WORKSHEET 1: MODALS

NAME: ALVIN F. CATACUTAN Grade & Section: G9-DIAMOND Date: NOVEMBER 20, 2017 Score: _________

WORDS to REMEMBER:

THE MODALS
The modal verbs are used with other verbs to express ability, obligation, possibility, and so on.

Modal Meaning Example

can to express ability I can speak a little Russian.

can to request permission Can I open the window?
may to express possibility I may be home late.
may to request permission May I sit down, please?
must to express obligation I must go now.
must to express strong belief She must be over 90 years old.
should to give advice You should stop smoking.
would to request or offer Would you like a cup of tea?
would in if-sentences If I were you, I would say sorry.

EXERCISE A: Fill in the blanks using MUST, CAN’T, MAY, MIGHT, COULD, SHOULD, and SHOULDN’T.

1. Sally looks worried. She must have a problem with something (HAVE).
2. Bob can’t be at school because I haven’t seen him all day (BE).
3. I could have lent you the money. Why didn’t you ask me (LEND)
4. Mr. Travis hasn’t come to work yet. He has never been late for work. He must have missed the bus (MISS).
5. She knew everything about our plans. She must have listened to our conversation (LISTEN)
6. A: Will you come to my birthday party tomorrow afternoon?
B: I’m sorry but I can’t come because I have to look after my sister.(COME)
7. Timmy is a very good boy. He isn’t naughty, so he can’t have broken that window. Somebody else must have broken
it (BREAK, BREAK)
8. The street is wet this morning. I’m not sure but it might have rained last night(RAIN).
9. She could sing like an angel when she was a child (SING)
10. A: I talked to your science teacher yesterday.
B: You can’t have talked to her because she wasn’t at school yesterday.(TALK)
11. Mrs. White bought a new fur coat! - She must have won the lottery (WIN).
12. He came home alone yesterday. You shouldn’t have let him do that; he might have got lost. (LET, GET)
13. He read the message but he couldn’t understand it (UNDERSTAND)
14. The singer has got a sore throat so she can’t sing at the concert (SING)
15. It might have been Jack I saw in the park yesterday, but I’m not sure about it(BE).
16. We can’t wait any longer. Something must be done at once (DO).
17. Everyone shouted in fear. They must have been very afraid (BE).
18. A: I’m afraid Ted is watching TV again.
B: He can’t be watching TV because his room is completely silent and dark. He must be sleeping. (WATCH, SLEEP)
19. I can’t find my book. I must have left it the bus (LEAVE)
20. She can’t go to school. It’s Saturday (GO).
EXERCISE B: Complete each sentence with the correct modal based on the given meaning.
21. Chris shall conduct a research work next year. (Futurity)
22. Overwork can make people sick. (Possibility)
23. The tank could overheat and explode. (Less probability)
24. Michael can fly an airplane. (Ability)
25. When Teen was still young, she could swim regularly. (Past habitual action)
26. Many people must be irritable to hear his nuisance. (Strong probability)
27. The party is over. Could we go home now? (Suggestion)
28. I must renew my driver’s license. It expires next month. (Obligation)
29. I have to call my parents tonight. I have not talked with them in a long time. (Necessity)
30. Mr. Reyes shall attend the conference next week. (Futurity)

EXERCISE C: Fill in the blanks with suitable modals from the ones given in the boxbelow.
should might can could have to must

31. Liza’s flight from Morocco took more than 11 hours. She must be exhausted after such a long flight.
She should prefer to stay in tonight and get some rest.
32. If you want to get a better feeling for how Rommel is laid out, you should walk down town and explore the
riverside.
33. You must research the route a little more before you set sail.
34. When you have a small child in the house, you have to leave small objects lying around.
35. Anna: Can you hold your breath for more than a minute? Bunty: No, I can’t.
36. Jasper’s engagement ring is enormous! It must have cost a fortune.
37. Please make sure to feed the fish while I am gone. If they don’t get enough food, they might die.
38. I can speak Ayesha fluently when I was a child.
39. The teacher said we should read the book if we needed extra credit.
40. The spatula must be in this cupboard but it’s not here.

EXERCISE D: Identify the function of each modal in the given sentences.

41. Could you switch on the light? [ could is used to Permission]
42. Filipinos should pay taxes. [should shows Advice]
43. The team A may win the game. [may in the sentence shows Possibility]
44. She must be out this evening. She does not answer the phone. [must is used to Express Strong Belief]
45. The government will provide assistance to the fire victims. [will shows Intention]
46. I can run ten miles. [can in the sentence is used to show Ability]
47. He could not be here at the party. He is out of town. [could shows Possibility]
48. Can I call you? [can is used to Ask Permission]
49. When he was young, he would go surfing every day. [would shows Repetition in the Past]
50. Life can be difficult. [can is used to show Possibility]

EXERCISE E: Match the two columns to identify the use of each modal verb. Write the letter before the number.
H. 51. Abe should call Lyla soon after their first date. a. obligation
J. 52. Lyla should be happy to get his call. b. possibility
E. 53. Abe calls but she doesn’t pick up, she must be working. c. low probability
 C. 54. No problem, he can call her back later. d. rational probability
G. 55. Later he tells her they could go out to dinner again. e. certainty
A. 56. She says she may be available Friday. f. polite request
B. 57. Abe asks if he can call her back Friday morning. g. permission
I. 58. She says she could be in a meeting, the afternoon is better. h. advice
F. 59. Friday afternoon, Abe asks: May I pick you up at 6 pm? i. capacity
D. 60. He must be on time to make a good impression. j. suggestion

EXERCISE F:Write sentences about the pictures below. Use modals of probability.

1.
2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

1. He must be greedy about that cake because he stared at the cake for an hour!

2. He could be The Great Hunter who specialize killing ostriches and gazelles.

3. He must be extremely happy about something important.

4. It might be an robot writing a letter to his family or friends.

5. She may be yelling since she’s irritated.

6. That dinosaur can’t be real! It must be a robot.

“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Proverbs 3:1 – 2 KJV M./A./D.