Introduction to modal verbs theory quiz

1: Which of these are true about modal verbs?

a) We can’t use them to talk about the past.
b) They don’t need an ‘s’ after he, she or it.
c) They don’t need an auxiliary verb to make a question or a negative.
d) We only use them for things that are hypothetical.

2: Which of these are true about modal verbs?

a) We only use them to be polite.
b) We can usually only use one modal at a time (we can’t say I might could go).
c) We don’t use them in indirect speech.
d) They are followed by the infinitive without ‘to’.

3: What are the two main situations where we use modals?

a) To show our opinion about how likely it is that something is true.
b) To interact with another person in a polite way.
c) To talk about things we are planning to do in the future.
d) To talk about skills we have.

4: Are 'need' and 'dare' used with modal grammar?

a) No.
b) Occasionally, in old-fashioned British English.
c) Yes, always.

5: Which of these kinds of modals is used when we want to say how likely something is?
a) Willingness, permission, possibility and prediction.
b) Willingness, permission, obligation and advice.
c) Probability, logical necessity, possibility and prediction.
d) Probability, logical necessity, obligation and advice.

6: Which of these kinds of modals are used when we want to use modal verbs with a social meaning?
a) Probability, logical necessity, possibility and prediction.
b) Willingness, permission, obligation and advice.
c) Probability, logical necessity, obligation and advice.
d) Willingness, permission, possibility and prediction.
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7: What is a phrasal modal?
a) An expression with more than one word that is used instead of modal verbs only for
hypothetical meanings.
b) An expression with more than one word that is used in a similar way to how we use normal
modal verbs.
c) An expression with more than one word that is used as an adjective.
d) An expression with more than one word that is used to add more information to a sentence
that also uses a normal modal verb.

8: How are phrasal modals different from normal modals in their grammar?
a) Phrasal modals can’t be used together.
b) Phrasal modals can’t be used to talk about the past.
c) Phrasal modals can be used after a normal modal in the same sentence.
d) Phrasal modals often have normal tenses.

9: Which phrasal modal is similar to ‘must’?

a) Be supposed to.
b) Be able to
c) Be going to
d) Have to

10: Which phrasal modal is similar to ‘will’?

a) Be able to
b) Be supposed to
c) Be going to
d) Have to

11: What is a continuous infinitive?

a) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
d) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)
12: What is a perfect infinitive?
a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)
c) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
d) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)

13: What is a passive infinitive?

a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)
d) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
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14: What is a perfect continuous infinitive?
a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
d) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)

15: What did grammar books traditionally say were past modals?
a) Should would may can.
b) May can will must.
c) Should would might could.
d) Might could will must.

16: Which of these do we still use regularly and normally?

a) Might as the past of may.
b) Could as the past of can.
c) Would as the past of will.
d) Should as the past of shall.

17: What are the three situations where we use ‘could’ and ‘would’ in the same way as we use the
past of normal verbs?
a) Politeness / reported speech / future situations.
b) Future situations / politeness / hypothetical situations.
c) Hypothetical situations / future situations / reported speech.
d) Hypothetical situations / politeness / reported speech.

18: In reported speech, we use 'could' as the past of:

a) Can.
b) Will.
c) May.
d) Must.

19: How do we change 'may' in reported speech?

a) We often change it to 'might'.
b) We always change it to 'might'.
c) We never change it to 'might'.

20: In reported speech we use 'would' as the past of:

a) Can.
b) Will.
c) May.
d) Might.

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21: What is a hypothetical situation?
a) Something that we are planning.
b) Something that isn’t real.
c) Something that happened a long time ago.

22: When we are talking about a hypothetical situation in the past, we use:
a) Could / would + infinitive.
b) Could / would + be + verb-ing.
c) Could / would + have + past participle.

23: Which is more polite?

a) Could I borrow your car?
b) Can I borrow your car?

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 Answers to introduction to modal verbs theory quiz

1: Which of these are true about modal verbs?

a) We can’t use them to talk about the past.
b) They don’t need an ‘s’ after he, she or it.
c) They don’t need an auxiliary verb to make a question or a negative.
d) We only use them for things that are hypothetical.

2: Which of these are true about modal verbs?

a) We only use them to be polite.
b) We can usually only use one modal at a time (we can’t say I might could go).
c) We don’t use them in indirect speech.
d) They are followed by the infinitive without ‘to’.

3: What are the two main situations where we use modals?

a) To show our opinion about how likely it is that something is true.
b) To interact with another person in a polite way.
c) To talk about things we are planning to do in the future.
d) To talk about skills we have.

4: Are 'need' and 'dare' used with modal grammar?

a) No.
b) Occasionally, in old-fashioned British English.
c) Yes, always.

5: Which of these kinds of modals is used when we want to say how likely something is?
a) Willingness, permission, possibility and prediction.
b) Willingness, permission, obligation and advice.
c) Probability, logical necessity, possibility and prediction.
d) Probability, logical necessity, obligation and advice.

6: Which of these kinds of modals are used when we want to use modal verbs with a social meaning?
a) Probability, logical necessity, possibility and prediction.
b) Willingness, permission, obligation and advice.
c) Probability, logical necessity, obligation and advice.
d) Willingness, permission, possibility and prediction.

7: What is a phrasal modal?

a) An expression with more than one word that is used instead of modal verbs only for
hypothetical meanings.
5 Introduction to Modals
© Perfect English Grammar
 b) An expression with more than one word that is used in a similar way to how we use
normal modal verbs.
c) An expression with more than one word that is used as an adjective.
d) An expression with more than one word that is used to add more information to a sentence
that also uses a normal modal verb.

8: How are phrasal modals different from normal modals in their grammar?
a) Phrasal modals can’t be used together.
b) Phrasal modals can’t be used to talk about the past.
c) Phrasal modals can be used after a normal modal in the same sentence.
d) Phrasal modals often have normal tenses.

9: Which phrasal modal is similar to ‘must’?

a) Be supposed to.
b) Be able to
c) Be going to
d) Have to

10: Which phrasal modal is similar to ‘will’?

a) Be able to
b) Be supposed to
c) Be going to
d) Have to

11: What is a continuous infinitive?

a) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
d) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)

12: What is a perfect infinitive?

a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)
c) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
d) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)

13: What is a passive infinitive?

a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)
d) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)

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14: What is a perfect continuous infinitive?
a) Be + verb-ing (e.g. I could be eating)
b) Be + past participle (e.g. I could be eaten – by a lion!)
c) Have + past participle (e.g. I could have eaten)
d) Have + been + verb-ing (e.g. I could have been eating)

15: What did grammar books traditionally say were past modals?
a) Should would may can.
b) May can will must.
c) Should would might could.
d) Might could will must.

16: Which of these do we still use regularly and normally?

a) Might as the past of may.
b) Could as the past of can.
c) Would as the past of will.
d) Should as the past of shall.

17: What are the three situations where we use ‘could’ and ‘would’ in the same way as we use the
past of normal verbs?
a) Politeness / reported speech / future situations.
b) Future situations / politeness / hypothetical situations.
c) Hypothetical situations / future situations / reported speech.
d) Hypothetical situations / politeness / reported speech.

18: In reported speech, we use 'could' as the past of:

a) Can.
b) Will.
c) May.
d) Must.

19: How do we change 'may' in reported speech?

a) We often change it to 'might'.
b) We always change it to 'might'.
c) We never change it to 'might'.

20: In reported speech we use 'would' as the past of:

a) Can.
b) Will.
c) May.
d) Might.

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21: What is a hypothetical situation?
a) Something that we are planning.
b) Something that isn’t real.
c) Something that happened a long time ago.

22: When we are talking about a hypothetical situation in the past, we use:
a) Could / would + infinitive.
b) Could / would + be + verb-ing.
c) Could / would + have + past participle.

23: Which is more polite?

a) Could I borrow your car?
b) Can I borrow your car?

8 Introduction to Modals
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