[hela]

Dear teachers,

Here is an exercise on modals; would you please correct it?

Replace the words in bold.

“Wonderful, it’s Sunday and a) not necessary for me to get up at 7 o’clock. b) I’ll possibly stay in bed a bit longer although c) I think the children are probably awake now and I’ll d) be obliged to get their breakfast soon. They e) refuse to make it for themselves. f) It would be a good idea for me to get up immediately because g) perhaps they will wreck the house. However, it is still very early and they h) are probably not very hungry yet. i) It would have been a good idea if I had put out the cornflakes and milk yesterday evening. But all this thinking and not acting is really silly. j) It is really necessary for me to get up this minute. Now where are my bedroom slippers? – That d*mn dog k) has probably hidden them again! l) It would be a good idea for us to train it better, but I suppose we m) weren’t obliged to buy it in the first place, and after all, it’s only a puppy.
Oh, I’d forgotten! n) It’s just possible that Alan will be back from his business trip today – marvellous! One adult isn’t enough to look after four children, a puppy, and three goldfish! Why o) did he refuse to take me with him? p) It was possible for us to get his mother to come and look after the children. Never again!

ANSWERS :

a) it’s Sunday and I DON’T NEED TO get up…
b) I MAY / CAN stay in bed a bit longer…
c) the children MAY / MIGHT (?) be awake…
d) I MUST get their breakfast…
e) WON'T make it…
f) I SHOULD get up…
g) they MAY / MIGHT wreck…
h) they MAY / MIGHT not be very hungry…
i) I SHOULD’ve put out…
j) I really NEED TO get up…
k) that dog MAY have hidden…
l) we SHOULD train it…
m) we NEED’T HAVE / DIDN’T HAVE to buy it…
n) Alan MIGHT be back…
o) why WOULDn’t he take me…
p) we COULD’ve got his mother…

Many thanks.

Hela