ADVICE FROM A TRAVELLER

WORDS TO REMEMBER


digit = (n.) any of the numbers from 0 to 9 when forming a part of a number
PIN = (abbreviation) personal identification number
rental = (n.) the action of renting something
funicular = (n.) a cable railroad on a mountainside

EXAMPLE

may, need to, don't have to, have to, can, should, must, shouldn't, might, ought to, may, must, could, would, can, 'd, can

GRAMMAR LOG

Modal verbs

Modal verbs give an extra shade of meaning to other verbs. The meaning of a sentence can alter completely if you change the modal verb.

I must study every day.
I don't have to study every day.
I should study every day.

Negative and question forms normally don’t use auxiliary verbs, except with ‘have to’ and in some cases ‘need to.’

You mustn’t use your mobile phone.
She couldn’t read well when she was eight.
Luke doesn’t have to work on Sundays.
We didn’t have to rent a car.
You don’t need to talk so much.
You needn’t talk so much.

Remember, in the 3rd person singular the main verb never adds -s or -ed after a modal verb.

She must works really hard.
She must work really hard.

Modal verbs are used to express these functions:

AUDIO SCRIPT

S: Hi there.
P & B: Hi.
S: I saw you on bikes in front of the hostel. I assume they’re rented from "the bicikeljbicycle system" because they’ve got numbers and a logo on them. Someone said I need to get an Urbana city card before I rent such a bike, but I don’t know where to get it.
P: You don’t have to buy Urbana city card to rent this bike, but you have to have a credit card. You register yourself as a user and you’ll get an e-mail with a four-digit PIN code, which you use whenever you make a rental. It only costs 1 euro a week and there are more than 30 stations available around the city where you can hire or return a bike.
S: Really? That’s awesome. Have you two been here long? What do you recommend to see in Ljubljana?
B: We’ve been here for four days. You should visit the old city centre, walk through Tivoli park, go to Rožnik, take a boat down the Ljubljanica River. . .
P:. . . and you must climb up the castle tower - the view from there is breathtaking!
S: Er, I’m afraid I won’t do that ‘cause I’m afraid of heights.
P: Oh in that case you shouldn't take the funicular to reach the Castle Hill. But there are some nice footpaths leading to the top. We followed the one starting near the street market and it took us less than 15 min. to get to the Castle.
S: I might do that tomorrow. . . first, visit the old part and then walk to the top of the castle hill.
B: It’s a pity the weather is so changeable. You ought to take an umbrella with you because they say it may rain again tomorrow morning, but I hope it’s going to be dry in the afternoon.
S: What are you going to do if it’s raining?
B: We must buy some souvenirs for our friends back home. There is a nice shop selling handcrafted products typical of Slovenia near the start of the foot path leading to the Castle Hill. If you want, we could go there together and then we all head our own way.
S: Yeah, great!
P: Sorry to interrupt you guys but I’m starving. Would you like to join us for dinner? We're going to make spaghetti down in the kitchen, and we can say some more while preparing it.
S: I’d love to if you let me do the cooking. I can make finger licking good bolognese sauce.
P: It’s a deal!