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Possibility: A Chance That Something May Happen or Be True

Here are the responses rephrased with the correct modal verbs: 1. He might not have applied for the job. 2. I am sure he mustn't have known the truth. 3. I may see you tomorrow. 4. She must have gone to Italy on holidays. 5. It may rain later. 6. They could have gone home. 7. I am sure my husband must have paid the gas bill. 8. We may not go out. 9. Rebecca may not graduate. 10. You might not win the game.

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44 views15 pages

Possibility: A Chance That Something May Happen or Be True

Here are the responses rephrased with the correct modal verbs: 1. He might not have applied for the job. 2. I am sure he mustn't have known the truth. 3. I may see you tomorrow. 4. She must have gone to Italy on holidays. 5. It may rain later. 6. They could have gone home. 7. I am sure my husband must have paid the gas bill. 8. We may not go out. 9. Rebecca may not graduate. 10. You might not win the game.

Uploaded by

Andra Srb
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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POSSIBILITY

a chance that something may


happen or be true
FUTURE/PRESENT
• CAN/COULD/MAY/MIGHT+
-present bare infinitive
- continuous bare infinitive (be +vb -ing)
Eg:
Drinks in restaurants can be really expensive.
You should ask him. He may know Susan’s
phone number.
She is not answering the phone. She might be sleeping.
CAN+ present infinitive

• General possibility
-something theoretical possible
-not use for a specific possibility
-90% certain
Eg.
The roads can be very busy.(general
situation)
Drinks can be really expensive in a restaurant.
COULD/MAY/MIGHT+ present bare
infinitive/continuous infinitive (be+vb-ing)

• Specific possibility
-something is possible in a specific situation
It is likely/it is possible/Perhaps/Maybe
-50% certain
--
Eg:
• The roads may/might get very busy tomorrow
afternoon because there is a demonstration.
(50% certain)
It is possible that/It is likely that the
roads will get very busy tomorrow
Maybe/Perhaps the roads will get very
busy tomorrow afternoon…….
• She may/might be teaching.
It’s possible that/It is likely that she is teaching.
Maybe/Perhaps she is teaching.
Could can be used instead of may and might with the
verb be:

• She could be angry.(50%certain)


It is possible/It is likely that she is angry
Maybe/Perhaps she is angry.

• They could still be waiting for us.


It is possible/It is likely that they are still waiting
for us.
Maybe/Perhaps they are still waiting for us.
PAST
• COULD/MAY/MIGHT +
-perfect infinitive ( have+ 3rd form )
- express possibility with reference to past
actions

Eg.
1. We haven't heard from him for ten years.
He may/might/could have died. (Perhaps he has
died, but we don't know.)
2. Ann hasn’t arrived yet. She may/might have
missed the train.( Perhaps she missed the train)

3. Jane may have broken the vase. ( Perhaps she


broke the vase).
COULD/MIGHT +perfect infinitive
Something was possible but it didn’t happen

• He was very careless when crossing the road.


He might/could have died. (Luckily, he didn't
die.)

An accident might/could have happened.


(Luckily it didn’t happen)
LOGICAL ASSUMPTION

PRESENT

1. MUST is used in affirmative sentences and


expresses positive logical assumptions.
= I’m sure/certain that something is true

• It is Sunday. He must be at home. (I’m


sure/certain he is at home.)
• 2. CAN’T and COULDN’T are used in negations
and expresses negative logical assumptions.
CAN’T=I’m sure that something isn’t true,
real
COULDN’T= I don’t think

It is Sunday. He can’t be at work. (I’m sure he


isn’t at work.)
They couldn’t be on holiday. (I don’t think they
are on holiday)
PAST
• MUST+ perfect infinitive- affirmative , certain

logical assumptions ( I am sure/certain)


• CAN’T +perfect infinitive-negative, certain
logical assumptions ( I am sure/certain)
• COULDN’T+ perfect infinitive-negative, not so
certain logical assumptions ( I don’t think )
Examples
• It is very cold. It must have snowed in the
mountains. ( I am sure/certain that it snowed/
has snowed in the mountains)
• She doesn’t like Tom. She can’t have married
him.( I am sure/certain she didn’t marry Tom)
• They couldn’t have been friends. ( I don’t
think they were friends)
Exercise
Rephrase the sentences using the correct form of the words in brackets.

Examples:
Perhaps he was ill. (may) - He may have been ill.
It's possible I will cook dinner. (might) I might cook
dinner.

• 1. Perhaps he didn’t apply for the job (might)


• 2. I am sure he didn’t know the truth. (must)
• 3. It's possible that I'll see you tomorrow. (may)
• 4. I am sure that she has gone to Italy on holidays. (must)
• 5. It's possible that it will rain later. (may)
• 6. Perhaps they went home.(could)
• 7. I am sure that my husband has paid the gas bill. (must)
• 8. It's possible that we won't go out. (may)
• 9. It's possible that Rebecca won't graduate. (may)
• 10. It's possible that you will not win the game. (might)

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