll be back home?
B: I might be back at 6.00. It depends on the traffic.
1. How/you/find/money to buy a car? Bank loan.
2. When/your book/be/ready for publication? In six months' time.
3. Who/get job of Director? Henry.
4. How long /your trip around the world/take you? A couple of years.
3. A: Where are you going for your holidays this year? B: We haven't decided yet. We might go to Greece, or we might go to Italy.
Student A Ask В the questions.
Student В You haven't made up your mind!
1. travel? fly/go by car
2. stay? hotel/rent a house
3. How long ...?
for a week/for a fortnight
4. When ... ? July/August
5. Who ... with? friends/alone
IV.What are some of the things you might be doing at these times:
7.30 tomorrow morning
6.15 tomorrow evening
10.25 next Saturday morning
11 o'clock in the morning on a warm day next summer
this time next year
V. Respond by using 'I don't know' + may/might/could.
Example: (...)'s grammar book isn't on her desk. Where is
it? Response-. I don't know. It may/might/could be in her book
bag.
1. (...) isn't in class today. Where is s/he? (/ don't know. S/he ...)
2. Where does (...) live? (I don't know. S/he ...)
3. What do you think I have in my briefcase/pocket/purse?
4. What kind of watch is (...) wearing?
5. I can't find my pen. Do you know where it is?
6. How old .do you think (someone famous) is?
7. What are you going to do tomorrow?
8. What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?
VI. Listen to the clues; then make guesses. Use could, may and might.
Example made of metal and you keep it in a pocket.
TEACHER: I'm thinking of something made of metal that you can find in my pocket. What could it be?
STUDENTS: It could be a pen. It could be some keys. It might be a paper clip. It may be a small pocket knife. It could be a coin.
TEACHER: (...) was right. I was thinking of the keys in my pocket.
1. has wheels and a motor
2. is made of plastic and can be found in my purse/pocket
3. is brown, is made of leather, and is in this room
4. is flat and rectangular
5. is white, hard and in this room
6. is played with a ball on a large field
7. has (three) stories/storeys and is made of (brick)
8. has four legs and is found on a farm
9. is green and we can see it out of that window
10. is sweet and you can eat it
VII. Put in suitable forms which express uncertainty or possibility.
We make decisions all the time, but we ... never be certain whether we are right or wrong. The work you choose to do ... be suitable for you or it ... not. The person you marry ...
be a perfect match or ... be the worst possible choice. Suppose you have saved money for the future. You ... invest it wisely so that it grows in value or you ... lose the lot in a foolish moment. You think you have a healthy diet, but the food you eat ... actually be very bad for you and ... be the cause of terrible illness. Perhaps you travel a lot by plane. All the flights you make are routine, but one of them ... be your last. Decisions! Decisions! But we .don't learn from experience. Experience is the quality that allows us to go on making the same mistakes with more confidence!
VIII. Replace may by might or can, as appropriate.
1. They may come with us, but I think they're too busy. 2. I know it rained yesterday and today, but it may be fine tomorrow. 3. You may leave as soon as you have finished. 4. I know you don't like television but you may enjoy this programme. 5. The snow is getting deeper. The trains may not be running. 6. The students may answer the questions in any order they like. 7. Visitors to Britain may not work in the country without a permit. 8. Jamie may ask for a sweet; if he does, he may have one. 9. My father says I may go to the party as long as I get home by midnight.
IX. Make up short dialogues.
[> The speakers are wondering what happened to certain things/people.
A: Perhaps she took it with her.
B: Well, she may have taken it away with her, I suppose.
Note This exercise can be done with might /could instead of may. Perhaps ...
1. he stole it.
2. she sold it.
3. you lost it.
4. she drank it.
5. he threw it away.
6. she left it at home.
7. he ate it.
8. they hid it in the attic.
9. he burnt it.
10. she tore it up.
11. they had an accident.
12. their car broke down.
| 13. he advised them not to come. 14. he fell overboard. 15. they got lost. | 16. he was murdered. 17. something delayed them. 18. he took the wrong drug. |
(a) A: Perhaps he is working for Jones. B: Yes, he may be working for Jones.
(b) A: Perhaps he was working for Jones. B: He may have been working for Jones.
Note This exercise can be done with might/could.
(a) Perhaps ... (b) Perhaps ...
1. he is waiting for 1. he was waiting for someone. someone.
2. they are wondering what 2. they were wondering to do. what to do.
3. she is trying to confuse us. i.e. just as in (a),. but re-
4. they are window-shopping. placing IS/ARE by WAS/
5. she is expecting a letter WERE from us.
6. he is looking for another job.
7. they are working overtime.
8. he is listening at the keyhole.
9. they are watching television.
10. he is following us.
11. he is learning karate.
12. she is telling his fortune.
13. he is showing her the way.
14. she is doing exercises.
15. they are burying something.
16. he is taking drugs.
17. they are helping the police.
Ann and Bill are worried about a packet they are expecting from a not very efficient firm.
A: Perhaps they didn't treat this order as urgent.
B: Yes, it may/might not have been treated as urgent.
Perhaps they...
1. didn't deal with the order at once.
2. didn't post the packet promptly.
3. didn't mark it urgent.
4. didn't address it correctly.
5. didn't label it clearly.
6. didn't tie it up properly.
7. didn't send it by air.
8. didn't stamp it sufficiently.
9. didn't register it.
10. didn't insure it.
X. Here, Wilson is speaking to his secretary, Margaret Dobson.
Wilson: Can you type all these letters? I must have
them before 6. Margaret: Well, I may have typed them all by then. I
can't be sure.
Reply as Margaret did. Wilson says:
1. Finish all this work by this evening.
2. Do you think you can do it before 5?
3. Type this interview before noon.
4. Oh, and you must make all these-phone calls before I get back.
5. And book my tickets before lunch.
Wilson: My airline ticket still hasn't arrived. It was
sent five days ago. Margaret: Well, it may have got lost in the post.
What does she say if she thinks that perhaps:
1. the postman delivered it to the office downstairs
2. the airline sent it to the wrong person
3. the airline has forgotten to post it
4. it has come in this morning's post
5. she has put it on his desk
6. someone has taken it away by mistake
XI. Draw possible conclusions.
A: He was found wandering around the house at three in
the morning, (he/sleepwalk) B: He might have been sleepwalking.
1. I don't know who she was talking to for so long, (she/ phone/her boyfriend)
2. Why did you tell me to turn down the music? (the neighbours/try to sleep)
3. There was a strange sound outside the sitting room window
last night, (someone/try to break in)
4. I phoned her but her number was engaged, (she/try to phone you)
5. You weren't in when I called yesterday. (I/sit in the garden)
XII. Here is some advice that the travel agent gave Mr Wilson before he went to a foreign country. Complete it with may/ might (not) + phrases from the list:
get ill stop have to pay a lot
ask be a lot of traffic have been washed
1. You'd better leave for the airport early — there______.
2. Don't drink water from the taps — you______.
3. Don't eat salad in restaurants — it ______.
4. You'd better take out medical insurance — you______
otherwise.
5. Mind how you cross the road when you're there — the traffic______even if the lights are red.
6. Take your passport everywhere with you — the police ______to see it.
XIII. Rewrite these sentences using may/might (not) or may/ might (not) have instead of perhaps, it's possible and maybe. (Remember that the only difference between may and might is that might is weaker.)
1. Perhaps they have forgotten where we live.
2. It's possible they've lost our address.
3. There's a possibility that they didn't get our invitation.
4. Or maybe they thought it said Thursday, not Tuesday.
5. It's possible their car has broken down.
6. Perhaps they have been held up by a traffic jam in the centre.
7. Or maybe someone telephoned them when they were leaving.
XIV. Turn these 'certain' statements into 'possible/less than certain' statements.
1. He is at home now______. He may-might could be at
home now.
2. He will be at home tomorrow.____________________.
3. He was at home yesterday.______________________.
4. She leaves at nine.____________________________.
5. She will leave tomorrow._______________________.
6. She has left._________________________________.
7. She left last night.____________________________.
8. She will have left by nine.______________________.
9. He is working today.___________________________.
10. He will be working today._______________________.
11. He was working today._________________________.
12. He has been working all day .____________________.
XV. Write uncertain answers to these questions.
1. Where's Jim today? He may/might/could be at home.
2. Where was Jim yesterday?
3. Where will Jim be tomorrow?
4. What time does the train leave?
5. What time did the train leave last night?
6. What's Sue doing at the moment? - 7. What was Sue doing yesterday?
8. What will Sue be doing tomorrow?
9. What has Sue been doing this week?
10. What has John had for breakfast?
11. Where has Ann parked the car?
12. What did the car cost?
XVI. Now answer as В does here.
A: I drove very fast but I didn't have an accident. B: Yes, but you might have had an accident! That's why you shouldn't have driven so fast!
1. I ran out into the street without looking and nothing
happened to me. 2.1 drank five bottles of whisky and I did not die afterwards.
3. I shouted at the boss but he did not sack me.
4. I didn't set the alarm clock and I didn't oversleep the next morning, either.
5. They built the house with very cheap materials and it didn't fall down.
6. I didn't lock my car last night but it wasn't stolen.
XVII. Imagine you are talking to someone who has written a book on the Titanic disaster.
A: The other ship didn't help. It just sailed away. B: In other words, the other ship could have helped but it didn't.
1. Some passengers didn't escape even though there was some room in the lifeboats.
2. They didn't even get into the boats.
3. The telegraph operator knew there were icebergs around. He didn't tell the captain.
4. The Titanic didn't avoid the iceberg even though it saw it in good time.
5. For some reason, the other ship didn't stop.
6. And so, all those people were never saved.
XVIII. Imagine you are an old man or woman. You are looking back at all the things you never did when you were younger. You are sure you could have done all these things.
Example You never became rich.
You say. I could have become rich, but I didn't. What a pity.
Think of more things you might say. For example: you never learned Chinese, became a famous film star, travelled round the world, etc.
XIX. Make up short dialogues.
A: I got there on Tuesday.
B: Couldn't you have got there before? (=Wouldn't this have been possible?)
1. I posted it on Tuesday.
2. They paid me on Tuesday.
3. She started on Tuesday.
4. He brought it back on Tuesday.
5. He sent in his application on Tuesday.
6. I phoned him on Tuesday.
7. They moved out on Tuesday.
8. We left on Tuesday.
9. She wrote on Tuesday.
10. He applied on Tuesday.
11. He booked the tickets on Tuesday.
12. They reported it to the police on Tuesday.
13. We re-addressed the letters on Tuesday.
14. I got back on Tuesday.
15. I made the arrangements on Tuesday.
16. I cancelled the tickets on Tuesday.
17. I answered his letter on Tuesday.
18. I gave her the message on Tuesday.
19. We invited him on Tuesday.
20. I told them about it on Tuesday.
XX. Complete the following sentences in an appropriate way, using either mightor could+ an infinitive (present or past).
1. If I don't have too much work tonight, I______.
2. My car's being repaired at the moment. Sorry. If I had it, I______.
3. If I earned more money I______.
4. Four people died in a fire at their home. If they had had a smoke detector, they______.
5. If you were more understanding of other people,______.
6. If it's a nice day on Sunday, we______.
7. I've got terrible toothache. If the dentist decides I've got a bad tooth,______.
8. The ship had no life boats, and twenty-five people drowned. If______.
9. I started writing poetry after I'd met a famous poet at a cocktail party. He encouraged me to start. If______.
10. It's a lovely day, and the sea's beautifully warm. What a pity we didn't bring our swimming costumes! If______.
XXI. Write may,might, or couldwith an appropriate infinitive (present or past, simple or continuous) in each gap. Often all three are possible, but pay attention to the form of the infinitive.
1.1 wonder why Alan didn't buy me anything for my birthday. I suppose he ... (forget). Or he ... (think) that now I'm getting on, I don't like to be reminded of my advancing years. On the other hand, he can't have forgotten! He ... (give) me a present this evening when I see him. Oh no! He ... (plan) a surprise party, as he did last year. What a disaster that was! I hope he isn't doing it again!
2. Every time I phone Jane, it's engaged. It's very annoying. I suppose she ... (try) to phone me while I'm phoning her. I'll wait a while.
3. I can't help worrying when Jack is late back home. I always think that he ... (have) an accident, and that he ... (lie) on the side of the road with ambulances and police cars all about him. I know it's irrational. Wait a minute! It's Tuesday today, isn't it? He works late some Tuesdays. He ... (not leave) the office yet, I'll give him a ring.
4. I wonder why Helen has got all these books on Greece from the library. I suppose she ... (think) of going there on holiday. On the other hand, she ... (not get) them out
for herself. They ... (be) for Henry. He ... (write) a project on Greece for his geography course.
XXII. Translate from Russian into English.
1. Где Том? — Он, возможно, в библиотеке. 2. Интересно, почему нет Билла. — Возможно, он все еще ждет автобус. 3. Вы думаете самолет прибудет вовремя? — Не знаю. Он может опоздать из-за тумана. 4. Возможно, он не сам ведет машину. 5. Интересно, откуда Том узнал о помолвке Энн. — Возможно, он слышал это от Джона. 6. Возможно, он эмигрирует. 7. Уже пять часов. Собрание могло уже закончиться; подождем немного, он может скоро прийти. 8. Может быть, он и видел ее на концерте, но он мог и ошибиться. Он ведь очень близорук. 9. Он, может быть, и заходил ко мне вчера, но меня не было дома. 10. Возможно, она не получила нашу телеграмму. 11. Я подумал, что если его часы были там, то и деньги могли оказаться там же. 12. Возможно, телевизор уже починили, и мы сможем посмотреть этот фильм. 13. Возможно, я не смогу пойти сегодня на концерт. 14. Виктора и Хелен нет дома. Они, возможно, в пабе. 15. К вечеру может пойти дождь. 16. Их, возможно, не было вчера в городе. 17. Возможно, я слушала музыку. Я не слышала, как звонит телефон. 18. Он, может быть, не заметил тебя, поэтому и прошел, не поздоровавшись. 19. Может быть, ее обидел твой тон. Ты должен быть тактичнее. 20. Не возвращайте пока книгу в библиотеку; она может вам понадобиться для доклада. 21. Ее не было на вечере. Возможно, ее не пригласили. 22. Почему его нет? — Возможно, он не знает, как добраться сюда. 23. Она боялась, что могла забыть выключить утюг перед уходом. 24. Возможно, они еще не приехали. 25. Возможно, он не поверит вам. 26. Он сказал, что он, возможно, возьмет напрокат автомобиль. 27. Я знал, что нам, возможно, придется ждать на границе. 28. Возможно, Том одолжит мне деньги. 29. Вы думаете, он не сможет расплатиться? 30. Они, возможно, работают над этой же проблемой. 31. Хорошая новость! Мне, возможно, вскоре предложат работу. У меня вчера было собеседование в одной инженерной фирме.
give her a ring next week. Perhaps she'd like to
have lunch with me one day. Clare: I'm sure she'd love to, Mum, but she might not be
here. I think she's going to Ireland next week. Ann: Goodness! When is she going back to Australia? Clare: I'm not sure. She may try to get a job here in
England for a while. Ann: Good. Oh, just look at that sky! I think we're going
to have a lovely autumn.
A. In pairs, say why you should take certain things on a walking trip.
A: Shall I take a sweater? B: Yes, you might get cold.
1. a sweater 4. a pair of binoculars
2. a compass 5. a camera
3. a bar of chocolate 6. some matches
get lost get hungry need to light a fire
want to do some birdwatching
want to take some photos get cold
B. In pairs, ask and answer questions about possible future events.
A: Where do you think you'll go for your next holiday? B: I think I might go to Thailand.
1. What are you going to do at the weekend?
2. What are you going to do about your English studies after this course?
3. What's the next article of clothing you are going to buy?
4. What's the next film you are going to see?
5. What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?
6. Pierre: Where are you and Simon going to go for your
vacation?
Lucy: We haven't decided yet. We might go to Paris, or we might go to Madrid.
Pierre: Oh, that's nice. Paris is an interesting city. It's beautiful. I was there a couple of years ago. Of course, Madrid is very nice, too.
Lynn: Have you ever been to France?
Lucy: No, I haven't. My family was from Spain originally so I've travelled in Spain and Portugal, but I've never gone to France.
Pierre: Has your husband ever been there?
Lucy: No. Simon's never been there either.
Pierre: Well, Paris might be a nice place for a vacation. It's very romantic!
Lucy: Yeah, but it may be expensive. I have to check with my travel agent.
Lynn: What's the weather like this time of the year?
Lucy: I don't know. It may not be very nice. I have to check that, too. Madrid might be warmer.
A. Read the statements about Lucy and Simon. Work in groups and make comments about each statement with might (not) or may (not).
Simon and Lucy aren't going to take many suitcases on their vacation.
A: They might not like carrying a lot of things. B: They may prefer travelling light. C: They may not need a lot of clothes.
1. Lucy and Simon don't want to spend a lot of money for their plane tickets.
2. Simon isn't interested in going to a beach.
3. Lucy isn't interested in going to the country.
4. They want to go to a big city.
5. They're worried about going to Paris.
6. They can't go on a long vacation. They're going for only a week.
7. A: You know, we're studying dinosaurs in science class.
It's really interesting.
B: Oh, yeah? Hey, have you learned why the dinosaurs disappeared?
A: Well, no one knows for sure.
B: I thought it had something to do with the climate. The
temperature might have gotten cooler and killed them
off. A: Yeah, that's one theory, another idea is that they may
have run out of food. B: Uh-huh. And you know, there's even a theory that
they could have been destroyed by aliens from outer
space. A: That sounds crazy to me!
A. You have arranged to meet a friend in front of a coffee shop at 4 o'clock. It is 4.15. You are there but your friend is not. Why? Think of possible explanations with may have..., might have, or could have. For example: perhaps he forgot about it, or has had an accident, or his car has broken down, etc.
8. George didn't come to his English class yesterday evening, and all the students in the class are wondering why.
Natasha thinks he might have gotten sick. Henry thinks he might have had a doctor's appointment. Mr and Mrs Ramirez think that one of George's children may have been sick. Nicole thinks he may have had to work overtime. Mr and Mrs Sato think he might have gone to the airport to meet his relatives who are arriving from overseas. And Maria thinks he may have decided to study in another school.
All the students are curious about why George didn't come to English class yesterday evening ... and they're a little concerned.
A. Tell a story using this model as a guide.
Our English teacher didn't come to class today, and all the students are wondering why.
______thinks______.
______thinks______.
And I think______.
We're all curious why our English teacher didn't come to class today ... and we're a little concerned.
§10. Deduction (certainty): must, can't
Must, can t
We use must in deductions to say that we are sure (certain) about something.
It's not very warm and you're not wearing a coat. You must be cold. (= I am sure that you are cold.)
Mrs Woods must know London very well. She has lived there all her life. (=1 am sure that she knows London very well.)
We use can't (not mustn't) as the negative of must in this meaning. We use can't in deductions to say that something is impossible.
Peter was here a moment ago, so he can't be
far away. (= It is impossible that he is far
away.)
Annie can't be asleep. There's a light on in
her bedroom. (= It is impossible that she is
asleep.)
Note the form: must/can't + be + ... -ing.
You've been working hard all day. You must be feeling tired. (= I am sure that you are feeling tired.)
Simon has bought two tickets for the concert, so he can't he going on his own. (=It is impossible that he is going on his own.)
We also use can in questions about possibility.
'Can this be Mr Darcy?' thought she.
The telephone is ringing. Who can that be?
Sally is late. Where can she be?
Must have ... and can't have ...
We use must/can't + have + past participle for deductions about the past.
Those shoes you bought are very nice. They must have been expensive. (= I am sure that they were expensive.)
You can't have been at the swimming pool yesterday! The swimming pool was closed all day yesterday! (= It is impossible that you were at the swimming pool!)
We can use couldn't have... instead of can't have ...here.
You couldn't have been at the swimming pool yesterday! The swimming pool was closed all day yesterday!
We use can have ... and could have in questions about past possibility.
Where can they have gone?
Sally is very late. What could have happened
to her?
Could the bank have made a mistake?
Note].-Must is not used to express deductions with reference to the future. Instead of the modal verb the adverbs probably, evidently and the word combinations be likely (unlikely), be sure are used.
| He will probably feel lonely. Evidently the weather will change tomorrow. The weather is likely (unlikely) to change soon. He is sure to win a scholarship. | Он, вероятно, будет чувствовать себя одиноко. Очевидно, погода завтра изменится. Вероятно (навряд ли), погода скоро изменится. Он обязательно получит стипендию. |
Note 2: Must is not used to express deductions in negative sentences. There are several ways of expressing the negative meaning of probability in such sentences: by negative affixes, or negative pronouns or lexically.
| You must have misunder- | Ты, должно быть, не понял |
| stood me. | меня. |
| You must have been inat- | Ты, должно быть, был невни- |
| tentive. | мателен. |
| She must have failed to recog- | Должно быть, она тебя не |
| nize you. | узнала. |
| He must have had no chance | Вероятно, у него не было возмож- |
| to warn you. | ности предупредить тебя. |
| The letter must have never | Письмо, должно быть, не |
| reached them. | дошло до них. |
| The letter must have been | Должно быть, письмо оставили |
| left unanswered. | без ответа. |
| No one must have seen him | Должно быть, никто не видел |
| there. | его там. |
| Evidently he didn't notice | Очевидно, он не заметил меня. |
| me. | |
| Probably he didn't catch | Вероятно, он не успел на |
| the night train to town. | вечерний поезд в город. |
Note3: The Russian negative sentences of the type — неужели он не ... не может быть, чтобы он не ... can be translated into English in different ways:
| Неужели вы не видели его? Неужели тебе не нравится футбол? Не может быть, чтобы он не знал об этом. Неужели он не понял меня? | Haven't you seen him? Can you have failed to see him? Don't you like football? Can you dislike football? He can't be unaware of it. Didn't he understand me? He can't have misunderstood me. Can he have failed to understand me? | |
| FOCUS | ||
| Drawing definite conclusions | Drawing possible conclusions | |
| He must be a policeman. Look at his uniform. They can't be lost. They know the way here. | She might be Spanish. Her name's Maria. They could be in the park. They often play there. | |
Illustrative Situations
1. John: Where do you live?
Rita: In Elm Street — at number 6.
John: Really! That must be next door to my friend
Malcolm.
Rita: Oh, I don't think I know him. John: You must know him! He's a fanatical runner. You
must have seen him running round your area in
all weathers. Rita: Oh! You must mean the man with the red bicycle!
Yes, I've seen him but I didn't know he was a
friend of yours.
2. Gary must have been daydreaming while he was driving to work yesterday. He drove through a red light at the busiest intersection in town. Fortunately, he didn't hit anybody. Gary was pretty lucky. He could have caused a terrible accident.
3. Man: What on earth could that be?
Woman: It's that couple upstairs. They must be having
another argument. Man: An argument? They must be having a battle.
4. Nick: Jenny, look at this letter. It says 'For the young
Bells. Open with care.' The handwriting is so strange. I don't recognize it.
Jenny: Let me have a look. It's so untidy that I can hardly read it.
Nick: Well, it must be for us. It can't be for Mum and
Dad. Their names aren't on the envelope. Jenny: And it can't be a bill. I bet it's from Uncle Joe.
He's such a joker. Let's open it. Nick: It is from Uncle Joe. He's sent us tickets for a.
helicopter flight over London! He always has
such great ideas.
5. Only an hour ago the director of a large firm was found dead in his office with a bullet in his head. The police have established that he was murdered at 2.35. They are questioning his secretary now. 'I was in the canteen having lunch at that time,' she has just said. The office manager is listening. 'She can't be telling the truth,' he tells one of the detectives. 'The canteen was closed at 2.35.'
6. Someone ran into the tree in front of our house. I wonder who did it.
It could have been Sue; she has a car, and she was out driving last night.
• It couldn't have been Jane; she doesn't have a car, and she doesn't know how to drive.
It must have been Ann; she was out driving last night, and today her car has a big dent ( вмятина) in front.
Activities
/. From the given information, make your'best guess' by using must.
Example: Alice always gets the best grades in the class.
Why? Response She must study hard./She must be intelligent.
1. (...) is yawning. Why?
2. (...) is sneezing and coughing. Why?
3. (...) is wearing a wedding ring. Why?
4. (...) is going to get married in five minutes. His/her hands are shaking. Why?
5. (...) has already had two glasses of water, but now he/ she wants another. Why?
6. (...) is smiling. Why?
7. (...) is crying. Why?
8. There is a restaurant in town ( в центре города) that is always packed (full). Why?
9. Every night there is a long line of people waiting to get into (a particular movie). I wonder why.
10. Don't look at your watch. What time is it?
11. Make sentences with must do or must be doing for these situations.
1. A man's breath always smells of whisky. He is sitting in the office now.
2. You have just come into a room. Cigarette smoke is hanging over your young son's head. His hands are behind his back.
3. You hear a strange language behind you. Two Chinese are there and you hear the words 'Mao Tse Tung' several times.
4. You can hear a typewriter upstairs. You know a writer lives there.
5. In his library he has books in six different languages.
6. The only kinds of bottles in his dustbin are always empty champagne bottles.
7. A priest is walking down the road. There is a small book in his hands and his lips are moving.
8. You go to bed rather late every evening, but when you do there is always a light on in the man's house across the street.
9. You can see the man now. It is midnight and he is just turning that light off!
10. The beautiful woman in the airport lounge is holding a Pan Am ticket to Los Angeles.
11. Max is asleep but his lips are moving and you can hear a few words.
12. You mentioned the President's name. The man you were talking to called him by his first name.
13. The man in the bus is wearing blue overalls with the word 'Ford' on them.
14. The girl on the beach has her ear next to the radio.
15. Tom knows all about French politics and there are lots of French newspapers in his room.
III. Rewrite the second sentence in each pair below, using 'must've'. You may have to change the person, as in example a).
Examples: a) It rained during the whole holiday. We felt fed up.
b) I almost fell asleep during the film. It was very boring.
Answers: a) You must've felt fed up.
b) It must've been very boring.
1. My wife and I had a meal in the best restaurant in town. It cost a lot. 2. The computer at the office broke down yesterday. Everything went wrong. 3.1 worked overtime every evening last week. It made me feel very tired. 4. Look, there's a crowd outside the bank. There was a robbery. 5. I've phoned him twice but there's no reply. He's gone out. 6. Peter bought a new car last week. He was given a pay rise. 7. Susan failed her exam. I can't believe it. She misread a question. 8. Did you hear? Mike's wife's gone off to Australia. She was glad to get away from the cold weather.
IV. Martin and Simon have just come back to their house after a weekend. Martin notices various changes; Simon thinks these must be the result of actions by Peter, who shares the house with them.
A: The door's open!
B: Peter must have left it open.
1. My torch isn't here! (borrow)
2. The plates are all clean! (wash up)
3. What are all these books doing here? (leave)
4. The teapot is in pieces! (drop)
5. How shiny the furniture looks! (polish)
6. The steps are unusually clean! (sweep)
7. There are some sandwiches on the kitchen table! (make)
8. There are no biscuits left! (eat)
9. And there's no whisky left! (drink)
10. The car is in a terrible state! (drive into a wall)
11. The clock is going again! (wind)
12. The bath's overflowing! (leave the tap on)
V. Complete the dialogues. Use an appropriate form of must with the verbs in parentheses.
1. A: Paula fell asleep in class this morning. B: She (stay up) ... too late last night.
2. A: George had to give a speech in front of 500 people. B: Whew! That's a big audience. He (be) ... nervous. A: He was, but nobody could tell.
3. A: What time is it?
B: Well, we came at seven, and I'm sure we've been here for at least an hour. So it (be) ... around eight o'clock.
4. A: My favourite magazine doesn't come in the mail any mo-
re. I wonder why. B: Did your subscription run out? A: That's probably the problem. I (forget) ... to renew it.
5. A: Where's Dorothy? I've been looking all over for her. B: I saw her about ten minutes ago in the living room.
Have you looked there? A: Yes, I've looked everywhere. She (leave)... .
6. A: Listen. Do you hear a noise downstairs? B: No, I don't hear a thing.
A: You don't? Then something (be) ... wrong with your hearing.
7. A: You have a black eye! What happened? B: I walked into a door.
A: Ouch! That (hurt) .... B: It did.
8. A: Who is your teacher?
B: I think his name is Mr Rock, or something like that. A: Mr Rock? Oh, you (mean) ... Mr Stone.
9. A: I grew up in a small town. B: That (be) ... dull.
A: It wasn't at all. You can't imagine the fun we had.
10. A: Why are you here so early?
B: Sam told me that the party started at seven o'clock. A: No, it doesn't start until eight o'clock. You (misunderstand) ....
11. A: I have passed the exams successfully. B: You (work) ... hard.
A: Yes, and I have deserved a good rest.
VI. Translate from Russian into English.
1. У него дом в Лондоне и еще один дом в Париже, он, по всей вероятности, богат. 2. Я все время встречаю его в автобусе. Он, вероятно, живет где-то рядом. 3. Он, вероятно, принял снотворное вчера ночью. Он проснулся только к ленчу, 4. Какой взрыв? Я ничего не слышал. — Вы _ должны были слышать! Весь город слышал это. 5. Я ждал под часами! — Я тоже, но я не видел тебя! Очевидно, мы ждали под разными часами. 6. Сверху доносится сильный шум. Должно быть, это Том. — Почему обязательно Том? И другие люди пользуются той квартирой. 7. Ты ничего не ел с самого утра. Ты, наверное, проголодался. 8. Джон женился! — Ты, должно быть, шутишь! 9. Ты, должно быть, устал после дороги. 10. Я слышал , что у тебя экзамены на следующей неделе. Ты, должно быть, много занимаешься сейчас. 11. Телефон звонил, но я не слышал его. Я, вероятно, спал. 12. Я наделал много шуму, когда вернулся домой. Ты, наверное, слышал меня. 13. Я давно не вижу Джима. Он, скорее всего, уехал. 14. Когда я проснулся сегодня утром, горел свет. Я, вероятно, забыл его выключить. 15. Она все знала о наших планах. Она, должно быть, подслушала наш разговор. 16. Письмо, наверное, доставили утром. 17. Посмотрите, на столе что-то лежит. Он, должно быть, оставил вам записку. 18. Должно быть, ей сейчас около двадцати пяти лет. Она училась в школе вместе с моей сестрой. 19. Эта статья, вероятно, была напи-
сана пять лет назад. 20. Я не видел Джима, но знал, что он, вероятно, ждет меня где-то здесь. 21. Какой прекрасный телевизор! Должно быть, он дорого стоил. 22. Интересно, кто взял деньги. — Скорее всего, Том. Кроме него там никого не было. 23. Я подождал с полчаса, и когда я уже думал, что что-то, должно быть, случилось с Китти, она приехала на такси.
VII. Study how negation is expressed in the following sentences, translate them into Russian.
I. Nobodymust have noticed him leave. 2. He must have left the door unlockedon purpose. 3. He thought that he must have taken the wrongtrain, because the names of the stations they were passing seemed unfamiliar. 4. The news must have neverreached him. He never says a word about it. 5. He must have failed to see his mistake, for he didn't stop to correct it. 6. He must have refusedthe offer. 7. He seems to be a very quiet child. He must have given you notrouble at all. 8. They must have been unwillingto leave so early. 9. They treated our offer with suspicion. They must have misunderstoodour intentions. 10. Such a possibility must have neveroccurred to him. 11. He must have failedto prove his point.
12. They must have missedthe train. They had left too late.
13. He must have left the letter unanswered.14. He must be quite unawareof his clumsiness. 15. What a pity I could not say good-bye to them, but they must have had no chance to warn me about their departure.
VIII. Change the following sentences making them opposite in meaning. (See Exercise VII.)
1. Everybody must have noticed that he was not used to speaking in public. 2. He must have written to them of his arrival in due time. 3. She must have bolted the door forgetting that I was to come later. 4. He must have a good chance of winning, he is in good form. 5. The man must have understood me, for he nodded his head. 6. She must have been quite conscious of having made a mistake. 7. They
must have given us the correct information about the road. I can see all the landmarks they have spoken of. 8. The telegram must have certainly come in time. 9. She must have been very careful. She did not spill a drop of milk. 10. He must have done something about it. I see some changes in the design. 11. The dog must have recognized his master. It did not bark as we approached the house. 12. He must have been very experienced in sailing navigation. 13. He must have kept his promise. 14. They must have caught the train. 15. She must be very patient with children, they like her. 16. The student must have given the right answer. The teacher was pleased.
IX. Remembering that must in the meaning of probability is not used with reference to the future or in the negative form, find a suitable way of translating the following sentences into English.
A. 1. По-видимому, студенты не знали, что расписание изменилось. Их никто не предупредил. 2. Он удивился, когда узнал об этом. Очевидно, он ничего не слышал об этом раньше. 3. Должно быть, вы были несправедливы к нему. 4. Он, должно быть, не сумел уговорить ее поехать с нами. 5. У него, очевидно, пока просто не нашлось времени для вас. 6. Они, наверное, не встретили его на станции. 7. Он, должно быть, не узнал меня и поэтому не подошел ко мне. 8. Вы, наверно, и не пытались это сделать, иначе вы бы не говорили, что это легко. 9, Иностранец, очевидно, неправильно произнес название этого кушанья, и официант принес ему совсем другое. 10. Вы, должно быть, давно там не были. 11. Ей, должно быть, ничего об этом не сказали. 12. По всей вероятности, они не попали на поезд, так как вышли из дому слишком поздно. 13. Он, наверно, так и не догадался, почему мы смеялись. 14. Ты, наверно, положил ключ не на то место, и я не смог войти в дом. 15. Их, очевидно, неправильно информировали. Они должны были прийти сегодня. 16. Очевидно, у него не было возможности поговорить с ней раньше. 17. Не надо на него сердиться. Он, по всей вероятности, не хотел обидеть
вас. 18. Дома, наверное, нет никого сейчас. 19. Очевидно, она не осознает свою ошибку.
Б. 1. Вероятно, дождя завтра не будет. 2. Очевидно, меня пошлют в командировку. 3. Он наверняка сдаст экзамен. 4. Вероятно, он не будет ждать ее приезда. 5. Он вряд ли закончит работу к пятнице. 6. Она обязательно поможет тебе. 7. Вероятно, директор не примет ее завтра. 8. Вряд ли она возьмет ребенка с собой. 9. Очевидно, она не придет. 10. Очевидно, сегодня будет дождь. 11. Вряд ли наша команда выиграет матч. 12. Навряд ли я увижусь с Мэри. Меня, вероятно, не будет в Минске в это время. 13. Могу я поговорить с вами завтра утром? — Я, наверное, буду занят утром. 14. Он, вероятно, попытается достать билеты на игру за кубок.
X. Give possible reasons for Speaker B's conclusions.
1. A: Someone is knocking at the door. It might be Mary. B: It couldn't be Mary. (Reason? Mary is in Moscow./Mary
went to a movie tonight.)
2. A: Someone left this wool hat here. I think it belongs to
Alex. B: It couldn't belong to him. (Reason?)
3. A: Someone told me that Fred is in Norway.
B: That can't be right. He couldn't be in Norway. (Reason?)
4. A: Look at that big bird. Is it an eagle? B: It couldn't be an eagle. (Reason?)
5. A: Someone told me that Jane quit school.
B: You're kidding! That can't be true. (Reason?)
XI. Answer the questions in A using1 must or can't, give a reason from B.
Example 1. They can't be Greek. They're speaking Italian.
A B
1. Are they Greek? It's very cold in here.
| 2. Is he ill? 3. Is the heating on? 4. Are they asleep? 5. Is she happy? 6. Is he a doctor? 7. Is Jane married? | He's too young. She's just passed her driving test. They're speaking Italian. Their bedroom lights are off. She's only fifteen. He's got a high temperature. |
XII. Complete the statements with must or can't.
A: This is Mr and Mrs Arnold's house. They ... be far away
because their car is here. B: Yes, they ... be somewhere near — perhaps they're in the
house. It's a very big house — they ... be poor. A: And look at that expensive car! It ... be a new one. B: They ... have a child. Look, there's a child's bike. A: It's a small one, so the child ... be very old. B: And there's another bike there, too. It... be Mr Arnold's.
It ... be Mrs Arnold's because it's a man's bike,
XIII. Make sentences with can't be doing.
1. Someone says, 'Richard's sitting in the park.' You saw him in the office a second ago.
2. You hear piano music and see Jane at the piano. You know she has never played before.
3. Your uncle has something that looks like a cigarette in his mouth. He is the head of the Anti-Tobacco League.
4. You understand Russian but you do not understand the two foreigners at the next table.
5. The six-month-old child has a book open in front of it.
6. 'Bill's playing tennis,' someone says. You know Bill has a broken leg.
XIV. Yesterday someone finished the wine/broke a wineglass/ borrowed Mary's radio etc. Mary thinks it was Tom who did these things, but you know that Tom was out all day.
A: I wonder who broke the glass. I expect it was Tom. B: Tom couldn't have broken it. He wasn't here yesterday.
/ wonder who ...I expect it was Tom.
1. spoke to her
2. paid the milkman
3. brought the flowers
4. fixed the television set
5. tuned my guitar
6. made all the mess
7. moved the piano
8. spilt the wine
9. opened my letters
10. borrowed my umbrella
11. answered the phone
12. ate the cold meat
13. overheard us
14. planted the rose bushes
XV. Complete the sentences using must have or can't have
and the verb in brackets,
1. She didn't answer the door bell even though I rang several times. She ... (be) asleep. 2. I ... (run out of) petrol. I only filled up the tank this morning. 3. I'm so sorry I'm late. You ... (wonder) what had happened. 4. Cathy's got a new BMW! She ... (win) a lottery. 5. I ... (lose) my glasses. They were here a minute ago. 6. The flowers are beautiful! They ... (cost) you a fortune. 7. Alan ... (get lost). I gave him the address and drew a map.
XVI. Respond to the following statements.
A: Steve's late. He's probably missed the bus. B: Yes, he must have missed the bus.
A: He didn't phone, so I'm sure he has decided not to
come. B: No, he can't have decided not to come.
1. Steve's late. He's probably missed the bus.
2. He didn't phone, so I'm sure he has decided not to come.
3. Jane didn't come. She's probably seen the play already.
4. I can't find the tickets. I'm sure we didn't leave them at home.
5. They aren't in my pocket. I've probably left them in the car.
6. It's after 8 o'clock. The play's probably started by now.
7. There's another bus. Surely Steve hasn't missed two buses.
8. It's Wednesday today, isn't it? Surely he didn't think we were going tomorrow.
XVII. Draw definite conclusions.
A: I couldn't see the little boy anywhere, (he/hide) B: He must have been hiding.
A: She suddenly forgot what she was saying, (she/
concentrate) B: She can't have been concentrating.
1. I couldn't see the little boy anywhere (he/hide)
2. She suddenly forgot what she was saying, (she/concentrate)
3. Sally wasn't home when I called, (she/fetch the children)
4. He came last in the race, (he/try)
5. The man was stopped in his car by the police, (he/drink and drive)
6. I didn't hear the announcement at all. (you/ doze)
7. Don't you remember I said we'd be late? (I/listen)
8. Her eyes were red and puffy, (she/cry)
9. She got burnt on the first day on the beach, (she/wear any suntan lotion).
10. The man couldn't fix the tap in the end. (he/use the right tools)
11. He has achieved brilliant results, (he/work hard)
XVIII. Express doubt about the statements below.
Example — She likes judo.
— Could (Can) she like judo?
1. He is a liar. 2. She is still waiting for you. 3. He has won the race. 4. He was promoted. 5. Jane is in love with Peter. 6. She has done it. 7. They are still playing football. 8. She speaks five languages. 9. She enjoys football. 10. Dobson scored two goals. 11. He was studying the whole night. 12. He was waiting for you all this time. 13. She has enjoyed the performance. 14. It is true. 15. She has passed the exam.
16. Jane has accepted his proposal. 16. She has been walking in the park the whole night.
XIX. Translate from Russian into English.
1. Неужели это правда? 2. He может быть, чтобы это была правда. 3. Неужели они проиграли матч? 4. Не может быть, чтобы они проиграли матч. 5. Неужели он верит этому? 6. Не может быть, чтобы она вам об этом рассказала. 7. Не может быть, чтобы она вам об этом не рассказывала. 8. Не мог он этого сказать. 9. Не может быть, чтобы они уже сделали эту работу. Они приступили к ней только вчера. 10. Неужели они опять поссорились? 11. Не мог он заблудиться. Он здесь был несколько раз. 12. Неужели он пользовался машиной в мое отсутствие? 13. Неужели ей не нравится балет? 14. Неужели они ждали нас все это время? 15. Не может быть, чтобы они были близкими друзьями. 16. Не может быть, чтобы он бросил музыку.
17. Не может быть, чтобы она ошиблась. 18. Неужели сестры так похожи? 19. Невероятно, чтобы он не сдал экзамен. 20. Ты не мог проголодаться. Мы основательно пообедали два часа назад. 21. Не может быть, чтобы они уже приехали. Поезд должен прибыть в 7 часов. 22. Неужели он не пригласил вас на свадьбу? 23. Не может быть, чтобы она сделала такую глупость. 24. Не мог он этого не заметить. 25. Не может быть, чтобы вас послали ко мне. Я не имею к этому никакого отношения. 26. Неужели он видел их? 27. Где он мог их видеть? 28. Не может быть, чтобы они ждали нас. 29. Неужели они ждут нас? 30. Кого же они могут ждать? 31. Неужели ты сам это написал? 32. Он не мог не осознавать опасности. 33. Неужели он не позвонил тебе вчера? Он сказал, что собирается сделать
это. 34. Кэт запаздывает. Что с ней могло случиться? 35. Детей нет дома. Куда они могли уйти?
XX. Which of the two completions is the speaker most likely to say? Choose the best completion.
1. 'Do you know where Mary is?'
'She ... be at home. She was going either there or to Barbara's after work.'
A. must B. could
2. 'Look at all the children waiting for the bus. What time is it?'
'It ... be after 3.00. That's when school is out.' A. must B. might
3. 'I heard that Jose has received a scholarship and will be able to attend the university in the fall.' 'Wonderful! He ... very happy to have the matter finally settled.'
A. must B. may
4. 'Excuse me. Could you tell me which bus I should take to get to City Hall?'
'Bus number 63 ... go there. But maybe you'd better ask the driver.'
A. must B. might
5. 'George says that we're going to have a very high inflation
next year.'
'He ... be right. I think his view is as good as anybody's.
I've heard strong opinion on all sides of that issue.'