Modal verbs

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

1.I  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  an agency agreement myself, the manager appointed a team of people to assist
me.
3. I was pleased I  belongings with me, there was a strongbox available.
4. We  the building. It was found on fire a month later.
5. He realized he  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  be widely
available abroad. (UNCERTAINTY / POSSIBILITY)
2. China is  increase petroleum tax. (EXPECTATION - high probability)
3. I believe they  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 not have permission to use this network. (UNCERTAINTY / POSSIBILITY)
5. There's  that they have been involved in running big insider-trading scheme. (DEDUCTION - very
high probability)
6. Financial experts say that the budget deficit  not affect interest rates. (EXPECTATION)
7. It  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  ... the figures.
2. He certainly didn't deal with these financial forecasts. It's his nightmare, he hates figures.
He  ... with these financial forecasts.
3. It was a mistake for you to leak the sensitive information.
You... the sensitive information.
4. It's possible that she hired someone experienced in the retail clothing sector.
She...  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... by the political worries.
6. I think the government was wrong to subsidize their project.
The government ...their project.
7. I'm sure that two company commanders were involved in the incident.
Two company commanders ...in the incident.
8. I don't think they met this year's targets.
They... this year's targets.