Assumption/ prediction | Logical assumption: | Possibility (supposition): | |
modals | will/ should | must/ can’t | may/ might/could |
certainty | 90 - 95 % | 80 - 90% | 40 - 60% |
similar meaning | I assume. I’m quite sure | I’m sure, probably | maybe, perhaps, It’s likely/ unlikely |
Ukrainian Russian equivalents | має, напевно, скорее всего (все маєбути гаразд) | напевно, не може бути, должно быть, не может быть | можливо, малоймовірно, возможно, вероятно |
Future | Everything will / should be OK. | ‘must’ is rarely used | He may/ might/ could come soon. |
Present | It’s 8. He will be at home now. He should be waiting for us. | He must be sleeping because it’s dark in the room. | He may/ might/ could be sleeping. |
Past | He will have paid by now. ‘Should’ is rarely used. | His car is in the garage so he must have come home. | He might havecome home by now. I’m not sure |
Negative | You won’tknow him. It shouldn’t be difficult. | It’s late He can’t/ couldn’t be still in his office. | He may/ might not have finished his report yet. |
Questions | Where willhe be now? Do you think he shouldpass his exam? | _____ | Could he be so silly? Is he likely to come? ‘Might’ is rarely used. ‘May’ is not used. |
Assumptions: will/ should/ must/ can’t/ couldn’t
Ex. 1 Fill in the gaps with ‘will’, ‘won't’, ‘must’, ‘can't’, or ‘should’, and an appropriate infinitive to express assumptions.
- OK. Don't worry about the phone. I'll answer it. It............. (be) David ringing me about tonight's meeting. Hello. 37885.
- Hello John. It's David. I tried ringing you earlier, but I got no reply. You.................... (be) out.
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- I haven't been out all morning. You …. (get) the right number. Never mind. What about the meeting? How many people can we expect?
- There ……... (be) quite a few judging by the number of enquiries we've been having. One thing's worrying me. I haven't heard from the speaker, Joan Bakewell. I'm sure she....................... (forget), but it isn't like her not to get in touch. Shall I give her a ring?
- Not now, no. She …………. (teach). You'd better wait an hour or so.
- I've bought twenty bottles of wine for the party afterwards. That........................ (be) enough, don't you think?
- Yes, plenty. I'll see you later, then. Bye.
Ex. 2 Use ‘should’ to criticize and ‘must’ to make a logical assumption. E.g.: He shouldn’t have driven so fast. (не слід було) He must have been in a hurry.(напевно)
1. Harry arrived ten minutes late for his driving test.
2. He shook his fist at a traffic warden. 3. He drove through a red traffic light.
4. He asked silly questions. 5. He went the wrong way up a one-way street.
6. He parked on double yellow lines. 7. He tried to bribe the examiner.