A. Match the sentence beginnings to the correct endings.
1 When the traffic’s bad, the journey
2 The world’s biggest football stadium
3 Some dinosaurs
4 The cheetah, the fastest animal,
5 The human brain
6 Some kinds of camel
7 The lives of some insects
8 Before antibiotics, people
9 Fish
10 In the Middle Ages, travelling
a could easily die from any infection.
b can reach speeds of more than 100 km/h.
c could be uncomfortable and dangerous.
d can seat more than 150,000 people.
e can’t breathe if they’re not in water.
f can last as little as five minutes.
g can take up to 3 hours.
h could grow to nearly 20 metres tall.
i can go for days without food or drink.
j can’t survive more than four minutes without blood.
Answers
1 g 2 d 3 h 4 b 5 j 6 i 7 f 8 a 9 e 10 c
B. Circle the correct option. Sometimes both options are possible.
A: Try this puzzle. A man lives on floor 12 of a building. Every morning he takes the lift to the ground floor and walks to work. In the evening, he 1………. usually get into the lift and go to floor 10, then get out and walk up the stairs to floor 12. But if it’s raining, he 2………. go straight to floor 12 in the lift. Why?
B: He 3………. not like lifts very much.
A: That 4………. be right – he uses the lift every morning.
B: That’s true. Well, he 5………. be afraid of heights.
A: He lives on floor 12!
B: Oh yes… . Wait! The rain – 6………. it be something to do with that?
A: Yes!
B: OK, so there 7………. be a reason why he can only go up to floor 12 in the lift when it’s raining.
A: Exactly! Now, if it was raining in the morning, what 8………. he have taken with him when he left for work?
B: Er… an umbrella? Now why 9………. he use an umbrella in the lift? Ah, I’ve got it! He 10………. be really short. So he 11………. use the umbrella to reach the button for floor 12 on a rainy day! On other days he 12………. only reach up to the button for floor 10!
1 a ’ll b might
2 a could b ’ll
3 a might b could
4 a mustn’t b can’t
5 a must b may
6 a may b might
7 a must b can
8 a will b must
9 a might b will
10 a can b must
11 a can b can’t
12 a must b can
Answers
1 a 2 b 3 a 4 b 5 a or b 6 b 7 a 8 a or b 9 a
10 b 11 a 12 b
C. Complete the sentences, using the verbs in brackets and will / will (won’t) have / will be + -ing.
1 The train was due to leave at 10.30. It’s now 10.40. (leave)
The train …………………………………………… .
2 Tina’s favourite TV programme is on from 8.00 to 8.30. It’s 8.20. (watch)
Tina …………………………………………… .
3 Your parents always go to bed before 11.00 and it’s now 11.30. (be)
Don’t phone them now. They …………………………………………… .
4 Sue’s baby was due to be born on 3 September. It’s now 25 September. (have a baby)
Sue …………………………………………… .
5 John said he was going to phone at 6.00. It’s now 6.00, and the phone is ringing. (be)
That …………………………………………… .
6 Your colleague is 10 minutes late for a meeting and is worried. You know the meetings always start late. (start)
Don’t worry, the meeting …………………………………………… .
7 You heard a lot of shouting from your neighbours’ house last night. Your neighbours often have arguments. (argue)
They …………………………………………… .
8 The new James Bond film came out six weeks ago. Your friend loves James Bond films. (see)
He …………………………………………… .
9 Your grandparents always have dinner at 8.00. It’s 8.00 now. (have dinner)
Don’t phone them now. They …………………………………………… .
10 Your one-year-old nephew is crying. He hasn’t eaten anything all day. (be)
He …………………………………………… .
Answers
Possible answers
1 will have left.
2 will be watching TV.
3 will be in bed.
4 will have had a / her baby.
5 will be John.
6 won’t have started (yet).
7 will have been arguing.
8 have seen the new James Bond film already.
9 will be having dinner.
10 will be hungry.
D. Write two sentences about each picture, using modal verbs from this unit.
1 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
2 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
3 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
4 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
5 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
6 …………………………………………… .
…………………………………………… .
Answers
Possible answers
1 He might be late for school. He must have missed the bus.
2 She might be lost. / She might not know where her parents are.
3 He might not be able to pay the bill. / He must have left his wallet at home.
4 She might have just passed an exam. / She could be talking to her friend.
5 He might have had a nightmare. / He must be worried about something.
6 They might have fallen in a lake. / They must have been playing in the rain.
E. Choose at least five of these situations and write possible explanations for them. Use different modal verbs in your answers where possible.
1 Your neighbour starts banging on your door at 3.00 in the morning.
Example: There might be a fire.
2 You receive a text message on your mobile saying ‘Outside the post office. 2.30. Come alone.’
3 When you arrive home one night, you notice there is a light on in your bedroom.
4 When your washing comes out of the washing machine, all your clothes have turned pink.
5 You receive an email which tells you that you have won €1 million.
6 You turn on the television and everyone is speaking a language you don’t understand.
7 Your photograph is on the front page of today’s newspaper.
8 You arrive home and find that your key won’t open the door.
9 After being missing for a month, your cat comes home looking much fatter than before.
10 You check your bank account and discover that it is completely empty.
Answers
Your own answers
F. Circle the correct option.
1 I feel really stupid – how ………… I not guess the answer to that puzzle?
a might
b can
c could
2 She’s locked herself in her room and she says she ………… come out. She refuses!
a might
b won’t
c mustn’t
3 He won’t be at home at this time of the morning – ………… to work.
a he’ll have gone
b he’ll go
c he’ll have been going
4 You should keep that ticket somewhere safe – you ………… well need it later.
a must
b will
c may
5 Let’s think about this puzzle again – there ………… an obvious answer.
a has to have been
b has to be
c must have been
Answers
1 c 2 b 3 a 4 c 5 b
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