Modal verbs

Exercise 1: Choose the most suitable option to express no necessity

1.I didn't need to attend the recruitment interview because I was told that my qualifications and
experience were more than satisfactory and, as a matter of fact, I had been hired.
2. I appreciated I didn't need to draw up an agency agreement myself, the manager appointed a team
of people to assist me.
3. I was pleased I didn't need to take belongings with me, there was a strongbox available.
4. We needn't have refurbished the building. It was found on fire a month later.
5. He realized he needn't have attended the training course and could have opted on-line

Exercise 2: Complete the gaps with a suitable word to express the degree of probability indicated
in brackets.

1. Physicians are not free to choose many drugs for their patients even though the drugs
could/may/might be widely available abroad. (UNCERTAINTY / POSSIBILITY)
2. China is likely to increase petroleum tax. (EXPECTATION - high probability)
3. I believe they will suspend him from official duty since he is fully responsible for serious
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Darfur. (CERTAINTY)
4. You might/may not have permission to use this network. (UNCERTAINTY / POSSIBILITY)
5. There's no doubt that they have been involved in running big insider-trading scheme. (DEDUCTION
- very high probability)
6. Financial experts say that the budget deficit should not affect interest rates. (EXPECTATION)
7. It can't be Jack's fault. He is the most reliable and skilled worker.  (DEDUCTION - very high
probability)



Exercise 3: Choose the correct forms expressing criticism.
1. The death toll doubled. The World Health Organization
should have taken tighter measures to prevent such tragedy.
ought to took tighter measures to prevent such tragedy.
should be taken tighter measures to prevent such tragedy.
should took tighter measures to prevent such tragedy.
ought to have taken tighter measures to prevent such tragedy.





2. You say you lost your passport and wallet?
You should not left the luggage unattended. Now it's too late to be cautious.
You should not have to leave the luggage unattended. Now it's too late to be cautious.
You should not have left the luggage unattended. Now it's too late to be cautious.
You ought not have to leave the luggage unattended. Now it's too late to be cautious.
You ought not to have left the luggage unattended. Now it's too late to be cautious.





3. The party lost the elections. They
should have launched a more expensive election campaign.
ought have to launch a more expensive election campaign.
ought have launched a more expensive election campaign.
ought to have launched a more expensive election campaign.
should launched a more expensive election campaign.






Exercise 4: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence
using should/ought to, could, may/might, must + perfect infinitive. Use contracted forms.
1. I always use a calculator so I certainly didn't miscount the figures.
I  couldn't have miscounted the figures.
2. He certainly didn't deal with these financial forecasts. It's his nightmare, he hates figures.
He can't have dealt with these financial forecasts.
3. It was a mistake for you to leak the sensitive information.
You shouldn't have leaked the sensitive information.
4. It's possible that she hired someone experienced in the retail clothing sector.
She may/might/could have hired someone experienced in the retail clothing sector.
5. Perhaps the price of gold wasn't affected by the political worries, who knows?
The price of gold might/may not have been affected by the political worries.
6. I think the government was wrong to subsidize their project.
The government shouldn't have subsidized their project.
7. I'm sure that two company commanders were involved in the incident.
Two company commanders must have been involved in the incident.
8. I don't think they met this year's targets.
They can't have met this year's targets.