EXERCISE ON MODAL VERBS

01. You be kidding! That can't be true.

a. ought to b. have to c. should d. need
02. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He be exhausted after such a long flight.
a. can b. must c. had better d. has
03. He them to promote him to manager; after all, he isn’t even a qualified engineer.
a. shouldn’t be expecting b. needn’t have expected
c. can’t have expected d. wouldn’t be expecting
04. The television isn't working. It damaged during the move.
a. must b. must have been c. must be d. must have
05. To remain on the safe side, we should not take things for granted and should be able to cope with all
kinds of contingency; in Salts, for instance, the villagers for accommodating all the
visitors.
a. may have been unprepared b. need not to be prepared
c. must not be prepared d. may be unprepared
06. Kate: hold your breath for more than a minute? Jack: No, I can't.
a. Might you b. Are you able to c. Can you d. Will you
07. You be rich to be a success. Some of the most successful people I know haven't got a
penny to their name.
a. can't b. shouldn't c. don't have to d. mustn’t
08. The company had sent the advertisement to the newspaper when they realised they’d mistyped the
salary they were offering for the position. Luckily, they the newspaper to correct their mistake
before they printed it.
a. could have asked b. must have asked c. were able to ask d. might have asked
09. Susan hear the speaker because the crowd was cheering so loudly.
a. couldn't b. might not c. can't d. doesn’t
10. I've redone this math problem at least twenty times, but my answer is wrong according to the answer
key. The answer in the book be wrong!
a. should b. have to c. must d. could
11. You worry so much. It doesn't do you any good. Either you get the job, or you don't. If
you don't, just apply for another one. Eventually, you will find work.
a. can't b. don't have to c. shouldn't d. may not
12. we move into the living room? It's more comfortable in there and there's a
beautiful view of the lake.
a. Will b. Must c. Shall d. Dare
13. If I had gone white water rafting with my friends, I down the Colorado River right now.
a. would be floating b. would have floated c. would float d. would have been floated
14. At first, my boss didn't want to hire Sam. But, because I had previously worked with Sam, I told my
boss that he take another look at his resume and reconsider him for the position.
a. has to b. must c. ought to d. will
15. You take along some cash. The restaurant may not accept credit cards.
a. had better b. has to c. can d. dare
16. When it turned out that Alice to hospital before July, I phoned the agency to cancel the bookings.
I didn’t want to risk losing the money, in case she did.
a. needed have gone b. might have to go c. could have gone d. needed to have gone
17. The machine on by flipping this switch.
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a. could be turning b. can be turned c. may turn d. need turning

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18. You forget to pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is very strict about paying on time.
a. couldn't b. don't have to c. mustn't d. needn’t
19. Do you always have to say the first thing that pops into your head. you think once in a while
before you speak?
a. Can not b. Don't c. Can't d. Why
20. The lamp be broken. Maybe the light bulb just burned out.
a. could not b. might not c. must not d. cannot
21. Initially I was opposed to the idea, but after I had seen the research, I that the project was a
good one.
a. must have agreed b. would have agreed c. ought to agree d. had to agree
22. If you like, we volleyball with the children while the men up the barbecue.
a. could play / are setting b. could have played / have set
c. will play / were setting d. can play / had been setting
23. We really should have checked whether the covered bazaar is open on Sundays. We
somewhere else, but now we’ve wasted our afternoon coming here.
a. visited b. had visited c. could have visited d. have been visiting
24. She , but luckily, a lifeguard spotted her and rescued her.
a. has drowned b. ought to drown c. could have drowned d. might drown
25. It’s absurd! In the first section they praise us for preventing a “major epidemic” and in the next one
they write that we so many people.
a. needn’t have vaccinated b. didn’t need to vaccinate
c. didn’t need vaccinate d. needn’t to have vaccinated
26. “Must I take my umbrella?” - “No, you . It’s not going to rain.”
a. mustn’t b. have to c. needn’t d. don’t
27. I can’t believe it. She it by herself. It weighs over a ton.
a. couldn’t lift b. might not lift
c. may not have been able to lift d. can’t have lifted
28. The Prince’s aircraft had to undergo a security check and so we to him for almost an hour.
Father was very impressed as normally he could have counted on nothing more than a handshake.|
a. might talk b. were able to talk c. could have talked d. may have talked
29. The book is optional. My professor said we could read it if we needed extra credit. But we
read it if we don't want to.
a. cannot b. don't have to c. must not d. should not
30. “How many people ? Remember we will have to cover their travel expenses.”
- “Well, it’s up to you. I can assure you I won’t protest.”
a. will we invite b. should we invite c. we want to invite d. would we invite
THE END

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