Worksheet: Modal Verbs
1. Modals of Ability
Explanation
Modals of ability express what someone can do. They show skill or possibility.
• can – present ability
• I can swim.
• could – past ability or polite possibility
• When I was 5, I could read.
• be able to – ability in all tenses
• I was able to find the key.
• manage to – succeed in doing something difficult
• She managed to fix the computer.
• capable of – describes general ability
• He is capable of solving difficult problems.
Exercises
1. Rewrite with the correct modal of ability: a) Yesterday, I ___ (can) finish my homework. b) She is
___ (capable) cooking delicious meals. c) He finally ___ (manage) open the stuck door. d) I ___ (can)
play the piano now.
2. Modals of Permission
Explanation
Modals of permission show what is allowed.
• can – informal permission
• You can use my pen.
• be allowed to – rules or official permission
• Students are allowed to leave early.
• mustn't – prohibition (not allowed!)
• You mustn't touch the wires.
• be not allowed to – formal prohibition
• We are not allowed to park here.
Exercises
1. Complete with modals of permission/prohibition: a) You ___ (not allowed) enter the laboratory
without goggles. b) You ___ borrow my notebook if you need it. c) Visitors ___ (mustn't) feed the
animals. d) We ___ (allowed) have phones in class today.
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3. Modals of Obligation
Explanation
Modals of obligation show what someone should or must do.
• must – strong obligation
• ought to – moral duty, advice
• You ought to apologize.
• be supposed to – expectation or rule
• You are supposed to arrive on time.
Exercises
1. Choose the correct modal: a) You ___ (ought to / must) wear a seatbelt. b) We ___ (be supposed
to / could) finish this tonight. c) He ___ (must / be supposed to) take his medicine every day.
4. Perfect Modals
Explanation
Perfect modals express past probability, regret, or possibility. Structure: modal + have + past participle
• He must have forgotten. (strong guess)
• She could have won. (past possibility)
• You ought to have told me. (past duty/advice)
Exercises
1. Complete using perfect modals: a) They ___ (must / forget) the meeting. b) You ___ (ought to /
call) earlier. c) She ___ (could / finish) the project, but she didn’t.
Answer Key
1. a) was able to / managed to
b) is capable of
c) managed to
d) can
2. a) are not allowed to
b) can
c) mustn't
d) are allowed to
3. a) must
b) are supposed to
c) must
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4. a) must have forgotten
b) ought to have called
c) could have finished