Unit 8 - Modal Verbs

1. Victoria _____ wake up at 4:00 in the morning yesterday.
a) had to b) must

2. I strongly believe that they should _____ ask permission.
a) have to b) must

3. Can _____ reliably predict an earthquake?
a) anyone b) anywhere

4. When I was young, I _____ do many things for myself.
a) didn't have to b) must not

5. While operating a motor vehicle, you _____ drink and drive.
a) don't have to b) must not

6. Why _____ a new year come for us to make changes in our lives?
a) has to b) must

7. You _____ wear a tie, but you can wear one if you want to.
a) don't have to b) must not

8. The weather became so severe that all of the workers _____ be sent home.
a) had to b) must

9. Bill _____ see everything at once because he can always visit again.
a) doesn't have to b) must not

10. _____ all of the current assumptions about the universe one day be revised?
a) Have to b) Must
----------

Answers

"a", "a", "b", "a", "b", "b", "a", "a", "a", "b"

Dale: Should I see that new movie on Friday?
Linda: No, you shouldn't see it. I hear it is a scary movie.
Dale: I like scary movies. Maybe I should see it.
Linda: I think you should go to a different movie on Friday.
Dale: Maybe I should take a friend with me so I won't be scared.
Linda: Good idea. You should call me after the movie and tell me how it is!

Should / Ought to

Should is a modal verb used to give advice and recommendation.
- You should see a doctor.
- You should keep your promises.
- Should we buy her a present?

Should can also be used for obligation. For example:
- I should call my Mum tomorrow.
- He should apologize to Mary.

Should is also used for when something is expected.
- Tony should arrive here at 12.00.
- It's 12.30, and Tony should be here.
- This book is wrong, tha answer should be "A".

Note that have to inflects like a normal verb, it can have different tenses and uses auxiliary verbs for questions and negatives. For example:
- Do we have to go out tonight?
- You don't have to come with us.

Must doesn't use auxiliary verbs or different tenses.
- Must we go out tonight? (This sounds rather British, I really don't want to go out tonight.)
- We mustn't forget the tickets. (No auxiliary verb "to do", just add not.)

Ought to

Ought to can be used instead of should. It is less common than should and sounds rather British.
- You ought to say thankyou for the present. (You should say thankyou for the present)

Negatives and questions are less common and even more British.
- We ought not to be late for the meeting.
Questions are often made with "Do you think.."
- Do you think I ought to get up earlier?

Questions with just ought to are rare.
- Ought I to get up earlier?

-----

Grammar Exercise

The zero conditional (using If you can't...) is often found in old sayings and proverbs.

Complete the sayings and proverbs below using the clauses in the box.

Example: should apologize Jill to Mark for being late.
Answer: to Mark for being late.

1. Ought Mary to clean up the mess she made.
clean up the mess she made.

2. opposite the Shouldn't of zero be everything?
of zero be everything?

3. look should Everyone at the stars from time to time.
at the stars from time to time.

4. should We have a plan when the going gets difficult.
when the going gets difficult.

5. turn we whom To should for inspiration and wisdom?
for inspiration and wisdom?

6. study if ought Dan to more he wants to pass the exam.
he wants to pass the exam.

7. to ought You worry not about things you can't change.
things you can't change.

8. schools that Some think should things offer parenting classes.
offer parenting classes.

9. ought Vegetables to canned be while they're still fresh.
while they're still fresh.

10. do you Don't say something to ought unless you can actually do it.
unless you can actually do it.

----------

Answers

Waiter: Would you like some coffee?
Henry: Yes, I would love some coffee.
Waiter: Would you like cream and sugar?
Henry: When I was younger, I would always order cream and sugar with my coffee, but now, I would not like any. Thank you.
(20 minutes pass)
Henry (on the phone): The waiter said he would bring me coffee, but he still isn't here!

Would

Would is a modal verb expressing some kind of imaginary or hypothetical situation. Would is often contracted to 'd, for example
- I would love to learn Spanish.
- I'd love to learn Spanish.

Offers and Requests

Would is used to make offers and show willingness. For example:
- Would you like a cookie with your coffee?
- Would you like to go out this evening?
- Would you like some help?

Would can also be used to make requests.
- Would you open the door for me?
This has a slightly commanding tone, perhaps like a teacher to a student. Could is less assertive.
- Could you open the door please?

Hypothetical Situations

Would is used to show hypothetical situations. For example:
- I would love to go abroad. (But I'm not abroad now.)
- You would be a great lawyer. (You're not a lawyer now - being a lawyer is an imaginary situation)

Would is often used in the main clause of conditional statements.
- If I had time, I would visit my family.
- I'd go to the beach if it was sunny.

For more information see the units on Conditionals.

Will - Past form

Would is used as the past form of will, it's used for future predictions made in the past. For example:
- He'll call you tomorrow. (A future prediction made now.)
- He said he'd call you tomorrow. (A prediction made in the past)
- They'll arrive at 7.00. (prediction made now)
- They told me they would arrive at 7.00. (prediction made in the past)

Past Habit

Would can be used for a past habit, an action that happened regularly in the past. For example:
- I would often play soccer when I was young.
- My grandfather would always give us candy.

Note that would cannot be used for a past state, for example:
- "He would be handsome when he was younger." Incorrect
- "He was handsome when he was younger." Correct
Would is used only for past habits - something that happened many times.

For past states you can use "used to":
- He used to be handsome when he was younger.
For more information see the Unit on "Used to".

-----

Grammar Exercises

Choose the best sentences in which to put would.

Example:
a) If I knew what was going to happen in the future, I would bet a lot of money.
b) I became a poor man when my team lost because I would bet a lot of money on them.
("a" is the correct answer, so you can fill in the circle for "a".)
----------

1.
a) Dave _____ run if he was younger.
b) Dave _____ run when he was younger.

2.
a) Bob said he _____ cut up some firewood tomorrow.
b) Bob said he _____ cut up some firewood yesterday.

3.
a) I feel I _____ let the team down if I gave up.
b) I thought I _____ let the team down when we lost 21-6.

4.
a) I was told that my mom _____ come by earlier.
b) My mom told me that she _____ come by later tonight.

5.
a) My son told me he _____ quit his job if he fell behind at school.
b) My son told me that he _____ quit his job because it was boring.

6.
a) Sue found a pair of jeans that _____ fit her last month.
b) Sue found a pair of jeans that _____ fit her if she lost 15 pounds.

7.
a) Tom told me that his previous vacation _____ cost a lot of money.
b) Tom told me that his upcoming vacation _____ cost a lot of money.

8.
a) I _____ put the groceries away if I knew where things went.
b) After we had _____ the groceries away, we went for a walk in the park.

9.
a) If I had more time, I _____ read the newspaper.
b) I _____ read the newspaper by the time I had my second cup of coffee.

10.
a) My husband said he _____ set the alarm clock if he went to bed earlier than me.
b) My husband said he _____ set the alarm clock when he went to bed the night before.
----------

Answers

"a", "a", "a", "b", "a", "b", "b", "a", "a", "a"

Shelly: I wish it would stop raining.
Gale: Would you rather the weather be too sunny and hot every day?
Shelly: Yes, I wouldn't mind that.
Gale: I wish it would keep raining so that my flowers can grow.
Shelly: That would be nice.

Would 2

Would is a modal verb expressing some kind of imaginary or hypothetical situation. Here are some more uses of would continuing from the previous unit.

Wish ... Would

Wish...would is used when the speaker wants a present situation to be different. The speaker is dissatisfied with the situation and believes that the thing wished for is unlikely to actually happen. For example:
- I wish Jane would call me.
- I wish they would stop fighting.
- I wish the dog would stop barking.
- I wish the dog wouldn't keep barking.

Because wish...would is often used to complain, it's unusual to use this structure to talk about yourself. For example:
- "I wish I'd study more." This is unusual though not incorrect.

Wish...would is used for actions, but not normally for states.
- I wish I had more time. To "have" something is a state not an action, so we use the past tense "had".
- I wish I would have more time. Incorrect
- I wish I knew the answer.
- I wish I would know the answer. Incorrect

Would rather

Would rather + verb (base form) is used to express a preference. It often implies that we don't like other available choices. For example:
- "Let's go shopping this evening". "Oh, I'd rather go tomorrow." (And I don't want to go this evening)
- "Which book would you rather buy?" "I'd rather buy this one. That one isn't so good."

Would rather is also used with the past simple when giving a strong request, usually with some authority.
- Can I meet John after lunch, Mom?" "Yes, but I'd rather you did your homework first".
- "I'd rather you didn't tell anyone about the party. It's going to be a surprise."

All structures with would rather are more often found in British English.

Would mind

Would mind is used to make a polite request. For example:
- "Would you mind closing the window?"
- "Would you mind waiting a few minutes? I need to buy some stamps."
- "Would you mind if we didn't come tonight? We're just really tired, that's all."

-----

Grammar Exercise

Choose the correct sentence in each pair.

Example:
a) I wish the team would play fair.
b) I hope I would play basketball tomorrow.
("a" is the correct answer, so fill in the circle for "a".)
----------

1.
a) I wish it would seem hard.
b) I wish it would snow hard.

2.
a) I wish it would feel early.
b) I wish it would come early.

3.
a) I wish she would play well.
b) I wish she would appear well.

4.
a) I wish the lions would run free.
b) I wish the lions would remain free.

5.
a) I wish the teacher would be late.
b) I wish the teacher would arrive late.

6.
a) I wish nothing would go wrong.
b) I wish nothing would seem wrong.

7.
a) I wish my car would move faster.
b) I wish my car would become faster.

8.
a) I wish my bicycle would steer right.
b) I wish my bicycle would sound right.

9.
a) I wish the class wouldn’t talk loud.
b) I wish the class wouldn’t become loud.

10.
a) I wish the thief would turn straight.
b) I wish the thief would walk straight.
----------

Answers

"b", "b", "a", "a", "b", "a", "a", "a", "a", "b"