English Grammar Exercises: Must and can’t

Exercise 1   

Put in must or can’t.

1   You’ve been travelling all day. You ……………………. be tired.

2   That restaurant ……………………. be very good. It’s always full of people.

3   That restaurant ……………………. be very good. It’s always empty.

4   I’m sure I gave you the key. You ……………………. have it. Have you looked in your bag?

5   I often see that woman walking along this street. She ……………………. live near here.

6   It rained every day during their holiday, so they ……………………. have had a very nice time.

7   Congratulations on passing your exam. You ……………………. be very pleased.

8   You got here very quickly. You ……………………. have walked very fast.

9   Bill and Sue always stay at luxury hotels, so they ……………………. be short of money.

Exercise 2   

Complete each sentence with a verb (one or two words).

1   I’ve lost one of my gloves. I must ……………………. it somewhere.

2   Their house is very near the motorway. It must ……………………. very noisy.

3   Sarah knows a lot about films. She must ……………………. to the cinema a lot.

4   I left my bike outside the house last night and now it’s gone. Somebody must……………………. it.

5   ‘How old is Ted?’ ‘He’s older than me. He must ……………………. at least 40.’

6   I didn’t hear the phone ring. I must ……………………. asleep.

7   A: You’re going on holiday soon. You must ……………………. forward to it.

    B: Yes, it will be really good to get away.

8   The police have dosed the road, so we have to go a different way. There must ……………………. an accident.

9   I’m sure you know this song. You must ……………………. it before.

10   There is a man walking behind us. He has been walking behind us for the last 20 minutes. He must ……………………. us.

Exercise 3   

Read the situations and use the words in brackets to write sentences with must have and can’t have.

1   We went to their house and rang the doorbell, but nobody answered. (they / go out)

     …………………….…………………….

2   Sarah hasn’t contacted me. (she / get / my message)

     …………………….…………………….

3   The jacket you bought is very good quality. (it / very expensive)

     …………………….…………………….

4   I haven’t seen our neighbours for ages. (they / go away)

     …………………….…………………….

5   I can’t find my umbrella. (I / leave / it in the restaurant last night)

     …………………….…………………….

6   Amy was in a very difficult situation when she lost her job. (it / easy for her)

     …………………….…………………….

7   There was a man standing outside the cafe. (he / wait / for somebody)

     …………………….…………………….

8   Rachel did the opposite of what I asked her to do. (she / understand / what / said)

     …………………….…………………….

9   When I got back to my car, the door was unlocked. (I / forget / to lock it)

     …………………….…………………….

10   I was woken up in the night by the noise next door. (my neighbours / have / a party)

        …………………….…………………….

11   The tight was red, but the car didn’t stop. (the driver / see / the red tight) 

        …………………….…………………….