Practice and Improve Your Grammar part 2

have to

Have to can have the categories of person and number and all tense and aspect forms as well as verbids. It is followed only by non-perfect infinitive forms. Interrogative and negative forms are built with the help of the auxiliary verb to do. Have to is used for:

1)necessary actions (when we are not in control of what is necessary or required):

We have to rewrite our compositions. I had to wait for her.

2)rules:

Pupils have to wear a uniform at this school.

3)questions:

Does he have to work till midnight?

4)a deduction in informal situations:

This has to be a mistake. (=This must be a mistake.)

Have/Has got to can be used instead of have/has to in informal sentences:

They’ve got to do it again.

Must and have to are interchangeable in most contexts:

You must be more careful! You have to be more careful!

Have to replaces must where the latter cannot be used:

●to express a past or future obligation:

You’ll have to put up with this situation. I had to repeat the rule ten times!

●in all the phrasal modal structures:

Nobody likes having to do household chores.

I don’t want to have to change.

She will have to look after her younger brother.

71

● to express absence of necessity:

Kate doesn’t have to go to school today.

● in questions:

Do I have to read this paragraph again?

Questions with must sound more formal:

Must I read this paragraph again?

be to

Be to can be used in the present and past indefinite tenses. Be to followed by the Indefinite Infinitive expresses:

1)an instruction in formal sentences:

You are to return here at 6 p.m.

2)an obligation (according to an arrangement or plan):

He was to meet me at the station. When is the meeting to start?

3)unavoidable actions:

They were never to see each other again.

Nobody knew at that time that Newton was to become a famous scientist.

Be to followed by the Perfect Infinitive expresses the action that didn’t take place:

I was to have married in March but unfortunately Jane fell in love with another man.

need

Need is a modal verb but it can behave like a normal verb:

Need you do it?

Do you need to do it?

Need followed by the Indefinite Infinitive is used for:

72

1)saying that something is necessary or not necessary:

You need to leave soon.

John needs to take the documents.

Needn’t or need not (without to) can be used for an unnecessary action on a particular occasion:

You needn’t go with me.

We needn’t hurry: we have plenty of time.

Don’t need to is used for things that are not necessary in general:

Students don’t need to pay to use the gym, swimming pool and library.

2) a past situation where something was not necessary and it was not done:

Mary didn’t need to open the box because she knew that it was empty.

Need followed by the Perfect Infinitive is used for a past situation where something happened or was done but it was not necessary:

You needn’t have arrived so early. Our meeting was cancelled.

ought to

Ought to has only one form which is also uesd in reported speech. Ought to followed by the Indefinite Infinitive expresses:

1)an obligation (= should):

Friends ought to help each other.

2)recommendation, advice (= should):

You ought to be more careful.

3)criticism of an action (= should):

The answer ought to be a long one.

Ought to followed by the Perfect Infinitive expresses criticism of an action, reproach:

You ought to have written your name on the dotted line.

73

should

Should was the past form of shall but now these verbs have different meanings and are considered to be two different verbs.

Should followed by the Indefinite Infinitive expresses:

1)an obligation:

The government should crack down on criminal activity.

2)expectation:

The book should be great. I’ll read it.

3)recommendation, advice:

I think you should consult your doctor.

What should I do?

4)criticism of an action:

You shouldn’t eat junk food.

5)uncertainty:

Should I wait for you?

6)an opinion in a less direct way (with verbs of thinking):

I should think this dress would suit the occasion better than that one.

7)chance (with be + adjectives describing chance (odd, strange, funny in the meaning of odd) and the expression What a coincidence):

It’s strange that we should be attending the same classes!

8)unlikelihood:

Take an umbrella in case it should rain.

Should (= ought to) followed by the Perfect Infinitive expresses:

1)criticism of an action, reproach:

You shouldn’t have told Max the truth.

You should have finished this project last week.

2)expectation (something which was supposed to happen):

The letter I sent you should have arrived by now.

74

3)chance (with be + adjectives describing chance (odd, strange, funny in the meaning of odd) and the expression What a coincidence):

It’s strange that we should have been attending the same classes last week!

4)thanks on receiving a gift or a favour (the intonation should be friendly as you have no intention of criticising):

You really shouldn’t have brought me these flowers.

shall

Shall combines its modal meaning of obligation with the function of an auxiliary verb. Shall expresses:

1)an offer or suggestion:

Shall I do this for you? Let’s try again, shall we?

2)advice when uncertain:

What shall we do?

3)formal legal documents, formal rules and regulations:

The Seller shall be responsible for any delay in the delivery of the goods.

4)a promise, oath or strong intention:

I shall definitely give up smoking this month.

5)determination:

We shall never give up!

will

Will combines its modal meaning with the function of an auxiliary verb. Will has two forms: will (Present Simple) and would (Past Simple). But sometimes their meanings are different. Will followed by the Indefinite Infinitive expresses:

1)an assertion about a result:

I’ll definitely succeed! – No, you won’t.

75

2)an offer or agreement:

I’ll do you this favour.

3)an assumption:

The phone is ringing. – That’ll be Kate.

4)a threat:

You’ll be sorry for insulting me!

5)a present refusal:

I won’t do it!

6)willingness in the present:

I will give you a piese of advice.

7)present habits or typical behaviour:

You will just sit playing computer games for hours.

8)predictions:

It will be unbearably hot tomorrow.

Will followed by the Perfect Infinitive expresses prediction:

Harry will have returned by tomorrow.

would

Would followed by the Indefinite Infinitive expresses:

1)a hypothetical situation:

She would look better without this awful hat.

2)unwillingness in the past:

I was very angry but Helen wouldn’t turn off the radio.

3)habitual actions in the past:

Each summer we would go to the countryside.

4)preferences:

Would you like some tea? I would prefer roses.

76

Would followed by the Perfect Infinitive expresses:

1)an assumption about the past:

Someone called after you left. – That would have been Max.

2)a hypothetical situation in the past:

I would have coped with the task but it wasn’t given to me.

dare

Dare may be a modal or regular verb. As a modal verb dare has two forms: dare (Present Simple) and dared (Past Simple). The third person singular of the present tense does not end in -s. Interrogative and negative sentences are formed without do and the verb is used in the meaning of venture, have the courage:

How dare he speak to you after having offended you? I daren’t call him. He must be mad at me.

Dare you tell him the truth?

EXERCISE 61. Underline the correct form.

1.Students mustn’t / don’t have to conduct any experiments in the laboratory unless you are wearing protective clothes.

2.I went to see my dentist the other day. Fortunately I didn’t need to have / needn’t have had the tooth extracted.

3.You shouldn’t have moved / didn’t have to move the injured boy before medical help arrived.

4.Please clean the room. You mustn’t / don’t have to leave it in a mess.

5.To be honest, I couldn’t / can’t care less whether they apologise to me or not!

6.Max is not here. What might / shall we do?

7.You really shouldn’t / couldn’t have brought me this present!

8.Don’t worry about your dog! I’ll walk it / It needs four walking at least times a day.

77

9.There were several exercises which I didn’t have to do / needn’t have done as part of my homework but I decided to do them.

10.There is plenty of time. We mustn’t / don’t have to be at school until 11.00.

11.Try as I could / might, I couldn’t open the door.

12.How are you? – Fine, thanks. To tell the truth, things couldn’t / won’t be better.

13.That can’t / shouldn’t have been Kate that you saw. She was in Washington at that time.

14.You must / might have helped me!

15.I asked the children to turn off their TV but they couldn’t / wouldn’t obey me.

16.It’s a pity that you didn’t ask me for help because I can’t / could have given you a hand.

17.I think we should / might have lost our way.

18.I was late for the meeting because I had to see / must have seen my doctor.

19.It’s your own fault. You shouldn’t / can’t have told her the truth.

20.I couldn’t / shouldn’t possibly leave without saying goodbye.

21.She could / may be older than me but that doesn’t mean that she is wiser.

22.That can’t / mustn’t be the film Jack told us about.

23.You couldn’t / shouldn’t really be watching this film.

EXERCISE 62. Complete the following sentences using one word in each gap. Contractions count as one word.

1.I … have bought that house but I decided not to.

2.You … have been here when Helen told Jim that she wouldn’t marry him.

3.Frank wasn’t here then, so he … have stolen your money.

4.If you felt unwell, you … have consulted a doctor.

5.It’s been more than a month! You … have received the parcel by now!

78

6.You really … have gone to so much trouble because of me!

7.I … have thought that it was very dangerous.

8.Kate is late. She … to have arrived by now.

9.… I go out?

10.There is only one explanation for your behaviour. You … be in love with John.

11.You … have heard me right. Her name is Bess, not Tess.

12.I … possibly let you do it on your own!

13.You … be right but I don’t believe all this.

14.Kate … speak French very well.

15.You … sign on the dotted line or you will not be accepted.

16.Be quick! We … to get to the station by 8.25.

17.Why don’t you phone your parents now? They … have left yet.

18.There’s still no sign of your boyfriend. He … have forgotten about our picnic.

19.There … be a big hotel here. – Are you sure? I … see one anywhere.

20.This book is very short. You … have finished it already!

21.Why don’t you take up swimming? It … do you no end of good.

22.I’ll return home as early as I … .

23.I am sorry but I simply refuse to assume all the responsibility for your mistakes. I just … do it.

EXERCISE 63. Rephrase the following sentences using modal verbs.

1.Do you want me to bring you this book?

2.Although I try, I can’t understand what’s written here.

3.I promise not to let you down.

4.It doesn't matter to me whether you love me or not.

79

5.You never know, perhaps he will get this job.

6.No student of our university is to use insulting language to any other student or tutor.

7.Now I know the results of my exams. They are the best possible ones.

8.It’s so kind of you, but there was no need for you to buy me these flowers.

9.We’d better look for the hotel in some other place. I am sure this is not the district that Helen told us about.

10.I think I know why the picture disappeared. I’m sure someone stole it.

11.Unless you follow these instructions, it is possible that you will receive burns in our laboratory.

12.Why didn’t you finish the project a week ago?

13.Where is Diana? I expected her to have arrived by now.

14.Is our term test compulsory?

15.John managed to solve all his problems.

16.Our dinner was free.

17.It was necessary for me to go there.

18.They bought a new TV, but it wasn’t necessary because their old TV was in good order.

19.Although I tried hard, I couldn’t translate the text into French.

20.It’s possible that this dog has rabies.

21.It makes no difference to me if we go to this party.

22.Although it’s winter, the temperature is more like spring.

80