PRACTICE EXERCISES FOR WRITING

22 JAN 2021

ACTIVITY 0. FIND THE ERRORS

This paragraph contains two errors with modals. Find the errors and correct them. Explain
your corrections to a partner.
OPINION PARAGRAPH

The Best Age for Children to Learn to Read

Children should start learning to read when they are ready rather than at a specific age or
grade level. Typically, in U.S. schools, children start learning to read at six years old, in first
grade." This works well for many children, but some children are not ready at this age. For
those children, being forced to read before they are ready can actually be harmful. "It can to
cause children to lose confidence in their ability to read and in their ability to learn in general.
“Experts agree that parents should expose babies and toddlers to books. They also agree that
parents should start reading to their children when they are still infants. However, teachers
should to encourage their students to read when they show interest rather than force them to
read before they are ready.

TRỌNG TÂM KIẾN THỨC

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ACTIVITY 1
Read each sentence. Underline the modals and the base forms of the verbs that follow them.
In some sentences or questions, there is more than one modal + verb combination.
1. While some new medications may not cure serious diseases like cancer, they can help
patients live longer.
2. New business owners must consider how much money they can safely invest in their
businesses.
3. In most countries, professional athletes earn much higher pay than other professionals
such as teachers, lawyers, and even doctors. Should athletes earn more money than other
professionals?
4. In France, restaurants that serve more than 150 meals a day have to find a way to reduce
the amount of food they throw away.
5. Laws that are useful now may have to change in order to keep up with the times.
6. In California, individuals cannot own beachfront property. This is because people there
believe that everyone should have access to beaches, not just rich people.
7. Raising the speed limit on the highways to 75 miles per hour would not be a good idea.
8. In the past, women were supposed to stay home and take care of the children instead of
work.

ACTIVITY 2
Underline the correct modal forms.
1. Many employers say telecommuting more than twice a week (would not be / would be) not
a good idea.
2. Most people surveyed said politicians (should be always / should always be) honest.
3. Humans landing on Mars (might not/might to not be) possible now, but it is likely to happen

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eventually.
4. Cars in the United States (did not have to / had not to) have seatbelts until 1968.
5. A large increase in the price of gas (might result / might be result), in fewer cars on the
highways.
6. Meditation (can help often / can often help) reduce anxiety.
7. Teachers (should to use / should use) some games in the classroom because they
(can/can to) help some students learn faster and more effectively.
8. People with diabetes are (not supposed to / supposed not to) eat sugar.

COMMON USES

ACTIVITY 3
Read each sentence. Underline the correct modal in parentheses.
1. Many people think that elementary schools (should /may) provide more instruction on the
dangers of tobacco.
2. Early cell phone batteries lasted longer than smartphone batteries. You (were not

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supposed to / did not have to) charge them every day.
3. People are living longer these days. More people (could / should) live to be over 100 in the
future.
4. Early cell phones (were not able to / must not) connect to the Internet.
5. After the government passes the new carbon emission laws, all businesses (can / will
have to) pay fines if they (cannot / must not) stay within the new limits.
6. I believe that students (should not/ could not) wait until middle school to study a foreign
language.
7. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, people who lost their homes (had to /could) move to
temporary housing outside of New Orleans.
8. After getting a speeding ticket, you (could/must) pay a fine within a specified amount of
time.

ACTIVITY 4
Complete each sentence with your own ideas. Use a modal that expresses the purpose in
parentheses.
1. Fifty years ago, people ______________________________________________ (express
ability in the past)
2. Most instructors believe that students _______________________________________
(give an opinion)
3. In the future, this city________________________________________________ (hedge)
4. To perform well on tests, students ___________________________________________
(express a necessity)
5. Next month, ________________________________________________ (express a future
plan)

Common Error – Does the modal need to?

Drinking coffee in the late afternoon can to cause can cause sleep problems.
People who have trouble sleeping have to watch their coffee consumption.

REMEMBER: Single-word modals (such as can, must, or should are followed by the base
verb. Do not add to. However, phrasal modals (such as have to be able to, ought to include
the word to.

ACTIVITY 5 Common Error

Read the following sentences. Underline the modal and verb in each sentence. If the modal +
verb form is correct, write C on the line. If it is wrong, write X on the line. Then write the

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correct modal and verb above the sentence.
1. In the future, the development of new technologies may to continue to make work easier
and better for employees in many different fields.
2. Many parents believe that their children should to wear helmets when playing soccer to
protect them from head injuries.
3. Until the laws changed in the United States in 1978, women were not able to keep their
jobs after they got pregnant.
4. In 2008, Chinese Olympic officials were worried about rain on the opening and closing days
of the Olympics. They seeded the clouds with silver iodide to make it rain early so there
would to be no rain on those days.
5. Although we recycle plastic, we must to find alternatives to plastic wherever possible.
6. Some psychologists believe children are too busy these days and that they ought to have
more free time on their own.
7. Many students believe they have to complete internships in their field while they are still in
school in order to get a job after they graduate.
8. One function of a turtle's shell is to protect its head, but some turtles, such as Loggerhead
turtles, cannot to put their heads into their shells.