CONFUSABLES22
.docxIII. Grammar Focus
Must, can, may, might: how certain?
1. MUST is used to say that something is logically necessary, or that we suppose it is certain. The negative is CANNOT or CAN’T, not must not
There is the doorbell. It must be Mary.
No, it can’t be Mary. It is too early.
2. CAN is used in questions.
There’s the phone. Who can it be?
3. MAY suggests that something is possible. MIGHT suggests a weaker possibility.
She may be at home, but I’m not sure.
She might be there too (a smaller chance).
According to the forecast it may rain tonight. It might even snow.
If you want to refer the action to the past, use must/can/may/might + have + verb + ed
She must have read the book; she knows it very well.
He can’t/couldn’t have done it, it’s not like him.
If he is not here, he might have gone to the beach or to the swimming pool.
Note the difference between may/might not and can’t.
The game may/might not finish before ten. (Perhaps it won’t).
The game can’t finish before ten. (It’s not possible).
1. Rewrite the following sentences using must or can’t.
Model: I’m sure they are at home. They must be home.
a) I know that it isn’t Mary – she is in London.
I’m sure that Mary is in London. It cannot be her.
b) I’m sure she thinks that I’m stupid.
She must think I am stupid.
c) You’re a teacher. I’m sure it is a difficult job.
You are a teacher. It must be a difficult work.
d) I bet I look silly in this coat.
I cannot look good in this coat. I must look silly in this coat.
e) I’m sure you’re not serious. I know you are joking.
I know you are joking. You must be joking.
f) I’m sure they are quarrelling again.
They must be quarrelling again.
g) I’m sure he’s not a worker – he’s too well-dressed.
He’s too well-dressed. He can’t be a worker.
2. Look at the pictures and write sentences with must/may/might/can’t.
Example: 1. She must be ill. OR She can’t be well. She is having a temperature.
1. She is giving him a present. It must be his birthday. She might have been preparing it for a long time.
2. The girls are wearing their graduation uniforms. It must be their graduation. They must have got a bachelor's or master's degree. They can’t be graduating from school.
3. He is drawing something. He must be a painter. He can’t be a bad painter. He might have stolen this idea from someone.
4. Women are clapping their hands (are applauding). It may be someone’s performance. Someone may be speaking. The performance must be great.
5. People are watching the pictures. It might be a museum of classic art. It might be Repin’s works. It must be a very interesting exposition.
6. The man sits up clutching his head. It must have been a bad day for him. Something might have happened to him. He might be exhausted.
7. The man in the military uniform is walking with the dog. He must have got an injury at the war (at the army). He has got a lot of honours and medals. He must have well served his country. The dog can be a guide dog.
8. He is sleeping on the book. He could have pull himself together and work harder. He might be very exhausted. It must be math that had put him to sleep.
3. Fill in the blanks with may/might/can/can’t/must.
His German has considerably improved, he must have studied very hard during his holiday.
Could he have told you this? I don’t believe it.
The weather is changing. It may start raining.
She must be playing the piano now. I can hear the sounds of music.
They might not have left without saying good-bye to us.
He might have heard anything. We tried to speak in a whisper.
She might have made a mistake, but I’m not sure of it.
He knows they are coming. They must have informed him of their arrival.
They must be tired. They have been writing a composition for two hours.
4. Put in suitable forms which express uncertainty or possibility.
OLDER AND WISER?
We must make decisions all the time, but we can never be certain whether we are right or wrong. The work you choose to do may be suitable for you or it may not. The person you marry may be a perfect match for you or it may be the worst possible choice. Suppose you have saved money for the future. You may invest it wisely so that it grows in value or you may lose the lot in a foolish moment. You think you have a healthy diet, but the food you eat may actually be very bad for you and may be the cause of terrible illness. Perhaps you travel a lot by plane. All the flights you make are routine, but one of them may be your last. Decisions! Decisions! But we don't learn from experience. Experience is the quality that allows us to go on making the same mistakes with more confidence.
CONFUSABLES.
to determine/to define/to defy
(formal) to discover facts about smth; to calculate smth exactly – TO DETERMINE (определить, установить)
to officially decide or arrange – TO DETERMINE.
to explain what the meaning of a word or phrase is – TO DEFINE.
to be impossible to explain, believe or describe – TO DEFY.
to refuse to obey or show respect for smb in authority, law – TO DEFY.
to describe or show smth accurately – TO DEFINE.
TO DEFINE:
To give explanation; explain the meaning (дать объснение)
To characterize; to describe clearly (конкретизировать, описать, проговорить)
TO DETERMINE:
To find out smth; to identify; to calculate (you can determine the cause of the accident – выявить, установить)
To make a strong decision to do smth (решить во что бы то ни стало, быть полным намерения что-то сделать, вознамериться)
To regulate (input determines output – обусловливать)
To officially decide or arrange (принять окончательное решение, назначить)
TO DEFY:
1. To refuse or to ignore (открыто неповиноваться, отрицать, отказываться)
2. Smth defies smth (to defy understanding – не поддаваться объяснению)
Life imprisonment is defined as 60 years under state law.
We determined to leave / on leaving early in the morning.
The duties and responsibilities of the governing board are clearly defined in an official document.
People define themselves by the choices they make.
Local authorities very often defy public opinion.
The damage caused by the hurricane defied all descriptions.
The court determined (rule) that the taxpayer was not entitled to a refund.
The judge will have to determine (appoint) the date of the trial.
benefit/income/advantage
the money that a person/country/region earns from work, from investing money, from business – INCOME (aftertax income);
financial support from the government/for good effect/advantages that you get in addition to your salary – BENEFIT (welfare - пособие/дополнительные преимущества, льготы)
a thing that helps you to be better or more successful than other people - ADVANTAGE;
Our team had the ADVANTAGE/benefit of experience.
Tourism is a major source of INCOME for the area.
He knows how to turn his weaknesses to his ADVANTAGE.
The jury gave Tim the BENEFIT of the doubt (оправдать за недостаточностью улик).
He couldn’t see the BENEFIT of arguing any longer.
They live beyond their INCOME.
genuine/genius/ingenious/ingenuous
(formal) honest, innocent and willing to trust people, naïve - INGENUOUS;
very suitable for a particular purpose, and resulting from clever ideas - INGENIOUS;
(of a person) having a lot of clever, new ideas;
a person who is unusually intelligent or artistic; unusually great intelligence or skill - GENIUS;
sincere and honest; that can be trusted - GENUINE;
real, not artificial;
[ɪn'ʤenjuəs] INGENUOUS;
[ɪnˈdʒiːnɪəs] INGENIOUS
GENUINE:
1. Sincere and honest (genuine sorrow/respect – искренний, честный)
2. Real and not artificial (натуральная, чистая, подлинная, истинный и тд.)
GENIUS:
1. An exceptionally gifted person (гений) – исчисляемое
2. Exceptional talent – гениальность (неисчисляемое)
He is a man of genius/its an idea of genius
INGENIOUS:
1. Very intelligent or skillful (an ingenious cook – искусный, выдающийся, талантливый)
2. Skillfully made (оригинальный, остроумный)
INGENUOUS:
1. Naïve, innocent, unexperienced – простодушный, наивный, невинный
It was ingenious of her to solve the problem so quickly.
It’s ingenuous to believe that money did not play a part in his decision.
She is so inexperienced and ingenuous.
He is a(n) ingenious cook!
Mr. Gladstone has an extraordinary genius for finance.
Her idea was a stroke of GENIUS.