MODAL VERBS

Ex1: Choose the correct answer.

1. When John was young, he _____ work in the garden for long hours.

a. can b. could c. will d. should

2. He_____ have gone out with Mary because he was with me that day.

a. mustn’t b. shouldn’t c. won’t d. couldn’t

3. Because we have to be there by 7.30, we_____ take a grabcar.

a. ought to b. may c. ought d. are able to

4. It_____ rain today. Let’s take an umbrella.

a. could be b. must c. might d. had better

5. _____ you help me with the homework?

a. May b. Shall c. Should d. Will

Ex2: Circle the correct answer.

1. She ……. go to work early, didn’t she? (had to/ has to/ ought to)
2. His eyes were so bad that he ….. read the newspapers. (shouldn’t/hadn’t to/ couldn’t/
can’t)
3. There’s the waiter. We …….. ask him for the bill. (will/ shall/ am able to/ could)
4. …...you be able to come to the B.M workshop? – I’m afraid not. (Can/ will/ May/ should)
5. His car broke down so he ………..come by bus. (had to/ must/should/ could)
6. ………. ask you some questions? – Okay, go ahead. (Shall I / Will I / Should I / May I )
7. She ……….. go now. She’s getting late. (had rather/ had better/ ought/ would rather)

Ex3: Choose the correct answer.

1. Young people ______ obey their parents.

A. must B. may C. will D. ought to

2. Laura, you and the kids just have dinner without waiting for me. I ______ work late today.

A. can B. have to C. could D. would

3. I ______ be delighted to show you round the factory.

A. ought to B. would C. might D. can

4. Leave early so that you ______ miss the bus.

A. didn’t B. won’t C. shouldn’t D. mustn’t

5. Jenny’s engagement ring is enormous! It ______ have cost a fortune.

A. must B. might C. will D. should

6. You ______ to write them today.

A. should B. must C. had D. ought

7. Unless he runs, he______ catch the train.

A. will B. mustn’t C. wouldn’t D. won’t

8. When _____you come back home?

A. will B. may C. might D. maybe

Ex4: Rewrite each sentence so that the new sentence has a similar meaning.

1. Perhaps Susan knows the address. (may)

=> Susan__________________________________________________________________.

2. It’s possible that Joanna didn’t receive my message. (might)

=> Joanna _________________________________________________________________.

3. The report must be on my desk tomorrow. (has)

=> The report ______________________________________________________________.

4. I managed to finish all my work. (able)

=> I______________________________________________________________________.

5. It was not necessary for Nancy to clean the flat. (didn’t)

=>
Nancy__________________________________________________________________.

Ex5: Find the mistake and correct it.

1. You must have be surprised when you heard the news.

2. You needn’t have do all this work.

3. The window must have been broken on purpose.

4. You must tired after working so hard.

5. One of the men may have died on the mountain.

6. You must been driving too fast.

7. The thief must have come in through the window.

8. If he is not in the office, he must at home.

Ex6: Rewrite each sentence so that the new sentence has a similar meaning to the
original one, using modals.

1. Parents find it unnecessary to satisfy all their children’s needs.

→ Parents don’t
_____________________________________________________________.

2. Swearing every time you need to emphasize something is not a good idea.

→ You ____________________________________________________________________.

3. In the UK, you are not allowed to buy or drink alcohol in pubs or shops if you are under
18.

→ In the UK, you

____________________________________________________________.

4. If I were you, I would spend more time talking with children.

→ You ____________________________________________________________________.

5. John doesn’t get permission to use that computer.

→ John ___________________________________________________________________.

Ex7: Rewrite each sentence so that the new sentence has a similar meaning to the
original one, using modals.

1. It's necessary to finish the assignment tonight.

→ You ________________________ finish the assignment tonight.

2. It's a good idea for her to apologize.

→ She ________________________ apologize.

3. I'm certain he's not at home.

→ He ________________________ be at home.

4. It's possible that they'll attend the meeting.

→ They ________________________ attend the meeting.

5. Going to the library regularly was a habit of his.

→ He ________________________ go to the library regularly.

6. It's prohibited to smoke here.

→ You ________________________ smoke here.

7. It's not necessary to bring any gifts.

→ You ________________________ bring any gifts.

8. It's a good idea to take an umbrella.

→ You ________________________ take an umbrella.

9. It's possible she didn't receive the message.

→ She ________________________ not have received the message.

10. I have an obligation to report this.

→ I ________________________ report this.

Ex9: Rewrite the sentence with the same meaning.

1. I think you should give up smoking immediately. (had)

→ I think you
_______________________________________________________________.

2. I am sure you were surprised when you heard all the news. (must)
→ You ________________________________________________ when you heard the
news.

3. It’s very inconvenient if you can’t drive. (able)

→
________________________________________________________________________.

4. Someone almost certainly broke the window on purpose. (must)

→ The window_____________________________________________________ on
purpose.

5. I am sure that the cat is in the house somewhere. (must)

→
________________________________________________________________________.

6. It is possible that one of the men died on the mountain. (may)

→ One of the men _____________________________________________ on the mountain.

7. It’s necessary for me to bring my passport. (have)

→ I
_______________________________________________________________________.

8. It wasn’t necessary for you to do all this work. (needn’t)

→ You __________________________________________________________ all this

work.

9. I am sure that John is not the thief. (can’t)

→
________________________________________________________________________.

Ex10: Find the mistake and correct it.

1. If only I can afford to buy that dress! ________

2. I can give you a hand tomorrow morning, if you like. ________

3. I’ll can take my driving test after a few more lessons. ________
4. Jack can play the guitar before he learnt to talk! ________

5. Can you to speak Chinese? ________

6. We can have gone up the Eiffel Tower while we were in Paris, but we decided to go to the
Louvre instead. ________

7. I could get a more expensive computer, but it didn’t seem worth it. ________

8. I wish I could get out of the maths test tomorrow! ________

9. I bet you’d love to be can to get a satellite TV. ________

10. You’d better tell the coach if you can’t playing on Saturday. ________

Ex11: Choose the correct answer.

1. You ought to / should enter that talent contest!

2. We could / were allowed to go home early yesterday because our teacher was ill.

3. Diana should have waited / been waiting for me at the corner. I wonder where she went.

4. Do you think I should / could be worried about these spots on my forehead?

5. You couldn’t / shouldn’t talk to people like that! It’s rude!

6. Hello. Could / Can I speak to Mrs Johnson, please?

7. Alan should write / have written two essays in the exam yesterday, not one!

8. No, you may / should not go out tonight. You know you’re grounded!

9. The head teacher said we could / were allowed to go home.

10. What were you doing in the park? You ought to have done / been doing your homework
then!

Ex12: Choose must, have to, need or need to to fill in the blanks.

1. Carl, you _______________ run into the street like that without looking first. It’s
dangerous!

2. Jason _______________ see the headmaster during the next break. I wonder what it’s
about?
3. We _______________ light lots of candles during the power cut two nights ago.

4. I’ll _______________ start doing my Christmas cards soon. It’s nearly December.

5. Oh, I _______________ remember to get some potatoes on the way home tonight.

6. People with solar-powered cars (not) _______________ worry about the price of petrol.

7. I wouldn’t like to _______________ get up at five o’clock every morning.

8. We didn’t _______________ do any washing-up after the picnic because we’d used
disposable plates and cutlery.

9. Do professional musicians _______________ practise every day?

10. I _______________ have bothered cooking all that food; they’d eaten before they
arrived.