Fill the blanks with must or can.
1You have been working all day. You ............... tired.
Wrong!
Use "must be" when you are sure something is true from the evidence.
2You ............... such a thing ever again.
Wrong!
Use "mustn't say" to express strong prohibition in the present or future.
3She has been doing the same job for several years. She ............... bored.
Wrong!
Use "must be" when the situation makes the conclusion very likely.
4I can't find my key. I ............... lost it.
Wrong!
Use "must have" plus a past participle when you are sure something happened in the past.
5It ............... be John. He is in Edinburgh.
Wrong!
Use "can't" when you are sure something is not true.
6Who ............... it be?
Wrong!
Use "can" in questions when you are wondering about a possibility.
7Nobody is answering the doorbell. They ............... out.
Wrong!
Use "must have gone" when present evidence makes a past action very likely.
8The doorbell is ringing. That ............... John.
Wrong!
Use "must be" when you make a confident deduction from the situation.
9Where ............... he have gone?
Wrong!
Use "can" in questions about an unknown possibility.
10I can't find one of my socks. I ............... it somewhere.
Wrong!
Use "must have dropped" when you are sure a past action explains the present situation.
11She hasn't written back. She ............... received your letter.
Wrong!
Use "can't have" plus a past participle when you are sure something did not happen.
12I haven't seen him for ages. He ............... away.
Wrong!
Use "must have gone" when the evidence makes a past event very likely.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- You have been working all day. You must be tired.
- You mustn’t say such a thing ever again.
- She has been doing the same job for several years. She must be bored.
- I can’t find my key. I must have lost it.
- It can’t be John. He is in Edinburgh.
- Who can it be?
- Nobody is answering the doorbell. They must have gone out.
- The doorbell is ringing. That must be John.
- Where can he have gone?
- I can’t find one of my socks. I must have dropped it somewhere.
- She hasn’t written back. She can’t have received your letter.
- I haven’t seen him for ages. He must have gone away.