Материал: English Grammar in Use_Raymond Murphy_2nd ed

29.1 Write these sentences in a different way using may or might.

1. Perhaps Margaret is in her office. _She might be in her office._

2. Perhaps Margaret is busy.

3. Perhaps she is working.

4. Perhaps she wants to be alone.

5. Perhaps she was ill yesterday.

6. Perhaps she went home early.

7. Perhaps she had to go home early.

8. Perhaps she was working yesterday.

In sentences 9-11 use may not or might not.

9. Perhaps she doesn't want to see me.

10. Perhaps she isn't working today.

11. Perhaps she wasn't feeling well yesterday.

29.2 Complete the sentences with a verb in the correct form.

1. 'Where's Bob?' 'I'm not sure. He might _be having_ lunch.'

2. 'Who is that man with Ann?' 'I'm not sure. It might --- her brother.'

3. 'Who was the man we saw with Ann yesterday?' 'I'm not sure. It might --- her brother.'

4. 'Why are those people waiting in the street?' 'I don't know. They might --- for a bus.'

5. 'Shall I buy this book for Tim?' 'You'd better not. He might already --- it.'

29.3 Read the situations and make sentences from the words in brackets. Use may or might.

1. I can't find George anywhere. I wonder where he is.

a (he/go/shopping) He may have gone shopping.

b (he/play/tennis) He might be playing tennis.

2. I'm looking for Helen. Do you know where she is?

a (she/watch/TV/in her room)

b (she/go/out)

3. I can't find my umbrella. Have you seen it?

a (it/be/in the car)

b (you/leave/in the restaurant last night)

4. Why didn't Tom answer the doorbell? I'm sure he was in the house at the time.

a (he/be/in the bath)

b (he/not/hear/the bell)

29.4 Complete the sentences using might not or couldn't.

1. A: Do you think she saw you?

B: No, she was too far away. _She couldn't have seen me._

2. A: I wonder why she didn't say hello. Perhaps she didn't see me.

B: That's possible. _She might not have seen you._

3. A: I wonder why Ann didn't come to the party. Perhaps she wasn't invited.

B: Yes, it's possible. She ---

4. A: Tom loves parties. I'm sure he would have come to the party if he'd been invited.

B: I agree. He ---

5. A: I wonder how the fire started. Do you think it was an accident?

B: No, the police say it ---

6. A: How did the fire start? I suppose it was an accident.

B: Well, the police aren't sure. They say it ---

UNIT 30. May and might (2)

A. We use may and might to talk about possible actions or happenings in the future:

* I haven't decided yet where to spend my holidays. I may go to Ireland. (= perhaps I will go to Ireland)

* Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It might rain later. (= perhaps it will rain)

* The bus doesn't always come on time. We might have to wait a few minutes. (= perhaps we will have to wait)

The negative forms are may not and might not (mightn't):

* Ann may not come to the party tonight. She isn't well. (= perhaps she will not come)

* There might not be a meeting on Friday because the director is ill. (= perhaps there will not be a meeting)

B. Usually it doesn't matter whether you use may or might. So you can say:

* I may go to Ireland. or I might go to Ireland.

* Jane might be able to help you. or Jane may be able to help you.

But we use only might (not may) when the situation is not real:

* If I knew them better, I might invite them to dinner. (The situation here is not real because I don't know them very well, so I'm not going to invite them. 'May' is not possible in this example.)

C. There is also a continuous form: may/might be ~ing. Compare this with will be ~ing:

* Don't phone at 8.30. I'll be watching the football on television.

* Don't phone at 8.30. I might be watching (or I may be watching) the football on

television. (= perhaps I'll be watching it)

For will be ~ing see Unit 24.

We also use may/might be ~ing for possible plans. Compare:

* I'm going to Ireland in July. (for sure)

* I may be going (or I might be going) to Ireland in July. (possible)

But you can also say 'I may go (or I might go) to Ireland...' with little difference of meaning.

D. Might as well/may as well

Study this example:

Helen and Clare have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour.

Helen: What shall we do? Shall we walk?

Clare: We might as well. It's a nice day and I don't want to wait here for an hour.

'(We) might as well do something'= (We) should do something because there is nothing better to do and there is no reason not to do it.

You can also say 'may as well'.

* A: What time are you going?

B: Well, I'm ready, so I might as well go now. (or ... I may as well go now)

* The buses are so expensive these days, you might as well get a taxi. (= taxis are just as good, no more expensive)

EXERCISES

30. Write sentences with may or might.

1. Where are you going for your holidays? (to Ireland???)

I haven't decided yet. _I may go to Ireland._

2. What sort of car are you going to buy? (a Mercedes???)

I'm not sure yet. I ---

3. What are you doing this weekend? (go to London???)

I haven't decided yet. ---

4. Where are you going to hang that picture? (in the dining room???)

I haven't made up my mind yet. ---

5. When is Tom coming to see us? (on Saturday???)

I don't know yet. ---

6. What is Julia going to do when she leaves school? (go to university???)

She hasn't decided yet. ---

30.2 Complete the sentences using might + one of these verbs:

bite break need rain slip wake

1. Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It _might rain_ later.

2. Don't make too much noise. You --- the baby.

3. Be careful of that dog. It --- you.

4. I don't think we should throw that letter away. We --- it later.

5. Be careful. The footpath is very icy. You ---

6. I don't want the children to play in this room. They --- something.

30.3 Complete the sentences using might be able to or might have to + a suitable verb.

1. I can't help you but why don't you ask Jill? She _might be able to help_ you.

2. I can't meet you this evening but I --- you tomorrow evening.

3 I'm not working on Saturday but I --- on Sunday.

4. George isn't well. He --- to hospital for an operation.

30.4 Write sentences with may not or might not.

1. (I don't know if Ann will come to the party.) Ann might not come to the party.

2. (I don't know if I'll go out this evening.) I ---

3. (I don't know if Tom will like the present I bought for him.)

Tom ---

4. (I don't know if Sue will be able to meet us this evening.) ---

30.5 Read the situations and make sentences with may/might as well.

1. You and a friend have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour.

You say: We'll have to wait an hour for the next bus. _We might as well waik._

2. You have a free ticket for a concert. You're not very keen on the concert but you decide to go. You say: I --- to the concert. It's a pity to waste a free ticket.

3. You're in a cafe with a friend. You've finished your drinks. It's a nice cafe and there is no reason to go now, so why not have another drink? You say: We ---. What would you like?

4. You and a friend are at home. You are bored. There's a film on TV starting in a few minutes. You say: ---. There's nothing else to do.

UNIT 31.Must and have to

A. We use must and have to to say that it is necessary to do something. Sometimes it doesn't matter which you use:

* Oh, it's later than I thought. I must go. or I have to go.

But there is a difference between must and have to and sometimes this is important:

Must is personal. We use must when we give our personal feelings.

'You must do something' = 'I (the speaker) say it is necessary':

* She's a really nice person. You must meet her. (= I say this is necessary)

* I haven't phoned Ann for ages. I must phone her tonight.

Compare:

* I must get up early tomorrow. There are a lot of things I want to do.

Have to is impersonal. We use have to for facts, not for our personal feelings.

'You have to do something' because of a rule or the situation:

* You can't turn right here. You have to turn left. (because of the traffic system)

* My eyesight isn't very good. I have to wear glasses for reading.

* George can't come out with us this evening. He has to work.

* I have to get up early tomorrow. I'm going away and my train leaves at 7.30.

If you are not sure which to use, it is usually safer to use have to.

B. you can use must to talk about the present or future, but not the past:

* We must go now.

* We must go tomorrow. (but not 'We must go yesterday')

You can use have to in all forms. For example:

* I had to go to hospital. (past)

* Have you ever had to go to hospital? (present perfect)

* I might have to go to hospital. (infinitive after might)

In questions and negative sentences with have to, we normally use do/does/did:

* What do I have to do to get a driving licence? (not 'What have I to do?')

* Why did you have to go to hospital?

* Karen doesn't have to work on Saturdays.

C. Mustn't and don't have to are completely different:

You mustn't do something = it is necessary that you do not do it (so, don't do it):

* You must keep it a secret. You mustn't tell anyone. (= don't tell anyone)

* I promised I would be on time. I mustn't be late. (= I must be on time)

You don't have to do something = you don't need to do it (but you can if you want):

* You can tell me if you want but you don't have to tell me. (= you don't need to tell me)

* I'm not working tomorrow, so I don't have to get up early.

D. You can use 'have got to' instead of 'have to'. So you can say:

* I've got to work tomorrow. or have to work tomorrow.

* When has Ann got to go? or When does Ann have to go?

EXERCISES

31.1 Complete these sentences with must or have to (in the correct form). Sometimes it is possible to use either; sometimes only have to is possible.

1. It's later than I thought. I must or have to go now.

2. Jack left before the end of the meeting. He had to go home early.

3. In Britain many children. --- wear uniform when they go to school.

4. When you come to London again, you --- come and see us.

5. Last night Don became ill suddenly. We --- call a doctor.

6. You really --- work harder if you want to pass the examination.

7. I'm afraid I can't come tomorrow. I.. --- work late.

8. I'm sorry I couldn't come yesterday. I --- work late.

9. Paul doesn't like his new job. Sometimes he --- work at weekends.

10. Caroline may --- go away next week.

11. We couldn't repair the car ourselves. We --- take it to a garage.

12. Julia wears glasses. She --- wear glasses since she was very young.

31.2 Make questions with have to.

1. I had to go to hospital last week. Why did you have to go to hospital?

2. I have to get up early tomorrow. Why --- early?

3. Ann has to go somewhere now. Where --- she ---.

4. George had to pay a parking fine yesterday. How much ---.

5. I had to wait a long time for the bus. How long ---.

6. I have to phone my sister now. Why ---

7. Paul has to leave soon. What time ---

31.3 Complete these sentences using don't/doesn't/didn't have to + one of these verbs:

do get up go go pay shave wait work

1. I'm not working tomorrow, so I _don't have to get up_ to early.

2. The car park is free-you --- to park your car there.

3. I went to the bank this morning. There was no queue, so I ---.

4. Sally is extremely rich. She ---.

5. We've got plenty of time. We --- yet.

6. Jack has got a beard, so he ---.

7., I'm not particularly busy. I've got a few things to do but I ---them now.

8. A man was slightly injured in the accident but he --- to hospital.

31.4 Complete these sentences with mustn't or don't/doesn't have to.

1. I don't want anyone to know. You _mustn't_ tell anyone.

2 He doesn't have to wear a suit to work but he usually does.

3. I can stay in bed tomorrow morning because I --- go to work.

4. Whatever you do, you --- touch that switch. It's very dangerous.

5. There's a lift in the building, so we --- climb the stairs.

6. You --- forget what I told you. It's very important.

7. Sue --- get up early. She gets up early because she wants to,

8. Don't make so much noise. We --- wake the baby.

9. I --- eat too much. I'm supposed to be on a diet.

10. You --- be a good player to enjoy a game of tennis.

UNIT 32. Must mustn't needn't

A. Must mustn't needn't

'You must do something' = it is necessary that you do it:

* Don't tell anybody what I said. You must keep it a secret.

* We haven't got much time. We must hurry.

'You mustn't do something' = it is necessary that you do not do it (so don't do it):

* You must keep it a secret. You mustn't tell anybody else. (= don't tell anybody else)

* It's essential that nobody hears us. We mustn't make any noise.

'You needn't do something' = it is not necessary that you do it, you don't need to do it:

* You can come with me if you like but you needn't come if you don't want to. (= it is not necessary for you to come)

* We've got plenty of time. We needn't hurry. (= it is not necessary to hurry)

B. Instead of needn't, you can use don't/doesn't need to. So you can say:

* We needn't hurry. or We don't need to hurry.

Remember that we say 'don't need to do', but 'needn't do' (without to).

Needn't and don't need to are similar to don't have to (see Unit 31C):

* We've got plenty of time. We don't have to hurry.

C. Needn't have (done)

Study this example situation: