• Modal verbs can express; ability, obligation,
permission, and requests. They can also
express probability, or how certain a
situation is.
He must be exhausted. He hasn’t slept for 24
hours!
100% positive: Must
50% positive: May/Could/Might
100% negative: Can’t
Write the reason of these sentences using some modal
50% negative: May not/Might not
verb of probability.
1. Mike is late for a lesson.
2. What is Monica doing outside?
3. The baby is crying.
4. His phone is off.
5. Why is Ann still not home?
6. Greg is a University student? Wow!
7. Why can’t Johnny go to party with us?
• Must and can’t expresses the logical conclusion
of a situation. We don’t have all the facts, so
we are not absolutely sure, but we are pretty
certain.
• Must: logically probable
• Can’t: logically improbable
She can’t have a ten-year-old-daughter! She’s
only 24
A walk in this weather! You must be joking!
• May/Might/Could
• May/Might + not
He might be lost.
They may be stuck in traffic.
You could win the lottery this weeks.
I might not be able to come home tonight. I might
have to work late.
They may not know where we are.
The continuous infinitive is formed with be + ing.
You must be joking!
They can’t still be eating!
Peter might be working late.
They may be coming on a later train.
Questions with this type of modal verbs are
unusual. To ask about a possibility we usually use
Do you think….?
Do you think she’s married?
She can’t be.
Where do you think he’s from?
He might be Brazilian.
The perfect infinitive is formed with have + past
participle.
He must have caught a later train.
They might have lost our phone number.
The continuous infinitive is formed with have +
been + ing
She must have been joking.
They couldn’t have been trying very hard.
Reported
speech
Teacher Valerie Medina
Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said.
It’s usual for the verb in the reported clause to move “one tense back”
if the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told.)
Present ---- Past
Present Perfect ----- Past Perfect
Past ------ Past Perfect OR Past
Will ----- Would
The verb also “moves back” when we are reporting thoughts and
feelings.
There is no tense change if,
One, the reporting verb is in the present tense (says.)
The train will be late.
I come from Korea.
Two, the reported speech is about something that is still true.
Rain forests are being destroyed.
I hate football.
Some modal verbs change.
Can --- Could
Will --- Would
May --- Might
Others don’t.
Should
Might.
Reporting verbs
Use Tell with an indirect object and Say without an indirect object.
That can be used after both say and tell.
You can use another, more descriptive verbs such as: explain, promise,
invite, insist, admit, complain, warn, offer, refuse
Reported questions
There is no inversion of subject and auxiliary verb and there is no
do/does/did.
If there is no question word, use if or whether.
Exercise!
Interview one of your classmates and then report the questions and
answers in your notebook. E. g. I asked Sam how he came to class
today and he said he came to class by car.
1. How did you come to class today?
2. What hobbies do you enjoy?
3. Have you done any sports or exercise today?
4. Are you a jealous person?
5. How long have you been learning english?
6. Would you like to be famous?
7. Where are you going on your next holiday?
8. What do you usually have for breakfast?
9. How did you spend your last birthday?
10. What is the most challenging thing you’ve ever done?
Reporting verbs
Sometimes, we report the idea rather than the actual words.
“I’ll lend you some money” She offered to lend me some money.
“I won’t help you” She refused to help me.
There are different verb patters:
1. Verb + sb + infinitive.
2. Verb + infinitive
3. Verb + that + clause
Reported requests
To ask someone to do something in a polite manner.
ask sb + to + infinitive
•Direct speech: Close the window, please
•Or: Could you close the window please?
•Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
Reported orders
To ask someone to do something but NOT in a polite manner.
tell sb + to + infinitive
Direct Order Reported Order
He told the child to go
Go to bed!
to bed.
He told her not to
Don't worry!
worry.
He told me to be on
Be on time!
time.
Don't smoke! He told us not to smoke.
Reported questions
Tense changes are the same, keep the question Word, but since we are
telling the question to someone else, it’s not a question anymore. The
grammar changes to a normal positive sentence.
•Direct speech: Where do you live?
•Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
•Direct speech: Where is Julie?
•Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
Reported questions
For yes/no question, since we don’t have a question Word to help us,
we use If/Wether.
Direct Question Reported Question
He asked me if I loved
Do you love me?
him.
Have you ever been to She asked me if I had ever
Mexico? been to Mexico.
Are you living here? She asked me if I was
living here.
Exercise!
For each situation, write statements about what you think was said.
1. You listened in on a waiter at a expensive restaurant.
He offered:
He recommended:
He apologised:
2. You listened to a teacher in class.
She ordered:
She advised:
She explained:
3. You listened in on your neighbour, who doesn’t like you.
He claimed:
He threatened:
He blamed:
