May and Might 1 and 2 PDF

Unit 29 may and might 1 A Study this example situation: You are looking for Ben. Nobody is sure where he is, but you get some suggestions. Where’s Ben? He may be in his office. (= perhaps he is in his office)...

Unit 29 may and might 1 A Study this example situation: You are looking for Ben. Nobody is sure where he is, but you get some suggestions. Where’s Ben? He may be in his office. (= perhaps he is in his office) He might be having lunch. (= perhaps he is having lunch) Ask Kate. She might know. (= perhaps she knows) We use may or might to say that something is possible. You can use may or might: It may be true. or It might be true. (= perhaps it is true) She might know. or She may know. The negative forms are may not and might not: It may not be true. (= perhaps it isn’t true) She might not know. (= perhaps she doesn’t know) be (true / in his office etc.) may I/you/he (etc.) (not) be -ing (doing / working / having etc.) might know / work / want etc. Note the difference between may be (2 words) and maybe (1 word): It may be true. (may + verb) ‘Is it true?’ ‘Maybe. I’m not sure.’ (maybe = it’s possible, perhaps) B For the past we use may have … or might have … : a: I wonder why Kate didn’t answer her phone. b: She may have been asleep. (= perhaps she was asleep) a: I can’t find my phone anywhere. b: You might have left it at work. (= perhaps you left it at work) a: Why wasn’t Amy at the meeting yesterday? b: She might not have known about it. (= perhaps she didn’t know) a: I wonder why David was in such a bad mood yesterday. b: He may not have been feeling well. (= perhaps he wasn’t feeling well) been (asleep / at home etc.) may I/you/he (etc.) (not) have been -ing (doing / working / feeling etc.) might known / had / wanted / left etc. C could is similar to may and might: It’s a strange story, but it could be true. (= it is possible that it’s true) You could have left your phone at work. (= it’s possible that you left it there) But couldn’t (negative) is different from may not and might not. Compare: Sarah couldn’t have received my message. Otherwise she would have replied. (= it is not possible that she got my message) Why hasn’t Sarah replied to my message? I suppose she might not have received it. (= it’s possible that she didn’t receive it – perhaps she did, perhaps she didn’t) could ➜ Unit 27 may/might 2 ➜ Unit 30 may I … ? ➜ Unit 37C 58 might with if ➜ Units 30B, 38C, 40D Modal verbs (can/will etc.) ➜ Appendix 4  Unit Exercises 29 29.1 Complete the sentences. Choose from the box. 1 a: Do you know where Helen is? b: I’m not sure. She might be in her room. may be Tom’s 2 a: Is there a bookshop near here? may not be feeling well b: I’m not sure, but ask Anna. She. may not be possible 3 a: Where are those people from? might be in her room b: I don’t know. They. might be Brazilian 4 a: I hope you can help me. might be driving b: I’ll try, but it. might have one 5 a: Whose phone is this? might know b: It’s not mine. It. 6 a: Why doesn’t George answer his phone? b: He. 7 a: Do you know anyone who has a key to this cupboard? b: Rachel , but I’m not sure. 8 a: Gary is in a strange mood today. b: Yes, he is. He. 29.2 Complete each sentence using the verb in brackets. 1 a: Where’s Ben? b: I’m not sure. He might be having lunch. (have) 2 a: Who was the guy we saw with Anna yesterday? b: I’m not sure. It may her brother. (be) 3 a: Is Ellie here? b: I can’t see her. She may not yet. (arrive) 4 a: Gary said he would meet us in the cafe, but he isn’t here. b: He might outside. I’ll go and look. (wait) 5 a: How did John know that I’d lost my job? b: I don’t know. I suppose Sam may him. (tell) 6 a: Do you know where Jeff is? Is he still in the office? b: He was here earlier, but he might home. (go) 7 a: Where’s Emma? What’s she doing? b: I’m not sure. She might TV. (watch) 8 a: Does Max have any brothers or sisters? b: I’m not sure. I think he may a younger sister. (have) 9 a: I can’t find my umbrella. Have you seen it? b: You may it in the restaurant last night. (leave) 10 a: I rang Dan’s doorbell, but he didn’t answer. I’m sure he was there. b: He might not the doorbell. (hear) 11 a: Hannah is supposed to meet us here, and she’s already 20 minutes late. b: She may. She’s always forgetting things. (forget) 29.3 Complete the sentences using might not have … or couldn’t have …. 1 a: I was surprised Amy wasn’t at the meeting. Perhaps she didn’t know about it. b: Maybe. She might not have known about it. 2 a: I wonder why Tom didn’t come to the party. Perhaps he didn’t want to come. b: It’s possible. He to come. 3 a: I wonder how the fire started. Was it an accident? b: No, the police say it an accident. It was deliberate. 4 a: Mike says he needs to see you. He tried to find you yesterday. b: Well, he very hard. I was in my office all day. 5 a: The man you spoke to – are you sure he was American? b: No, I’m not sure. He. ➜ Additional exercises 16–18 (pages 311–13) 59 Unit 30 may and might 2 A We use may and might to talk about possible actions or happenings in the future: I haven’t decided where to go on holiday. I may go to Ireland. (= perhaps I will go there) Take an umbrella with you. It might rain later. (= perhaps it will rain) The bus isn’t always on time. We might have to wait a few minutes. (= perhaps we will have to wait) The negative forms are may not and might not (mightn’t): Amy may not go out tonight. She isn’t feeling well. (= perhaps she will not go out) There might not be enough time to discuss everything at the meeting. (= perhaps there will not be enough time) Compare: I’m going to buy a car. (for sure) I may buy a car. or I might buy a car. (possible) B Usually you can use may or might. So you can say: I may go to Ireland. or I might go to Ireland. Jane might be able to help you. or Jane may be able to help you. But we use might (not may) when the situation is not real: If they paid me better, I might work harder. (not I may work) This situation (If they paid me better) is not real. They do not pay me well, so I’m not going to work harder. C Compare may/might be -ing and will be -ing: Don’t phone at 8.30. I’ll be watching the football on TV. Don’t phone at 8.30. I might be watching the football on TV. (= perhaps I’ll be watching it) We also use may/might be -ing for possible plans. Compare: I’m going to Ireland soon. (for sure) I might be going (or I may be going) to Ireland soon. (possible) D might as well Helen and Clare have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour. What shall we do? Shall we walk? We might as well. It’s a nice day and I don’t want to wait here for an hour. We might as well do something = we should do it because there is no better alternative. There is no reason not to do it. You can also use may as well. a: What time are you going out? b: Well, I’m ready, so I might as well go now. or … I may as well go now. Buses are so expensive these days, you might as well get a taxi. (= taxis are as good, no more expensive than buses) will be -ing ➜ Unit 24 may/might 1 ➜ Unit 29 may I … ? ➜ Unit 37 60 might with if ➜ Units 38C, 40D  Unit Exercises 30 30.1 Which alternative makes sense? 1 a: Where are you going for your holidays? b: I haven’t decided yet. I might go / I’m going to Ireland. (I might go makes sense) 2 a: Have you decided what sort of car you want to buy? b: Yes, I might get / I’m going to get a sports car. 3 a: When is Tom coming to see us? b: He hasn’t said yet. He might come / He’s coming on Sunday. 4 a: Where are you going to put that picture? b: I don’t know yet. I might hang / I’m going to hang it in the bedroom. 5 a: What’s Tanya going to do when she leaves school? Does she know yet? b: Yes, she’s decided. She might go / She’s going to university. 6 a: Do you have plans for the weekend? b: Nothing fixed. I might go away / I’m going away. 30.2 Complete the sentences using might + a verb from the box: 1 Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It might rain later. hear 2 Don’t make too much noise. You the baby. need 3 Be careful with your coffee. You it. rain 4 Don’t forget your phone. You it. slip 5 It’s better if we don’t talk so loud. Somebody us. spill 6 Be careful. This footpath is icy. You. wake 30.3 Complete the sentences. Use might be able to or might have to + one of these verbs: fix help leave meet pay wait 1 Tell me about your problem. I might be able to help you. 2 I can come to the meeting, but I before the end. 3 I’m not free this evening, but I you tomorrow evening. 4 I’m not sure whether this car park is free or not. We. 5 There’s a long queue. We a long time. 6 ‘I’ve got a problem with my bike.’ ‘Let me have a look. I it.’ 30.4 Write sentences with might not. 1 Lisa’s not feeling very well. I’m not sure that she will go to the party. Lisa might not come to the party. 2 I haven’t seen him for a long time. I don’t know if I will recognise him or not. I might him. 3 We want to go to the game, but I don’t know whether we’ll be able to get tickets. We for the game. 4 I said I’d do the shopping, but it’s possible I won’t have time. I to do the shopping. 5 I’ve been invited to the wedding, but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to go. I. 30.5 Read the situations and write sentences with might as well. 1 You and a friend have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour. You say: We’ll have to wait an hour for the next bus. We might as well walk. 2 Your computer doesn’t work any more. It will cost a lot to repair. You say: It’s not worth repairing. I a new one. 3 You’ve painted the kitchen. You still have a lot of paint, so why not paint the bathroom too? You say: I too. There’s plenty of paint left. 4 You and a friend are at home. You’re bored. There’s a film on TV starting in a few minutes. You say: We it. There’s nothing else to do. ➜ Additional exercises 16–18 (pages 311–13) 61 Unit 31 have to and must A I have to do something = it is necessary to do it, I am obliged to do it: You have to turn left here. You can’t turn right here. You have to turn left. I have to wear glasses for reading. Robert can’t come out with us this evening. He has to work late. Last week Tina broke her arm and had to go to hospital. I haven’t had to go to the doctor for ages. We use do/does/did in questions and negative sentences (for the present and past simple): What do I have to do to get a new driving licence? (not What have I to do?) Karen doesn’t have to work Saturdays. (not Karen hasn’t to) ‘Did you have to wait a long time for a bus?’ ‘No, only ten minutes.’ You can say I’ll have to … , I’m going to have to … , I might have to … , I may have to … : They can’t repair my computer, so I’ll have to buy a new one. or … I’m going to have to buy a new one. We might have to change our plans. or We may have to change … (= it’s possible that we will have to change them) B Must is similar to have to. You can say: It’s later than I thought. I must go. or I have to go. You can use must or have to when you give your own opinion (for example, to say what you think is necessary, or to recommend someone to do something): I haven’t spoken to Sue for ages. I must phone her. / I have to phone her. (= I say this is necessary) Mark is a really nice person. You must meet him. / You have to meet him. (= I recommend this) We use have to (not usually must) to say what someone is obliged to do. This is a fact,, not the speaker’s own opinion: I have to work from 8.30 to 5.30 every day. (a fact, not an opinion) Jane has to travel a lot for her work. But we use must in written rules and instructions: Applications for the job must be received by 18 May. Seat belts must be worn. We use had to (not must) to talk about the past: I went to the meeting yesterday, but I had to leave early. (not I must) C Mustn’t and don’t have to are completely different: You mustn’t do something = don’t do it: You must keep this a secret. You mustn’t tell anyone. (= don’t tell anyone) I promised I would be on time. I mustn’t be late. (= I must be on time) You don’t have to do something = you don’t need to do it (but you can if you want): You don’t have to come with me. I can go alone. I don’t have to be at the meeting, but I’m going anyway. D You can use have got to instead of have to. You can say: I’ve got to work tomorrow. or I have to work tomorrow. When has Helen got to go? or When does Helen have to go? 62 must (‘You must be tired’) ➜ Unit 28 must/mustn’t/needn’t ➜ Unit 32  Unit Exercises 31 31.1 Complete the sentences using have/has/had to …. Use the verbs in brackets. 1 Robert can’t come out with us this evening. He has to work late. (he / work) 2 ‘The bus was late this morning.’ ‘How long did you have to wait ?’ (you / wait) 3 I don’t have much time. in ten minutes. (I / go) 4 ‘I’m afraid I can’t stay long.’ ‘What time ?’ (you / go) 5 Joe starts work at 5 am every day, which means at four. (he / get up) 6 We nearly missed the bus this morning. to catch it. (we / run) 7 Is Lisa usually free on Saturdays or ? (she / work) 8 There was nobody to help me. everything by myself. (I / do) 9 How old to have a driving licence? (you / be) 10 There was a lot of noise from the street. the window. (we / close) 11 Was the exhibition free, or to go in? (you / pay) 31.2 Complete the sentences using have/has/had to + the verbs in the list. Some sentences are negative (I don’t have to … etc.): ask decide drive get up go make make pay show stand 1 I’m not working tomorrow, so I don’t have to get up early. 2 Steve didn’t know how to change the settings on his phone. I had to show him. 3 Excuse me a moment – I a phone call. I won’t be long. 4 You can let me know later what you want to do. You now. 5 I couldn’t find the street I wanted. I somebody for directions. 6 This car park is free. You. 7 A man was slightly injured in the accident, but he to hospital. 8 Jane has a senior position in the company. She important decisions. 9 The train was very full and there were no seats free. We all the way. 10 When Patrick starts his new job next month, he 50 miles to work every day. 31.3 In some of these sentences, must is wrong or unnatural. Correct the sentences where necessary. 1 It’s later than I thought. I must go. OK (I have to go is also correct) 2 I must start work every day at 8.30. I have to start work 3 I must remember to call Sarah tomorrow. 4 I couldn’t get a taxi last night. I must walk home. 5 You must come and see us again soon. 6 Tom isn’t going out this evening. He must study for his exam. 7 We can’t go the usual way because the road is closed. We must go another way. 8 Julia wears glasses. She must wear glasses since she was very young. 31.4 Complete the sentences with mustn’t, don’t have to or doesn’t have to. 1 I don’t want anyone to know about our plan. You mustn’t tell anyone. 2 Richard doesn’t have to wear a suit to work, but he usually does. 3 There’s a lift in the building, so we climb the stairs. 4 I promised Kate I’d call her tomorrow. I forget. 5 I’m not very busy. I have a few things to do, but I do them now. 6 Sophie likes weekends because she get up early. 7 You be a good player to enjoy a game of tennis. 8 You should keep trying to find a job. You give up. 9 I eat too much. I’m supposed to be on a diet. 10 We have plenty of time before our flight. We check in yet. ➜ Additional exercise 16 (page 311) 63