Chapter 10

Modals, Part 2

Content
10-1. Degrees of certainty: present time
10-2. Degrees of certainty: present time

EXERCISE 1. Preview ( chapter 10)

Directions: which completion do you think the speaker would propably say ? Choose the best one.

1. - is jeff a good student ?

– He ___. I don't know him well, but i heard he was offered a scholarship for next year.
A. Must be. B. Could be c. Is
2. - Do you know where Eva is ?
– she _____ at barbara house. She said something about wanting to visit after work today,
but i'm really not sure.
A. Must be. B. Could be C. Is
3. -I stayed up all night finishing this report for the boss.
- You___really tired.
A. must feel B. might feel C. feel

4. - Do you think the grocery store is still open?

-it___. I can't ever remember what their hours are.
A. must be B. could be. C. Is
5. -Where's the left-over chicken from dinner last night?
- I just saw it when I got some ice cubes. It____&in the freezer.
A. must be B. might be C. Is
6. - It's supposed to rain tomorrow.
-I know, but the forecast____wrong. Weather forecasts are far from 100 percent accurate.
A. must be B. could be C. Is

7. - I heard that Jane has received a scholarship and will be able to attend the university in the
fall.
-Wonderful! That's good news. She ___very happy to have the matter finally settled.
A. must be. B. may be C. Is

8. -Could you tell me which bus I should take to get to City Hall1?
- Hmmm. Bus number 63____ there. But you'd better ask the driver.
A. must go B. might go. C. Goes

9. -Which bus should I take to get to the main post office?

right to the post office.
A. must go B. Could. C. goes

10. -Do you suppose Mrs. Chu is sick?

- She ____to this meeting.I can't think of anything else that would have kept her from
coming
A. must be B. may be C. Is

11. - Is that Adam's brother standing with him in the cafeteria line?
- it___, isuppose. He does look a little like Adam.
A. must be B. could be C. Is

12. - Let's be really quiet when we go into the baby's room. The baby_____ and we don't want
to wake her up.
- Okay.
A. might sleep B. might be sleeping C. might have been sleeping

13. - I wonder why the radio is on in the den. No one's in there.

- Grandma ___listening to it. to turn it off. She was in the den earlier and was probably
A. must forget B. must have forgotten. C. must be forgetting
14. -When Ms. White answered the door, I noticed her hands and clothes were dirty.
- Really? Thar's odd.
- Not really. I figured she ___came inside to answer it. She's an avid gardener, you know.in
her garden when she heard the doorbell, and______
A. must work B. must have worked. C. must have been working
EXERCISE 3. Degrees of
certainty: present time. (Chart
10-1)

-Why isn'r John in class? "Degree of certainty" refers to

100% sure: how sure we are-what we
He is sick. think the chances are-that
95% sure: something is true.
He nust be sick.
He may be sick.
He might be sick.
He could be sick.
less than 50% sure:

--Why isn't John in class? Must expresses a strong

(a) He must be sick. (Usually he degree of certainty about a
is in class every present situation, but the
dav, but when I saw him last degree of certainty is still less
night, hc wasn't than 100%.
feeling good. So my best guess
is that he is sick
today. I can't think of another
possibility.)

In (a): The speaker is saying,

"Probably John is sick. I
have evidence to make me
believe that he is sick. That is
my logical conclusion, but I do
not know for certain."
May, might, and could express
a weak degree of
certainty.

-Why isn't John in class?

(b) He may be sick.
(c) He might be sick.
(d) He could be sick. (I don't
really know. He may
be at home watching TV, He
might be at the
library. He could be out of
town.)

10-1 DEGREES OF CERTAINTY: PRESENT TIME

In (b), (c), and (d): The speaker is saving, "Perhaps,

maybe, possibly John is sick. I am only making a guess.

I can think of other possibılities."

(b), (c), and (d) have the same meaning.

*Maybe (one word) is an adverb: Maybe he is sick.

*Maybe (one word) is an aderb: Maybe he is sick.

May be (two words) is a verb form: He may be sick.

O EXERCISE 2. Degrees of certainty: present time. (Chart 10-1)

Directions: From the given information, make your "best guess" by using must. This

exercise can be done in pairs, in small groups, or as a class. If the exercise is done in pairs,

A and B should switch roles halfway through.

Example:

SPEAKER A (book open): Alice always gets the best grades in the class. Why?

SPEAKER B (book closed): 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 shivering and has goose bumps. Why?

5. (...)'s stomach is growling. Why?

6. (.. .) is scratching his arm. Why?

7. (...) has already had two glasses of water, but now he/she wants another. Why?

8. (.. .) is smiling. Why?

9. (.. .) is crying. Why?

10. There is a restaurant in town that is always packed (full). Why?

11. I am in my car. I am trying to start it, but the engine won't turn over. I left my lights

on all day. What's wrong?

12. Every night there is a long line of people waiting to get into (a particular movie). Why?

13. Don't look at your watch. What time is it?

EXERCISE 3. Degrees of certainty: present time. (Chart 10-1)

tions: Respond ty using "I don't know" + may'mighticould

= are-what we

Exmple:

URAKER A (book open): (. . .)'s grammar book isn't on her desk. Where is iti

ER R (book closed): I don't know. It may/mighucould be in her book bag

ue.

ent, we don't

"John is sick,"

is true. My

1. (...) isn't in class today. Where is s/he? (I don't know. Sile....)

, Where does (. . .) live? (I don't know. Slhe... .}

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 vou know where it is?

6. How old do you think (someone jamous) is?

bout a

s still less

s sick. 1

ck. That is

EXERCISE 4. Degrees of certainty: present time. (Chart iG-1)

Directions: Complete the sentences by using must or mavimighticould with the

expressions in the list or with your own words.

ertain."

of

vlike green

be very proud

feel terrible

fit Jimmy

have the wrong number

be about ten

aps,

:a guess.

miss them very much

be ut u mecting

be cruzy

be rich

1. A: Have you noticed that Professor Adams wears something green every day?

B: I know. -He

must like

green.

2. A: Ed just bought his wife a diamond necklace with matching earrings.

every day?

Iike green.

B: I know. He

2 A: Ed just bought his wife a diamond necklace with matching earrings

B: That's expensive! He

A: He is.

3. A: Look at the man standing outside the window on the fifteenth floor of the

building!

B: He

4. A: Where's Ms. Adams? She's not in her office.

B: I don't know. She

employee lounge.

A: If you see her, would you tell her I'm looking for her?

B: Certainly, Mr. French.

or maybe she's in the

5. A: Hello?

B: Hello. May I speak to Ron?

A: I'm sorry. You

There's no one here by that name.

o. A: I've heard that your daughter recently graduated from law school and that your son

has gotten a scholarship to the state university. You

B: We are.