A Grammar and Usage Programme for GP (Students’ Version)

Module 6
Tenses 4: Modals

1) Modals are always the first word in a verb group. All modals except ‘ought’
are followed by the base form (infinitive) of a verb.
I must leave fairly soon.
I think it will look rather nice.
Things might have been so different.
People may be watching.

2) ‘Ought’ is always followed by a ‘to’ infinitive.

She ought to go straight back to England.
Sam ought to have realized how dangerous it was.

3) Modals have only one form. There is no ‘-s’ form for the third person
singular of the present tense, and there are no ‘-ing’ or ‘-ed’ forms.
There’s nothing I can do about it.
I’m sure he can do it.

4) You use ‘can’ to say that something is possible. You use ‘could’, ‘might’,
and ‘may’ to indicate that you are not certain whether something is possible,
but you think it is.
Cooking can be a real pleasure.
That could be one reason.
He might come.
They may help us.

5) You use ‘must’, ‘ought’, ‘should’, or ‘will’ to express probability or certainty.

We should arrive by dinner time.
She ought to know.
Oh, you must be Sylvia’s husband.
He must know something about it.

6) You use ‘can’ to talk about ability in the present and in the future. You use
‘could’ to talk about ability in the past.
You can all read and write.
Anybody can become a qualified teacher.
You could run faster than anyone else.

7) You usually use ‘can’ to give permission to someone to do something. You

usually use ‘can’ or ‘could’ to ask for permission to do something. In more
formal situations, ‘may’ is used to say that someone is allowed to do
something.
Students can take a year away from university.
Can I ask a question? (direct)

‘Could’ is more polite than ‘can’. ‘May’ is also used to ask permission, but this
is more formal.

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Could I just interrupt a minute?
May I have a cigarette?

(Note: Students often say “May I know where Mr Koh is?” This is
grammatically incorrect. You don’t ask for permission when you are asking for
information. The correct form should be “Could you tell me where Mr Koh is?”)

Exercise 1
Complete these sentences using ‘could’ (possibility).

1) If you don’t take a map, you might easily get lost.

Without a map, you could get lost.
2) Even though it sounds unlikely, if may be true.
It sounds unlikely, but __________________.
3) If you aren’t careful, you might cut yourself.
Be careful, ____________________________.
4) If they are lucky, they might easily win.
With a bit of luck,______________________.
5) If she gets the job, she might earn as much as $100 000 a year.
She ________________________________.
6) It is a dangerous bend. It is likely to cause a serious accident.
The bend is really dangerous, ____________________.
7) It’s possible to get there in time, if you take a taxi.
If you take a taxi, _________________________.
8) The telephone’s ringing. Perhaps it’s for you.
There’s the telephone, ________________________.

Exercise 2
Rewrite the parts of the sentence in italics, using either ‘must’ or ‘must have’.

1) Our house is in Bradford Road too. We probably live very close to you.
We must live very close to you.
2) His car’s not in the garage. I suppose he has taken it to work.
He must have taken it to work.
3) Peter has worked here for ages. I’m sure he knows the answer.
__________________________________________________________.
4) The children aren’t at home. They’ve probably left for school.
__________________________________________________________.
5) It’s a very well known book. I’m sure you’ve read it.
__________________________________________________________.
6) It’s dreadfully busy. I suppose this is the rush hour.
__________________________________________________________.

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Exercise 3
Use these phrases with ‘can’ and ‘can’t’ to complete the sentences below.

can hear can’t hear can see can’t see can smell can’t smell

1. I’ve got a really bad cold. I can’t smell anything.

2. I ___________ you, but I _____________ you.
3. There’s something good in the kitchen. You ______________ it from
here.
4. Turn the radio up a bit, I _____________ it very clearly.
5. There’s a lovely view. On a clear day you ______________ for miles.
6. Can you move over a bit? I _________________ anything when you’re
in the way.

Exercise 4 (Revision)
Choose the right tenses (present perfect, past or past perfect: simple or
continuous)

Rioting students battle against police

May 7 (1968). In the last two days, Paris (1 see) the worst street-fighting since
the Liberation in 1944. Up to 30,000 students, locked out of their own campus
yesterday by the Sorbonne rector, Jean Roche, (2 fight) the tear gas of the riot
police with barricades, bricks, paving stones and Molotov cocktails.
The trouble (3 be) fermenting for some time. On March 20, six students
(4 be) arrested after an anti-American demonstration; the next day, a mass
sit-in at the Nantrerre campus (5 begin). Last Friday, the police – whose
alleged brutality is said to have sparked off the violence – forcibly evicted the
students, who were led by Daniel Bendit.
All day yesterday, the Latin Quarter (6 be) the arena for running street
fights centred on the Boulevard St Germain.

(CKH/TJD 2008)