EXERCISES: MODAL VERBS

1. Match the following sentences with the uses below :

(A) lack of necessity (D) request/permission (G) possibility

(B) impossibility (E) prohibition (H) obligation/necessity
(C) advice (F) offers/suggestions (I) ability

( ) 1. We might take a holiday abroad this year.

( ) 2. Dan can play chess and backgammon.

( ) 3. May I use your phone, please ?

( ) 4. All children under 16 have to go to school. It is a law.

( ) 5. You mustn’t drop these glasses. They’ll break.

( ) 6. You don’t have to bring sandwiches. We can stop at a café.

( ) 7. Would you like one of these chocolates ?

( ) 8. You should write a letter of thanks.

( ) 9. It’s very late. They can’t be out.

2. Circle the correct answer :

1. When the children were young, they CAN’T / COULDN’T / COULD speak French.
Unfortunately, they don’t remember any of it.

2. You SHALL / DOESN’T HAVE TO / MUST wipe your feet when you come in.

3. The exam was quite difficult, but I BE ABLE TO / CAN / COULD finish all the questions.

4. You MUST / DON’T HAVE TO / MUSTN’T let your children play with medicines.

5. Nobody HAD TO / MUSN’T / WILL HAVE TO pay for the lunch last Tuesday. It was all free.

6. CAN / MAY / SHALL you lend me some money, please ?

7. I’ve been travelling a lot. Now I COULD / COULDN’T / CAN speak a lot of languages.

8. WOULD / CAN / HAVE TO you like anything to drink ?

9. My baby is only two months old. He CAN’T / COULDN’T / CAN walk yet.

10. Last year, I HAVE TO / MUST / HAD TO take a private maths tutor.
11. Parents HAS TO / MUST / DON’T HAVE TO keep cleaning fluids away from children because
they are very dangerous.

12. MIGHT / WILL / SHALL I carry the books for you ?

13. You’re coughing very badly. You SHOULDN’T / MUST / DON’T HAVE TO smoke so much.

14. My father DON’T HAVE TO / SHALL / DOESN’T HAVE TO work on Sundays.

15. Jane CAN’T / COULDN’T / MUST ride a bicycle last year.

3. Rewrite the following statements using the modal verbs in brackets without changing the original
meaning:

1. Do you mind opening the door ? ( COULD)

2. It’s not necessary you shout – I’m not deaf! (DON’T HAVE TO)

3. You are obliged to have a licence before you can drive. (MUST)

4. It’s a good idea to wash your hands before you eat. (SHOULD)

5. I knew how to play chess, but I didn’t want to. (COULD)

6. I suggest you say goodbye before you leave. (SHOULD)

7. I think this girl is not Jane because Jane has blonde hair and this girl has red hair. (CAN’T)

8. I am sure Donald is very tired because he has been up since 5 o’clock this morning. (WILL)

9. Perhaps we go to Egypt this summer. (MAY)

10. It is forbidden for students to leave school before classes are over. (MUSTN’T)

4. Complete the following sentences with CAN, COULD , BE ABLE TO (positive or

negative):

1. I ____________ finish my meal. I’m full.

2. ____________ you please take my cat to the vet ?
3. He ____________ drive if he had a driving licence.
4. They haven’t ____________ to visit her today.
5. When Jenny was a child she ____________ (not) speak French, but now she ____________.
6. You ____________ borrow my purple shirt if you return it.
7. I’m sorry, but tomorrow we won’t ____________ come.
8. The door was open. So, a thief ____________ enter the house.
9. Ian ____________ speak Italian but he ____________ write it very well.
10. When I broke my leg, I ____________ walk for three weeks.
11. I will ____________ speak Japanese in only ten years.
12. Debbie went on holiday last summer because she had ____________ pass all her exams.

5. Complete the following sentences with MUST, HAVE TO , MUSTN’T or DON’T HAVE
TO:

1. You ____________ read this book. It’s really good.

2. I don’t work on Monday mornings, so that I ____________ get up early.
3. I ____________ to go to hospital yesterday.
4. You ____________ do the homework now, it’s for next week.
5. Why did you ____________ go to hospital yesterday?
6. This is secret, so you ____________ tell anyone!
7. All students ____________ register by October 5th.
8. You ____________ drink milk if it smells sour.
9. In Britain, many children ____________ wear uniform when they go to school.
10. It’s suddenly so dark in here; it ____________ be raining outside.
11. I ____________ make an appointment with the dentist.
12. I will ____________ ask anyone because I don’t know the way.
13. People ____________ ride a bicycle without a helmet.

6.Fill in the blanks with a correct modal verb from the following box:

could can’t mustn’t shall don’t have to may (2) should (2)

1. It ________ rain later, so take an umbrella.

2. She ________ play the piano at the age of three.

3. ________ I have the menu, please?

4. You ________ wear a coat! It’s not cold outside.

5. You ________ drive when the traffic light is red.

6. You ________ be quiet when the teacher is talking.

7. ________ I do your homework for you ?

8. Ron doesn’t feel very well. He ________ see a doctor.

9. She ________ be their boss. She’s too young.

7. Fill in the spaces with a modal perfect:

1. ‘Did you hear me come in last night?’ ‘No, I ____________ been asleep.’
2. I wonder who broke the wineglass; it ____________ been the cat for she was out all day.
3. You ____________ helped him. It was not necessary.
4. ‘I had my umbrella when I came out but I haven’t got it now.’
‘You ____________ left it on the bus.’
5. He ____________ escaped by this window because it is barred.
6. I ____________ given you £10. £5 would have been enough.
7. ‘I saw a rattlesnake near the river yesterday’
‘You ____________ seen a rattlesnake. There aren’t any rattlesnakes in this country.
8. ‘I phoned you at nine this morning but got no answer’
‘I’m sorry, I ____________ been in the garden’.
9. I ____________ rung you, but my phone didn’t work.
10. You ____________ said that, now she is very angry with you.
11. ‘I told him to turn right and he turned left!’
‘He ____________ understood you’.
12. That was very dangerous! You ____________ caused a terrible accident!

8. Choose the correct answer:

1. She didn’t send me a birthday card this year. She _______________ forgotten.
a. should have b. would have c. must have

2. I _______________ left the book upstairs, I don’t remember now.

a. should have b. would have c. may have

3. _____________ you tell me where the shoe department is, please?

a. may b. could c. might

4. He told us that he _____________ meet us outside the station at 11.00 am

a. shouldn’t b. would have c. would

5. She __________ go to Australia on holiday this year; she’s not sure.

a. may b. can c. could have

6. There is plenty of milk. She ______________ buy any.

a. needn’t have b. doesn’t have to c. mustn’t

7. David isn’t at school today. He ____________ be ill.

 a. shouldn’t b. must c. must have

8. Pupils ___________ bring all the necessary books to school with them every day.
a. have to b. should c. mustn’t

9. When I was a child I ________________ go to bed very early.

a. must b. had to c. must have

10. Dad isn’t in the house. He ______________ gone out into the garden.
a. should have b. would have c. might have

11. You ________ phoned him for his birthday. Now it’s too late.
a. needn’t have b. should have c. must have

12. They ____________ speak to him about the problem. It might help.
a. could b. would c. must have

13. After dinner, my grandfather ______________ smoke a cigar.

a. would have b. would always c. was always able

14. I decided that I ___________ give him one last chance, but we broke up two days later.
a. would b. will c. must

15. He ___________ like to meet us and explain his new ideas.

a. would b. could c. must

16. They ___________ left the window open. That’s how the thieves got into the house.
a. shouldn’t have b. couldn’t have c. mustn’t have

17. I’m feeling sick. I _______________ eaten so much chocolate.

a. shouldn’t have b. wouldn’t have c. must have

18. It’s important that nobody hears us. We ____________ make any noise.
a. should b. don’t have to c. mustn’t

19. We’ve got plenty of time. We ____________ hurry.

a. mustn’t b. needn’t c. must