Check your fitness!

What would you rather Would you be capable

do on Saturday morning? of running 10 km?
a S t a y in b e d - it’s not a N o p roblem !
worth ge ttin g u p e a rly b I’m not sure if I'll
b G o fo r a run - there's no m a n a g e m o re th a n 5.
point d o in g nothing, c No way!
c G o sh o p p in g - it’s
about time y o u bought
so m e th in g n ic e !

Someone offers to buy

you an ice cream. What
2
“ Your friend invites you to do you say?
the gym. Which argument a I'd just as soon h av e an
would persuade you? a p p le
b There's no sense
a You're coming w ith me
s a y in g n o - I'll h a v e tw o!
w h e th e r y o u w a n t to o r not!
c I sh o u ld n 't, b u t I'd better
b Com e on - it’s time to get
h a v e o n e s o I d o n 't s e e m
fit!
ru d e .
c If y o u c o m e , maybe I II bu y had better = should
y o u a b u rg e r later.

y
Check your score:
1 a 0 b 10 c 5 2 a 5 b 10 c 0 O ther w a y s to e x p r e ss m o d a lity
3 a 10 b 5 c 0 4a10b0c5
Probability
1 We use adjectives, adverbs, nouns and modal verbs to talk about
30-40: Congratulations! There's no how likely something is.
need for you to change anything
certainly She's bound to know.
15-25: There's still a good chance It’s alm ost certain that she knows.
you can get fit. It’s not likely to There's a good chance that she knows.
happen but it's not impossible
She's very likely to know.
0-10: Your only exercise is sure She could well know.
to be a walk to a burger bar You’d ,, She probably knows.
better do something about it - now!
maybe She might know. / Perhaps she knows.
She might not know.
It’s possible that she knows.
There's a slight possibility that she knows.
I'm not sure if she knows.
1 W h at was your score? She's unlikely to know. / She probably doesn't know.
9
2 Do you agree w ith the advice? certainly not I'm sure she doesn't know.
► See Unit 9 for modal verbs of probability.
2 W e can use adjectives to describe probability in three
ways:
it + be + adjective + (that) + clause:
It's unlikely that he'll win.
subject (person) + be + adjective + (that) + clause:
I’m certain she'll come.
subject + be + adjective + to-infinitive:
Your only exercise is sure to be a walk to a burger bar.
There are different ways o f talking about past
probability.
He's likely to have gone. (= I think now it’s likely that he
went.)
He was likely to go. (= I thought then that it was likely
that he would go.)
W e can use i f / whether after not sure.
I'm not sure i f I'll manage more than five.
► See Unit 22 for more information on structures like He was
likely to go.
3 We can use maybe / perhaps at the beginning, in the
middle, or at the end o f a sentence.
Maybe I'll buy you a burger. / I ’ll maybe buy you a
burger. / I'll buy you a burger, maybe.
W e usually use definitely, certainly, probably and
possibly in the middle o f a sentence. In negative
sentences, they come before the negative word.
You’ll definitely meet her tonight.
You probably won't meet her tonight.
► See Unit 24 for the position of adverbs.
4 W e can use there is + a / the chance / possibility /
likelihood to talk about probability. A fter these nouns
we can put a statement (with or without that) or o f +
-ing. W e often put adjectives like good, strong or slight
before these nouns, or quantifiers like no and every.
There's still a good chance you can get fit.
W e can also use There’s no way+ clause to express
strong impossibility.
There’s no way she'll agree!
We sometimes use No way! to refuse strongly.
A: Can I borrow your compu ter ? B: No way!
Suggestions
5 We can use had b ette r (not) + infinitive without to or
It's (high / about) time + past simple or past continuous
to make strong suggestions.
I'd b ette r have one so I don't seem rude.
I t ’s about time you bought something nice.
HP I t ’s time + to-infinitive just means that something
needs to happen now.
It's time to get up!
We also make suggestions with Let's, could, Why don't
(we I you). How about + -ing and How about (if).
L e t’s go out tonight.
How about having a salad?
Commands and refusals
6 We can give commands with the present continuous or
with be + to-infinitive.
You 're coming with me, like it or not!
You're to phone as soon as you arrive.
We can also use the present continuous to refuse
something strongly.
I’m not eating this!It's disgusting!
Lack of necessity
7 We can use the following expressions to say something
isn’t necessary:
There's no... need (for somebody) + to-infinitive /
point / sense (in) (somebody) + -ing
It's not worth... it (for somebody) + to-infinitive /
(somebody) + -ing
There's no need fo r you to change anything.
I t ’s not worth getting up early.
► See Unit 15 for more information on it and there.
Preference
8 We can use these expressions to talk about preference:
would prefer + to-infinitive (... than + infinitive):
We'd p re fer to go swimming than go shopping,
would prefer it + if+ somebody + past simple:
I'd p refer it i f you didn't stay out late,
would rather / sooner + infinitive (... than + infinitive):
He'd sooner drive around for hours than ask the way.
would rather + somebody + past simple:
I'd rath er you didn't open the window,
would just as soon + infinitive (... as + infinitive):
I'd ju s t as soon have an apple. (= I have no strong
preference.)
Ability
9 We can use be capable of+ -ing to talk about abilities
based on physical or mental qualities.
Would you be capable o f running 10 km?
We use manage / fa il + to-infinitive to talk about
success or failure in specific situations.
/ wanted to run 10 km, but I only managed to run 6.
Other ways to express modality 47
P r a c tic e
A Put the sentences in order, 1 to 3 .1 should be the strongest C Complete the sentences, using the information
opinion or prediction. in the table and be capable of, manage to and
1 a I’d rather you didn’t eat that burger in here, m fa il to.
b You are not eating that burger in here.
m Name Sport Personal Yesterday’s
c You shouldn’t eat that burger in here.
m best result
2 a It’s not impossible that we’ll be late, □
b It’s possible that we'll be late.
□ Dan high 2.10 m 2.05 m

c There's a strong possibility that we’ll be late. □ jump

3 a We could have a pizza but I’d sooner have a salad. □ Ruth 100 m 15 sec did not
b We could have a pizza but I'd just as soon have a salad,
□ running finish
c We could have a pizza but I’d much rather have a salad. □ Marion marathon 3 hours 3 hours 39
4 a You’re to stop eating hamburgers immediately, □ 20 min min
b It's about time you stopped eating hamburgers,
□
c You realty had better stop eating hamburgers.
□ Pete long
jump
5.40 m 5.40 m

5 a I’m not sure she’ll be there. □

b I’m fairly sure she won't be there,
□ Greg diving 1st place 4th place
c She’s sure to be there.
□
6 a There’s every chance that he’ll have finished by now. □ 1 Dan is capable ofjumpiM 2.10
b He’s bound to have finished by now.
□ 2
3
... but yesterday
Ruth
5twj rtuuuyei tCjurup 2.05

c He could have finished by now.

□ 4 ... but yesterday
7 a There’s no way you’ll beat me. □ 5 Marion
b Maybe you'll beat me.
□ 6 ... but yesterday
c It’s really unlikely that you'll beat me. □ 7 Pete
8 a There’s absolutely no point in you coming now.
b It’s really not worth it for you to come now.
□ 8
9
... and yesterday
Greg
10 ... but yesterday
c Perhaps it might not be worth you coming now.

B Underline the correct option.

O
[%»•"%>. ? ' ▼k

Hi Dan, Josie,
It's great that you're coming over for the weekend What do you fancy doing on Saturday afternoon? Would you ' r a t h e r / s o o n e r / p r e f e r have a quiet
afternoon in the flat or go to watch the match? If you want to watch the match, you'd3 r a t h e r / s o o n e r / b e t t e r l e t me know pretty soon so I can book tickets
Take care.
Matt

Hi guys
To be honest, I'd just a s 3 r a t h e r / s o o n / w e l l stay in the flat and watch it on TV There's no * n e e d / s e n s e / p o i n t for us all to buy tickets when we can
watch it at home for free ' I ' m n o t p a y i n g / / don't p a y / I ' m n o t t o p a y £30 for something I can watch at home for nothing1
Bye for now1
Josie*

Josie,
We've been trying to get you to come to a football match for years - it’s ' t h e / h i g h e s t / a b o u t time you gave it a try You'll love il Matt, it's not worth 1 t o l i s t e n /
l i s t e n i n g / l i s t e n to Josie - you'd * r a t h e r / b e t t e r / p r e f e r just get the tickets Josie, sorry, but9 y o u c o m e / y o u m ig h t c o m e / y o u ' r e c o m i n g with us, like it or not1

Dan

Guys'
OK, so that's a decision There's n o 10 n e e d / p o i n t / w ay in hanging around - I’ll book the tickets now
Cheers.
Matt
PS Don't worry, Josie I'll pay

48
D Rewrite each sentence so that it has a similar meaning,
using the words in brackets. Sometimes more than one
answer is possible.
1 It’s highly likely that she’ll beat me at tennis, (every)
There’s every chance that shell beat me at tennis.
2 It’s inevitable that he’ll win the race, (bound)
3 I’m sure he’ll play well. (He’s)
4 It’s fairly likely that the match will be cancelled, (good
chance)
5 There's no chance o f me being able to lift that weight,
(way)
E Rewrite these sentences to talk about probability in
the past, present or future. Sometimes more than one
answer is possible.
1 I’m convinced they went swimming in the morning,
(future)
I’mconvinced tlieijlljo swimming in the mommy.
2 There’s likely to be plenty to eat. (past)
3 She’s unlikely to have had a running machine at home,
(present)
4 He’s bound to spend the evening watching TV. (past)
5 It’s possible that she's lost some weight, (future)

6 I’m sure they won’t want to eat lettuce, (definitely) 6 Perhaps she isn’t at home, (future)

7 I think your ideas might not work, (sure) 7 They’re sure to be invited, (past)

8 There’s a slight chance she'll come with us for a run. 8 There is no need for us to book a table, (past)
(impossible)

9 There’s no point her paying so much for a new bike,

(worth)

10 W e’d really rather you stayed at home tonight,

(prefer it if)

MV TURMJ
Complete these sentences about your attitudes to health and fitness.
1 It’s not worth biujtfiy a ruwiiiiy maclufte - I'd ratlieryo 5 It’s about time I
rwuiwy in the part
2 I'd rather 6 I’m capable o f

3 There’s no way 7 I’d better

4 I'm unlikely to 8 I’m not sure

I’f U i f f l _______________________________________
| Circle the correct option. |
| 1 Sam’s not in - he’s to be at the gym as usual. a probable b bound c possible |
I 2 We’re not if we can come to your birthday party. a likely b probable c sure I
3 There’s no we can all fit in only one car. a point b sense c way
I 4 It’s about you started to look after yourself better. a time b better c rather I
I 5 Gabrielle and Jo decided they’d not go camping again this year. a soon b prefer c rather I

’S ~>Z q i :sj 3msuc jis a i Aw

Other ways to express modality 49