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Question
'Can' and 'Could' also denote ability. Rewrite the following sentences as shown in the example using 'Can' or 'Could'.
Example: Parents who are able to support their children should not apply for scholarship. Parents who can support their children should not apply for scholarship.
a) After proper investigation, the police were able to nail the culprit.
________________________
b) After the examinations, I shall be able to go home for a week.
________________________
c) In spite of the sincere efforts of the coach, the team is not able to win a single trophy.
________________________
Have you noticed that 'can' is used to denote ability in the present and future and 'could' is used to denote ability in the past? However, remember that 'could' refers to past time only when the context makes the time clear.
Solution
(a) After proper investigations the police could nail the culprit.
(b) After the examination, I can go home for a week.
(c) In spite of the sincere efforts of the coach, the team can not win a single trophy.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Given below are some dialogues. Circle the modals and underline the main verbs in the italicised portions of the dialogues :-
a) A: Raju has fractured his arm.
B: But still he can write.
b) A: I have still some shopping to do. May I leave my bag in your store?
B: Yes, but please collect it before 8.00 pm.
c) A: The coffee is rather bitter. Would you please pass some sugar?
B: No, you must not take any sugar.
Have you forgotten your doctor's advice?
d) A: I'll not be able to finish my assignment in time.
B: Shall I do the drawings for you?
e) A: Jamilahasn'tcomeyet. It'salreadyverylate.
B: She may come tomorrow.
f) A: Someone is knocking on the door.
B: I'll open it- it'll be the maid.
g) A: My feet get swollen in the evening.
B: Then you must consult a doctor.
Match the highlighted portions or the dialogues with the attitudes and functions denoted by the modals used in them.
Dialogue Attitudes and functions
a) ...... he can write offering (help)
b) ....... would you please pass .... . necessity
c) ........ you must not ......... . requesting
d) shall I do .......... . asking for permission
e) she may come ......... . advising
f) ....... It'll be the maid. logical deduction
g) ........ you must consult ....... . ability
h) May I leave ............. . possibility
Look at the following sentences:
a) He needn't come to office tomorrow.
b) He needed permission to take a day off.
What is the difference in the use of 'need' between the above sentences?
• In sentence (a) 'need' is used as a _____ verb because ______
• In sentence (b) 'need' is used as a _____ verb because ______
a) are followed by a main verb in its bare infinitive form (e.g. I must go) |
Complete the following conversation choosing the most appropriate option from those given in the box. There can be more than one option for some of the blanks.
Gautam : I heard that Rahim (1) ______ open a garment shop, though he is a little uncertain.
Sheela : He (2)_______ not plunge into another business proposition; (3) _______ forget the colossal failure of his last business venture.
Gautam : You (4)________ not have any worry on that count. He (5)________ not be investing any money. His uncle is providing the capital and he said that Rahim (6)______ be a working partner.
Sheela : In that case, I suppose, he (7)_______ go ahead. I remember how Rahim's father (8) ______ sit for hours worrying about his son's future.
Gautam : True. Now that Rahim has learnt his lesson, he (9) ______ be able to live upto the expectations of his father.
Sheela : Whatever you say. Rahim (10) _________ have his own way. He is that way a little obstinate. we (11) _______ only hope that everything turns out well.
| 1)a) may | b) can | c) could | d) will |
| 2)a) need | b) dare | c) will | d) shall |
| 3)a) needn't | b) shouldn't | c)won't | d) can't |
| 4)a) will | b) shall | c)need | d) dare |
| 5)a) could | b) will | c) shall | d) must |
| 6)a) can | b)would | c) should | d) could |
| 7)a) will | b) might | c)can | d) should |
| 8)a) could | b)would | c) will | d) should |
| 9)a) should | b) shall | c) could | d) will |
| 10)a) must | b) will | c)can | d)may |
| 11)a) may | b) will | c)can | d) must. |
Look at the picture. What do you think is happening? Discuss in small groups. Use the modals given in the box.
| could be , might be, must be may be |
Read the following report or a school cricket match and underline all the modals and the verbs accompanying them. Underline the modals red and the verbs green.
Our school cricket team is practicing really hard for the zonal matches. I have no doubt that we will beat the local teams vecy easily, but when it comes to the outside teams, I am not as confident. Our boys must work vecy hard. Perhaps they could do some yoga exercises to improve their concentration. They need not worcy about their fitness at this stage, but they should follow a strict routine.
Last year they had to struggle to reach the finals. The draw might have been a little unfavourable to them but they shouldn't have neglected their fielding. This landed them in trouble in the quarter finals. This year our team should tcy and do better in the field. We lost the finals last year mainly because of floored catches! A casual approach to this aspect must have been the cause of our failure at the crucial stage. So our team ought to improve its fielding and get its batting to click
Mr. Mehta and family decide to drive down to Goa for a holiday. On their way their car develops some problem. Given below is a conversation among the Mehta family members. Read the conversation and complete the conversation using suitable modals from the ones given in the box.
Note: Sometimes there could be more than one correct answer. You may also have to use some of the modals in the boz: more than once.
| must have , will , can't have , mayhave , must, may, could, needn't, can |
Mrs Mehta : What is the matter? Why have you stopped?
Mr Mehta : The car is giving some trouble.I have a feeling something is
wrong with the engine. Let me check.
Mrs Mehta : Do you think we ____ run out of petrol?
Mr. Mehta : No, we _____run out of petrol. I got the tank filled before starting.
Mrs Mehta : If there is a technical fault, do you thinkyou ____be able to fix it?
Mr. Mehta : Let me first check what is wrong.
Dinu : Dad, look there's smoke coming out . The _____become too hot.
Mr Mehta : Dinu, be careful. Don't take the cap off the radiator. You ______
not dothat. You getboilingwateralloveryou.
Mrs Mehta : Yes, Dinu, we ______have to wait till the engine cools down.
Dinu : And how long do you think it________ take for that ?
MrMehta : I'm not sure. We have to wait for about fifteen minutes.
Dinu : Dad, I saw a garage about half a mile back. I suppose we ____ ask them to fix the problem.
MrMehta : You____ worry . The car____ be all right . I got it serviced before starting. I am sure it's just got too hot. Let's wait and allow the engine to cool a bit.
Dinu : Mom, I am feeling hungry. I have something to eat? Mrs Mehta : There are some sandwiches in the car. You have them.
Respond to the following situations by writing one sentence using might have, must have, should have, could have or ought to have. The first one has been done as an example.
1. Amber was certain that he would be here today, but he hasn't come yet (miss, flight)
Response : He must have missed his flight; nothing else would have held him up.
2. I was asked to be here for ameetingat 10.00 today. It's already 10.30 and only a few of us are present. (meeting, cancel}
Response : The meeting _____________' but you'd better wait for another half an hour.
3. They say they definitely sent the appointment letter by post, but it never
arrived. (send fax message)
Response:They _____________________ instead.
4. The Municiplality did not bother about keeping the locality clean. When the epidemic broke out, it claimed many lives. (take precautions, prevent epidemic)
Response: The Municipality __________________
5. The Principal is not in her office. She probably had some urgent work at home. (go, home)
Response : She ________________________
6. Asha wasn't really a big hit as the heroine of the play. The director needn't have limited his choice to Class XII sutdents alone. (try, some of the XI class students)
Response : He _______________________
Complete the following paragraph on a school sport meeting by ruling in the blanks with could not have, might not have, should not have or would not have.
At this year's sports meeting, many records were broken but the reigning sports champion, Ravi, surprisingly could not make it to the finals in any of his favourite events. Perhaps he_______ missed so many of his practice sessions. His coach tends to think that he __________ had the time to get fit enough because of his special classes in the evenings. Even if he had tried, he_________beaten Ramu, who was much better prepared. If it had not been for Ramu, our school___________ gained a place in the draw of the inter school tournament.
Anant has retumed from an interview. Read the dialogue, that takes place between Anant and his father. In pairs, ml in the blanks using any suitable modals. To help you, the number of words you need to use is given in brackets.
Father : Well, Anant, how was the interview ?
Anant : Father, it was a real nightmare. Just about everything went wrong. I was late. I didn't have the required papers and the GK questions ........ !
Father : Really I Anant, please don't think I'm lecturing you, but I'd like to say something about how you ________(2) handled the whole business better.
Anant : Father, I wish you ________ (2) say that. You ______ (2) seen the amount of effort I put in.
Father : Well .... I have my doubts about that. First, let's take up this business about being late.
Anant : Please remember I only got six days' notice.
Father : No, my dear, it was more than that. Ifl'm not mistaken, you got the interview call on Saturday itself. Ifl'd been you, I______ (2) begun my preparation on Saturday itself. Honestly you (3) gone off on that weekend trip.
Anant : Father you know I'd been planning to go on that trip for ages.
Father : Well ..... if you had stayed home you _______ (2) made a list of the papers required and filed them systematically.
Anant : Yes, perhaps you're right, but father- those GK questions .... ?
Father : What about them? Haven't you been reading the papers regularly?
Anant: Yes of course. But those questions were so outdated. I ______ (3)
answered them even if I had read the paper every single day for the past 10 years.
Father : Anant, there is no point complaining now. You _______ (1)/ (2) be
prepared to be more alert about these things.
