Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one. Some sentences have two correct answers. Choose both.
Given the scorch marks around the socket, the fire ............... started with an electrical fault rather than a candle.
Wrong!
Use a strong deduction based on clear evidence, not a weak possibility.
He keeps checking his phone and smiling to himself, so he ............... heard some good news.
Wrong!
The context suggests a likely inference, so use a modal of probability, not certainty.
If the meeting ended at six and she lives two hours away, she ............... be home by now.
Wrong!
Use negative deduction to show something is impossible given the timeline.
The lights are off and the curtains are drawn, so they ............... be asleep.
Wrong!
This is a reasonable guess, so use a modal of possibility rather than certainty.
He ............... be serious, because he just offered to pay in Monopoly money.
Wrong!
Use 'can't' for disbelief about the present, not 'must' or 'may'.
She ............... have taken the earlier train, because her ticket is stamped 07.12.
Wrong!
The stamp is strong evidence, so use a confident past deduction.
If the server logs are accurate, the breach ............... have come from inside the company.
Wrong!
Use 'can't have' to rule out a past possibility when evidence excludes it.
Judging by the silence in the room, his joke ............... landed the way he expected.
Wrong!
Use 'can't have' to infer a negative result in the past from present evidence.
With that level of detail in her story, she ............... making it up on the spot.
Wrong!
Use a strong negative deduction about the present, not a weak possibility.
He left without his coat in midwinter, so he ............... been in a rush.
Wrong!
Only one option should fit: use a strong past deduction from clear evidence.
If she really wanted to avoid attention, she ............... have worn such a bright red suit.
Wrong!
Use 'wouldn't have' for a past hypothetical inconsistency, not 'couldn't have' or 'mustn't have'.
The report is unsigned and the formatting is inconsistent, so it ............... be a draft.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both 'could' and 'might' express plausible speculation, but 'must' is too certain here.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- Given the scorch marks around the socket, the fire must have started with an electrical fault rather than a candle.
- He keeps checking his phone and smiling to himself, so he may have heard some good news.
- If the meeting ended at six and she lives two hours away, she can't be home by now.
- The lights are off and the curtains are drawn, so they could be asleep.
- He can't be serious, because he just offered to pay in Monopoly money.
- She must have have taken the earlier train, because her ticket is stamped 07.12.
- If the server logs are accurate, the breach can't have have come from inside the company.
- Judging by the silence in the room, his joke can't have landed the way he expected.
- With that level of detail in her story, she can't be making it up on the spot.
- He left without his coat in midwinter, so he must have been in a rush.
- If she really wanted to avoid attention, she wouldn't have have worn such a bright red suit.
- The report is unsigned and the formatting is inconsistent, so it might be a draft.
The report is unsigned and the formatting is inconsistent, so it could be a draft.
