Page 98 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

Note the difference between may not and can't.
She may not be at home - I'll phone and find out. ( = 'Perhaps she's not at home ...')
She can't be at home: she went to Spain this morning. (= 'She's certainly not at home ...')

We can use can't to express great surprise or disbelief.
'Karen's going to marry Des.' 'It can't be true. She hates him!'

^ Put in may not or can't.
1 We can try that restaurant, but they..............................have a table free.

2 There are no lights in the house, and they're not answering the doorbell.They............................. be at home.
3 He says he's got lots of money, but i t ..............................be true.
4 'You've won 1 million Euros in the lottery.' 'No, i t ..............................be true!'

5 She says her dog talks to her, but dogs..............................talk.
6 I'll ask that policeman, but he..............................speak English.
7 'Can you come tomorrow?' 'I'll see. I ..............................have time.'
8 I ..............................pass the exam, but I'm hoping for the best.
9 'They've found elephants in Antarctica.' 'That..............................be right.'

10 I'm going to see my old primary school teacher tomorrow, but she..............................remember me.'

/ might go you might go he/she/it might go etc

might 1go? might you go? might he/she/it go? etc
H
1might not go you might not go he/she/it might not go etc

D
Contraction: mightn't

We can use might in the same way as may - especially if we are not so sure about things.

'Are you ill?' 'Not sure. I might have a cold. Or perhaps not.' I might not be here tomorrow.
Might is unusual in questions.

^ John has no money. He is thinking about things that might happen. Put in verbs from
the box with might.

buy fall find make send win /

I ► .....a lot of money in the lottery. Or I i ............. some money in the street.
Or Uncle Max 2............................ me $1,000. Or a rich woman 3 ...........in love with me.
Or the bank 4............................ a mistake. Or somebody 5...... ... my old car.

0 Might or might not? Circle the correct answers.

► Kate had a big lunch, so she might want /(might not want to eat this evening.

1 It's getting late. I might finish / might not finish this work on time.
2 If the traffic gets very bad we might miss / might not miss the train.
3 If he's had a good day, your dad might give / might not give you money for the cinema.

4 Andrew's story is so good that his teacher might believe / might not believe he wrote it.
5 Helen's not feeling well today - I'm afraid she might pass / might not pass her exam.
6 Alan wasn't at the last meeting. He might know / might not know the new members.
7 'Where's Tom?' 'He might be / might not be in the kitchen.'
8 I've got toothache. I might have to / might not have to go to the dentist tomorrow.
9 I'll do my best, but I might have / might not have time to help you.

10 I hope we can take the car, but it might / might not start.

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full MODAL VERBS 83
forms (for example lam, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.