Modals of Ability 2 - Can, Could, Be able to, May, Might

Use the best modal to complete each sentence; use a negative form when necessary.
1.

I borrow your pencil? Thanks!

Can

2. James and Sara were so sad because they

go to their brother's wedding. They were too sick.

couldn't

3. The students

understand the instructions for the test yesterday, so many of them failed.
couldn't

4. A: We have a big problem. What

we do? B: I don't know. Maybe we

CAN

5. When Tina was a child, she

ask our boss for help.

might

speak three languages: French, Arabic and English. She rarely

could

practiced French, so she

speak it anymore.
CANT

6. I'm sorry. I

hear you. Please speak more loudly.

can no

7. My little brother

play piano and guitar.

can

8. Excuse me.

I ask you a question?

may/ca

9. A:What are you going to do on the weekend? B: I'm not sure yet. We

go to a movie or we
COULD

MIGHT

stay home and relax.

10. I
go to school tomorrow because I'm feeling sick right now. I'm not sure.
w on't be a

Modals of Advice 2 - Should, Ought to, Had better Type in the best modal to complete each
sentence.
1. My teacher told me that I

review my notes every day. I guess it's a good idea to look at them
should

after class.
2. Do you think Carol

save her money or spend it? She is planning to go to Europe this summer.
should

3. I'm going to a party tonight. What

I wear: a dress or black pants?

should

4. Our car's gas tank is almost empty. We

fill it up with gas soon or we will run out of gas!

had better

5. If you are worried about getting fat, you

eat at McDonald's every day. You

shouldnt

low-fat foods like fruits and vegetables.

6. It's really raining outside right now. I

eat healthy,
should

forget my umbrella or I'll get wet!

had better

7. Where

we have lunch today: at home or in a restaurant?

should

8. My doctor feels that I

exercise more because I'm out of shape and want to lose weight. I think
should

he's right.

Nota: had better es un poco ms enftico.(Ser mejor queMs vale que) Incluye la idea de
advertencia: algo malo te pasar si no sigues mi consejo, por ejemplo:
You had better not forget to pay your tuition. If you forget, the university will kick you out
You had better do your homework. If you do not do your homework, the teacher will give you a low mark.
You had better... puede contraerse en You'd better.... esta es la forma gramatical correcta y muy comn
en ingls hablado.
MAY , MIGHT, COULD, MUST / CAN'T
MIGHT tends to be a bit more tentative than MAY, but both indicate rather probability
than possibility: The speaker wishes to express that something is likely.
COULD often means that something is possible but unlikely.
11.
2.
3.

COMPLETE WITH MAY, MIGHT, COULD, MUST, CANT.

I ____may________ go to London next summer.
There are some clouds. It ___may___________ rain.
Im thinking of learning French. I ___MIGHT_________ take some lessons in the afternoons. ELLA

NO EST SEGURA, SE LO EST PENSANDO, MAY, MIGHTPROBABILIDAD

4. Be careful with that knife. You _____may_________ hurt yourself.
5. That man ___cant___________ be the French teacher. He teaches Maths.
6. He ________must__________ be very intelligent and hard-working. He always gets good marks.
7. Mary has a job interview. She ______might___________ get the job if shes lucky.
8. Be careful. You ______could_________ drop all the books.
9. Im not sure about Toms visit to Spain. It _____might_________ be in May or in June.
10. This book _____could_________ be a huge success. I really like it.
2- REWRITE THE SENTENCES SO THAT THEY MEAN THE SAME.
1. Perhaps I will go to the beach tomorrow I could go to the beach tomorrow
2.
3. Maybe John is going to the concert. John may go to the concert
4. Its impossible for you to run a marathon. You arent fit.
5. If Peter is not at home, those are thieves in his house.

You cant run a marathon.

Those must be thieves in Peters house

6. I have to finish my homework. It is possible that I will not finish it. I Might not finish my

homework

Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meaning. Use the modal
perfect.
1. Maybe he learned Spanish as a child.
He--- MAY/MIGHT have learned Spanish as a child ( COULD HAVE LEARNED es pudo haber
aprendido : para decir que algo pudo haberse hecho pero No se hizo)
2. It was a mistake to ask him to do it.
You --- shouldNT have askED him to do it
3. I am sure Peter didnt enjoy his holiday.
Peter ---CANT have enjoyed his holiday. /// No puede haber disfrutado, cuando estoy segura de
algo...
4. Its possible that the teacher saw me.
The teacher --- MAY/ MIGHT have seen me
5. It was unnecessary for you to study this unit.
You ---NEEDNT have studied this unit (NO NECESITABAS HABER ESTUDIADO)

6. It was a bad idea to park outside the train station.

We --- shouldnt have parked outside the train station
7. I think you were wrong to buy the new car.
You ---shouldnt have bought the new car
8. Its possible that I left the English book at home because it is not here.
I --- may have left the English book at home because it is not here.
9. Maybe she didnt mean what she said about you.
She ---may not have meant that she said about you.
10. Im sure that your classmate took your jacket by mistake.
Your classmate ----MUST have taken your jacket by mistake.( DEBE HABER COGIDO..)

CANT HAVE GONE / NO PUEDE HABER IDO ( ESTOY SEGURA DE QUE ALGO
FUE IMPOSIBLE EN EL PASADO)
No puedes haber hablado con Ana pues ella est en Japn jaja
Must HAVE GONE ( DEBE HABER IDO: ESTOY SEGURA DE ALGO, DEDUCCIN
LGICA..)
COULD HAVE GONE( PUDO HABER IDOpero no lo hizo pues se qued viendo tv
MIGHT HAVE GONE (PODRA HABER IDO..) PROBABILIDAD
MAY HAVE GONE( PUEDE QUE HAYA IDO) PROBABILIDAD

NEEDNT HAVE GONE( NO NECESITABA HABER IDOFALta de necesidad..=

SHOULD HAVE GONE( DEBERA HABER IDO , CRTICA, ARREPENTIMIENTO
SOBRE ALGO EN EL PASADO..)
SHOULDNT HAVE GONE( NO DEBERA HABER IDOLO MISMOALGO SE
HIZO MAL O NO SE HIZO Y LO ESTOY CRITICANDO

Y ya, esos son los perfectos. No todos los modales se usan es su forma PERFECT y algunos
el significado es distinto, por ejemplo
I could go to Madrid, but Im not sure( yo podra irprobabilidad, aunque los ms comunes
o probables son may/might)
I could have gone to Madrid but I went to Mlaga( Yo pude haberlo hecho( posibilidad) pero
NO lo hice