Example

JACK: Yolanda, I know you have to work until 6:00. Is dinner going to be late?

YOLANDA: It might be. We might not eat until 8:00. But why don't you come over around 7:30?

• AСTIVITY 6G

o Talk about possible reasons for the following situations in class. Use may or might + base form.

1. Arnold never dances at parties. Why not?

a. He might not like to dance.

b.______________________________________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________________________________

2. Jack is planning to spend the whole day in bed. Why?

a.______________________________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________________________________

3. Jack is upset because Molly is away in Vermont. What do you think he's going to (lo to welcome her back home?

a.______________________________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________________________________

4. The rivers and oceans of the world are becoming polluted. Make predictions about what might happen to marine life and to people who depend on fish for food.

a.______________________________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________________________________

o Read the following paragraph. Notice that we don't use may or might in every sentence. We vary the style with maybe or perhaps and will.

Jack is planning to take a long trip this summer. He isn't sure where to go. He might take a trip around the United States. If he does, perhaps he will visit some of the beautiful national parks in the country. He might choose to travel by bicycle through the countryside of France. Maybe he will stay in youth hostels if he goes to France. Jack might choose to visit the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. If he goes to Mexico, he will probably want to read some books about the Mayan Indians before he goes. He may also want to study some Spanish.

Choose one of the following topics and write a paragraph similar in form to the one that you have just read.

1. Write about some ideas you have about your own future.

2. Write about some world conflict and tell what you think might happen in the future.

3. Write about some problems in the United States or in your country and state how these problems might affect the future.

MUST

We use must to express what we think is a logical assumption or a deduction that is based on evidence that we have. It means that we have only one possibility in mind. We use must when we mean. «I'm almost sure.» We use may or might when we mean. «I'm not sure, but it's possible.» When we use must to make a deduction, we are usually talking about the present. Deductions with must about the future are not very common. To make a deduction about the future, we usually use probably and the future tense. Remember that must also has the meaning of obligation or necessity. (See Chapter 6 (II)).

Examples

(JACK is at YOLANDA'S apartment now with ARNOLD.)

JACK: Look at all those games. You must really enjoy games, Yolanda.

ARNOLD: She does. And she enjoys winning too.

JACK: You must be a really good player then.

YOLANDA: I am.

NOTE: We don't often use must to form a question. When we use must in short answers, the rules are the same as for may and might.

• ACTIVITY 6H

o Read the following short dialogue and make logical deductions based on the information given. Use must.

1. ARNOLD: I stayed up playing at the nightclub until 3:00 A.M. last night, and I had to get up at 7:00 this morning.

YOLANDA: You must be very tired.

2. YOLANDA: I just tried to phone Jack. There was no answer.

ARNOLD: He _____________at home. (negative)

3.JACK: Who was the actress who played the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind? I can't remember her name.

YOLANDA: I can't remember either. Let's ask Arnold. He's an expert on old movies. He__________ the answer.

4. (ARNOLD is looking out the window. It is winter.)

YOLANDA: I wonder what the temperature is outside.

ARNOLD: It really cold. The wind is blowing, and everybody is wearing a heavy coat.

o Here is some information about strange beings from an imaginary planet. Make deductions with must based on the information.

1.These strange beings have no ears, but they have long antennae that twitch when here is a noise.

_______________________________________________________________________

2.They have eyes in the front, sides, and back of their heads.

_______________________________________________________________________

3. They never wear clothes.

_______________________________________________________________________

4. They can speak hundreds of different languages, they have a highly developed technology, and their doctors have found a cure for every disease.

_________________________________________________________________________

5.There are no cemeteries on this planet.

______________________________________________________________________

6.These beings never carry weapons, and no one ever fights.

______________________________________________________________________

• ACTIVITY 6I

Fill in each blank with may/might or must and the base form of any verb that you think is logical to complete the sentence. Use must if you have good reason to be almost sure of your deduction. Use may/might if you are thinking of only one of several possibilities.

1.JACK: Do you remember that friend of Arnold 's that we met a few weeks ago at the nightclub?

MOLLY: Do you mean Juan?

JACK: Yes. What country does he come from? Do you remember?

MOLLY: I know he speaks Spanish. He might come from Spain, or he might come from a country in South America.

JACK: Oh, wait a minute! I remember he told me that his parents live in Madrid.

MOLLY: Oh, he must come from Spain then.

2. ARNOLD: Molly, do you know where Yolanda is? I called her apartment, and there was no answer.

MOLLY: I don't know. She _________at the office.

ARNOLD: Oh, yeah, now I remember. She has to work late tonight. She at the _________office.

3. ARNOLD: I don't feel well.

YOLANDA: What's wrong?

ARNOLD: I'm not sure. I_______ a simple cold, or I_________ the flu.

YOLANDA: Let me feel your forehead. Hey, you're burning up.

ARNOLD: I ________ a fever.

4. ARNOLD: Look at that beautiful Rolls-Royce over there. I'd like to have a car like that, but I'll never be able to afford one.

JACK: The owner of that car _______ a lot of money.

5. (YOLANDA and ARNOLD are sitting in the park. They are watching a mother with four young children.)

YOLANDA: Look at that poor woman. I don't envy her. She looks so tired.

ARNOLD: She_______ a lot of patience to raise four children.

6. ARNOLD: What are your plans for the weekend?

JACK: I'm not sure yet. I _______ some museums on Saturday, or I ________ home and study. What about you?

ARNOLD: I don't know either. Yolanda and I _________ a movie tomorrow.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS OF MAY, MIGHT, AND MUST

Example s

(JACK, ARNOLD, and YOLANDA are playing Monopoly.)

ARNOLD: What's the matter with you, Jack? You're losing very badly. You must not be concentrating.

JACK: No, I can't keep my mind on the game.

YOLANDA: You must be thinking of Molly.

JACK: I am. I keep wondering what she's doing now. Just think! She may be sitting in front of a beautiful fire. Or she might be dancing in the arms of one of those ski instructors.

YOLANDA: Oh, come on, Jack. Stop worrying. She's probably asleep now. It's late.

When we answer a question that is in the present continuous tense with a short answer using may/might or must, we use this form.