Question 1
(Please note: The following questions are part of a cloze test. They are interrelated, meaning that the information provided in each question is connected to the others.)
“I have been looking for this office since I arrived at the station. It _____ be in the main street.
Should + bare infinitive expresses what we expect to be true according to what we have been told: It should be in the main street means 'it is supposed to be there'. The speaker has been told where the office is but still cannot find it. Not ought, because it needs to (ought to be). Not must have, because that refers to the past and needs a past participle (must have been).
Question 2
I _____ me a hotel, please.” “Certainly, sir.
The pattern is would like + object + to-infinitive: I would like you to find me a hotel. Would like is never followed by a that-clause or an -ing form when it names a specific wish. Not am wanting, because want is a stative verb and is not normally used in the continuous here.
Question 3
But you _____ so far.
Needn't have + past participle describes something that was actually done but was unnecessary. The man did walk a long way, and the walk was not needed: you needn't have walked so far. Not needn't walk, because that refers to the present or future, not to a past action. Must not have walked is a negative deduction, which makes no sense here, and were not to walk means 'were not allowed to walk'.
Question 4
If you’d turned left at the station, you _____ it straightaway.
This is a third conditional about an imaginary past: If + past perfect (you'd turned), then would have + past participle (would have found). Not would find, because the result belongs to the past, not the present. Had found cannot be used in the main clause of a conditional.
Question 5
Now, _____ see if we can find you something suitable?”
Shall we…? is the standard way to make a suggestion or offer that includes the speaker: Shall we see if we can find you something? Not will we, because that asks about future fact rather than making a suggestion. Let's to is ungrammatical, because let's takes a bare infinitive (let's see).
Question 6
“I only want a room for one night but I cannot stand sleeping in noisy rooms.” “All the hotels here are near the main road. You _____ come home with me, sir.
Had better + bare infinitive gives strong advice about what is best in a particular situation: You had better come home with me. Would better and had rather do not exist as fixed forms. Not would rather, because it expresses the subject's own preference (I'd rather stay), not advice to someone else.
Question 7
You’ll be more comfortable. In fact, when you _____ my wife’s cooking, you’ll realize you _____ have come to a better place.”
In time clauses introduced by when, as soon as, after, etc., we use the present simple for future meaning, not will or shall. So we say when you taste my wife's cooking, you'll realize…. The future form (you'll realize) goes only in the main clause.
Question 8
In fact, when you _____ my wife’s cooking, you’ll realize you _____ have come to a better place.”
Couldn't have + past participle combined with a comparative is a fixed way of saying something is the best possible: you couldn't have come to a better place means 'this is the best place you could have come to'. Not cannot, which would wrongly suggest a logical impossibility. Might and may not express only uncertainty, so they lose the meaning of 'the best possible'.
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