I) Draw conclusions using CAN’T / MUST / MIGHT:

1. He drives a very expensive car and owns a private plane. (rich) …

He must be rich……………………………………………………………………………

2. He spends all day walking round the town. (job) …

He might not have a job/ He might be looking for a job.

……………………………………………………………………………

3. They are asking the way to the city center. (tourist) …They must be
tourist……………………………………………………………………………

4. She works for a daily newspaper. She goes to the big football matches. (sports reporter) ……She
must be a sports reporter…………………………………………………………………………

5. I thought he studied medicine, but she’s going to an outdoor job now. (doctor) ………She can’t be
a doctor………………………………………………………………………

6. She teaches maths at the university. (stupid) …She can’t be

stupid…………………………………………………………………………….

7. A: What happened to your leg? B: I slipped badly on the ice and broke it. A: Oh! That ……
must……………………………………. hurt a lot. B: It does.

8. A: Listen! Do you hear a noise like someone shouting? B: Yes, I do. The new neighbours upstairs
…………must……………………… quarrel again.

9. A: I ……might………………………………………….. get a rise in my salary soon. B: What makes you think

so? A: The boss seemed very pleased with my last project.

10. A: That man over there looks like our district manager. B: No, he can’t ……………………………………….
be him. He went to the USA three days ago and hasn’t returned yet.

J) Fill in MUST or MUSTN’T:

1. It’s cold. You ……mustn’t………………….. leave without your jacket

. 2. You ……must……………. eat fruit and vegetables to stay healthy.

3. I ……must………………… go to the post office. I have a letter to send.

4. You …mustn’t…………………….. speak rudely to your parents.

5. You ……mustn’t………………….. park here – it’s illegal.

6. We ………must………………. hurry or we’ll miss the bus.

WORKSHEET 39 SUBJECT : Modals

A) Use a suitable present or past MODAL AUXILIARY: Should, must,could,can,may, need, have to

1. I can’t find my book. I …must/might have left…………………………………………….. (leave) it on the bus.

2. They don’t answer their phone; they …might have …gone………………………………… (go) away on their
vacation.
3. John went to the movies last night, but he …should have stayed…………………………………….. (stay) at
home and ………prepared…………………………….. (prepare) his lessons.

4. The lights have gone out. A fuse …must have blown…………………………………………. (blow).

5. She doesn’t have to/ doesn’t need to go………………………………. (go) to school. It’s Saturday.

6. You were stupid to go skiing here. You ……could have broken……………………………………… (break)
your leg.

7. She …could……sing……………. (sing) like an angel when she was a kid.

8. Can/Could/May…………………….. I make a suggestion?

9. You …must…………………… go and see “Batman”. It’s a great film.

10. He came home alone. You …shouldn’t have let……………………………………… (let) him do that; he …
could have got…………………………………… (get) lost.

11. He read the message but he …couldn’t……………………………….. (not) understand.

12. I …could have lent………………………………………. (lend) you the money. Why didn’t you ask me?

13. A: Can I have some sweets? I am hungry. B: You …can’t be……………….. hungry. You have just had
dinner.

14. Tom couldn’t have written……………………………………. (write) this, because it is in French and he
doesn’t know French.

15. He looked so tired. He …must have worked……………………………………………….. (work) very hard.

16. He must be…………………………. be a very clever boy. He has entered the university very easily.

B) Fill in the blanks using MUST, CAN’T, MAY, MIGHT, COULD and PAST FORMS of them:

1. Sally looks sad and worried. She must have/ must have had……………………………………….. (have) a
problem with something.

2. Bob …couldn’t be………………………………... (be) at school because I haven’t seen him today.

3. Mr. Treves hasn’t come to work yet. He has never been late for work. He …must have missed
……………. ……………………………… (miss) the bus.

4. Timmy is a very good boy. He isn’t naughty, so he …couldn’t have broken……………………………..

(break) that window. Someone else ……must have broken……………………………………………… (break) it.

5. I’m sure that I dropped my key in the car. It …must………………………………………(be) there at the
moment.

6. The street is wet this morning. I’m not sure but it …might have rained……………………………………….
(rain) last night.

7. A: I talked to your science teacher at school yesterday. B: You …couldn’t have

talked……………………………………………. (talk) to her because she wasn’t at school yesterday.

8. A: The man was being taken to hospital. He …might/may have had an

accident……………………………………………. (have) an accident. B: Yes, I’m sure he had an accident.
9. A: Will you come to my birthday party tomorrow? B: I …can’t come…………………………….. (come) to
your party because I have to look after my little sister.

10. A: I’m going to do a parachute jump next week. B: You are going to jump out of an aeroplane!
But you’re 73 years old! You …can’t be…………. (be) serious. You must be……………………….. (be) mad.
A: It really …must…………………….. (be) wonderful looking down on everything. I’ve always wanted to
try it. B: But anything could happen. You …could………………….. (be) injured, or even killed. I wouldn’t
take the risk. A: Well, your life can’t be………………………. (be) much fun if you never take risks. You
ought to try it, too. You never know. You …might………………………….. (enjoy) it. B: Enjoy it! You …
must…………………….. (be) joking.

11. She knew everything about our plans. She …must have listened……………………………………… (listen)
to our conversation.

12. He couldn’t have eaten……………………………………….. (eat) the roasted beef when we were out. He
is a vegeterian.

13. Mrs. White bought a new fur coat! She …must have won……………………………………………(win) a
lottery.

14. John said he would ring, but he hasn’t. He …might have forgotten……………………………………...
(forget) all about it.

15. The children must …be studying………………………….. (study) in the library now because they have a
test tomorrow.

16. The singer has got a sore throat, so she …couldn’t sing…………………………………………. (sing) at the
concert.

17. I …might be ………………………… (be) at home this evening, or I …might be……………………… (be) out,
I’m not sure.

18. He drank three glasses of water. He …must have been………………………………… (be) very thirsty.

19. A: Where’s the cat? B: It couldn’t have gone………………………………………………… (go) out, the door is
closed.

20. The police arrested him right away. They …must have found……………………………………….. (find)
enough evidence.

21. He had no money, so he …couldn’t lend……………………………………………… (lend) you some.

22. We can’t wait any longer. Something …must be done……………………………….. (do) immediately.

23. They all shouted in fear. They …must have been………………………………………. (be) very afraid.

24. A: Your dog bit me as I was standing in the hall. B: It couldn’t be………………………………………… (be)
my dog. It was with me all day.

25. A: I phoned you at 9 o’clock this morning and got no answer. B: I …must have
been…………………………………………. (be) in the garden. I planted some flowers this morning.

26. My grandmother always has a rest at this time of the day, so she must be
taking…………………………. (take) a nap now.
27. Mrs. Green wasn’t good at ice-skating, but she insisted on and broke her leg. She should have
given up………. ……………………………………….. (give) up doing that.

28. A: I’m afraid Ted is watching TV again. B: He can’t be watching……………………………. (watch) TV,
because his room is completely silent and dark. He must be sleeping…………………………….. (sleep).

29. That carpet was made by hand. It must have taken……………………………………………. (take) a long
time to make it