GRAMMAR UNIT 6

ABILITY MODAL VERBS

CAN: show ability. Ask people to do something.

CANNOT: negative statement.

WILL BE ABLE TO: future possibilities or abilities.

COULD AND COULDN´T: past of can or can´t.

MANAGED AND SUCCEEDED IN: when you achieved to do something just once.

Exercise:

1. I’m sorry, I cannot take you to the airport in the morning because I’ve got a business
meeting at 9 o’clock.
2. I think I will be able to pass my driving test before my 50th birthday.
3. One day in the future I think we Will be able to  live on the moon.
4. If we left now, we can arrive before the shops close.
5. I’m not working this weekend so we can  go cycling on Sunday.
6. I cannot  meet you for coffee at 11, but I’ll only have fifteen minutes.
7. I’ll do the washing and the ironing, but I cannot do the shopping.
8. If we worked together, we  finish it before the film starts.
9. She was bad after the accident, but I think she will be able to  go back to work next
week.
10. It’s not possible yet, but I think computers Will be able to do the housework for us in a
few years.
11. I can  go for a run this evening. My parents are coming to visit and I won’t have time.
12. I coudn't do your job. It’s so complicated and stressful.

MODALS OF DEDUCTION IN THE PAST

We can use modal verbs to talk about how sure or unsure we are about something in the past just
as we use modals in the present with a slight change in the form.
EXAMPLES:
He must be really happy about his promotion. (present deduction)
He must have been very happy when he was told about his promotion. (past deduction)

MODAL + have + past participle . Must have + past participle: When we use a modal verb to talk
about a situation where we are not expressing a fact but we are using deduction.

‘must have + past participle’: when we are quite sure about something.
Example:
You must have been very pleased when you received the results of your exams.
He must have forgotten his phone at home again. He’s not answering.
I must have left my keys in the car. I can’t find them.

Might have/may have/could have + past participle: we are not sure about something but we
think it was possible.
Example:
He was supposed to be here an hour ago but he could have been stuck in a traffic jam.
He may have said he was coming but I can’t really remember. I wasn’t listening.
I might have been here when I was a child but I can’t really remember.

Can’t have + past participle: for things that we are sure did not happen in the past.
Example:
I can’t have left my phone at work. You phoned me when I was walking to my car. That’s it.
It must be in the car.
You can’t have seen him this morning. He was with me all the time.
She can’t have liked the show. She hates musicals.

Exercise
1 - She ___ misunderstood my directions. Why else is she late?
must have
can't have

2 - He ___ gone to the beach. He hates being in the sun.

can't have
may have

3 - I ___ written down the number incorrectly. I've just called a hospital not the restaurant.
must have
might have

4 - They ___ been at the cafe but I didn't see them.

could have
must have

5 - John ___ been very happy when he found out he was going to be a father. He's wanted this for
a long time.
must have
may have

6 - He ___ gone to the city centre. He did say he wanted to go shopping.

can't have
could have
A) We use both/ neither/ either for two things. You can use these words with a noun (both
books, neither book etc.).

For example, you are talking about going out to eat this evening. There are two restaurants where
you can go. You say:

• Both restaurants are very good, (not 'the both restaurants')

• Neither restaurant is expensive.

• We can go to either restaurant. I don't mind, (either = one or the other, it doesn't matter which
one) 

When you use both/ neither/ either + of, you always need the... / these/ those... / my/ your/ his/

Tom's... (etc.). You cannot say 'both of restaurants'. You have to say 'both of the restaurants',
'both of those restaurants' etc.: 

You can use both of / neither of / either of + us/you/them:

 You must say 'both of before us/ you/ them (of is necessary)

 You can also use both/ neither/ either alone

B) Every refers to all members of a group though considered individually. It can be used to talk
about three or more people/things.

 Every + singular noun

Every + number + plural noun

C) Each refers to all members of a group though we think of them more one by one
(individually). Each can be used to talk about two or more people/things.

Each + singular countable noun

Each + one

Each of + determiner + plural noun

Each as a pronoun

Auxiliary Verb/To Be + each

D) All refers to the total number of people or things of a group. They are considered as a group and
not individually. There are minimum three things in the group.
All + noun

All + of + determiner + noun

Pronoun + all

Excercise:

Don't worry__________of these foods contain nuts.

Which one would you like?___________looks fine.

I think__________people like chocolate

It's delicious, but I can't possibly eat______________of it.

I burnt_______________my hands when I took the roast out of the oven.

____________of our biscuits is individually wrapped.

Did they eat___________of the cakes?

_______________Sebastian or Thomas likes tomatoes.