TEMA 10
MODAL VERBS
Possibility and certainty
must & can’t
Must : you believe something is true
• You must be hungry (you haven’t had anything to eat for 8 hours)
Can’t : you believe something isn’t true
• You can’t be hungry (we had a good meal just one hour ago)
Cfr. Mustn’t (obligation: Don’t do it!)
• You mustn’t write in red ink (cfr. You must write in black)
• I mustn’t be late (cfr. I must hurry up)
may, might, could
May/might/could : Something that we think is possibly true (perhaps)
I didn’t see John at the faculty this morning. He may/might/could be ill. I will give him a call.
(cfr. He must be ill. He was not feeling very well yesterday evening)
I can’t find my umbrella
You may/might/could have left it in the shop.
0 1
C 2
might not could not
Could not : you believe something didn’t happen
• Sarah couldn’t have got my message. Otherwise she would have replied
(I believe she didn’t get it… I’m convinced!).
Might not : you believe perhaps something didn’t happen
• I wonder why Sarah hasn’t replied to my message. She might not have got it.
(perhaps she didn’t get it… but I’m not sure!)
VOCABULARY
fair / dark / red (ginger) / blonde / grey / dyed HAIR
long / short / shoulder-length HAIR
straight / curly / wave HAIR
her hair up / in a ponytail going bald
a moustache / a beard a dark / light blue suit/jacket
a striped / flower / plain tie / dress / shirt
glasses / lots of jewellery
in his/her teens / early twenties / mid-thirties / late forties
PHRASAL VERBS (3)
TYPE 1 : Phrasal verbs don't have an object
You two have never fallen out.
TYPE 2 : Phrasal verbs always have an object. This is always after the phrasal verb.
Olivia got over her divorces quickly. Olivia got over them quickly.
TYPE 3 : Phrasal verb always have an object. If the object is a noun, you can put in the middle or
after the phrasal verb.
I looked some figures up. I looked up some figures.
If the object is a pronoun, you must put it in the middle of the phrasal verb.
I looked them up. I looked up them
TYPE 4 : Phrasal verbs have three words and always have an object. The object is always after
the phrasal verb.
I tried to get out of the whole thing. I tried to get out of it.
