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Unit 28. Must and can't
(использование оборотов must и can't)

Study this example:
 
We use must to say that we feel sure something is true:

• You've been travelling all day. You must be tired.
  (Travelling is tiring and you've been travelling all day, so you must be tired.)
• 'Jim is a hard worker.'   'Jim? A hard worker? You must be joking. He's very lazy.'
• Carol must get very bored in her job. She does the same thing every day.

We use can't to say that we feel sure something is not possible:

• You've just had lunch. You can't be hungry already.
  (People are not normally hungry just after eating a meal. You've just eaten, so you can't be hungry.)
• Brian said he would definitely be here before 9.30. It's 10 o'clock now and he's never late. He can't be coming.
• They haven't lived here for very long. They can't know many people.

Study the structure:
 

I/ you/ he (etc.)

must can't

be (tired / hungry / at work etc.) be (doing / coming /joking etc.) do / go / know / have etc.

For the past we use must have (done) and can't have (done). Study this example:
 

George is outside his friends' house. He has rung the doorbell three times but nobody has answered.   They must have gone out. (otherwise they would have answered)

• The phone rang but I didn't hear it. I must have been asleep.
• I've lost one of my gloves. I must have dropped it somewhere.
• Jane walked past me without speaking. She can't have seen me.
• Tom walked straight into a wall. He can't have been looking where he was going.

Study the structure:
 

I/ you/ he (etc.)

must can't

have

been (asleep / at work etc.) been (doing / working etc.) done / gone / known / had etc.

Couldn't have… is possible instead of can't have…:

• She couldn't have seen me.
• Tom couldn't have been looking where he was going.

See Unit 26. Can't ('I can't swim' etc.)
(использование оборотов can, could, (be) able to).
See Unit 31. Must ('I must go' etc.)
(использование оборотов must и have to).
See Unit 32. Must ('I must go' etc.)
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