Transcript Modals for speculation (nagadjanje, pretpostavka)

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
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2. It is not possible that you are hungry.
CAN’T
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3. It is possible that he is sleeping.
MIGHT
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4. It is possible that they haven’t seen you.
MAY
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TRANSFORM THESE SENTENCES
1. I am sure they are rich.
MUST
They must be rich.
2. It is not possible that you are hungry.
CAN’T
You can’t be hungry.
3. It is possible that he is sleeping.
MIGHT
He might be sleeping.
4. It is possible that they haven’t 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 don’t you ask him? He might / could / may
know the answer.
May not / might not – to express a possibility that
something isn’t / wasn’t true.
It might not be the right number.
Can’t – to express a strong conviction that something
isn’t / wasn’t true.
You ate 5 minutes ago. You can’t 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 don’t 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.