We use may /might as well (+infinitive without to) to say that we should do something because there is no strong reason not to do it and because there is nothing better to do. This construction expresses very unem-phatic advice.
'Shall we get a taxi or wait for the bus?' 'We
might as well wait for the bus. We're not in a
hurry, are we?'
'Why don't we go out for a walk?' 'We may as
well, I suppose. We haven't got anything else to
do.'
'I'll go on Monday by a slow train.' 'You might
just as well wait till Tuesday and go by the fast
one.'
'Shall we have dinner now?' 'We might as well.'
Activities
/. Express reproach.
Example You do not remember your child's birthday.
You might remember your child's birthday. Example You did not switch off the lights before leaving.
You might have switched off the lights before
leaving.
1. You do not wear your new suit to the office.
2. You did not sew the buttons on, Alice.
3. You did not even notice how well she played. You do not pay enough attention to your child.
4. Do come and help me choose the present.
5. You did not try hard enough.
6. Please help me with my homework.
7. He didn't meet her at the airport.
8. You didn't tell me at once what was wrong.
9. Please stay with us a little longer.
10. He didn't pay the bill.
11. I can't understand why he didn't offer us a lift.
12. Why didn't you ask me first?
13. You never let me know when something like this happens.
14. You didn't get up earlier and help me to clean after the party.
15. Why don't you write to her?
16. Why didn't you invite him?
17. Why didn't she write?
18. I was a bit upset that they didn't lend a hand.
//. Julie was going to attend an interview for a job. She borrowed her mother's car, but she had a puncture, and was two hours late for the interview. Later her mother was rather annoyed.
She thought Julie could have: but Julie said:
| — got a lift — phoned a garage — walked to the next village — changed the wheel herself | — she didn't hav? any tools — nobody stopped - — it was too far — there was no phone nearby | ||
| Surely you could have..., couldn't you? Couldn't you have...? | No, I couldn't because...! I could have, but...! | ||
Use all four constructions, and the items above, to complete the dialogue:
1. Couldn't you have a got lift? — I could have but nobody stopped.
2. Surely_________________________________________
3. Couldn't_______________________________________
4. Surely_________________________________________
III. Make sentences from the table to go with these ideas.
Example: You may as well switch off the TV. Nobody is watching it.
1____. It's not very far.
2___. I'm too ill to go on holiday.
3___. It isn't going to stop raining.
4___. No one wants any more to eat.
5___. There's a chance I'll get it.
| You may as well switch off We might as well stay We may as well walk I might as well apply You might as well cancel I might as well clear | to the station, the table, the hotel bookings, the TV. at home today, for the job. |
IV. Give unemphatic advice.
Example I'd prefer to buy an orange pullover, but they've
only got red ones.
Then you might as well buy a red one. Example: Mary doesn't want to marry John, but Julie does.
Then he might as well marry Julie.
1. I'd prefer to buy an orange pullover, but they've only got red ones.
2. Mary doesn't want to marry John, but Julie does.
3.1 prefer the expensive flat to the cheap one, but someone's taken the expensive one.
4. She likes the short skirt better than the long one, but the short one is too dirty to wear.
5. They wanted to leave on Saturday, but the planes are full until Sunday.
6. I prefer planes to trains, but I can't afford to take a plane.
7. Mary won't go to the dance with John, but Julie will.
8. The television has finished now, and it's just about our bedtime.
V. Insert the correct form of may/might except in 9 and 33, where a be allowed form is necessary.
1. It... rain, you'd better take a coat. 2. He said that it... rain.
2. We... as well stay here till the weather improves. 4.... I borrow your umbrella? 5. You... tell me! (/ think I have a right to know.) 6. Candidates... not bring textbooks into the examination room. 7. If he knew our address he... come and see us. 8.... I come in? — Please do. 9. When he was a child he... (they let him) do exactly as he liked. 10. I think I left my glasses in your office. You... ask your secretary to look for them for me. (request) 11. He... be my brother (7 admit that he is) but I don't trust him. 12. I... never see you again. 13. He... be on the next train. We... as well wait. 14. If we got there early we... get a good seat. 15. The police... (have a right to) ask a driver to take a breath test. 16. You ought to buy now; prices... go up. 17. I'll wait a week so that he... have time to think it over. 18. He isn't going to eat it; I... as well give it to the dog. 19. You... at least read the letter. (/ think you should.) 20. You... have written. (/ am annoyed/disappointed that you didn't.) 21. We'd better be early; there... be a crowd. 22. Nobody knows how people first came to these islands. They... have sailed from South America on rafts. 23. You... (have permission to) use my office. 24. He said that we... use his office whenever we liked. 25. I don't think I'll succeed but I... as well try. 26. You ought to go to his lectures, you... learn something. 27. If we can give him a blood transfusion we... be able to save his life. 28. Two parallel white lines in the middle of the road mean that you... not overtake. 29. If I bought a lottery ticket I... win $ 5.000. 30. If you said that, he... be very offended. 30. I wonder why they didn't go. — The weather... have been too bad. 32.... I see your passport, please. 33. He... (negative) drive since his accident. (They haven't let him drive.)
VI. Translate from Russian into English.
1. Ты бы мог подарить что-нибудь сестре. Почему ты не сделал этого? Она обиделась. 2. Вы могли бы приходить вовремя. Почему вы всегда опаздываете? 3. Право, Ник, ты мог бы помочь мне нести этот тяжелый чемодан. 4. Наконец-то ты пришла! Ты могла бы прийти пораньше, ты ведь знала, что я больна. 5. Ты могла бы вернуться рань-
ше и провести вечер с ребенком. 6. Ты был не так уж сильно занят. Ты мог бы нам помочь. 7. Он мог бы сделать это для вас. Ему это совсем не трудно. 8. Вы могли бы быть с ней повежливее. 9. Вы могли бы предупредить меня, что собрание отложено. Почему вы не сделали этого? 10. Он мог бы хоть что-нибудь сказать, чтобы поддержать меня. 11. Она беспокоилась. Вы могли бы ей позвонить. 12. Вы могли бы подождать меня пять минут. Я опоздал не по своей вине. 13. Я, пожалуй, пойду. 14. Я, пожалуй, лучше останусь дома. 15. Лекарство совершенно не помогло мне. Я с тем же успехом мог бы пить воду вместо него. 16. Я, пожалуй, подожду еще немного. 17. Я, пожалуй, пошлю ему телеграмму. 18. Я не получил от поездки за город никакого удовольствия. Я с тем же успехом мог бы остаться в городе.
VII. Study and practise.
1. 'The play may begin at any moment,' I said.
'It may have begun already,' Susan answered. I hurried to the ticket-office. 'May I have two tickets please?' I asked.
'I'm sorry, we've sold out,' the girl said. 'What a pity!' Susan exclaimed. Just then, a man hurried to the ticket-office. 'Can I return these two tickets?' he asked. 'Certainly,' the girl said. I went back to the ticket-office at once. 'Could I have those two tickets please?' I asked. 'Certainly,' the girl said, 'but they are for next Wednesday's performance. Do you still want them?' 'I might as well have them,' I said sadly.
2. Mrs Smith: Have another cup of tea before you go, Mrs
Jones. Mrs Jones: I should be off really. I want to catch the ten
o'clock bus into town and it's nearly quarter
to already. Mrs Smith: You may as well have another cup and catch
the 10.30. You'd have to run to catch the 10 o'clock now and you might miss it even then.
Mrs Jones: All right, then, thank you. And can I have another of those chocolate biscuits?
Mrs Smith: Of course you can. Here you are...
Mrs Jones: Did you read about that awful business at the new comprehensive school last week?
Mrs Smith: Yes, I did. A boy assaulted a teacher with a knife. Whatever next?
Mrs Jones: He ought to be given a good beating. They're too soft on children these days. The children can do what they like, and the teachers can't do anything to punish them... May I have another biscuit?
Mrs Smith: Of course — help yourself. I don't know why they abolished corporal punishment. Things like that didn't happen when we were at school because the teachers kept these hooligans under control by using a cane.
Mrs Jones: That's true... Ah, well, I must go now... Oh dear! Is your clock right? It can't be twenty past ten already.
Mrs Smith: I'm afraid it is. You've missed the 10.30 too now. You may as well stay here for a chat and go into town after lunch.
Mrs Jones: Yes, I might as well. But Mrs Brown is expecting me. I really ought to ring her and tell her that I won't be turning up. Could I use your phone?
Mrs Smith: Certainly.
A. Using the verb given with 'be' or 'as well', rephrase each sentence.
Example. It is possible that society is responsible for this, (might) Society might be responsible for this.
1. I'm sure she isn't his wife. She's too young and pretty, (can't)
2. I think that this is the quickest way to get there, (might)
3. I don't really need a big chicken, but they haven't got a small one, so I suppose I'll have to take a big one. (might)
4. I think he's home by now. He left over an hour ago. (should)
5. I'll never pass the exam. I think I'll stop trying, (may)
6. It isn't possible that he's back. He only left 5 minutes ago. (can't)
7. I'm not sure but I think John is meeting Mary again tonight, (may)
8. It is almost certain that he'll be successful. He's very confident, (should)
3. Harry: Were you able to write that letter yesterday, Nora? Nora: Which letter do you mean? Harry: The one to the headmaster of Peter's school, saying
we want to take him away on holiday a week before
the end of term.
Nora: Oh no! I must write it tonight. Harry: You ought to have written it yesterday, you know.
We may have left it too late. Nora: But I thought you said I needn't. Besides, don't
you think you ought to write it, as Peter's father?
It might seem better coming from you. Harry: But you can write that kind of letter much better
than I can; you always could. Nora: I think you might do it instead of me — you know
I hate letter-writing. Harry: Perhaps we might write it together. Where's a
piece of paper? Nora: There may be some in this drawer. Yes, here you
are.
Harry: Now. What can we say? Nora (hesitating): Well you could say, er — you could
say Peter needs a long holiday. Harry (dubiously): That might do. Nora: Harry, you could have spoken to the headmaster
when you met him last week; then we needn't have
written this letter.
Harry: Yes, I know — and you could have written the
letter yourself yesterday when you said you were
going to. Nora: Well, anyhow, we don't seem to be making much
progress with it now. Peter: Hello, Mum and Dad! Harry: Hello, Peter. Nora: Hello, Peter. Peter: I've got some good news for you! Our headmaster
says the holidays are starting a week earlier because
the school is to be painted. Nora: What a relief, Harry! We needn't have worried
about how to write our letter.
A. Comment on the uses of the modal verbs in the conversation.
B. Find in the text appropriate phrases for the following.
1. Нам не надо было беспокоиться о том, как написать наше письмо. 2. Ты бы мог поговорить с директором, когда ты встретил его на прошлой неделе. 3. Ты написала (смогла написать) то письмо вчера, Нора? 4. Тебе следовало написать его вчера. Возможно, мы запоздали с ним. 5. Но ты можешь написать такого рода письмо гораздо лучше, чем я, ты всегда это умела. 6. Директор говорит, что каникулы начинаются на неделю раньше, так как в школе должна будет произведена покраска. 7. Ты могла бы написать письмо сама вчера. 8. Ты мог бы сказать, что Питу нужны длинные каникулы. 9. Возможно есть немного бумаги в ящике письменного стола. 10. Ты не думаешь, что тебе как отцу Пита следует написать его? 11. Возможно, мы могли бы написать его вместе. 12. Я думаю, что ты мог бы это сделать вместо меня.
C. Report the conversation.
D. Act out the conversation.
