MODAL

VERBS

1 Bachiller

1 - Complete with might, must, shouldn't, can, mustn't, can't.

1. Don't climb the wall without a rope because you ..................... fall.
2. You .................do your homework because if you don't, your teacher will be angry!
3. You ................ read in obscurity because your eyes will be tired!
4. You ................ play at the videogame two hours a day.
5. You ................... steal! It's forbidden!!!
6. He is a near-sighted boy, he.............. read with his glasses!
7. You .................go to the cinema because it's closed.
2 - Choose between: can/can't, must/mustn't, should/shouldn't, could/couldn't, may/may not , have
to/don't OR doesn't have to.
1. It's impossible. Mariet .......................go to the swimming pool.
2. It's nine. My daughter.....................be having her bath. It's almost certain.
3. He ....................give you a pay rise before the end of this year, if he wanted to.
4. It's incredible ! It's impossible that she ..................... have done it !
5. I know that he intended to go but he ......................have stayed. Perhaps he's still here.
6. It's an order ! You .......................go right now !
7. My children .........................do the washing up, I ask them to do that.
8. Perhaps, he ........................ have heard. He did not hang up the phone !
9. John's car has broken down: he .......................go to work.
10. Nobody's waiting for us, so we ......................... to hurry.
3 - Choose between: can/can't, must/mustn't, should/shouldn't, could/couldn't, may.
1. You .................obey the law
2. You ..................write her a letter
3. ..................I smoke ?
4. You .................. drive on the right in GB
5. It ..................rain this afternoon.
6. How .................I join you ?
7. You ................... have drunk so much (reproche )
8. She looks beautiful, she ....................be a model.
9. She .................be more than thirty, she looks so young.
10. Who's that man over there ? He ....................be the one you were waiting for.
4 - Mustn't or Don't have to
1. You ................. bring a large suitcase on board.
2. You .................. smoke during takeoff and landing
3. You ..................... stay in your seat during the whole flight.
4. You ................... listen to your personal stereo during takeoff and landing.
5. You ................... watch the in-flight movie.
6. You .................. buy duty-free goods.
7. You .................... unfasten your seat belt during takeoff and landing.
8. You ...................... bring your own food.

5 - Write the correct modal verb.

1. Mary was sick in the hospital. She ............... go on the picnic.
2. Is your brother really fast? .......................he run a kilometer in under 3 minutes?
3. John knows all about the Internet. He........................ help you understand it.
4. Before I started school, I couldn' read English. Now I......................... .
5. It is raining outside. You ........................ take an umberella.
6. It's very late. You ....................... go to bed.
7. James took Susie out to dinner last night. She............................ cook dinner.
8. Henry's car broke down. He............................ walk home.
9. Joe was on holidays. He .............................. go to work.
10. You don't look well. You ........................ go home.
6 - Perfect modals.
1. Your house looks great. You .......................... spent a lot of time painting it.
2. Michael went running in the rain. He......................... gotten sick.
3. It was so dark that I fell down the stairs. I........................... fixed the light.
4. Patty......................... gone by bus. Why did she walk?
5. I called his apartment and nobody answered. He............................. gone out.
6. You .........................*shovelled the front walk. It looks so clean.
7. He ........................... stolen the car. He was with me all the time.
8. My bicycle is broken. I never ..................................... ridden it down the stairs.
9. Jim looks happy. I think he.............................. gotten a new job.
10. The chocolate cake is all gone! Someone ..................................... eaten it.
* Despejar algo con una pala.
7 - Complete the sentences using the correct form of 'can','could' or 'be able to'.
1. When they came back form Paris, they .................... speak perfect French.
2. They didn't come to the restaurant, they ................... not afford it.
3. I ................... see you next Monday at ten.
4. After I had tried for a few hours, I .................open the door and get out.
5. He ..................... not work after being ill.
6 .......................... contact your parents yesterday?
7. I.............................. write that letter tomorrow, I'm afraid I'm too busy
8. I tried to see her but I..................................... .
9. I generally leave work at 6 but I.............................. leave earlier on Friday.
10. Good bye! I think I............................ see you tomorrow.
11. If we're lucky we ....................see the whole match.
12. What? She's seven and she.................................... tie her shoelaces!
13 .I'd like to........................................... speak a little bit of every language.
14 .I went to the library, Mrs. Price, but I ............................................ find the book you wanted.
15. After trying for many hours, they ................................... rescue the boy.
16. I ......................................swim until I was fifteen.

8 - Can, Could, May and Might Exercise

1 They (can/might) ............................................. be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.
2 You (may/might) ........................................... leave now if you wish.
3 (Could/May) ................................................. you open the window a bit, please?
4 He (can/could) ....................................................... be French, judging by his accent.
5 (May/Can) .................................................... you play the piano?
6 Listen, please. You (may not/might not) .............................................. speak during this exam.
7 They (can't/may not) ................................................. still be out!
8 You (couldn't/might not) .......................................................... smoke on the bus.
9 With luck, tomorrow (can/could) ..................................................... be a sunny day.
10 You (can/might) ..................................................... be right but I'm going back to check anyway.
9 - Must / have to
Use the correct form of must or have to - in the positive or negative form as appropriate - to fill in
the gaps in these sentences.
1. Everyone ...................... pay their tax by the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) scheme.
2. She............................. carry such heavy books. She has a very bad back problem.
3. We give a presentation to the Board this afternoon.
4. ...............................(you) write the reports yourself?
5. He .............................. speak German with our clients in Hamburg. They all speak excellent English.
6. I ..................................... meet my boss every Monday morning to discuss the sales figures.
7.You ........................................ leave your car there. That's the Managing Director's parking bay.
8. I ...................................................... send my mother some flowers. It's her birthday tomorrow.
9. How often ...................................................(he) take the car in for a service?
10 - Need, must,should...
1 George has travelled a lot. He .................. speak many languages.
2 I can hear you quite well. You .................. not shout.
3 Im not sure where I go for my holidays but I .................. go to Italy.
4 She .................. ride her bike at night without lights. It's forbidden.
5 She ..................... not eat so much chocolate because it's bad for her figure.
6 I................. understand him.
7 It's later than I thought. I .................. go now.
8 You ................... a better trainer if you want to become good.
9 Talk to Ann about your problems. I'm sure she ....................help you.
10 You .........................not hoover the carpets, Carol has already done it.

11 - MUST, MUSTN'T, HAVE TO, DON'T HAVE TO, DON'T NEED TO

1 You_____________finish everything today. You can do something tomorrow
2 Dogs___________be carried on a lead !
3 What_________________do before going out ?
4 You_______________do the washing up if you want to leave this evening
5 Tell the workers that they ______________come tomorrow,it's a holiday in Valencia.
6 Are you going to read the report ? NO, I____________________. It's confidential
7 You really_____________waste money like that. It worries your parents

8 We_______________worry about Tom. He's jsut phoned to say he's alright

9 We______________always wear protective clothes in the factory
10 __________________stay awake for the whole night ? She looks tired

12 - Use should, shouldn't, can, can't or couldn't. Sometimes negative forms are used.
1. It was very dark last night. I see ..................... the man on the road.
2. He's not very strong. He ................................. try to lift the box.
3. She's singing in the shower. I ........................ hear her.
4. We must be home by ten o'clock. Perhaps we ....................... go now.
5. Cigarettes are unhealthy. People ................................... smoke them.
6. Your face is dirty. You ............................... wash it.
7. That book doesn't belong to him. He ............................... take it.
8. Emily's on a diet. She ............................. eat that cake.
9. When I was young I .......................... cook at all.
10. The speed limit is 50 km/hr in the city. You ..............................slow down.

13 - Choose the best way to complete each sentence. :

1) I xxx to the doctor yesterday.
had to gone
must had gone
had to go

2) I am happy that I xxx wake up early on

sunday.
don't have
to have not to
must not

3) You ought xxx the movie.

see
to see
seeing

4) I xxx work yesterday.

had not to
didn't had to
didn't have to

5) You xxx eat the whole meal.

must not to
don't have to
have not to

6) Would you please xxx me that book?

to give
giving
give

7) You xxx more careful.

ought to been
ought to
ought to be

8) It xxx snow tomorrow.

can to
may
must

9) He xxx you with your homework.

can help
can helps
can to help.

10) You xxx her.

should to
should ask
should asking

14 - Need, must,should...
1. You ................... be tired because you have worked very hard.
2. He ............................ come to my party because he is ill.
3. He ............................ go to the dentist when he has toothache.
4. It's not very important. You ................................ (no) do it now. You .............................. do it tomorrow.
5. ......................... you speak many languages?
6. I don't know what I'm doing this weekend but I ..........................go to London.
7. Smoking is very unhealthy. You ........................ stop it.
8. Playing football (not allow) ............................. in this park.
9. You have got plenty of time. You ................................. (no) hurry.
10. You ................................. have a passport to visit most foreign countries.

15 - Choose the best answer for each question.

1. Thomas ______ rather walk to school than catch the bus.
shall
could
would
must
2. Sonia was late for work this morning. She ___ been on time.
had to
should have
must have
could have
3. Mary is reading a grammar book because she has a test tommorow. She ______.
could study
should be studying
will study
must be studying
4. When Bruce was younger, he _____ fit into his uniform but now that he has grown, it no longer fits.
has got to
can
should be able to
could
5. I ______ the job of taking care of my younger brothers and sisters when my parents went out.
would get
should get
must have gotten
had better get
6. I ____ to the grocery store yesterday. I drove right by it.
could go
went
could have gone
7. Paul and Larry ____ baseball when they were in school.
could play
used to play
could have played

ought to have gone

may have played

8. Televisions were on sale and Mark ______ one for a very good price.
could buy
had
was supposed to buy
was able to buy
9. The party was Okay, but I'd rather _____ to a movie
go
be going
have gone

went

10. Since we have to be there in a hurry, we _____ take a taxi.

had better
may
have been used to

are able to

16 - "Don't have to" and "Mustn't"

1 You ________ smoke in a gas station.
2 You ________ pass a test to ride a bicycle.
3 You ________ open up the computer while it is plugged in.
4 Shops ________ sell cigarettes to children.
5 This bus is free! You ________ buy a ticket.
6 You ________ live in Canada to study at the University of Victoria. You can take a course by
Internet.
7 In Canada, employers ________ discriminate against women or minorities. It's against the law.
8 You ________ buy the text book for this course -- you can borrow mine.
9 Canadians ________ get a visa to travel to the US.
10 You ________ be late for class, or the teacher will be angry.
17 - Have to, Must, Must not
1 Yesterday I ............................ finish my Geography project.
2 She will ......................................... wait in line like everyone else.
3 All employees................................ be on time for work.
4 We ........................ forget to take the chicken out of the freezer.
5 If you are under 13 you ....................... to get your parents' permission.
6 Your daughter may ........................ try on a few different sizes.
7 The doctor ............................ get here as soon as he can.
8 Do you ........................... work next weekend?
9 Bicyclists ................................. remember to signal when they turn.
10 Angela, you .................................... leave your clothes all over the floor like this.

18 - Can, could, be able to: ability and possibility

1. Although he felt ill, he ... finish all the work.
can
could
was able to
couldn't
2. Peter is nineteen. He ... drive a car.
can
is able to
could
couldn't
3. Sarah is three years old. She ... write.
can
can't
could
was able to
4. It was cold yesterday so we ... go out.
can
can't
could
couldn't
5. I ... walk when I broke my leg.
can
can't
could
couldn't
6. I had my hands full, so I ... open the door.
can
wasn't able to
could
couldn't
7. Although it was dark, he ... find his way through the woods.
was able to
couldn't
wasn't able to
could
8 I ... afford that bag. It's too expensive.
can
am able to
can't
could
9 Bill ... swim very well, but he's taking lessons.
is able to
can't
could
couldn't
10 ... you sing when you were a small child?
Can
Can't
Could
Couldn't
11 When I was four years old, I ... only count to ten.
can
can't
could
couldn't
12 Mr Jones is 75 years old. He ... see very well so he wears glasses.
can
couldn't
could
isn't able to

Modal verbs of deduction

19 - Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one.
1. I'm sure she isn't feeling sick now.
She ... sick now.

2. Perhaps he will be on time.

He ... on time.

3. Perhaps Harry will be sunbathing this time tomorrow.

Harry ... this time tomorrow.
4. I'm sure Anne spends all her money on clothes.
Ann ... all her money on clothes.

5. Perhaps she's busy at the moment.

She ... busy at the moment.

6. I'm sure Bill is at home.

Bill ... at home

7. Perhaps he'll be waiting when we get there.

He ... when we get there.

8. I'm sure he isn't at work.

He ... at work.

9. Perhaps they are asleep already.

They ... asleep already.

10. Perhaps she is visiting a friend.

She ... a friend.