5. 1 MODAL VERBS AND RELATED PHRASES

Match the underlined forms with their meanings: I should never have told her. It was my fault.

I did it, but it wasn't a good idea.

I couldn't live with this secret.

It wasn't possible/I wasn't able

I had to tell him.

I was obliged (strong)

Keeping a secret can be something that can bring about a more positive outcome.

It's possible

You're supposed to tell everyone the way you feel twenty-four hours a day.

It's expected

We'd better not start until everyone is here.

It isn't a good idea

I felt that I ought to let her know.

I was obliged (weak)

You needn't have told him.

You did it but it was unnecessary.

Match each sentence with the correct meaning, a) or b): We're supposed to catch the 8:30 train.

Ideally, we would catch the 8:30 train, but if we need more time, we can catch a later one.

We have to catch the 8:30 train.

It's very important that we catch the 8:30 train as there are no more trains after that.

You mustn't tell him about the relationship.

It's definitely not a good idea to tell him about the relationship.

You don't have to tell him about the relationship.

Nobody is forcing you to tell him about it. It's up to you.

You shouldn't have called the hotel first.

It would have been better to call the airport first.

You'd better call the hotel first.

I think you should call the hotel before the airport.

Find pairs of words/phrases which have similar meanings: Dictionaries are allowed in the exam.

They reached the maximum permissible level of radiation.

Alcohol is strictly forbidden in some countries.

Cars have been banned from the city centre.

It's obligatory for companies to provide details of their industrial processes.

Maths and English are compulsory for all students.

At least she had the courage to tell him what had happened.

Only a few journalists dared to cover the story.

She felt compelled to resign because of the scandal.

Many companies have been forced to close.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning to the first. We couldn't bring our own food to school.

We weren't allowed to bring our own food to school.

I wish I hadn't told him that I cheated in the exam.

I shouldn't have told him that a I cheated in the exam.

Turn your mobile phones off. They are not allowed in the cinema.

You'd better turn your phones off.

You must hand this work in first thing in the morning.

You have to hand this work in first thing in the morning.

I didn't have the courage to tell them the truth.

I didn't dare tell them the truth.

They aren't allowed to have their lights on after 10p.m.

They're not supposed to have their lights on after 10p.m.

Find and correct the mistakes in sentences

There is one mistake in each sentence.

*You didn't need rush. There's another five minutes before the film starts.

You didn't need to rush. There's another five minutes before the film starts.

*We'd better to leave plenty of time to get to the airport in case of heavy traffic.

We'd better leave plenty of time to get to the airport in case of heavy traffic.

*You didn't have got to buy a present. That's very kind of you.

You didn't have to buy a present. That's very kind of you.

*You should don't drive a car if you're tired.

You shouldn't drive a car if you're tired.

*We didn't had to stop at all on the way.

We didn't have to stop at all on the way.

*They were supposed deliver the furniture today.

They were supposed to deliver the furniture today.

*You ought to trying this programme - it's very good.

You ought to try this programme - it's very good.

*You shouldn't to talk to people like that. It's rude.

You shouldn't talk to people like that. It's rude.

Choose the best alternatives to complete the texts. My grandmother disapproved terribly of smoking, so people (1) smoke in the house.

My grandmother disapproved terribly of smoking, so people were never allowed to smoke in the house. She didn't even realise that her own daughter, my mother, aged sixty, was a smoker.

We all (2) go outside and smoke on the balcony and my grandmother never realised what we were doing.

We all had to go outside and smoke on the balcony and my grandmother never realised what we were doing.

She (3) think we were hanging out the washing and things like that.

She used to think we were hanging out the washing and things like that.

I suppose we (4) told her really.

I suppose we should have told her really.

My uncle thought he (5) tell anyone when he decided to get married for the first time at the age of sixty-five.

My uncle thought he'd better not tell anyone when he decided to get married for the first time at the age of sixty-five.

He kept it a secret which nobody (6).

He kept it a secret which nobody was supposed to know.

He (7) told us -

He could have told us -

everyone (8) been delighted for him.

everyone would have been delighted for him.

It wasn't as if he was marrying an eighteen-year-old.

His bride was seventy-eight and was also marrying for the first time.

Complete the second sentence.

Use between two and four words.

I should (1) earlier.

I should have gone to bed earlier.

We're (2) by Tuesday.

We're supposed to finish by Tuesday.

They (3) argue.

They didn't dare/dared not argue.

We (4) booked.

We needn't have booked.

Mobile phones (5) in class.

Mobile phones are banned/aren't allowed in class.

You'd (6) park here.

You'd better not park here.