MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs bao gồm: SHALL, WILL, WOULD, CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD, MUST, OUGHT TO
1. CAN/ COULD
“Can” diễn đạt khả năng một người có khả năng làm việc gì.
They can speak English.
“Could” quá khứ của Can
My sister could play the piano when she was five.
Can’t: không thể nào (ở hiện tại)
Helen can’t be in Spain because I saw her driving past my house this morning.
Can’t have + pp: không thể nào (trong quá khứ)
He can’t have been at the meeting because he’s on the business trip this week.
Be able to có thể được dùng để chỉ khả năng thay thế cho can và could.
Tuy nhiên, khi nói về sự việc đã xảy ra trong một tình huống đặc biệt, người nào đó đã xoay xở mọi cách để làm
việc gì, ta dùng was/were able to.
She was able to escape the fire after an hour struggling in the house.
2. MAY/MIGHT
– có lẽ là
Where is Emma? I don’t know, she may/might be out shopping.
Trong trường hợp này. Might không phải là quá khứ của may.
- MAY/MIGHT + HAVE + PP: có thể là đã
I might have been taking a shower when you called.
3. MUST
– phải
You must get up earlier in the morning.
– chắc là
You must be hungry after a long walk.
– MUST HAVE+ PP: chắc là đã
The car has stopped. It must have run out of gasoline.
Mức độ chắc chắn của các Modal verbs – degrees of certainty
Why isn’t John in class?
- 100%: He is sick.
- 95%: He must be sick.
- < 50%: He may / might be sick.
4. HAVE TO: phải
 Must: sự bắt buộc đến từ phía người nói (là mong muốn và cảm xúc của người nói).
 Have to: sự bắt buộc do tình thế hoặc điều kiện bên ngoài (nội quy, luật pháp, quy định…).
I really must stop smoking. I want to do.
I have to stop smoking. Doctor‘s order.
 Mustn’t: không được
You mustn’t wear bare feet in this lab.
 Don’t have to = don’t need to: không cần thiết phải
You don’t have to wash those glasses. They are clean.
5. SHOULD: nên
– Chỉ sự bắt buộc hay bổn phận, nhưng không mạnh bằng Must (với should bạn có thể lựa chọn việc thực hiện hay
không thực hiện, còn must thì không có sự chọn lựa).
Applications should be sent before December 8th.
– SHOULD HAVE+ PP: lẽ ra là nên
I should have called her this morning, but I forgot.
6. OUGHT TO
– Nghĩa tương tự như should.
You oughtn’t to eat sweets at nights.
HAD BETTER: Nên, tốt hơn.
It’s cold. The children had better wear their coats.
I. Choose the best option.
1. She ___ be ill. I have just seen her playing basketball in the school yard.
a. needn't b. shouldn't c. mustn't d. can't
2. Peter has been working for 10 hours. He _______ be very tired now.
a. needn't b. must c. has to d. should
3. He is unreliable. What he says _______ be believed.
a. cannot b. must not c. may not d. might not
4. Keep quiet. You _______ talk so loudly in here. Everybody is working.
a. may b. must c. might d. mustn't
5. John is not at home. He _____ go somewhere with Daisy. I am not sure.
a. might b. will c. must d. should
 6. _______ I have a day off tomorrow? - Of course not. We have a lot of things to do.
a. Must b. Will c. May d. Need
7. The computer _______ reprogramming. There is something wrong with the software.
a. must b. need c. should d. may
8. Jenny's engagement ring was precious! It _______ have cost a fortune.
a. must b. should c. can d. needn't
9. You _______ take your umbrella along with you today. It _______ rain later on this afternoon.
a. ought to / mustn't b. needn't / will c. will / must d. should / might
10. The lamp _______ be broken. Maybe the light bulb just burned out.
a. should not b. might not c. must not d. will not
11. It is a top secret. You _______ tell anyone about it.
a. mustn't b. needn't c. mightn't d. won't
12. We have plenty of time for doing the work. We _______ be hurried.
a. needn't b. shouldn't c. mustn't d. mayn't
13. Jane often wears beautiful new clothes. She _______ be very rich.
a. must b. could c. might d. needn’t
14. Hiking the trail to the peak _______ be dangerous if you are not well prepared for dramatic weather
changes. You _______ research the route a little more before you attempt the ascent.
a. might / can b. may / mustn't c. can / should d. must / needn't
15. I _______ find my own way there. You _______ wait for me.
a. should / can't b. have to / must c. can / needn't d. might / mustn't
16. I was reading the book last night before I went to bed. I never took it out of this room. It ____ be lying
around here somewhere. Where ___ it be?
a. might / needn't b. can / should c. shouldn't / may d. must / can
17. When you have a small child in the house, you _______ leave small objects lying around. Such objects
_______ be swallowed, causing serious injury or even death.
a. should / must b. should not / might c. needn't / may d. mustn't / can't
18. Frank's wallet is lying on the coffee table. He _______ it here last night.
a. must have left b. should have left c. must be leaving d. needn't leave
19. I _______ be at the meeting by 10:00. I will probably _______ take a taxi if I want to be on time.
a. must/ have to b. may / must c. should / needn't d. mustn't / shouldn't
20. You _______ forget to pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is very strict about paying on time.
a. needn't b. mustn't c. do not have to d. may not
II. Choose the best option.
1. There is no excuse for your late submission! You ______ the report by last Friday.
A. mightn't have finished B. should have finished
C. needn't have finished D. must have finished
2. Adrian got surprisingly high grades in the final exam. He ______ his lessons very carefully.
A. would have revised B. needn't have revised C. can't have revised D. must have revised
3. I've been waiting for hours. You ______ to tell me you would come late.
A. oughtn't to have phoned B. must have phoned
C. should have phoned D. needn't have phoned
4. They were at the stadium with us last night, so they ______ at the theatre then.
A. needn't have been B. should have been C. might have been D. can't have been
5. You ______ use your mobile phone during the test. It's against the rules.
A. mightn't B. mustn't C. oughtn't D. needn't
6. I'm not sure, but Tony ______ probably get that demanding job.
A. must B. need C. ought D. might
7. All students ______ hand in their assignments by Friday at the latest.
A. ought B. might C. must D. may
8. You ______ pass the exam in order to graduate from high school.
A. must B. can C. may D. might
9. It is compulsory for all the students to hand in their assignments on time.
A. All the students must hand in their assignments on time.
B. All the students can't hand in their assignments on time.
C. All the students may hand in their assignments on time.
D. All the students needn't hand in their assignments on time.
10. It is compulsory for the students in this school to wear uniform.
A. The students in this school may wear uniform.
B. The students in this school can’t wear uniform.
C. The students in this school needn’t wear uniform.
D. The students in this school must wear uniform.
11. It is compulsory for all the students to finish their class work before going home.
A. All the students may finish their class work before going home.
 B. All the students needn’t finish their class work before going home.
C. All the students can’t finish their class work before going home.
D. All the students must finish their class work before going home
12. It is compulsory for all the students to obey the class rules.
A. All the students needn't obey the class rules. B. All the students needn't obey the class rules.
C. All the students can't obey the class rules. D. All the students must obey the class rules.
13. The car plunged into the river. The driver ____ out but the passengers were drowned.
A. is able to get B. could get C. was able to get D. can get
14. “I bought two bottles of milk.” “You ____ have bought milk; we have heaps of it in the house.”
A. couldn’t B. needn’t C. mustn’t D. hadn’t
15. “I left my bike here and now it’s gone.” “Someone ____ borrowed it.
A. must have B. should have C. couldn’t have D. needn’t have
16. “Do you remember reading about it in the newspapers?” “No, I ____ abroad at the time.”
A. must have been B. must be C. should be D. should have been
17. “The door was open.” “It ____ been open. I had locked it myself and the key was in my pocket.”
A. mustn’t have B. must have C. can’t have D. shouldn’t have
18. The man was found unconscious at the foot of the cliff. He ____ have fallen 200 meters.
A. needn’t B. must C. should D. mustn’t
19. “I heard their phone ringing.” “You ____ have heard their phone ringing. They don’t have a phone.”
A. couldn’t B. shouldn’t C. mustn’t D. needn’t
20. When I’ve passed my driving test, I ____ hire a car from our local garage.
A. will have B. would be able to C. can be able to D. will be able to
III. Fill in the blanks using MUST, CAN’T, MAY/MIGHT/COULD, SHOULD, SHOULDN’T,
NEEDN’T and the verb in parenthesis. (MODAL + V / MODAL + HAVE + PP)
1. Sally looked worried. She MUST HAVE HAD a problem with something (HAVE).
2. Bob CAN’T HAVE BEEN at school yesterday because I didn’t see him all day (BE).
3. I COULD HAVE LENT you the money. Why didn’t you ask me? (LEND)
4. Mr. Travis hasn’t come to work yet. He has never been late for work. He MUST HAVE MISSED
the bus (MISS).
5. She knew everything about our plans. She MUST HAVE LISTENED to our conversation.
(LISTEN)
6. The street is wet this morning. I’m not sure but it COULD/ MAY / MIGHT HAVE RAINED last
night (RAIN).
7. She COULD SING like an angel when she was a child (SING)
8. A: I talked to your science teacher yesterday. - B: You CAN’T HAVE TALKED to her because
she wasn’t at school yesterday. (TALK)
9. Mrs. White bought a new fur coat! - She MUST HAVE WON the lottery (WIN).
10. He came home alone yesterday. You SHOULDN’T HAVE LET him do that; he MIGHT HAVE
GOT lost. (LET, GET)
11. The singer has got a sore throat so she CAN’T SING at the concert (SING)
12. It MAY/MIGHT HAVE BEEN Jack I saw in the park yesterday, but I’m not sure about it (BE).
13. We can’t wait any longer. Something MUST BE DONE at once (DO).
14. Everyone shouted in fear. They MUST HAVE BEEN very afraid (BE).
15. A: I’m afraid Ted is watching TV again. - B: He CAN’T BE WATCHING TV because his room is
completely silent and dark. He MUST BE SLEEPING. (WATCH, SLEEP)
16. I can’t find my book. I MUST HAVE LEFT IT on the bus. (LEAVE)
 17. He looked so tired when I saw him. He MUST HAVE WORKED so hard. (WORK)
18. Tom CAN’T HAVE WRITTEN this because it is in French and Tom doesn’t know French.
(WRITE)
19. She NEEDN’T HAVE BOUGHT so many eggs. There is a dozen of them in the fridge. (BUY)
20. Timmy is a very good boy. He isn’t naughty, so he CAN’T HAVE BROKEN that window.
Somebody else MUST HAVE BROKEN it. (BREAK)
IV. Rewrite the sentences using the appropriate modal verb: (Certainty and possibility)
1. It’s possible that Jane visited Switzerland last year.
Jane ………………….might have visited Switzerland last year………………
2. Perhaps she is taking Spanish lessons.
She ………..might/may/could be taking Spanish lessons…………..
3. I’m sure that it rained last night.
It ……..must have rained last night………………………
4. James definitely isn’t eighteen yet!
James …….can’t be eighteen yet!................................
5. I’m sure that Mrs. Smith didn’t leave home.
Mrs. Smith ……………..can’t/mustn’t have left home. ……………
6. Perhaps she’s gone to stay with her mother.
She ………………..might/may/could have gone to stay with her mother…………….
7. It’s possible that Mr. Smith committed a crime.
Mr. Smith …………………..might/may/could have committed a crime………………
8. I’m certain that he buried something in the garden.
He …………….must have buried something in his garden………………..
9. It wasn’t necessary to phone before you visited me.
You ……………needn’t have phoned before you visited me……………
10. Chewing gum is forbidden in class.
You ………….mustn’t chew gum/ eat chewing gum in class…………………………..
11. I suggest you get a second opinion.
You …………should/ought to get a second opinion…………………………..
12. It was wrong of you not to wait for him.
You ………….should have/ ought to have waited for him……………………………
13. It wasn’t necessary for you to bring anything for tea, but thank you.
You ………..needn’t have brought anything for tea, but thank you…………………
14. It’s prohibited to carry liquids on the plane.
You ……………mustn’t carry liquids on the plane………………………………
15. My bag has disappeared. I’m sure somebody took it.
Somebody …must have taken my bag………………………………………