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Grammar Basics: Unit 34 – I have to… (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/13
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Exercises:  Complete the following sentences, using “have / has to” + one of the following verbs.

Example:

I’m going to bed now.  I __________ early tomorrow morning.  (get up) ==>  I’m going to bed now.  I have to get up early tomorrow morning.

1.    We’ve had a lot of rain the past few days.  I have to cut the grass this weekend.
2.    The baby is sick.  I have to take him to the doctor.
3.    When you make bread, you have to let the dough rise.
4.    When you are a student, you have to do a lot of homework.
5.    I can’t see very well, so I have to wear glasses.
6.    Mary has fair skin, so she has to put on sunblock when she goes to the beach.
7.    If you want to be good at English, you have to study a lot.
8.    John wants to become a doctor, so he has to go to medical school.
9.    If children go to public schools, they have to have all their vaccinations.
10.    If your pencil is dull, you have to sharpen it.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 34 – I have to…

Posted on 2012/04/12
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When we use the phrase “I have to…,” it means that we are under obligation to do that thing.  It is necessary for us to do that thing.

Pattern:

I / you / we / they have to + V (inf.)
He / she / it has to + V (inf.)

Examples:

I have to return the library book tomorrow.  (I am obligated to return the library book tomorrow.  Otherwise, it will be overdue.)
James has to clean his bedroom before supper.  (It is necessary for him to clean his room.  If he doesn’t, he will be in big trouble.)
Cathy has to pass this test, or else she will fail the course.

For the past tense, use “had to” + V (inf.):

I had to cut the grass yesterday.
Shirley had to take her cousin to the doctor last week.
Mr. Johnson had to give Jack an F on his exam.

For questions, use “Do / Does” + Subject + “have to” + V (inf.):

Does Tom have to study for his English test tomorrow?
Do I have to take the medicine before bedtime?
Do they have to leave early in the morning?

For negatives, use “don’t / doesn’t” + “have to” + V (inf.):

Mike doesn’t have to go to work on Monday.
I don’t have to see the dentist until next month.
We don’t have to move to Memphis.

For past tense questions: “Did” + Subject + “have to” + V (inf.):

Did Mike have to work last weekend?
Did you have to cut the grass yesterday?
Did she have to return the library book the other day?

For past tense negatives:  “didn’t” + “have to”+ V (inf.):

I didn’t have to walk Mrs. Wilson’s dog.
Tom didn’t have to pay his parking ticket.
Mr. Smith didn’t have to pick up his mother-in-law at the airport.

Note:  “must” can also be used instead of “have to”.

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they + “must” + V (inf.):

Note:  there is no “to” between “must” and V (inf.)!!

I must return the library book tomorrow. (not:  I must to return the library book tomorrow.)
James must clean his bedroom before supper.  (not:  James must to clean his bedroom before supper.)
Cathy must pass this test, or else she will fail the course. (not:  Cathy must to pass this test…)

 

Exercises:  Complete the following sentences, using “have / has to” + one of the following verbs.

Example:

I’m going to bed now.  I __________ early tomorrow morning.  (get up) ==>  I’m going to bed now.  I have to get up early tomorrow morning.

Use these verbs:

cut
do
go
have
let
put on
sharpen
study
take
wear

1.    We’ve had a lot of rain the past few days.  I ______________ the grass this weekend.
2.    The baby is sick.  I ______________ him to the doctor.
3.    When you make bread, you ______________ the dough rise.
4.    When you are a student, you ______________ a lot of homework.
5.    I can’t see very well, so I ______________ glasses.
6.    Mary has fair skin, so she ______________ sunblock when she goes to the beach.
7.    If you want to be good at English, you ______________ a lot.
8.    John wants to become a doctor, so he ______________ to medical school.
9.    If children go to public schools, they ______________ all their vaccinations.
10.    If your pencil is dull, you ______________ it.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 33 – should (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/11
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Exercises:  Complete the following sentences, using “you should” + and one of the following verbs:

Example:

If you are tired, _________ to bed.  (go) ==>  If you are tired, you should go to bed.

1.    When you go swimming, you should wear swim goggles.
2.    If you are going to the party, you should bring a gift.
3.    When you plant some seeds, you should water them.
4.    If you gain weight, you should go on a diet.
5.    If you hurt someone, you should apologize to them.
6.    That’s a very interesting TV program.  You should watch it.
7.    If you get your clothes dirty, you should put them in the laundry.
8.    When you have finished, you should turn off the lights.
9.    If you’re leaving the house, you should lock the door.
10.    If you make a mess, you should clean it up.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 33 – should

Posted on 2012/04/10
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“should” is used with a verb in its infinitive form.  It has the same form for all persons and number:

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “should” + V (inf.)

When you “should” do something, that means it is a good thing to do, or it is the right thing to do:

It’s cold out – you should put on a coat.  (It is a good thing for you to put on a coat.)
You should brush your teeth after every meal.  (It is a good thing for you to brush your teeth after every meal.)
You should help your neighbor if he is having trouble.  (Helping your neighbor is the right thing to do.)

To use the negative, put “not” between “should” and its verb:

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “should not” + V (inf.)

When you “should not” do something, that means it is not a good thing to do, or it is the wrong thing to do:

Tom should not work so hard.  (It is not a good thing for Tom to work so hard.)
You should not be rude.  (Being rude is not the right thing to do.)
Jane should not be late for class.  (Being late for class is not the right thing to do.)

Many times we give advice by saying, “I think you should…”:

I think you should go visit your mother.
I think Jack should get a haircut.
Matt thinks Susan should buy a new car.

For the negative form:  “I don’t think you should…”:

I don’t think you should give James a hard time.
I don’t think Jack and Jill should go up the hill.
Mr. Miller doesn’t think Peter should go into second grade yet.

If we want to ask someone for advice, we can say  “Do you think I should…?”:

Do you think I should go to Hawaii for vacation?
Do you think I should buy this necktie?
Do you think I should invite Sam to the party?

Note:  “should” is not the same as “have to”.

  • “Have to” means there is an obligation.
  • “Should” does not imply obligation.  It only means that it is a good idea.

Instead of saying “should,” you can also say “ought to”:

I think you ought to go visit your mother.
You ought to brush your teeth after every meal.
Do you think I ought to buy this necktie?

Exercises:  Complete the following sentences, using “you should” + and one of the following verbs:

Example:

If you are tired, _________ to bed.  (go) ==>  If you are tired, you should go to bed.

Use these verbs:

apologize
bring
clean
go
lock
put
turn off
watch
water
wear

1.    When you go swimming, ______________ swim goggles.
2.    If you are going to the party, ______________ a gift.
3.    When you plant some seeds, ______________ them.
4.    If you gain weight, ______________ on a diet.
5.    If you hurt someone, ______________ to them.
6.    That’s a very interesting TV program.  ______________ it.
7.    If you get your clothes dirty, ______________ them in the laundry.
8.    When you have finished, ______________ the lights.
9.    If you’re leaving the house, ______________ the door.
10.    If you make a mess, ______________ it up.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/06
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Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!  ==> You must be happy!

  1. Jack worked all night. He must be tired.
  2. It must be windy. I see everyone is using an umbrella.
  3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be sick.
  4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be bored.
  5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be very smart.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink. She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.  ==> She must like the color pink.

  1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must have the patience of Job.
  2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must know all the material well enough for the test by now.
  3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must eat plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
  4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must have gotten a haircut.
  5. Jack seems to know so much. He must read a lot.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.  ==> You must take a lot of pictures.

  1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must go home now.
  2. All passengers must have their passports ready when going through Customs.
  3. In most states, you must be 21 to drink alcohol.
  4. You must sign this form before submitting it to the office.
  5. You must do your homework if you want to pass the test.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.  ==> He must not like socializing.

  1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He must not have a car.
  2. Jane has the flu. She must not feel very well.
  3. Tom works at the zoo. He must like animals.
  4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He must not see very well.
  5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She must be a good cook.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must

Posted on 2012/04/05
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“must” is used with another verb in its infinitive form. “must” does not change for either person or count.

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “must” + V (inf. form)

The negative “not” comes between “must” and its verb:

“must not” + V (inf. form)

“must” is used in two different ways:

1 – to indicate something that we believe to be true
2 – to indicate that doing something is an obligation or necessity

1 – must: belief that something is truepublic transportation - a must in the city

In this sense, it is very similar to “probably”:

John dislikes driving, so I think he must take the train to work. (I think he probably takes the train to work, since he dislikes driving.)

You haven’t eaten all day? You must be hungry! (You are probably hungry!)

I called the Petersons, but no one answered. They must not be home. (They are probably not home.)

There are several newspapers on the neighbor’s driveway. They must be on vacation. (They are probably on vacation.)

2 – must: something is an obligation or necessity

You must be quiet in the library.

All drivers must stop at a red light.

If you want dessert, you must finish your dinner.

It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You must not play loud music.

Note: “must not” can be contracted: “mustn’t”

You mustn’t play loud music.

Note: We can also use “have to” in the positive sentences above:

You have to be quiet in the library.

All drivers have to stop at a red light.

If you want dessert, you have to finish your dinner.

For the negative, use “should not”:

It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You should not play loud music.

If we need the past tense, we use “had to” and not “must”:

You had to be quiet in the library.

All drivers had to stop at a red light.

If you wanted dessert, you had to finish your dinner.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!  ==> You must be happy!

  1. Jack worked all night. He must be (hungry, happy, tired).
  2. It must be (cold, raining, windy). I see everyone is using an umbrella.
  3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be (sick, hungry, short).
  4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be (busy, hot, bored).
  5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be (dumb, very smart, tall).

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.  ==> She must like the color pink.

  1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must (know, have, like) the patience of Job.
  2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must (know, write, see) all the material well enough for the test by now.
  3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must (drink, wash, eat) plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
  4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must (have, be, seem) gotten a haircut.
  5. Jack seems to know so much. He must (write, read, talk) a lot.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.  ==> You must take a lot of pictures.

  1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must (go, leave, stay) home now.
  2. All passengers must (eat, have, read) their passports ready when going through Customs.
  3. In most states, you must (have, be, am) 21 to drink alcohol.
  4. You must (close, look, sign) this form before submitting it to the office.
  5. You must (do, listen, work) your homework if you want to pass the test.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.  ==> He must not like socializing.

  1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He (must / must not) have a car.
  2. Jane has the flu. She (must / must not) feel very well.
  3. Tom works at the zoo. He (must / must not) like animals.
  4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He (must / must not) see very well.
  5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She (must / must not) be a good cook.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/04
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Exercises:  Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

  1. Walter can drive a car.
  2. We can’t come to the party.
  3. I can ice skate.
  4. Can you swim?
  5. Bill can go to the picnic.
  6. Can we go on vacation this summer?
  7. They can’t buy a house.
  8. Can you shut the window?
  9. Sally can cook dinner.
  10. Tim can’t stay up late.

Exercises:  Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

  1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He couldn’t eat another bite of food.
  2. Louis is blind. He can’t read that book.
  3. Mark is in high school, so he can attend summer camp this year.
  4. We couldn’t go swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
  5. We have finished packing, so we can leave on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
  6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he couldn’t go skiing with us.
  7. On a clear day, you can see forever.
  8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we could give Mary a ride to the train station.
  9. If you’re tired, you can take a quick nap before dinner.
  10. The weather was nice, so we could go camping at the state park last weekend.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could

Posted on 2012/04/03
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“can” is used to indicate the ability to do something. It is used with a verb in the infinitive form:

can + V (inf.) …

Examples:

I can play the piano.thinking about the next move
Shelia can ride a bike.
The twins can play chess.
We can go to the museum tomorrow.

Note: “can” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To make a question, switch the order of “can” and its subject:

Can you play the piano?
Can Jack ride a bike?
Can they play checkers?

To negate, put “not” between “can” and its verb: “can not”, which is written as one word ==> “cannot”

I cannot lift this heavy suitcase.
They cannot come because of bad weather.
Sam cannot speak Chinese.

Note: “cannot” is usually contracted to “can’t.” Thus we have:

I can’t lift this heavy suitcase.
They can’t come because of bad weather.
Sam can’t speak Chinese.

All the examples we’ve given thus far use “can” or “can’t” in the present or future tense. To speak of ability in the past tense, we use “could” (“could not” or “couldn’t” for the negation):

The neighbors were noisy, so I couldn’t sleep at all last night.
James could eat a whole pizza when he was a teenager.
They could stay up all night when they were in college.

Other Notes:

1) Sometimes “can” / “can’t” is used for permission rather than ability:

You can’t use your cell phone in the library.
Tom can’t go visit Becky. He has to whitewash the fence.
Can I have a drink of water?

2) In asking permission, “could” is a more polite form to use than “can”:

Can I have a drink of water? ==> Could I have a drink of water?
Can my friend sit here? ==> Could my friend sit here?
Can you open the window? ==> Could you open the window?

 

Exercises:  Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

  1. Walter / drive / a car
  2. We / come / to the party / not
  3. I / ice skate
  4. You / swim / ?
  5. Bill / go / to the picnic
  6. We / go on vacation / this summer / ?
  7. They / buy a house / not
  8. You / shut / the window / ?
  9. Sally / cook / dinner
  10. Tim / stay up / late / not

Exercises:  Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

  1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He (eat, not) another bite of food.
  2. Louis is blind. He (read, not) that book.
  3. Mark is in high school, so he (attend) summer camp this year.
  4. We (go, not) swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
  5. We have finished packing, so we (leave) on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
  6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he (go, not) skiing with us.
  7. On a clear day, you (see) forever.
  8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we (give) Mary a ride to the train station.
  9. If you’re tired, you (take) a quick nap before dinner.
  10. The weather was nice, so we (go) camping at the state park last weekend.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/03/30
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Exercises:  Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.
Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

  1. What are you going to eat for lunch? ==> I’m not sure. I might have soup or salad.
  2. Is Mary coming to the party? ==> I don’t know. She might have to work.
  3. When are you going to go to the library? ==> I don’t know. I might go after class.
  4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? ==> I’m not sure. They might have named him James.
  5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? ==> I’m not sure. It might rain.
  6. Where is Mark going to college? ==> I don’t know. He might be going to the University of Illinois.
  7. Does Sally have any pets? ==> I’m not sure. She might have a cat.
  8. What color is Jill’s car? ==> I don’t know. It might be blue.
  9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? ==> I’m not sure. They might have to read 15 books.
  10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? ==> I don’t know. I might like to go to Switzerland.
  11. How old is John’s son? ==> I don’t know. He might be six.
  12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? ==> I’m not sure. They might have moved to Colorado.
  13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? ==> I’m not sure. It might be butter.
  14. Where does Jim work? ==> I don’t know. He might be a salesman for a manufacturing company.
  15. How fast can Tina type? ==> I’m not sure. She might type as fast as 80 words per minute.
  16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? ==> I’m not sure. They might go to Hawaii.
  17. Who is the greatest basketball player? ==> I don’t know. It might be Michael Jordan.
  18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? ==> I’m not sure. I might get her a box of chocolates.
  19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? ==> I don’t know. It might be Christopher.
  20. Who’s calling on the phone? ==> I’m not sure. It might be the doctor’s office.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may

Posted on 2012/03/29
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“might” is used to indicate possibility. We use it when we are not certain if something will happen.

Pattern:

might + V (infinitive) …

Example:looking for something to do

I might cook spaghetti tomorrow night.
Be careful! You might slip and fall on the ice.
He might get a job working at the gas station.
We might see a movie next weekend.
They might close the store early.

Note: “might” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To form the negation, put “not” between “might” and its infinitive verb.

Negation:

might not + V (infinitive) …

Example:

I might not get to the appointment on time.
You might not make the team if you don’t practice.
Who knows, it might not rain tomorrow anyhow.
We might not see him again for a long time.
They might not be able to afford it.

“might” is often used with “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure”:

A: What are you going to eat?
B: I’m not sure. I might try the salmon.

A: Have you decided where you’ll go for your honeymoon?
B: We don’t know. We might go to the Bahamas.

A: Do you know if Tom is coming?
B: I don’t know. I suspect he might not make it.

Recall:

“am going to” indicates certainty – something will happen.
“might” indicates uncertainty – we do not know if something will happen.

Tom is going to stop by later. (He will certainly come.)
Tom might stop by later. (Maybe he will come, or maybe he won’t. We don’t know.)

I am going to take a nap after lunch. (I am so tired, I will certainly rest.)
I might take a nap after lunch. (I don’t know. I have a lot of work to do, so maybe I will do that instead.)

When we are talking about uncertainty, we can use “may” instead of “might”:

Tom may stop by later = Tom might stop by later.

Exercises:  Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.

Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

  1. What are you going to eat for lunch? (soup or salad)
  2. Is Mary coming to the party? (have to work)
  3. When are you going to go to the library? (after class)
  4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? (James)
  5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? (rain)
  6. Where is Mark going to college? (University of Illinois)
  7. Does Sally have any pets? (cat)
  8. What color is Jill’s car? (blue)
  9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? (15)
  10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? (Switzerland)
  11. How old is John’s son? (six)
  12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? (Colorado)
  13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? (butter)
  14. Where does Jim work? (salesman for a manufacturing company)
  15. How fast can Tina type? (as fast as 80 words per minute)
  16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? (Hawaii)
  17. Who is the greatest basketball player? (Michael Jordan)
  18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? (box of chocolates)
  19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? (Christopher)
  20. Who’s calling on the phone? (doctor’s office)

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