Modal Verbs Exercises
MODAL VERBS OF ABILITY EXERCISE
Exercise-1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct modal verb of ability to complete each sentence: can, could, be able to.
- When I was a child, I ________ swim very well.
- After months of training, she ________ run a marathon.
- I hope I ________ finish this project by the deadline.
- Before the accident, he ________ play the piano perfectly.
- They ________ solve the problem because they had all the necessary information.
- Will you ________ attend the meeting tomorrow?
- She ________ speak three languages fluently.
- He was very strong; he ________ lift heavy weights easily.
- If you study hard, you ________ pass the exam.
- When she was young, she ________ dance beautifully.
- In the future, we ________ travel to Mars.
- They ________ find the restaurant even without a map.
- He ________ fix the computer by himself.
- Last year, I ________ visit many countries during my vacation.
- Will she ________ join us for dinner?
MODAL VERBS OF OBLIGATION EXERCISE
Exercise-2: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct modal verb of obligation to complete each sentence: must, have to, need to, should, ought to.
- You ________ wear a seatbelt when driving.
- I ________ finish this report by tomorrow.
- She ________ go to the doctor; she has been feeling unwell.
- We ________ respect our teachers.
- He ________ clean his room before he can go out to play.
- You ________ bring your own lunch to the picnic.
- They ________ study harder if they want to pass the exam.
- You ________ tell the truth in court.
- We ________ check the weather before planning our trip.
- I ________ take my medication twice a day.
- Students ________ complete their homework on time.
- You ________ pay your bills on time to avoid late fees.
- She ________ apologize for her mistake.
- We ________ leave early to avoid traffic.
- He ________ take better care of his health.
MODAL VERBS OF PROBABILITY EXERCISE
Exercise-3: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct modal verb of probability to complete each sentence: might, may, could, must, can’t.
- She ________ be at home; the lights are off.
- It ________ rain later, so take an umbrella.
- They ________ have missed the train because they are not here yet.
- He ________ be the new manager; he’s been in meetings all day.
- I ________ have left my keys at the office.
- This answer ________ be correct, but I am not sure.
- She ________ have forgotten about our meeting; she is usually very punctual.
- That ________ be John’s car; he drives a different model.
- You ________ be very tired after your long trip.
- It ________ be true; I’ve heard it from several sources.
- We ________ meet the deadline if we work overtime.
- She ________ know the answer; she has studied this topic extensively.
- They ________ have moved away; their house is empty.
- He ________ be joking; that can’t be a serious suggestion.
- This ________ be the right key; try the other one.
Past Model Verbs Exercise
Exercise-4: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct past modal verb to complete each sentence: could have, might have, should have, would have, must have.
- I ________ gone to the party, but I was too tired.
- They ________ finished the project by now; they were working very hard.
- She ________ studied harder for the exam; she failed it.
- We ________ taken the earlier train; now we are late.
- He ________ been the one who called you last night.
- You ________ seen her at the concert; she was sitting in the front row.
- They ________ won the game if they had practiced more.
- I ________ forgotten to lock the door; it’s still open.
- She ________ been more careful with her words; she hurt his feelings.
- He ________ arrived earlier if he hadn’t missed the bus.
- We ________ bought the tickets online; it was much cheaper.
- You ________ told me about the change in plans.
- She ________ known about the surprise party; she seemed genuinely surprised.
- They ________ been able to fix the car if they had the right tools.
- I ________ called you, but I thought you were busy.
Exercise 5: Identify the Modal Verb in the following Sentences
- She can swim very well.
- You must finish your homework before you go out.
- They might come to the party later.
- He should apologize for his mistake.
- I will call you tomorrow.
- We could see the mountains from our hotel room.
- You ought to visit the new museum.
- They have to leave early to catch the train.
- She may not be able to attend the meeting.
- He might have forgotten about the appointment.
- We would go to the beach if it were sunny.
- You can borrow my car if you need it.
- She must have left the house already.
- I should have studied more for the test.
- They will be arriving at the airport soon.
Exercise-6: Rewrite the Sentences
Hereās an exercise where you need to rewrite the sentences using the appropriate past modal verbs. Use could have, might have, should have, would have, must have.
- I was very tired, so I didn’t go to the party.
- They were working very hard, so it’s likely they finished the project by now.
- She didn’t study enough, and as a result, she failed the exam.
- We missed the earlier train, and now we are late.
- Someone called you last night, and it’s possible it was him.
- You were at the concert, and she was sitting in the front row.
- They didn’t practice enough, so they lost the game.
- The door is still open, which suggests I didn’t lock it.
- She wasn’t careful with her words, and she hurt his feelings.
- He missed the bus, so he didn’t arrive earlier.
- We didn’t buy the tickets online, and we missed the discount.
- You didn’t inform me about the change in plans.
- She seemed genuinely surprised, so she didn’t know about the party.
- They didn’t have the right tools, so they couldn’t fix the car.
- I thought you were busy, so I didn’t call you.
Answers:
- I could have gone to the party, but I was very tired.
- They must have finished the project by now; they were working very hard.
- She should have studied harder for the exam; she failed it.
- We should have taken the earlier train; now we are late.
- He might have been the one who called you last night.
- You must have seen her at the concert; she was sitting in the front row.
- They could have won the game if they had practiced more.
- I might have forgotten to lock the door; it’s still open.
- She should have been more careful with her words; she hurt his feelings.
- He would have arrived earlier if he hadn’t missed the bus.
- We could have bought the tickets online; it was much cheaper.
- You should have told me about the change in plans.
- She might have known about the surprise party; she seemed genuinely surprised.
- They could have been able to fix the car if they had the right tools.
- I would have called you, but I thought you were busy.
What are modal verbs?
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability (e.g., can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would).
How are modal verbs used?
Modal verbs are used with a base verb to indicate ability, possibility, permission, or obligation (e.g., She can swim; You must go).
Can modal verbs change form?
No, modal verbs do not change form. They remain the same regardless of the subject or tense (e.g., can, could, may, might).
Whatās the difference between “can” and “could”?
“Can” expresses present ability or permission, while “could” is used for past ability or polite requests (e.g., I can swim; Could you help me?).
When do we use “must” and “have to”?
“Must” indicates strong obligation or necessity imposed by the speaker, while “have to” indicates external obligation (e.g., You must finish; I have to leave).
What does “should” imply?
“Should” suggests advice, recommendation, or expectation (e.g., You should eat healthier; He should be here by now).
Can “may” and “might” be used interchangeably?
“May” and “might” both express possibility, but “may” is more formal. “Might” is also used for less certain situations (e.g., It may rain; She might come).
Is there a negative form for modal verbs?
Yes, modal verbs have negative forms by adding “not” (e.g., cannot, must not, should not, will not, might not).
What is the role of “shall”?
“Shall” is used for suggestions, offers, or formal obligations, mainly in British English (e.g., Shall we dance?; You shall obey).
How do modal verbs affect sentence structure?
Modal verbs are followed by the base form of the main verb, and they do not require “to” (e.g., He can go; You must finish).