Modals of Probability
This _____ be a blue bird, but I'm not sure.
A. may
B. might
C. could
D. may, might, or could is correct
D. This might/may/could be a blue bird, but I'm not sure.
All answers express the least amount of certainty, and the sentence includes, "I'm not sure."
Someone ___ (could/steal) Brenda's credit card.
A. could have steal
B. could have stolen
C. could stole
B. Someone could have stolen Brenda's credit card.
Modals of past probability are formed by
modal + have + past participle. This is the only grammatically correct choice.
Who has received the award yesterday?
A. true
B. false
B. FALSE Who has received the award yesterday?
"Yesterday" shows that this is a simple past action. Who received the award yesterday? is correct.
The poet first ____ in 2020.
A. performed
B. has performed
C. was performing
D. have performed
A. The poet first performed in 2020.
This is a simple past action that happened in 2020 and is completed.
Blue birds ____ like worms, but I'm not sure.
A. must
B. can't
C. might
D. couldn't
C. Blue birds might like worms, but I'm not sure.
Might, may, and could express the least amount of certainty, and the sentence includes, "but I'm not sure."
She ____ (might/use) the card at the restaurant last night.
A. might use
B. might have use
C. might have used
D. might not use
C. She might have used the card at the restaurant last night.
Last night=past
Modal + have + past participle
We have won the award for the last 10 years.
A. true
B. false
A. TRUE
We have won the award for the last 10 years.
This means the action started in the past and continues into the present. FOR is a hint.
The poet ____ poems that make people feel joy.
A. wrote
B. has wrote
C. has written
C. The poet has written poems that make people feel joy.
The joy continues into the present time, and we use present perfect to communicate this.
He ___ be late! It's his party!!
A. must
B. has to
C. can't
D. could
C. He can't be late! It's his party!!
Use can't/couldn't to express disbelief or surprise.
She ____ the card on the table. She is certain of this.
A. may have left
B. can't have left
C. could have left
D. must have left
B. She can't have left the card on the table. She is certain of this.
The second sentence expresses certainty. The modals can't and couldn't express the most certainty in the past.Our team has always liking winning.
A. true
B. false
B. FALSE
Present perfect is needed and is formed with have/has + past participle. The correct sentence should be
Our team has always liked winning.
She ____ to be a poet since she was a little girl.
A. have wanted
B. wanted
C. was wanting
D. has wanted
D. She has wanted to be a poet since she was a little girl.
Use present perfect for actions that started in the past and continue into the present. SINCE is the link.
The bird isn't flying. It ___ be injured.
A. should
B. must
C. can't
A. The bird isn't flying. It must be injured.
Must expresses the most certainty.
She ____ her card. Everyone agrees they saw her put it back in her purse.
A. might not have dropped
B. could have dropped
C. can't have dropped
C. She can't have dropped her card. Everyone agrees they saw her put it back in her purse.
The second sentence expresses certainty ("everyone agrees"). The modals can't and couldn't express the most certainty in the past.
We have gotten first prize last week.
A. true
B. false
B. FALSE
"Last week" suggests a simple past action. The corrected sentence is
We got first prize last week.
She ___ many successful poetry readings.
A. was already had
B. has already had
C. was having
D. has been having
B. She has already had many successful poetry readings.
Use present perfect to describe events that happened at some unspecified time in the past. ALREADY is a hint.
The bird ____ fly away after it has time to rest.
A. shouldn't
B. should to
C. should
D. ought
C. The bird should fly away after it has time to rest.
Should expresses certainty and is the only logical or grammatically correct choice (shouldn't isn't logical; we don't use TO after should and we use TO with ought).
Someone ___ Brenda's credit card. It's the only logical conclusion!
A. must have stolen
B. must not have stolen
C. could have stolen
D. might have stealing
A. Someone must have stolen Brenda's credit card. It's the only logical conclusion!
Use must (not) when you're certain or when there's only one logical conclusion.
They have just awarded us the trophy.
A. true
B. false
A. TRUE
Use present perfect for a recent action.
JUST (or recently) is the hint.
She hasn't written poems __ years.
A. since
B. in
C. for
B. She hasn't written poems in years.
In negative sentences, in may replace for.
She has written poems for years.
BUT
She hasn't written poems in years.