Lesson 84: Unit 137 - Certainty And Possibility About The Past And Present. Modal Verbs. Revisions.
Learn how to express certainty and possibility about past and present events using the modal verbs must, can't, might, could and may with the simple and the perfect infinitive.
About this lesson
In this lesson you will learn how to express certainty and possibility about past and present events in English by mastering the modal verbs must, can't, might, could and may. You will distinguish between the simple infinitive (for assumptions about the present) and the perfect infinitive (for assumptions about a completed fact). You will practise these structures through an authentic dialogue and error-correction tasks. The revision will strengthen your knowledge and prepare you to use modals correctly in real situations.
40 minutes
What you'll learn
- Use may/might/must/can't + simple infinitive for assumptions about the present
- Use may/might/must/can't/could + perfect infinitive for assumptions about a completed fact
- Distinguish the degrees of probability: must (strong conviction), may/might/could (possibility), can't (denial)
- Recognise when the simple and when the perfect infinitive is used after a modal verb
- Correct mistakes with modal verbs in sentences
- Move from the present to the past form of modal structures
Lesson vocabulary
- overslept She may have overslept.
- missed the bus She might have missed the bus.
- taken a taxi She must have taken a taxi.
- forgotten She can't have forgotten.
- on her way She must be on her way here.
- traffic jam The driver might be able to tell us if there are traffic jams.
- public transport Are there any problems with public transport?
- answering her mobile She isn't answering her mobile.
- made a mistake She must have made a mistake about the time of the meeting.
- might be late Shall we tell the rest that she might be late?
- could have happened Nothing bad could have happened to her.
- must know She must know something.
- may have talked She may have talked to her yesterday or earlier today.
- must be smoking She must be smoking outside.
- could have hurt You could have hurt yourself.
In other languages: Български