MODALS FOR SPECULATION (NAGADJANJE, PRETPOSTAVKA)

Aim: to learn how to use modals for speculation

TRANSFORM THESE SENTENCES

1. I am sure they are rich. MUST ______________________________________ 2. It is not possible that you are hungry. CANT ______________________________________ 3. It is possible that he is sleeping. MIGHT _______________________________________ 4. It is possible that they havent seen you. MAY ________________________________________

TRANSFORM THESE SENTENCES

1. I am sure they are rich. MUST They must be rich. 2. It is not possible that you are hungry. CANT You cant be hungry. 3. It is possible that he is sleeping. MIGHT He might be sleeping. 4. It is possible that they havent seen you. MAY They may not have seen you.

WE USE THE FOLLOWING MODAL VERBS TO

SPECULATE ABOUT THE PRESENT AND THE PAST:

Must to express a strong conviction that something is / was true. He drives a Ferrari. He must be rich. May / might / could to express a possibility that something is / was true. Why dont you ask him? He might / could / may know the answer. May not / might not to express a possibility that something isnt / wasnt true. It might not be the right number. Cant to express a strong conviction that something isnt / wasnt true. You ate 5 minutes ago. You cant be hungry now.

WE USE:
MODAL + VERB to speculate about unlimited present time He is very fat. He must eat a lot of sweets. MODAL + BE + VERB-ING to speculate about something happening at the moment. A: Why is he in the kitchen? B: He might be eating. MODAL + HAVE + 3RD COLUMN to speculate about the past. A: Why is Mark throwing up? B: I dont know. He might have eaten sth bad.

USE A MODAL VERB TO SPECULATE WHAT THE SITUATION IS/WAS

1. It's 8 a.m. There is a police car in front of the school building and the police are not letting anyone in. 2. There's a crowd of people in front of the local supermarket. 3. A child aged 4 is sitting on the floor in a supermarket and crying. 4. It's the middle of summer. On the beach you see a man dressed in a long coat, boots and a hat. 5. You see a car, upside down, on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

6. A young woman is sitting on a bench in the park and reading a book upside down. 7. A young man on the underground is twisting in his seat, looking very nervous. 8. A man on the bus in a smart suit and carrying a briefcase is wearing old, worn-out running shoes. 9. It's early afternoon. A man is lying on a park bench, with his eyes closed.