Name: ________________ Date: _______

Classwork: Modal Verbs

Modals are different from normal verbs:

- They don't use an 's' for the third person singular.

- They make questions by inversion ('she can go' becomes 'can she go?')
- They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to

1. Can you name these films?

a) Which is your favourite film?

b) Who are the main actors?
c) What’s the music like?
d) Which is your favourite part of the film? Write the meaning of the
verbs.
2. Underline the modal verbs in these sentences. Can ____________________
1. I can understand most films in French.
May ____________________
2. Jenny may buy that DVD, but she’s not sure.
3. You must book in advance for the 3D film. Must ___________________
4. I had to take my passport to the cinema to show my age. Have to _________________
5. When he was in New York, Roberto could see a different movie Could ___________________
every day.
6. Cinema staff sometimes have to work many hours. Might ___________________
7. My brother might have an extra ticket for tonight’s film – I’ll ask
him.

3. Match a-e with sentences 1-7 in exercise 2.

 Name: ________________ Date: _______

Classwork: Modal Verbs

a) Talking about an obligation in the present (two answers)
b) Talking about an obligation in the past
c) Talking about a possibility (two answers)
d) Talking about an ability in the present.
e) Talking about an ability in the past

4. Choose the correct word.

1. Elio just phoned. He can’t / couldn’t come to the cinema with us tonight.
2. We must / had to sit at the side of the cinema last time because we booked so late.
3. We couldn’t / can’t see very well and the sits weren’t very comfortable.
4. There was nothing we must / could do about it, but this time let’s book earlier.
5. May / Can you buy tickets for us at lunchtime?
6. We may / must all meet at the cinema no later than 7.15.
7. There can / may be time to have an ice cream after the film.
8. Perhaps, but I could / have to catch the 10 o’clock bus because that’s the last one.

5. What might you do this weekend?

Put a tick and compare with
other students using may or might.

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6. Read the text about Transformers 3 and choose the right word (a, b or c) for each space