MODAL VERBS

Functions of modal verbs

1 Complete the text with the verbs in brackets and a suitable modal verb. Use an
affirmative or negative.
In the USA, most school students don’t have to wear (not wear) a uniform, but in the UK the
majority of schools say that their students
(1) …………………………… (wear) one. Chloë, a fifteen-year-old student from the UK, says
that while a shirt, tie and blazer isn’t a great outfit, she believes that wearing a uniform (2)
…………………………… (not be) a bad idea because it helps to create an identity for a
school. Her teacher agrees and adds that wearing uniforms (3) ……………………………
(help) students to prepare for when they leave school and (4) ……………………………
(dress) smartly for work. Macy, a student, says that her school (5) ……………………………
(not ban) the uniform because it means that everyone looks the same and students don’t feel
pressurized into wearing fashionable clothes.
Ability, permission & prohibition
2 Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first sentence. Use
the modal verbs in the box.
are allowed to can can’t couldn’t is able to managed to mustn’t
It’s against the law to drop litter in some countries.
You can’t drop litter in some countries.
1 She’s allowed to wear her own clothes to college.
She ………………………………… her own clothes to college.
2 Passing my test was difficult but I did it in the end!
I ………………………………… my test in the end!
3 He can speak French very well.
He ………………………………… French very well.
4 You can apply for your licence now.
You ………………………………… your licence now.
5 It’s against the rules to run in the corridors.
You ………………………………… in the corridors.
6 When I was young, I wasn’t able to ice skate.
When I was young, I ……………………………… .
Advice
3 Complete the sentences giving advice using an appropriate modal verb. Sometimes there
is more than one possible answer.
‘My hair is getting very long.’
‘You should go to my hairdresser because he’s very good.’
1 ‘I need some new shoes.’
‘You ……………………… go to the new shoe shop because there’s a lot of choice.’
2 ‘I’m going to buy a burger.’
‘You ……………………… get one from that dirty burger van or you might get food
poisoning.’
3 ‘I’ve run out of money.’
‘You ……………………… go to the cash machine and get some.’
4 ‘I’m going to go home now.’
‘It’s raining. You ……………………… walk or you’ll get very wet.’

[Escriba texto]
 5 ‘I want to get a new handbag.’
‘You ……………………… try this website because it sells some great accessories.’
Obligation & no obligation
4 Translate the sentences into your language.
1 We must take our student identity card to the shop to get a discount.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
2 You don’t have to stand up when she enters the room.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
3 We needn’t stay here if you don’t want to.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
4 You have to arrive by 10 a.m. if you want to get in.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
Possibility, deduction & modal perfects
5 Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in the box. Use an affirmative
or negative modal.
can / spend could / stay might / come might / visit must / have should / study should /
wear
We should have studied for the exams.
1 She …………………………… those shoes with her jeans because they were the wrong
colour.
2 We …………………………… the Eiffel Tower next week if the queues aren’t too long.
3 You …………………………… all your money already – it’s only 10 o’clock!
4 They …………………………… a good time on holiday this week. They’re always smiling!
5 You …………………………… with my parents when you’re in London because they have
a spare room.
6 I …………………………… to the party if you’d told me about it.
Consolidation
6 Choose the correct options.
A: You should / must have come with me to the sales, (1) when / which start tomorrow!
B: What time (2) does the shopping centre open / is the shopping centre opening?
A: It opens at 8 a.m., but we (3) need to / couldn’t get there earlier so that we (4) could / can
be at the front of the queue!
B: Oh, why didn’t you (5) tell / say me about this yesterday?
A: Sorry, I (6) forgot / was forgetting.
B: I’m sure that I (7) didn’t arrive / wasn’t arriving early for the sales last year.
A: Yes, but if we don’t get there early, all the best bargains (8) will be buying / will be
bought by somebody else!
B: OK, I (9) ’ll / ’d be there early, (10) as long as / even if you promise to buy me lunch!
A: It’s a deal! You’ll thank me (11) when / which you get home tomorrow with lots of new
clothes!

[Escriba texto]
Functions of modal verbs
1 Complete the text with appropriate modal verbs. In each case, more than one answer is
possible.
Dallas Wiens from Texas can’t remember much about 13 November 2008, when he hit an
electricity power line and burned his whole body very badly. His injuries were so severe that
doctors (1) ……………………… put him into a coma for three months. When he woke up, he
was told that he had lost all the features on his face, which meant that he (2)
……………………… use his eyes, nose or mouth. Doctors advised him that he
(3) ……………………… prepare himself for a lifetime in a wheelchair and without a face.
However, Wiens told himself, ‘I (4) ……………………… get better,’ and he had 22
operations in the first year after the accident. After a while, he (5) ……………………… stand
up on his own and move his left arm. Then, one day, he received a call from Jeff Janis at
Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Janis told him that it (6) ……………………… be possible to give
him a face transplant. Wiens had a 20-hour operation to give him a new face and now he (7)
……………………… breathe through his nose and taste food again.
The US Department of Defence covered the cost of his face transplant, so at least Wiens
(8) ……………………… pay for his operation.
Ability, permission & prohibition
2 Rewrite the sentences. Use affirmative or negative forms of the modal verbs in bold.
It’s against the rules for students to wear jeans to college. (must)
Students mustn’t wear jeans to college.
1 When I was younger, I wasn’t able to swim. (could)
...........................................................................
2 It’s not against the rules for staff to chew gum.
(be allowed to)
...........................................................................
3 It was difficult, but I found the perfect dress in the end. (manage to)
...........................................................................
4 It’s against the law for motorists to park here. (can)
...........................................................................

5 The race was so difficult that Jake didn’t finish it. (manage to)
...........................................................................
6 You can’t check your answers with your partner. (be allowed to)
...........................................................................
Advice
3 Translate the sentences into your language.
1 Clothes shops should listen to what teenage fashion bloggers are saying.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
2 You’d better not wear the yellow dress with green shoes.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
3 We ought not to buy products unless they’re fair trade.
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
4 Manufacturers shouldn’t test their cosmetics on animals.
...........................................................................

[Escriba texto]
 ...........................................................................
Obligation & no obligation
4 Rewrite the sentences using an appropriate modal verb. In each case, there is more than
one possible answer.
Travellers are obliged to purchase a ticket.
Travellers must buy a ticket.
1 Customers are obliged to leave a 10% tip.
...........................................................................
2 Shopkeepers are not obliged to give refunds.
...........................................................................
3 Students are obliged to pass their exams this term.
...........................................................................
4 Visitors are obliged to leave their bags at reception.
...........................................................................
5 Car owners are obliged to pay road tax.
...........................................................................
6 Children are not obliged to dress smartly.
...........................................................................
Possibility, deduction & modal perfects
5 Complete the first dialogue using appropriate modal verbs of possibility or deduction.
Then complete the second dialogue in the perfect tense. Sometimes more than one answer
is possible.
A: Who’s that at the door?
B: It must be Jack. I thought that he (1) ……………… come round today.
A: No, it (2) ……………… be Jack – he’s on holiday. Shouldn’t we open the door? It
(3) ……………… be somebody important.
B: No, I’m too tired to see anyone today. And if it wasn’t Jack, it (4) ……………… be
people trying to sell something. They always come round at this time of the day.

A: Who was that at the door this morning?

B: It must have been Jack. I thought that he (5) ……………………… come round this
morning.
A: No, it (6) ……………………… been Jack – he’s on holiday. Shouldn’t we have opened
the door? It (7) ……………………… been somebody important.
B: No, I was too tired to see anyone this morning. And if it wasn’t Jack, it (8)
……………………… been people trying to sell something. They always come round at
this time of the day.
Consolidation
6 Correct the errors in the sentences. One sentence is correct.
We might have gone on holiday to Paris next summer. might go
1 While I have slept, it started to snow.
………………………
2 Harry can’t speak until he was five years old.
………………………
3 He apologized of breaking the speed limit.
………………………
4 This is the model whose shoe broke on the catwalk. ………………………

[Escriba texto]
 5 Kim had her car stealing yesterday.
………………………
6 If I have brought my wallet, I could have bought

[Escriba texto]