Key Word Transformations with Modals of Speculation/Deduction

We’ve been studying modals of speculation and deduction in class today. They are very often included in FCE Part 4 (Key Word Transformations). I couldn’t find any examples of this exercise which only tested these modals, so I made my own. If you have a link to a similar exercise, please let me know. Also, please feel free to add your own sentences. I wrote these ones quickly during a break, so was a bit short on inspiration! (I added a few after class using sentences my students gave me as a jumping-off point)

1.
I’m sure he’s not Michael Jackson. He died a few years ago!

BE

He _______________________ because he died a few years ago.

2.
It’s possible that in the sales cameras will be cheap enough for me to afford one.

ABLE

I __________________________ a camera in the sales if they are cheap enough.

3.
I think Sarah isn’t very ill, because I saw her shopping this morning.

BE

Sarah ____________________ because I saw her shopping this morning.

4.
Perhaps Filip is from the Czech Republic – he speaks Czech very well.

COULD

Filip ________________________ the Czech Republic because his Czech is very good.

5.
He is so rich that I am sure he is always happy.

MUST

He is so rich that ________________ happy.

6.
He looks so pale that I’m sure he has seen a ghost.

MUST

He _________________ ghost because now he looks very pale.

7.
I think Alice worked at a hotel last summer, but I’m not sure.

MIGHT

Alice ________________ at a hotel last summer.

8.
Jana speaks excellent Finnish so I’m sure she’s lived in Finland at some point.

HAVE

Jana ______________________ Finland at some point because she speaks excellent Finnish.

9.
Adam is so loud now that I’m sure he wasn’t a quiet child!

BEEN

Adam ____________________ a quiet child because he’s so loud now.

10.
She is so scared of dogs, that maybe a dog bit her when she was little.

BITTEN

She is so scared of dogs that she _____________________ a dog when she was little.

11.
I know he wasn’t in London on Saturday because I saw him in Newcastle.

HAVE

He _______________________ in London on Saturday because I saw him in Newcastle.

12.
She was so happy on Monday morning that I’m sure she had a good weekend.

HAD

She was so happy on Monday morning that _______________________ a good weekend.

13.
I think Will’s tired because he didn’t sleep much yesterday.

COULD

Will ______________________ because he didn’t sleep much yesterday.

14.
She was probably in a hurry because she forgot to buy a birthday present for her friend,

MIGHT

She forgot to buy a birthday present for her friend and that ___________________ she was in a hurry.

Answers

1. can’t be Michael Jackson
2. might/may be able to buy
3. can’t be very ill
4. could be from
5. he must always be
6. must have seen a
7. might/may have worked
8. must have lived in
9. can’t have been
10. must have been bitten by
11. can’t have been
12. she must have had
13. could be tired
14. might/may have been why

Please feel free to correct my answers if you notice a mistake too!

Enjoy!