English Grammar: Modal Verbs, Relative Clauses, Prefixes

Posted on Jan 12, 2025 in English

Modal Verbs and Their Uses

Deduction

  • Must: Expresses certainty (surely yes).
  • May/Might/Could: Expresses possibility (not known for sure).
  • Can’t: Expresses negative certainty (surely not).

Obligation

  • Must: Expresses moral duty or self-imposed obligation.
  • Have to: Expresses external obligation (e.g., a law).
  • Don’t have to/Needn’t: Expresses lack of obligation.
  • Mustn’t: Expresses prohibition.
  • Should/Ought to/Had better: Expresses advice (“you should…”).

Modal + Past Infinitive

  1. You shouldn’t have cooked a hazelnut cake.
  2. I needn’t have taken my umbrella.
  3. Luis shouldn’t have shouted at the referee.
  4. Liz may/might/could have left her kit at home.
  5. He can’t have passed the exam.
  6. I shouldn’t have cheated in the race.
  7. You needn’t have run because the bus is still here.
  8. I should have trained more.
  9. Joanna may/might/could have missed the last bus.
  10. You must have dropped your wallet at the bus stop.
  11. Dianne can’t have taken your books.
  12. David may not/might not/couldn’t have noticed you.
  13. Terry needn’t have arrived early.
  14. We shouldn’t have been rude to the policeman.
  15. You may/might/could have hurt yourself.
  16. You should have told me.
  17. Tim may/might/could have lost his way.
  18. The class must have enjoyed it.
  19. You should have come to the party.
  20. He may/might/could have gotten stuck in a traffic jam.

Relative Clauses

  1. The party for which I voted lost the election.
  2. That’s the singer about whom I was telling you at luncheon.
  3. I was offered the job for which I had applied.
  4. Sarah’s going on a date with a guy with whom Ellie used to go out.
  5. We went to the café about which Liam had told me.
  6. Those are the kids of whom I have taken care while their parents were abroad.
  7. The film about which I have read good reviews.
  8. Lara helped me with some homework for which I got top marks.
  9. That’s the guy with whom Jason had a big argument last night.
  10. This is the latest film in which he starred.
  11. This is the case into which the police are looking right now.
  12. The employers for whom she works are private detectives.
  13. This is the novel on which the film is based.
  14. That’s the boy with whom I fell out because of his political conservatism.
  15. That’s the bus for which we have been waiting for two hours.
  16. That boy with whom she fell in love is a real dumbass.
  17. That’s the project in which hundreds of students took part.
  18. The girl next to whom I sat was flirting with me.
  19. Sarah, whose sister I met on a blind date, has met someone through the internet.
  20. The girl to whom he was engaged was his best friend’s sister.
  21. I was invited by a friend whose name I can’t remember.
  22. The dating agency of which he became a member is the biggest on the internet.
  23. This is the person to whom the article is dedicated.

Prefixes

Anti-war: Against war; Cooperation: Cooperation; Misprinted: Misprinted; Outplayed: Outplayed; Overworking: Overworking; Retake: Retake; Underestimated: Underestimated; Anti-learning: Anti-learning; Co-overcome: Partners to overcome; Misunderstand: Misunderstand; Misplace: Misplace; Outlive: Outlive; Outperform: Outperform; Over-charge: Overload; Overplay: Exaggerate; Rewrite: Rewrite; Under-achieve: Underachieve; Under: Under; Redo: Redo; Coexist: Coexist; Undercooked: Undercooked; Out of America: Outside of America.

Prepositions with Adjectives

Addicted, like: to; Jealous, proud: of; Excited, serious: about; Bad, good: at; Dependent, keen: on; Famous, remembered: for; Interested, involved: in; Pleased, obsessed: with.

Negative Prefixes

Unusual: Unusual; Dishonesty: Dishonesty; Irresponsible: Irresponsible; Impossible: Impossible; Incompatible: Incompatible; Illegal: Illegal; Illegible: Illegible; Impolite: Impolite; Disloyalty: Disloyalty; Disapprove: Disapprove; Immature: Immature.

Extreme Adjectives

Devastated: Very upset; Gorgeous: Very attractive; Hideous: Very ugly; Delighted: Very happy; Fascinated: Very interesting; Hilarious: Very funny; Terrified: Very scared; Miserable: Very sad; Amazed: Very surprised; Brilliant: Very clever.