Pg.

MODAL VERBS
I) Fill the gaps with a suitable modal verb. Please, pay attention to the
context in each sentence.
-He __________ take my car anytime.
-Where is Tom? -He __________ be waiting at the station.
-I am taking driving lessons every day so I __________ drive in two or
three weeks' time.
-I have tried these two keys unsuccessfully, so this third key __________
open the door.
-I wonder who took the money. -It __________ be Tom. It was the only one
who was there.
-DRIVER: I __________ go slowly here; it's a built-up area.
-Her husband __________ (not) answer the phone. He's been dead for ages.
-STUDENT TO ANOTHER STUDENT: You __________ take two books home with you
from the library.
-The pupils __________ (not) get into the classroom. The door __________ be
locked.
-DOCTOR: You __________ (not) go on a diet, but you __________ eat sensibly
and you __________ (not) overeat.
-He __________ have come by taxi: there was no other way of making this
journey.
-When I was young I __________ climb any tree in the forest.
-He __________ be studying for his exam. He __________ (not) be spending
all his time on the beach.
-EMPLOYER: You __________ use a dictionary. I'm tired of correcting your
spelling mistakes.
-I __________ (not) be telling you this. It's supposed to be a secret.
-You __________ (not) read the whole book, but you __________ read the
first four chapters. (A TEACHER TO HIS PUPILS)
-EMPLOYER: You __________ take a day off whenever you want.
-ZOO NOTICE: Visitors __________ (not) feed the animals.
-She __________ make her children's clothes. She __________ (not) afford to
buy them.
-You __________ (not) strike a match. I can see well enough.
-You __________ (not) strike a match. This room is full of gas.
-I forgot to tell Ann Tom's address. Well, she __________ know it...
-EMPLOYEE

TO

ANOTHER

EMPLOYEE:

In

__________ be at their desks at 9:00.

this

office

even

the

senior

staff

Pg. 2

1.

STUDENT TO ANOTHER STUDENT:

- I need to take these three books from the library.
- Well, you __________ take only two books with you.
- MAY
- OUGHT TO
- CAN

2.

When I was young, I (1) __________ walk for hours, but now I (2)
__________ hardly walk for a few minutes.
(1) - CAN
(2) - MAY
- SHOULD
- CAN'T
- COULD
- CAN

3.

DOCTOR: You (1) __________ give up

smoke up to five cigarettes a day.
(1) - DON'T NEED TO
(2)
- MUST
- NEEDN'T

smoking, but you (2) __________

- MAY
- HAVE TO
- MUST

4.

FATHER TO HIS SON: Now that you know how to drive, you __________ take
my car anytime.
- CAN
- MAY
- SHOULD

5.

DRIVER: This is a school area: I __________ go slowly here.

- SHOULD
- MAY
- HAVE TO

6.

I take driving lessons every day: it is supposed that I __________

drive in two or three weeks' time.
- WILL CAN
- BE ABLE TO
- MUST

7.

Tom __________ (not) knock

Liverpool since October.
- CAN
- HAD TO
- COULD

8.

EMPLOYER: You __________ be always on time in this company.

- SHOULD
- HAVE TO
- MUST

9.

You __________ (not) strike a match. The room is full of gas.

- HAVE TO
- MUST
- OUGHT TO

at

the

door

last

night;

he's

been

in

10. I __________ (not) be telling you this. It's supposed to be a secret.

- MUSTN'T
- SHOULDN'T
- NEEDN'T
11. The pupils are waiting outside the classroom. The door __________ be
locked.
- BE ABLE TO (put in the suitable tense)

Pg. 3

- MUST
- MAY
12. There are no buses, no trains, and it's too far away; he __________
have come by car or taxi.
- MIGHT
- MUST
- MAY
13. TWO FRIENDS TALKING ABOUT TOM:
-Tom (1) __________ be studying for his exams.
-Yes, he __________ (not) be spending all his time on the beach.
(1) - MAY
(2) - MIGHT
- OUGHT TO
- OUGHT TO
- MUST
- MUST
14. TEACHER TO PUPILS: You (1) __________ study units 1 to 7, but you (2)
__________ do all the exercises.
(1) - DON'T NEED
(2) - OUGHT TO
- NEEDN'T
- MIGHT
- SHOULD
- MUST
15. I only have three keys. I have tried these two keys, so this third one
__________ open the bloody door.
- SHOULD
- MIGHT
- MUST
16. EMPLOYEE TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE: In this company you and even the manager
__________ be on time.
- MUST
- HAVE TO
- OUGHT TO
17. -Where is Tom?
-I don't know. He __________ be waiting at the station.
- HAVE/HAS TO
- MIGHT
- OUGHT TO
18. She is very
-

poor. She __________ make her own clothes.

MUST
HAVE/HAS TO
NEEDN'T

19. -Did you tell Ann Tom's address?

-Oh! I forgot!
-Well, she __________ know it...
- MUST
- HAVE/HAS TO
- MAY
20. -I wonder who killed Sally.
-It __________ be Tom: it was the only one who visited her that night.
- MAY
- OUGHT TO
- HAVE/HAS TO

Modals
Choose the best answer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

... you open the window, please?

A May B Need C. Shall D Will
... I lock the door for you?
A Shall B Will C Ought D Need
I'm free this evening. ... we go out to dinner?
A Will B Shall C Won't D Would
She ...type at 40 words per minute.
A need B ought C dare D can
You ...try to make your applications a bit neater, or you'll never get
a job.
A shall B will C ought D should
Poor Jack - he lost his homework, and he ... do it again.
A has got to B needs C Shall D Ought
I wish you ... make such a noise. I'm trying to work.
A shouldn't B wouldn't C couldn't D needn't
The government ... increase taxes soon.
A may B need C ought D dare
I'm not surprised you failed the exam. You ... have worked harder.
A should B must C would D ought
They ... understand the teacher, as he spoke too fast.
A wouldn't B shouldn't C can't D couldn't
... I have an orange juice, please?
A Shall B Must C Could D Will
This car is in terrible condition - you ... have an accident at any
time.
A should B could C would D can
I ... go now, or I'll be late for the lesson.
A may B need C ought D must
You ... blame yourself for the accident. It wasn't your fault.
A daren't B mustn't C won't D oughtn't
Are you saying you want me to work all weekend? You ... be serious.
A mustn't B can't C might not D shouldn't
I ... like to apologize for not replying to your letter earlier.
A could B might C would D must
You ... pay for this information. It's free.
A mustn't B don't have to C shouldn't D ought not to
It was wrong of you to talk to her like that - the next time you see
her, you ... apologize.
A need B ought to C dare to D may
You ... worry about paying the gas bill - I've already done it.
A needn't B daren't C can't D might not
She ... to work a little bit harder if she's going to pass the exam.
A needs B must C had D should
Can you come at once? I ... speak to you urgently.
A can B must C should D ought
She ... have rushed to the airport like that. The plane was delayed by
several hours.
A needn't B mustn't C couldn't D wouldn't
You ... be exhausted after that walk.
A can B need C must D ought
I ... rather not go by coach, if you don't mind.
A would B should C will D had
He left home more than an hour ago. He ... be at work by now.
A shall B can C must D would

MODAL VERBS
11.

CAN, CAN'T, COULD, COULDN'T.

a. polite request
c. prohibition
-

(Arancha)

b. permission
d. ability

You can certainly cook very well.

Could you help me, please?
You can't smoke in here.
My father can speak four languages fluently.
We couldn't see very well. It was very foggy.
Can I turn on the TV, please?
No, you can't.

21. CAN, MAY, COULD, MIGHT.

- I ........ ride a bicycle when I was 8.
- You ........ be right. But everyone ........ make mistakes.
- What's the weather like? Is it going to be sunny this afternoon?
- I'm not sure. It ........ be, but we ........ get a storm. I admit
that it doesn't look like it at the moment, but the trouble is that
storms ........ appear so quickly here that you never know when to expect
them. But we ........ be lucky. There's no sign of trouble at the moment.
31. SHOULD, SHOULDN'T, MUST, MUSTN'T, OUGHT TO, HAVE TO.
- You ........ (get up) early in the army.
- You ........ (renew) your passport before now. I cannot allow you to
leave the country.
- I ........ (drive) carefully because the road is icy.
- You ........ (drive) more carefully on such an icy road.
- You really ........ (work) harder if you want to pass the exam.
- You ........ forget what I told you. It's very important.
- You ........ wash white and coloured clothes together.
- Small children ........ watch violent programmes on TV.
41. MUSTN'T, NEEDN'T, COULD.
- You ........ drive so quickly. We have plenty of time.
- ........ I use your telephone, please?
- You ........ smoke in a theatre.
- He didn't agree with me at first but I ........ persuade him.
51. CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, SHALL, SHOULD, WILL, WOULD, MUST.
- If your finger isn't getting better you ........ see a doctor.
- He's a very good worker. Nobody ........ work harder than he does.
- I ........ come tomorrow but I think it ........ be better to wait
until next week.
- It ........ rain but I think it ........ be all right at least until
six o'clock.
- ........ we have a cup of tea?
Good idea! But I ........ make it because you're busy.

VERBOS MODALES
Fill in the blanks with the corresponding modal verb:
1. Take my advice, Tony, you ........ wear a crash helmet.
2. Mr Jones, I ........ see my mother to the airport. ........ I leave
early?
3. ........ you mind if I switch off the light?
4. I can't understand Martin. I've never ........ understand him.
5. I haven't seen Jim for ages. He ........ have gone away.
6. I'm going to buy a car. It ........ be an Ibiza or perhaps a Twingo.
Anyway, I ........ (not) spend a lot of money, because I ........ also
pay for my new flat.
7. If they aren't happy together, they ........ divorce.
8. You ........ forget what I told you. It's very important.
9. Ann, ........ you do me a favour?
10. `Do you want me to wait for you?' `No, it's okay. You ........ wait'.
11. ........ you tell me how to get to the bus station, please?
12. I'm afraid I ........ (not) come tomorrow. I ........ work late.
13. She said she ........ (not) come yesterday because she ........ work
late.
14. I don't know why she shouted at me like that. She ........ have
shouted.
15. ........ you like to come to a concert tomorrow?
16. He ........ (not) play tennis very well now but he ........ quite well
when he was younger.
17. We ........ go shopping today, because we have everything we need.
18. ........ I clean the windows today?
19. Gerry isn't at work today. I suppose he ........ be ill.
20. Do you have a toothache? Then you ........ go to the dentist's.
21. Excuse me, sir, you ........ fasten your seat-belt now. We're taking
off in a minute.
22. What ........ you do if you lost your identity card?
23. Tom ........ (not) have much money, because he asked me for five pounds
yesterday.
24. The policeman says to me,"You ........ pay a fine."
25. My friend Susan says to me, "How much ........ pay?"