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Modal verbs
1. I didn’t feel very well yesterday. I ___________ eat anything.
Cannot / couldn’t / mustn’t
2. You ______ look at me when I am talking to you.
Could / Should / Would
3. I was using my pencil a minute ago. It _________ be here somewhere!
Can / Could / Must / Would
4. You really _________ be late again.
Must not / don’t have to be
5. If you don’t start working harder, you ..... repeat the course next year.
Have to / Must / will have to
6. His parents spoil him. He’s always ..... to do whatever he wants.
Been able / been allowed
7. Phone her now. She ..... home by now.
Has to be / must be / would be
8. You ..... forget your sun cream. It’s going to be very hot!
Don’t have to / mustn’t / needn’t
9. I ..... be able to help you, but I’m not sure yet.
Might / Would
10. Entrance to the museum was free. We ..... pay to get in.
Needn’t / didn’t need to
11. Already as a child Mozart ..... play the piano beautifully.
Could / Should / Would
12. Which sign are you more likely to see at an airport: Bags ..... not be left
unattended.
Can / Must / May
13. I really ..... try to get fit.
May / Must / Would
14. ..... take a photograph of you?
Am I allowed to / May I
15. Students ..... borrow up to 6 books at any time.
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Are allowed to / Could

16. Whose is this bag? - I don’t know, but it ..... belong to Yuta.
Could / May / Should / Would
17. ..... I go to the bathroom, please?
May / Must / Would
18. His excuse ..... be true, but I don’t believe.
Can / May
19. It’s very important to ..... speak more than one language.
Can / be able to
20. I don’t like ..... get up early on a Sunday.
Being able to / being allowed to / having to
21. ..... you speak French? - Only a few words, but my Russian is pretty good.
Can / Could
22. ..... you help me move this table? (Both answers are possible. Choose the
more polite request.)
Can / Could
23. I ..... talk already before I was two years old.
Could / Should / Would
24. I ..... help you, but I don’t want to.
Can / Could / Would
25. ..... you open the window, please.
Can / May
26. I ..... move the table. It was too heavy.
Couldn’t / Mustn’t / Shouldn’t / Wouldn’t
27. You ..... not put your feet on the cafeteria tables.
Must not / Do not have to
28. If you continue to practice so hard, you ..... beat me before too long!
Can / Could / Will be able to
29. ..... you swim? (Both are possible. Which is better?)
Are you able to / Can
30. You ..... eat so much chocolate. It’s not good for you.
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Don’t have to / mustn’t / shouldn’t

31. I’m afraid I ..... play tennis tomorrow. I’ve got a dentist appointment.
Can’t / couldn’t / would not be able to
32. You can come to the meeting if you want but you ......
Have to / don’t have to / mustn’t
33. What do you want to do? - Well, we ..... have a picnic, but it looks like rain.
Can / Could / Should / Would
34. I’m so hungry I ..... eat a horse!
Can / Could / Should / must
35. The test starts at 10.30. You ..... be late.
Don’t have to / must not
36. Why didn’t you tell me? I ..... you!
Could help / could have helped / was able to help / would help
37. How did you do in the test? - Ok. It ..... worse!
Could be / could have been / Might be / would have been
38. He ..... broken the classroom window. He wasn’t even in school today.
Couldn’t have / mustn’t / shouldn’t have
39. You ..... tired. You’ve only just got out of bed!
Don’t have to / can’t be / Must not be
40. She ..... be very pleased with herself. She got the best grades.
Has to / must / cannot

Write down the correct modal in the blanks. Use the one you consider fits the
best in the spaces. Options: Should, would or could?

1. __________ you give a hand, please?

2. I __________ speak to him if I were you.
3. I __________ speak to him yesterday. I didn’t have time.
4. I think you _________ learn Spanish if you want to work in the Export Dep.
5. Clare _________ be very happy to help you. Go and ask her.
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6. You _________ work so late. You are going to make yourself ill working so
hard.
7. You _________ always print out messages like that. You need to keep a
paper record.
8. You ____________ worry about it. It’s not important.
9. I looked everywhere yesterday and I _________ find it, but today it is on my
desk!
10. If you are not happy there, then you _________ look for a new job.

Exercise 3

1) Aynur _________ drink milk every day. She is very thin.

2) Students ________ leave the classroom before the ring bells.

3) You ___________ brush your teeth after breakfast.

4) Your father ___________ stop smoking.

5) ________ you pass my pencil to me?

6) You __________ talk aloud in the library.

7) You _________.smoke cigarette in hospital.

8) We ___________ visit our grandparents more often.

9) You ____________.touch burning items.

10) You ___________ drive too fast in the city.

Modal Verb

1 - __________ you speak French? - Only a few words, but my Russian is

pretty good.

A - Can B - Could

2 - You __________ eat so much chocolate. It’s not good for you.

A - don’t have to B – must C - shouldn’t

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3 - I__________ talk already before I was two years old.

A - could B - should C - would

4 - I__________ help you, but I don’t want to.

A – can B – could C - would

5 - __________ you open the window, please.

A – Can B - May

6 - I __________ move the table. It was too heavy.

A - couldn't B - mustn't C - shouldn't D - wouldn't

7 - You__________ not put your feet on the cafeteria tables.

A - must not B - do not have to

8 - If you continue to practice so hard, you __________ beat me before too

long!

A – can B – could C - will be able to

9 - __________ you swim?

A – Should B – Can C - Must

10 - __________ you help me move this table?

A – Can B – May C – Shall

Modals of Ability 1

Put in 'can', 'can't', 'could' or 'couldn't'. If none of these is possible use 'be able
to' in the correct tense.

1) __________ you swim when you were 10?

2) We ___________ get to the meeting on time yesterday, because the train

was delayed by one hour.
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3) He ___________ arrive at the party on time, even after missing the train, so
he was very pleased.

4) He's amazing, he ________ speak five languages, including Chinese.

5) I _________ drive a car until I was 34. Then I moved to the countryside, so I
had to learn…

6) I looked everywhere for my glasses but I ________ find them anywhere.

7) I searched for your house for ages. Luckily I ______ find it in the end.

8) She's seven years old, but she _______ read yet. Her parents are getting her
extra lessons.

9) I read the book three times, but I ________ understand it.

10) James _________ speak Japanese when he lived in Japan, but he's
forgotten most of it now.

11) I ____________ understand the chapter we had to read for homework. It

was so difficult.

12) I ____________ lift this box - it's too heavy! Would you help me?

13) Lucy ________ make it to our meeting after all. She's stuck in traffic.

14) John __________ play tennis really well. He's champion of his club.

15) Unfortunately, I really __________ sing at all. No-one in my family is

musical either...

16) When the car broke down I was really pleased because I _________ solve
the problem…

17) Julian ___________ play excellent golf when he was only ten…

18) My grandmother _________use a computer until last month. Since then

she's been taking lessons at the library.

19) I __________ open this window! I think it's stuck.

20) Gill __________ play the piano. She has never studied it.