TRANSFORMATIONS 4: MODAL VERBS

Go to this website to practise rephrasing with modal verbs. There are four activities dealing with modal verbs on the left.

Modal verbs

The modal verbs include can, must, may, might, will, would, should. They are used with other verbs to express ability, obligation, possibility, and so on. Below is a list showing the most useful modals and their most common meanings:

Modal	Meaning	Example
can	to express ability	I can speak a little Russian.
can	to request permission	Can I open the window?
may	to express possibility	I may be home late.
may	to request permission	May I sit down, please?
must	to express obligation	I must go now.
must	to express strong belief	She must be over 90 years old.
should	to give advice	You should stop smoking.
would	to request or offer	Would you like a cup of tea?
would	in if-sentences	If I were you, I would say sorry.

Modal verbs are unlike other verbs. They do not change their form (spelling) and they have no infinitive or participle (past/present). The modals must and can need substitute verbs to express obligation or ability in the different tenses. Here are some examples:

Past simple	Sorry I'm late. I had to finish my math test.
Present perfect	She's had to return to Korea at short notice.
Future	You'll have to work hard if you want to pass the exams.
Infinitive	I don't want to have to go.

Past simple	I couldn't/wasn't able to walk until I was 3 years old.
Present perfect	I haven't been able to solve this problem. Can you help?
Future	I'm not sure if I will be able to come to your party.
Infinitive	I would love to be able to play the piano.

Modals are auxiliary verbs. They do not need an additional auxiliary in negatives or questions. For example: Must I come? (Do I must come?), or: He shouldn't smoke (He doesn't should smoke).
Important: The explanations and examples on this page are just an introduction to this extensive and complex area of English grammar. Students of English who want to learn more should consult a good reference work, such as Swan's Practical English Usage.
Do a quiz on modal verbs.

Connecting Words

Connecting Words

Choose the connecting word that completes the
sentences meaningfully.

1. I don't know ___ you want to meet that lady. She's such a snob.
   that
   why
   when
2. He looks ___ he were sick.
   even if
   even though
   as if, as though
3. He asked ___ he could smoke a cigarette.
   whether, if
   what
   that
4. He insists ___ I be there.
   if
   that
   as if
5. He punished the little boy ___ put salt in his coffee.
   who
   which
   whenever
6. It was raining hard ___ we left the office.
   where
   when
   although
7. He'll have the work done ___ that you arrive.
   when
   after
   by the time
8. ___ I was saying, how many of you want to attend the conference?
   As
   So
   For
9. He must be rich, ___ he spends a lot of money on gifts for his girlfriend.
   but
   for
   in order to
10. We have been having problems with the heater ___ we bought it.
    when
    while
    since
11. ___ he said did not please us.
    That
    Which
    What
12. I liked the car, ___ I bought it.
    so
    for
    even so
13. The picture ___ is hanging over my bed was painted by an art student.
    which
    who
    whom
14. Her parents will be very happy ___ she passes with flying colors.
    so that
    if
    though

TRANSLATION: UNIT 1 AND 2

Translation is a really useful activity to revise some of the grammar and vocabulary we have gone through in units 1 and 2.

1. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que conoces a Peter? Le conozco desde hace cuatro años.

2. Hace siglos que no veo a tu hermana. La última vez que quedamos fue hace tres meses.

3. Esta es mi foto favorita. La imagen es impactante y a la vez conmovedora.

4. -¿Has visto a Robert? –Sí, acaba de llegar a la fiesta.

5.-¿Ya has decidido dónde vas a ir de vacaciones el verano que viene? –Sí, ya he decidido que quiero viajar a París, pero no he reservado los billetes todavía.

6.-Los profesores prefieren alumnos obedientes, puntuales y trabajadores. Sin embargo algunos alumnos son perezosos, maleducados y cabezotas.

7.-¿Quién te llamó ayer por la noche? –Era mi prima María. ¿Y tú? ¿Con quién estabas hablando a esa hora?

8.-Cuando alguien me hace una foto siempre poso y sonrío. Nunca hago muecas ni frunzo el ceño.

9.-Tan pronto como llamamos por teléfono, la policía llegó al lugar del accidente. La escena era dramática. Había tres personas atrapadas en un coche.

10.-Los amigos sociables son mejores que los amigos en los que puedas confiar.  –No estoy de acuerdo. Me siento más segura con amigos que están siempre ahí cuando los necesito.

NOTHING COMPARES 2U

Listen to the song and correct the mistakes in the lyrics.

PRESENT PERFECT, PAST SIMPLE, PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Present perfect or past simple. Exercise 1  Exercise 2
Present perfect or present perfect continuous. Exercise 3



1.COMPLETE THE PASSAGE WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERBS IN BRACKETS.
Anyone who 1 ……………………….. (ever /look) for information on the Internet 2 ………………………..(know) the name Google. Every day, more than three million Google users 3 ……………………….. (find) the information they 4 ……………………….. (need) amongst the enormous mass of data on the Internet. It's the world's biggest search engine. Google 5 ……………………….. (come) a long way since the time it was just a university research project. Its creators, Larry Page and Sergey Brin 6 ……………………….. (study) computer science at Stanford University when they first 7 ……………………….. (meet). In 1996, they 8 ……………………….. (start) working on their new search engine which 9 ……………………….. (attract) a lot of attention and by 1998, their project 10 ……………………….. (become) a business company with a popular website. Now, Google 11 ……………………….. (think) about plans for e-mail on the moon. It sounds like a dream, but with their success record, Google 12 ………………………..probably ……………………….. (succeed) in making it happen.

2. TENSE REVIEW. Complete the text with any suitable tense form of the verbs in brackets.

Sue Thomas is a fashion designer. She (1)…………………………. (make) clothes ever since she (2)…………………………. (be) a young girl. She (3)…………………………. (get) her first job in a clothes factory when she was sixteen. She (4)…………………………. (sew) buttons onto a shirt one day when she (5)…………………………. (have) a brilliant idea for a design. After (6) …………………………. (speak) to her bank manager, she got a loan and she (7)…………………………. (open) her own little workshop. Now she (8)…………………………. (make) lots of money. Next year she (9)…………………………. (open) a shop which will sell all her own designs. She (10)…………………………. (sell) clothes to a lot of famous people, including film stars and singers, and she (11)…………………………. (think) she will be very rich soon.

REPHRASING
Present Perfect and Past Simple:

1. I haven’t seen Alice for ages = It’s ages since I last saw Alice ( SINCE + PAST SIMPLE)
2. 2.       She started to teach 13 years ago = She has taught for 13 years
3. 3.       We last visited Rome three years ago = We haven’t visited Rome for three years
4. It’s 3 months since she last phoned me = The last time she phoned me was three months ago ( LAST TIME + PAST SIMPLE)
5. Peter has never heard classical music before = It’s the first time Peter has heard classical music (FIRST TIME + PRESENT PERFECT)
6. 6.       This is the silliest joke I have ever heard = I have never heard such a silly joke before
7. 7.       I arrived in London last week and I’m still here = I have been in London for a week.
8. 8.       When did you meet Antonio? = How long have you known Antonio?

Practice rephrasing with the present perfect:

1. When did you meet Antonio? = How long…
2. I arrived in London last week and I’m still here = I have…
3. This is the most ridiculous idea I’ve heard = I haven
4. Rocío has dinner at eight o’clock, and it’s 9 o’clock now = Rocío…
5. I started teaching twenty years ago = I have…
6. Virginia was at the party two minutes ago, but she is no longer here = Virginia has…
7. My baby hasn’t learnt to tell the time, and he is already six = My baby, six, hasn’t…
8. My baby has learnt to tell the time, and he is only four = My baby, four, has…
9. I haven’t seen a worst film before = This is…
10. Gasol’s romance with basketball began at the age of five = Gasol has loved basketball …
11. Frank lost his job three months ago = Frank has been…
12. The man who murdered JFK is still free = The Police haven’t..
13. This is my second visit to Hungary = This is the second time…
14. Mary started learning French five years ago = Mary has…
15. After I arrived here, I started to feel better = I have…
16. It’s over twenty years since we got married = We have…
17. The last time they saw each other was in 1994 = They haven’t …
18. The last time I ice-skated was ten years ago = I haven’t …
19. I haven’t seen a worst film before = This is …
20. It’s a long time since I last went to a football match = I haven’t …
21. She started writing this book two years ago = She has …
22. They last wrote me 20 years ago = They haven’t …
23. She  bought this car 2 months ago = She has …
24. She hasn’t worked for 3 years = It’s …
25. Mary hasn’t swum for years = It’s …
26. Peter hasn’t shown me his house for 15 years = It’s …
27. They haven’t visited us for ages = It’s …
28. It’s three years since I last ran a marathon = I haven’t …
29. It’s ages since she last won an Oscar = She hasn’t …
30. It’s years since they swept the house for the last time = They haven’t …
31. It’s 15 years since he lit his last cigarette = He hasn’t …
32. It’s 14 years since she lent me her car for the last time = She hasn’t …
33. It’s years since I last took a holiday = The last time …
34. I haven’t seen Peter for a long time = The last time …
35. He has never behaved like this before = It’s the first time …
36. I haven’t talked to George for 4 days = It’s …
37. I have never seen a more beautiful girl = She is …

WHAT IS SHE LIKE? "HAND IN MY POCKET" BY ALANIS MORISSETTE

 






Listen to the song "Hand in my pocket" by Alanis Morissette and tell us what she is like: