I.

Modal Verbs

Choose the most appropriate modal verb to express the idea specified
in parentheses.
1. You don't look well. You see a doctor. (Advice)

2. you mind lending me your CD player for a couple of

days? (Formal Request)

3. Whose book is this? – I am not sure. It be Ann's.

(Possibility)

4. She stay at home today because her little son is sick.

(Obligation)

5. You leave work at 3:30 today. (Formal Permission)

6. I swim very well. (Ability)

7. The windows look clean. You wash them. (Absence of

necessity)

8. You disturb him during his work! (Prohibition)

9. Whose car is this? – It be Anton's. I think I saw him

driving a red car like this one. (Strong probability)

10. I don't believe it. It be true. (Impossibility)

11. I study all night for my test yesterday. (Past

obligation)

Adapted from: http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/modal-verbs-exercise-eight

II. Explain the difference in meaning between the sentences in each pair below.

a) You’ll be surprised at how friendly the Portuguese are.

b) You may be surprised at how friendly the Portuguese are.
c) b) You must kiss people you meet on both cheeks.
d) You should kiss people you meet on both cheeks.
e) You may open the bar.
f) You ought to open the bar.
g) g) That must be the manager.
h) That could be the manager.
i) You don’t have to arrive early.
j) You mustn’t arrive early.
III. Complete the sentences using the correct modal verb (must;
may; could; should; can’t) as a deduction in the past and
remember to use the verb given correctly.
a) James must have gone (go) out. I can´t see him.
b) He looks tired. Perhaps he could have been (be) awake all night
finishing the report.
c) Tony must have eaten (eat) the dinner, there’s nothing in the fridge!
d) That’s impossible! It can´t have been (be) Adam that you saw at the
party because he was working the night shift.
e) Linda is running late, it’s possible that she must have taken (take) the
wrong route.
f) & g) Where’s my cocktail? Oh, you must have drunk (drink) it, there’s
no one else here. I should have taken (take) it with me.

IV. Rewrite the underlined sentences in italics using a modal verb: might, may, could,
must or can’t in the correct tense form.
a) Josh is acting very strangely. I’m sure he’s in love. He must be in love.

b) Linda is looking a bit tired. Perhaps she has executive burnout. She might have had a
executive burnout.

c) That’s definitely not her boss. He’s far too young. That can´t be her boss.

d) He’s just bought a new car and a private jet. He obviously sold his business for a lot
of money. He most have sold his business to buy a new car and a private jet

e) You seem very familiar. Maybe we’ve met before. We might have met before you
seem very familiar.