Modal verbs Meaning
Can ability
permission Complete the sentences with the appropriate modal.
possibility 1) You …………………………. smoke in the hospital.
2) …………….. I borrow your red dress for the party.
3) He is so pale , he …...……………… visit the doctor.
Could ability in the past
4) I ………………………….….. speak four languages.
possibility
5) You …………………...……… respect your parents.
Polite permission 6) They ………………….………… arrive this evening.
7) We……………. meet each other in the bus station.
Must obligation 8) She ……………….... come to the party, she was ill.
Logical conclusion 9) It’s a cloudy day, it ………....................... rain today.
10) Sam isn’t at home, he ……………..be in his office.
11) …………………………you close the door, please?
Must not prohibition
12) This cheese is so salty, you ……….………….eat it.
13) Tina ……………….…buy new toys, she has many .
May possibility 14) I …………….….go on holiday to Malta next week.
Permission 15) She……………….……………..revise her lessons .
Might polite permission
Possibility
Should advice
Ought to logical conclusion Choose the correct answer.
weak obligation
1) Drivers ................ speak on the phone while driving.
Need not absence of necessity
a) couldn’t b) mustn’t c) need not
Had better advice 2) ................. I ask you some questions about your life?
a) should b) must c) could
Modal verbs + bare infinitive
( infinitive without to ) 3) I ............................ see a dentist , I have a toothache.
a) ought to b) can c) might
Examples:
1) You must keep quiet. 4) Drinking a lot of alcohol .................cause addiction.
2) He should stop smoking.
a) must b) couldn’t c) can
3)May I go with my friends to the cinema ,
Mum? 5) He ................. play with his brother than going out.
a) need not b) may c) had better
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Must -to express obligation
Children must go to school (it’s the law)
You have to do your homework tonight (the teacher says)
Have to – to express necessity for personal reasons.
I have to do my homework every day
Need – is used to express necessity
You need to buy some food, the fridge is empty
Mustn’t - to express prohibition
He mustn’t arrive late for work.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION
a) It’s raining. You ……to take an umbrella with you.
1.-need 2.- mustn’t 3.- must
b) She …….. pay me the money.
1.- must 2.-have to 3.- has
c) Look! It’s getting late. I …….. go home now.
1.- need 2.- must 3.- have
d) Children ………. obey their parents and teachers.
1.- mustn’t 2.- have 3.- have to
e) We ……… to get to school early tomorrow.
1.- have 2.- must 3.- mustn’t
f) George …….. to pay his electricity bill today.
1.- must 2.- has 3.- mustn’t
g) We ……… to buy any vegetables today.
1.- have 2.-don’t have 3.- must
h) That boy …….. walk in the puddles.
1.- mustn’t 2.- need 3.- don’t have to
i) My uncle ……… to walk the dog twice a day.
1.- have 2.- must 3.- has
j) We ……… walk on the grass. It’s forbidden.
1.- must 2.- mustn’t 3.- have
k) You …….. brush your teeth after eating.
1.- has to 2.- mustn’t 3.- must
l) Leonardo ……… finish the exercises.
1.- have to 2.- has to 3.- need
m) My grandmother ……..take this medicine in the morning.
1.- need to 2.- needs to 3.- have to
n) I ……….. park my car here. I may get fined.
1.- must 2.- have 3.- mustn’t
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REWRITE THESE SENTENCES USING
must/have to/ need
1.- It’s obligatory to pay before you go in.
You………………………………………………………………
2.- It’s forbidden to smoke in the classrooms.
You …………………………………………………………..
3.- It’s not necessary to buy all the books on the list.
You ……………………………………………………………
4.- It’s forbidden to use dictionaries in the exam.
You………………………………………………………….
5.- It’s necessary to wear formal clothes
You …………………………………………………………
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Fill in the blanks with a modal verb. There is more than one answer in some sentences.
1.- ……………….. I borrow your rubber, please? Yes, of course you ……………..
2.-My friend is getting married today, she ……………. feel very nervous.
3.-Next year I think you ……………… to translate any report into your own language.
4.-Don’t touch that wire because it …………………. be dangerous.
5.-I ……………. swim quite well when I was five years old.
6.- Sonia …………………… practise so much if she wants to take part in the marathon.
7.- You ……………….. cook those vegetables because they have already cooked.
8.-The girl …………………… go to the studio for an audition.
9.- That diamond bracelet is very elegant but it …………………………….. have cost a fortune.
10.-If you are interested in human life, you …………………….. study biology.
11.-He is applying for a job at the university. He …………….. get it.
12.-That house was really important in her life so she …………………………. sell it.
13.-I’m not sure but perhaps Roberto ………………………. leave for Australia soon.
14.-You ………………………………. have shouted at Thomas yesterday. He is very sorry.
15.-Look it has stopped raining. We ……………………. go for a walk in the country.
16.-The old woman ……………….. fall on the street and break a leg. She ………… carry a stick.
17.-Sheila didn’t go to work yesterday. She ………………….. be ill in bed.
18.-Last Christmas party was fabulous, you ………………………………. have come with me.
19.- I’ve lost my keys. I ……….............. have dropped them when I went shopping.
20.-It’s prohibited to go into that building. You ……………………. go in.
21.-Patricia is driving a new car. She ……………………… have bought it.
22.-My dictionary isn’t in my schoolbag. I …………………….. have left it at home.
23.-The boy …………………….. help his parents in the farm during the summer holidays.
24.-Look ! The lights are off so the library …….………………….. be closed.
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REWRITE THE SENTENCES USING MODAL VERBS
1.- Some people just don’t know how to sing. (be able to)
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2.- There’s a chance that she’s in the airport. (could)
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
3.- I knew how to ride horse when I was six. (could)
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4.- John isn’t sure if he is going to go to Turkey. (might not)
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
5.- Do not block the emergency exit. (mustn’t)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6.- It is dangerous to use mobile phones on the plane. (mustn’t)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
7.- It is necessary to fasten your seat belt for landing and taking off. (must)
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8.-It’s possible that he’ll be there to meet us. (may)
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
9.- This is a surprise. Don’t tell anybody about it. (shouldn’t)
You ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
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