now think modal verbs of probability

8/2/2019 NOW THINK Modal Verbs of Probability

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Modal Verbs of Probability


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Modal Verbs of Probability

must / might / could / may / can'tWe can use these modal verbs (also called modals

of, speculation or certainty) when we want to make

a deduction,a guess about something. We choose

the verb depending on how sure we are.

1: Talking about the present2: Using modal verbs to talk about

the past


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1: Talking about the present :

must / might / could / may / can't

must + infinitive

might / mightnot + infinitive

could / could not+ infinitive

may / maynot+ infinitive

cant + infinitive


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For example :

I am waiting for Julie with another friend, David.

I ask: 'Where is Julie?'

David guesses :

Shemustbe on the bus. (I'm fairlysure this is agood guess)

She mightcome soon. (maybe) She could be lost. (maybe)

She may be in the wrong room. (maybe)

She cant be at home. (I'm fairly sure this isn'ttrue)

Notice that the opposite of must is cant inthis case


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WILL / WONT

We use willand wont when we are very sure:

EX : Shell be at work now.


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Should / Shouldnt

Should and shouldn't are used to make an assumption

about what is probably true, if everything is as weexpect :

They should be there by now.

It shouldnt take long to drive here.


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CAN

Canis used for something that is generallypossible.

EX: Prices can be high in London.

Can is not used to talk about specific possibilities:He could be on the bus (not: 'can be').


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2: Using modal verbs to talk about the

past:

must / might / could / may / can't +have + past participle

musthave + past participle

might/ might nothave + past participle

could / couldnthave + past participle

may / maynothave + past participle

canthave + past participle


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For example :

You: Where was Julie last night?

David: She musthave forgotten about our date.

She musthave forgottenabout our date.

She mighthaveworked late.

She couldhavetaken the wrong bus.

She mayhavefelt ill. She canthavestayed at home.


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WILL / WONT+ have + past participle

Will and won't / willnot + have + past

participle are used for past certainty (compare

with present use of 'will' above):

EX : The parcel will have arrived before now.


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Should + have + past participle

Should and shouldn't are used to make an assumption

about what is probably true, if everything is as weexpect :

Should + have + past participle can be used to

make an assumption about something that

has probably happened, if everything is as we

expect (compare with present sue of 'should'

above):

EX : The train should have left by now


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COULD

We can use couldto talk about a generalpossibilityin the past (compare with the use of

'can' above): EX: Prices could be high in the sixteenth century.

This is not used to talk about specific possibilitiesin the past:

EX : He couldhave been working late (not: 'couldbe', which is present)


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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Now its your turn to practise!

now think modal verbs of probability

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