Exercise 11B, page 1 - English File Studetn's book, pre-intermediate, Oxford

1 GRAMMAR might

a Interview your partner with the questionnaire. Ask for more information. Which of you is more indecisive?

Are you indecisive?

Well, I might need it...

Why are you packing that?

Do you have problems deciding...?

• what to pack when you're going away

• what to buy when you go shopping

• what to wear in the morning

• what to order in a restaurant

• where to go on holiday

Do you often change your mind about things? What kind of things?

Do you think you are indecisive?

Yes No I'm not sure

b 11.8 Nancy and Brian are going on holiday. Nancy is packing. Listen to their conversation. What four things does Brian think Nancy doesn't need to take?

1 ________ 2 ________ 3 ________ 4 ________

c Listen again. Complete Nancy's reasons for taking the things.

1 I might ________

2 It might ________

3 The hotel might not ________

4 They're ________

d 11.9 Listen to them at the airport. What happens?

e Look at sentences 1-3 in c. Do we use might for...?

1 an obligation OR 2 a possibility

f G p.146 Grammar Bank 11B

11B might / might not (possibility)

We might have a picnic tomorrow, but it depends on the weather.

Karen might come with us tomorrow, but she's not sure yet.

I might not take my laptop on holiday. I haven't decided yet.

We might not see the boss today. I think she's away.

11.10

• We use might / might not + verb (infinitive without to) to say that perhaps somebody will or won't do something.

• We might have a picnic tomorrow. = Perhaps we will have a picnic tomorrow.

• might / might not is the same for all persons.

• might not is not usually contracted.

may / may not

We can also use may instead of might for possibility, e.g.

We may have a picnic tomorrow.

I may not take my laptop on holiday.

11B

a Match the sentences.

b Complete the sentences with might + a verb phrase from the list.

be cold be ill be in a meeting go to the cinema not have time not like it have the pasta

I'm not sure what to do tonight.

I might go to the cinema.

1 Kim isn't at school today. She ________

2 His phone is turned off. He ________

3 It's an unusual book. You ________

4 I don't know if I'll finish this today. ________

5 I'm not sure what to order. I ________

6 Take a warm jacket. It ________ later.

g In pairs, take turns to ask and answer the questions below. Use I'm not sure. I might... or I might... and give two possibilities each time.

1 What are you going to do after class?

2 What are you going to have for dinner tonight?

3 What are you going to do on Saturday night?

4 Where are you going to have lunch on Sunday?

5 Where are you going to go for your next holiday?

What are you going to do after class?

(I'm not sure. I might go home or I might...

11.8

Brian: Have you finished packing? The taxi will be here in 15 minutes.

Nancy: Er, nearly. I can't decide what to take.

Brian: Well hurry up. You don't need all that! You'll never close that suitcase. And we can only take 15 kilos each.

Nancy: Yes, I know.

Brian: You don't need your trainers. We're going to be on the beach most of the time!

Nancy: Yes, but I might go to the gym. There's one in the hotel.

Brian: And why are you taking a raincoat? It's not going to rain in Greece in June.

Nancy: It might rain. It sometimes rains in the summer.

Brian: What's that?

Nancy: It's my hairdryer.

Brian: But the hotel will have a hairdryer.

Nancy: It might not have one. Hotels don't always have hairdryers. And I need it.

Brian: And two pairs of jeans? We're only going to be there for a week.

Nancy: They're different styles. I'm not sure which ones I'll want to wear.

Brian: You need to take some things out. Extra baggage costs a fortune. It's something like 10 pounds per kilo.

Nancy: Yes, yes, I will, I promise.

Brian: Well, hurry up. The traffic might be a bit slow because of the rain.

Nancy: I'll be ready in five minutes...

Brian: The taxi's here.

Nancy: I've closed my case. Can you take it downstairs?

Brian: I'm sure this is more than 15 kilos.

Nancy: I think it'll be OK...

11.9

Baggage Drop: Can you put your case on the scales, please?

Brian: Shall I help you?

Nancy: No, I'm fine.

Baggage Drop: That's 17.5 kilos. You can only take 15.

Brian: I knew it. I told you it was too heavy.

Baggage Drop: You need to go to the window over there and pay for the extra two and a half kilos. That'll be £25.

Nancy: £25? No, wait. Brian, I can put some things in your case. Yours was only ten kilos. Look, take this pair of jeans... and the hairdryer... and these books... and the raincoat...

11.10

We might have a picnic tomorrow, but it depends on the weather.

Karen might come with us tomorrow, but she's not sure yet.

I might not take my laptop on holiday. I haven't decided yet.

We might not see the boss today. I think she's away.