Choose the right modal verb

Choose the right modal verb

1. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You needn't buy any.

2. This is a hospital. You mush't smoke here.

3. He had been working for more than 11 hours. He must be tired after such hard work. He

may prefer to get some rest.

4. I could speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco. But after we moved

back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a

child. Now, I can just say a few things in the language.

5. The teacher said we can read this book for our own pleasure as it is optional. But we

needn't read it if we don't want to.

6. can you stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I can't .

7. If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you needn't worry. We will help you become a

fluent speaker but you have to work hard.

8. Take an umbrella. It might rain later.

9. You shouldn't leave small objects lying around . Such objects be swallowed by

children.

10. People mustn't walk on the grass.

11. Drivers must stop when the traffic lights are red.

12. May I ask a question? Yes, of course.

13. You needn't take your umbrella. It is not raining.

14. can you speak Italian? No, I can't .

Fill in the blanks using MUST, MUSTN’T, DON’T HAVE TO, SHOULD, SHOULDN’T,
MIGHT, CAN, CAN’T !

1. Rose and Ted ____m_u_s_t__________ be good players. They have won hundreds of cups !

2. You ___d_o_n_'t___h_a_v_e__t_o__ pay to use the library. It’s free.

3. I’m not sure where my wife is at the moment. She ___m__ig__h_t_________ be at her dance
class.
4. Jerry ______c_a_n_'_t_______ be working today. He never works on Sundays.

5. You ______m_u_s_t________ be 18 to see that film.

6. You ______m_u_s_t________ hear this story. It’s very funny.

7. Dad _____s_h_o_u_ld________ go and see a doctor. His cough is getting worse all the time.

8. You don’t have to shout. I _______c_a_n________ hear you very well.

9. It ______c__a_n_'t_______ be him. I saw him a week ago, and he didn’t look like that.

10. You look pretty tired. I think you ____s_h_o_u_ld_________ go to bed early tonight.

11. Let me look. I _____m_i_g_h_t________ be able to help you.

12. “Children, you __m__u_s_t_n_'t_________ cross the street if the lights are red !”

13. You ____s_h_o_u_l_d_n_'t______ sit so near the TV. It’s bad for your eyes.

14. I’m sorry but I _____c_a_n_'_t________ give you a lift because my car is broken.

15. I _____c_a_n_'t_________ stop and talk to you now. I have to get to the library.

16. You really ___m__u_s_t __________ go to the Louvre if you’re in Paris. It’s wonderful.
17. You __d_o_n_'_t__h_a_v_e___to___ come to the party if you don’t feel well.

18. I don’t know where Kelly is. She _____m_ig__h_t ________ be at her sister’s .
19. You have passed all your tests. You _____s_h_o_u_l_d_______ be very pleased with yourself.

20. You ____sh_o__u_ld_n_'_t ______ smoke in your car, especially if there are children sitting in the
back.
21. You _d__o_n_'t__h_a_v_e__t_o____ work this evening. I can do the tasks for you.

22. John doesn’t need a calculator. He _____c_a_n__________ do sums in his head.

23. Passengers ____m_u__st_n_'_t _______ open the door when the train is moving.

24. It _____m__ig_h_t________ rain today. It’s getting cloudy already.
25. I ____d_o_n_'_t__h_a_ve__t_o__ pay for the tickets because I got them from Sam for free.

Fill in the blanks with a modal form from the box !

(CAN – CAN’T - COULD – COULDN’T - DIDN’T NEED TO - MUST
– MUSTN’T - NEEDN‘T)

1. You’ve got plenty of time. You __________________ hurry.
2. There’s a knock at the door. I’m expecting Paul . It __________________ be him.
3. I can’t get my phone to work. It __________________ be out of order
4. __________________ I ask you a question ?

5. That was excellent work. But I ____c_o_u_l_d_n_'_t_______ do it without you.
6. She ______c_a_n_'t_________ be 35. She looks older than that.
7. I _____n_e_e_d_n_'_t_______ go to work on Saturdays. It’s my day off.
8. Tom has given me a letter to post. I _____m__u_s_t_n_'t_______ forget to post it.
9. Ann stayed in bed this morning because she ____d_id__n_'t__n_e_e_d_t_o___ go to work.
10. He ______c_ou_l_d_________ play chess when he was young.
11. You _______c_a_n_________ drive a car when you’re 18.
12. Jack spends the whole day just walking around. He _______c_a_n_'t________ have a job.
13. When I was in school I _____c_o_u_l_d_________ do a hand stand, but now I’m too old. I
_______c_a_n_'t________ do one any more.
14. My mother keeps telling me that we _____m__u_s_t _________ wash our hands before we sit
down at the dinner table. 15. You _____m_u_s_t_n_'_t_______ forget to turn off the lights when you
go to bed.
16. When I was a child I _______c_o_u_ld_n_'_t_____ understand adults, now that I’m an adult I
_______c_a_n_'t________ understand children.
17. Sally looks sad and worried . She ______m__u_s_t________ have a problem with something.
18. ________c_a_n________ I see your passport please.
19. He’ sees very badly, so he ______m__u_st_________ wear glasses all the time.
20. I ___d__id_n_'_t__n_e_ed__t_o___ take a taxi because the bus was on time.
21. He owns a very expensive house. He ______m_u_s_t_________ be a rich person.
22. I _______c_o_u_ld________ swim well when I was a child. I even won the school
championships.
23. You ____n_e_e__d_n_'t________ go to the grocery store. We have some milk in the fridge.
24. I ________c_a_n_'t_______ find my keys. I probably left them at my mother’s place.
25. You __d__id_n_'t___n_e_e_d__t_o___ buy the tickets. I got two for free from dad.
26. She ____m__u_s_t_n_'t________ speak so rudely to her parents.
27. The teacher always tells us we ___m_u_s_t_n_'_t_________ cheat during a test.
28. I _____c_o__u_ld_n_'_t______ stop laughing. The joke was so funny.
29. I ______c_a_n_'_t________ look at you. You’re so dirty. What were you up to ?
30. _______c_o_u_ld________ you turn down the volume ? – It’s too loud.

Complete the sentences with a modal verb from the box below. Sometimes more than one
answer is possible. CAN - CAN’T – COULD – DON’T NEED - MAY - MIGHT –
MIGHT NOT - MUST – MUST HAVE – MUSTN’T - NEEDN’T – NEEDN’T HAVE -
SHOULD - WILL
1. We _____m__i_g_h_t___________ be able to win, but I don’t think we have a good chance.
2. That _______c_a_n_'t___________ be John. He said he was going to travel to Australia.
3. When I was younger, I ______c_o_u_ld____________ sing very well.
4. I think you _______s_h_o_ul_d__________ relax more. You have been working too much lately.
5. I ________m_a_y___________ ask you to help me later.
6. She _____m__u_s_t __h_a_v_e_______ left the house quietly. I didn’t hear her.
7. You _____d_o_n_'_t___ne_e_d_______ to go shopping this weekend. We’ve got everything at home.
8. You _________c_a_n_'t_________ go in without a ticket. All seats are reserved.
9. All passengers ______m__u_s_t__________ put on their seatbelts during take-off and landing.

10.At what age ____c_a_n_______________ you get a driving license in your country?
11.You _____ne_e_d_n_'t___h_a_v_e______ watered the plants. Dad has already done it.
12.In the US, young men ___ne_e_d_n_'_t _____________ join the army. It’s voluntary.
13.I promise I ____w_il_l _______________ stop smoking.
14.Mom, ______co_u_ld_____________ you pass me the sugar please?
15.If you want to be a teacher, you ______m_u_s_t____________ attend a teacher’s training
college.
16.They ____m_u_s_t__h_a_ve__________ taken the wrong train. Otherwise, they would be here by
now.
17.He’s not picking up the phone. He _____m__ig__h_t___n_o_t______ be home yet.
18.You ______sh_o_u_ld____________ have taken my advice and gone to the doctor. Your cold is
not going to get better if you wait.
19.You _______ca_n_'_t ___________ park in a no-parking area. It’s forbidden.
20.I _______m__ig_h_t__________ go to the cinema to watch a movie, but I’m not sure.

Complete the sentences with a modal verb from the box below. Sometimes more than one
answer is possible. MAY – MIGHT – CAN – CAN’T – SHOULD – SHOULDN’T –
MUST – HAVE TO – HAS TO - NEEDN’T – MUSTN’T – DON’T HAVE TO –
DOESN’T HAVE TO
1. ______M_a_y___________ I use your pen, please?
2. You really ___h_a_v_e__t_o__________ see that new documentary. It’s fantastic.
3. You _____m_u_s_t___________ write 30 sentences for homework because you have
misbehaved.
4. You ____n_e_e_d_n_'t__________ to write 300 lines. 30 will be enough.
5. Please, excuse me but I really _____m_u_s_t___________ go now.
6. John, you ___m_u_s_t_n_'_t __________ speak so quickly. Nobody can understand you!
7. We _____m__i_g_h_t_________ watch TV tonight. We haven’t decided yet.
8. If you’ve got such a bad cough, you ____m__u_s_tn_'_t_________ smoke.
9. I am happy to inform you that I _______c_a_n__________ come to work next week.
10.You _____m_u_s_t_n_'_t ________ make so much noise. The baby is sleeping in the next room.
11.She ______m_u_s_t __________ work hard because she’s a single parent and has little money.
12.You _____n_e_e_d_n_'_t ________ go now. The train leaves in an hour, so you’ve still got some
time left.
13.According to the weather report it ___m__ay______________ rain this afternoon.
14.He ________c_a_n_________ speak Italian fluently because he spent 5 years there.
15.That _______c_a_n_'t________ be John over there. He said he would be in America this week.
16.You _______s_h_ou_ld_________ take the test seriously, even if you already have enough good
grades to pass.
17.I _____m_i_g_h_t__________ go out tonight, but I don’t think so. I feel too tired.
18._______c_a_n__________ Mary come with us?
19.You ____n_e_e_d_n_'t__________ speak French. I can speak English quite well.
20.You _____h_a_ve___to_________ take an ID card with you if you enter the stadium. Otherwise
you won’t get in.

Complete the sentences CAN, CAN’T , COULD, COULDN’T , MUST or MUSTN’T.
1. She is a small baby. She ____c_a_n_'_t______ eat meat, but she _____c_a_n_______ drink milk. 2.
He is so ill that he ____m_u_s_t_______ see the doctor. 3. It’s raining heavily. You
___m__u_s_t _______ take your own umbrella. 4. We ___m__u_s_tn_'_t_____ pick the flowers in the
park. It’s forbidden. 5. I ____c_a_n_'t_______ sing now but I ____c_o_u_ld_______ sing very well
when I was a child. 6. Mike is only nine months old. He ____c_a_n_'_t______ eat nuts yet. 7. He
has a lot of weight so he ____c_a_n_'t_______ run so fast. 8. I’m very tall, so I ____c_o_u_ld_______
play basketball. 9. You ___m__u_s_tn_'_t_____ park that car there. It’s a no-parking zone. 10.Many
students in Great Britain ___m_u_s_t________ wear a uniform when they go to school. 11.George
has travelled a lot. He _____c_a_n_______ speak 4 languages. 12.I ___c_a_n_'t________ come with
you now because I’m studying for my test. 13.Footballers ___m__u_st_n_'t______ touch the ball
with their hands. 14.____c_o_u_ld_______ I use your phone ? 15.I’m sorry I ___c_o_u_l_d_n_'t_____
come yesterday. I had to work late. 16.You ___m__u_s_tn_'_t _____ speed through the city. It’s
dangerous! 17.You have been coughing a lot recently. You ___m_u_s_t_n_'t______ smoke so much.
18.I’m very tired today. I ____c_a_n_'_t ______ clean my room now, but I’ll do it tomorrow. 19.I
___c_o_u_l_d_n_'t_____ eat lasagne when I was a child, but I like it today. 20.We ___m_u__s_t _______
go to the bank today. We haven’t got any money left. 21.You ____c_a_n_'_t ______ sleep in that
room. It’s full of boxes and other stuff. 22.I ____c_a_n_'_t______ swim very far these days, but
ten years ago, I ____c_o_u_ld_______ swim over to the other side of the lake. 23.You have a bad
headache, so you ___m__u_s_t _______ go to bed earlier. 24.I ___c_a_n_'t________ feed the baby
now, so can you do it for me ? 25.Tourists ____m__u_st_______ take their passports with them
when they go abroad