Modal verbs (will, can, may, must, etc.) are used to show if something is seen as certain, probable or possible (or not). They are also used in a sentence to express ability, asking permission, making requests and offers, and so on.

These modalities (ability, permission, advice, etc.) can be practised in the following exercises.

exercises

ability

  • exercise 1: choose the correct modal verb to express ability
  • exercise 2: choose between can, can’t, could, couldn’t and will be able to
  • exercise 3: choose between met can, could and to be able to
  • exercise 4: fill in the best modal:  can, could, be able to, may or might

permission 

  • exercise 1: choose between can, could, may and might
  • exercise 2: fill in can, could, may or might to ask permission or offer something

advice

  • exercise 1: choose between could, would and should
  • exercise 2: fill in the best modal:  should, ought to or had better
  • exercise 3: choose the most appropriate modal verb to express advice

deduction and probability 

  • exercise 1: modal verbs for past probability: choose between should have, might have, must have and can’t have 
  • exercise 2: modal verbs for past probability: fill in  must have, might have, should have or can’t have 
  • exercise 3: modal verbs for past probability: choose the best auxiliary to express strong probability
  • exercise 4: modal verbs for present probability: choose the correct sentence
  • exercise 5: modal verbs for past probability: choose the correct form
  • exercise 6: modal verbs for past probability: fill in must have, can’t have, couldn’t have, may have
  • exercise 7: modal verbs for present probability: fill in  must, can’t, could, may, might

necessity and obligation 

  • exercise 1: choose the most appropriate modal verb to express various ideas of necessity
  • exercise 2: the difference between must and have to: choose the correct form
  • exercise 3: modal verbs of obligation: choose between must, have to, should, ought to
  • exercise 4: the difference between must and have to: choose the correct form
  • exercise 5: fill in must, have got to or have to

request 

  • exercise 1: choose the appropriate form to express request or permission
  • exercise 2: choose the best modal to express polite request: would you, could you, will you and can you

all modalities

  • exercise 1: choose between can, could, may, might and must
  • exercise 2: choose between can, could, may, might, must, must have, and should
  • exercise 3: choose the correct modal verb
  • exercise 4: choose the correct modal verb
  • exercise 5: choose the correct modal verb
  • exercise 6: choose the correct modal verb
  • exercise 7: fill in can, could, have to, must, might or should
  • exercise 8: fill in can, couldn’t, have to, might, must, ought to,  shouldn’t or was able
  • exercise 9: choose the correct modal verb
  • exercise 10: choose the correct modal verb

useful pages