1. Choose the correct options (a-c) to complete the sentences.
1 I can’t get this tablet to work; I …….. read the instructions properly.
a oughtn’t to have
b can’t have
c shouldn’t have
2 I ordered the DVD a week ago so it …….. arrived here by now.
a should have
b could have
c may have
3 I can’t find my phone anywhere. I …….. left in at school
a should have
b may have
c ought to have
4 Julie’s not at home. She …….. decided to go out after all.
a was supposed to have
b must have
c ought to have
5 You …….. promised to help Ed if you didn’t have time.
a mustn’t have
b couldn’t have
c shouldn’t have
6 You …….. told me you’d eaten all the biscuits! I’d have got some more.
a may have
b must have
c might have
Answer
1 b 2 a 3 b 4 b 5 c 6 c
2. Complete the sentences with up to five words, including the words in brackets.
1 Someone ………………………… (might / told / me) there was a hole in my jumper!
2 Sandra ………………………… (supposed / be / here) by now. I wonder where she is.
3 You ………………………… (ought / have / gone) swimming if you have a cold.
4 Wendy didn’t look very happy when I saw her; she ………………………… (could / worried / about) going to the dentist.
5 The fridge is empty; Mum ………………………… (can’t / been / the) shops yet.
6 Last night ………………………… (must / been / cold) – the lake’s frozen.
Answer
1 might have told me
2 is / was supposed to be here
3 oughtn’t / ought not to have gone
4 could have been / could be worried about
5 can’t have gone to the
6 must have been (very) cold
3. Complete the email with the correct form of the verbs below.
To: artur@email.com
Hi Artur
Well, we’re still enjoying our trip to England. We’re staying in a great city – but someone 1…………………….. told us that there was going to be a festival here yesterday! Perhaps we 2…………………….. realised something was happening, because a lot of the hotels were full. The festival was great! According to the local paper, this 3…………………….. been the biggest crowd they’d ever had. The streets were packed. I reckon there 4…………………….. been about 30,000 people there. There was a fancy dress parade, too; if we’d known, we 5…………………….. got dressed up. Mind you, some of the people 6…………………….. been very comfortable as some of the costumes looked really hot! I bought you a souvenir. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.
Lena
Answer
1 could have 2 should have 3 may have
4 must have 5 could have 6 can’t have
4. Complete the sentences with needn’t have or didn’t need to and the verb in brackets. In which sentences are both modals possible?
1 I managed to mend my sunglasses so luckily
I ……………………….. (get) a new pair.
2 It was sunny so we ……………………….. (take) an umbrella.
3 We ……………………….. (catch) a cab as my mum gave us a lift.
4 Alison ……………………….. (buy) a ticket – I had a spare one.
5 I ……………………….. (worry) about the test – when I saw the paper I realised I knew all the answers.
6 You ……………………….. (walk) the dog; we walked it this morning.
Answer
1 didn’t need to get
2 didn’t need to take / needn’t have taken
3 didn’t need to catch
4 didn’t need to buy / needn’t have bought
5 needn’t have worried
6 needn’t have walked / didn’t need to walk
5. Complete the sentences with the words in the box.
could didn’t need to needn’t ought not to was supposed to
1 You ……………………….. have reminded me to do the homework – I did it last night.
2 Tanya ……………………….. be here half an hour ago. Where is she?
3 We ……………………….. have told Jenny about Luca’s party. He didn’t want her to know about it.
4 Someone ……………………….. have warned me that the band’s new album was so awful!
5 They knew the way so they ……………………….. ask for directions.
Answer
1 needn’t 2 was supposed to 3 ought not to
4 could 5 didn’t need to
6. Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets.
1 Lunch was provided so it wasn’t necessary for them to take sandwiches. (need)
…………………………………………
2 She studied hard so she probably passed the exam. (should)
…………………………………………
3 I think he’s foreign so it’s possible he didn’t understand you. (might)
…………………………………………
4 John isn’t in Rome – I saw him earlier. (can’t)
…………………………………………
5 It would have been better if you’d listened to my advice. (ought)
…………………………………………
6 Why didn’t you introduce me to your friends? (might)
…………………………………………
Answer
1 Lunch was provided so they didn’t need to take sandwiches.
2 She studied hard so she should have passed the exam.
3 I think he’s foreign so he might not have understood you.
4 John can’t be in Rome – I saw him earlier.
5 You ought to have listened to my advice.
6 You might have introduced me to your friends!
7. Complete the sentences with must have, might (not) have, can’t have, should have, or shouldn’t have and the verbs in brackets.
1 I’m not sure where Jess is, but she ………………………….. home. She wasn’t feeling well earlier on. (go)
2 You ………………………….. Dave at the football match. He’s away on holiday. (see)
3 On, no! Tanya knows about the surprise party. Some one ………………………….. her. (tell)
4 I’ve missed my train. I ………………………….. a taxi to the station instead of walking. (get)
5 It’s been really hard to concentrate today. I ………………………….. (stay) up late last night.
6 She should definitely be here by now. Her plane ………………………….. . (delay)
7 I’m not sure why they didn’t come. The postal service isn’t very reliable so they ………………………….. the invitation. (not receive)
8 There’s no money in my bank account. I ………………………….. so much on clothes last weekend. (spend)
Answer
1 might have gone 2 can’t have seen 3 must have told
4 should have got 5 shouldn’t have stayed
6 must have been delayed 7 might not have received
8 shouldn’t have spent
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