ELEMENTARY

________________________________________________________MODAL VERBS

CERTAIN MUST (BE) CAN’T (BE)

PRESENT PROBABLE MAY (BE) MAY NOT (BE)

POSSIBLE MIGHT (BE) MIGHT NOT (BE)

1.- I’m sure John is worried about us.

John must be worried about us.

2.- Perhaps your father is at the station.

3.- I’m sure that John doesn’t live in this town.

4.- I’m sure everybody is at home now.

5.- Perhaps those aren’t our rooms.

6.- I’m sure the dog isn’t in the garden.

7.- I’m sure the children don’t like classical music.

8.- Perhaps that boy is German or Swedish.

9.- It’s possible that animals are happy in zoos.

10.- I’m certain everybody knows the answer.

11.- I’m certain her boyfriend is good-looking.

12.- Perhaps Mr. Jones has a dog.

13.- It’s possible that he practices too much exercise.

14.- I’m sure they are waiting for us.

15.- I’m sure those boots aren’t for climbing.

16.- It’s possible that doesn’t know where he is.

ELEMENTARY
________________________________________________________MODAL VERBS

PRESENT PAST

CERTAIN MUST (BE) CAN’T (BE) MUST HAVE (BEEN) CAN’T HAVE (BEEN)

PROBABLE MAY (BE) MAY NOT (BE) MAY HAVE (BEEN) MAY NOT HAVE (BEEN)

POSSIBLE MIGHT (BE) MIGHT NOT (BE) MIGHT HAVE (BEEN) MIGHT NOT HAVE (BEEN)

1.- I’m getting married next week

You (be) ........................ joking!

2.- Hugh never does any work but he’s always at the top of his class. He (be) ................. a
very clever boy.

3.- This (be)........................ John’s coat. There a letter addressed to him in his pocket.

4.- He was terribly tired after walking six kilometres. He (be) ......................... as strong as
people think.

5.- We haven’t made any plans for our holiday yet. We (go)........................ to Greece, or
Italy, or we ................... even stay at home.

6.- I’ve been travelling since four o’clock.

You (be)........................ tired

7.- Tom (write) ..................... this because it’s in French and he doesn’t speak French at all.

8.- There’s somebody at the door. Do you think it (be)........................ the postman?

9.- Isn’t that John over there?

No, it (be)........................ him - he’s much taller than that.

10.- Janet (catch) ........................ the 8.30 train because she left the house at 8.31.

11.- Hercules killed two snakes that crept into his cot. He (be) ............... a very strong baby.

12.- The prisoner (escape) ........................ that way because there are his footprints.

13.- I (go)........................ to Spain next week, but I’m not sure yet.

14.- I wonder where Emma is. She (be)........................ with Nelly, I don’t know.

15.- Don’t phone her now. She (be)........................ at home. Perhaps it’s too early.
ELEMENTARY
________________________________________________________MODAL VERBS

16.- She keeps crying. She (have) ....................... some problem.

17.- He knew that she (steal) ...................... it as she hadn’t been in the house at the time.

18.- That man has stopped breathing. He (die) .....................................

19.- There’s the doorbell. That (be).....……………...... the postman. It’s only seven o’clock.

20.- It’s still winter. The water (be)........................ warm enough to swim.

21.- Janet’s hair is very untidy. She (be) ........................... to the hairdresser’s as she says.

22.- I (see) ........................ you again - who knows.

23.- That’s an enormous animal. It (weigh) ........................ a ton.

24.- John (bring) ........................ his camera. I saw him put it into his suitcase.

25.- We (be)........................ all millionaires one day.

26.- The (sell) ....................... all the tickets for the Cup final. There weren’t so many people
in the queue.

27.- You failed your exam.

I (fail) …………………………… . I studied a lot.

28.- John didn’t come to school this morning.

Didn’t he? He (be) ........................ ill. He never misses a lesson.

29.- There (be) ........................ some trouble at the football match. The crash barriers have
been broken down.

30.- Mary (try) ....................... to slim. I saw her eating cakes yesterday.

KEY
ELEMENTARY
________________________________________________________MODAL VERBS

KEY

Page 1

2. Your father may be at the station

3. John can’t live in this town
4. Everybody must be at home now
5. Those may not be our rooms
6. The dog can’t be in the garden
7. The children can’t like classical music
8. That boy may be German or Swedish
9. Animals might be happy in zoos
10. Everybody must know the answer
11. Her boyfriend must be good-looking
12. Mr Jones may have a dog
13.- He might practise too much exercise
14. They must be waiting for us
15. He might not know where he is

Page 2 Page 3

1. must be 16. must have

2. must be 17. can’t/couldn’t have stolen
3. must be 18. must have died
4. can’t be 19. can’t be
5. may might 20. can’t be
6. must be 21. can’t have been
7. can’t have written 22. might see
8. may be 23. must weigh
9. can’t be 24. must have brought
10. can’t have caught 25. might be
11. must have been 26. can’t have sold
12. must have escaped 27. can’t have failed
13. may 28. must be
14. might 29. must have been
15. may not be 30. can’t be trying