grammar worksheet modal verbs

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Modal verbs (b1).

• MOD008 - Modal Verbs
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• MOD006 - Modal Verbs
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• Modal Verbs

Levels of Difficulty : Elementary Intermediate Advanced

• M016 - Modal Verbs Intermediate
• M015 - Modal Verbs Intermediate
• M014 - Modal Verb Phrases Intermediate
• M013 - MUST, MUSTN'T , HAVE TO , DON'T HAVE TO Elementary
• M012 - MUST and MUSTN'T Elementary
• M011 - Modal Verbs - Past Forms Intermediate
• M010 - Modal Verbs - Past Forms Intermediate
• M009 - Modal Verbs Elementary
• M008 - Modal Verbs Intermediate
• M007 - Evelyn Glennie Intermediate
• M006 - COULD or COULD HAVE Elementary
• M005 - MUST, MUSTN'T or NEEDN'T Elementary
• M004 - MUST or CAN'T Elementary
• M003 - CAN, CAN'T, COULD, COULDN'T , BE ABLE TO Elementary
• M002 - Modal Verbs Elementary
• Modal Verbs 001 - One word too many Intermediate
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Can / could - exercises

May / might

Must / have to

Shall / should

Will / would

Mixed modals - exercises

Worksheets - handouts

Mixed modals - 1

Exercises - modal verbs.

• Mixed modals - elementary 1
• Mixed modals - elementary 2
• Mixed modals - elementary 3
• Mixed modal verbs - test 1
• Mixed modal verbs - test 2
• Mixed modal verbs - test 3
• Mixed modals - exercise 1
• Mixed modals - exercise 2
• Modal verbs 1 - exercises
• Modal verbs of deduction
• Modal verbs - short answers
• Ability: can - could - might...
• Have to, must, should
• Permission - obligation
• Offers and requests - exercises
• Possibility - modal verbs
• Ability - modal verbs exercises
• Advice - modal verbs exercises
• Can / must / should - tests

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Grammar Exercise - Modals

Do the exercise on modal verbs and click on the button to check your answers.

(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on modal verbs )

Choose the right modal verb

• There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You Select an option: mustn't needn't may not should not buy any.
• This is a hospital. You Select an option: mustn't needn't may not don't have to smoke here.
• He had been working for more than 11 hours. He Select an option: must need had better mustn't be tired after such hard work. He Select an option: may should must had better prefer to get some rest.
• I Select an option: could might can must speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco. But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a child. Now, I Select an option: may can must need just say a few things in the language.
• The teacher said we Select an option: can needn't must should read this book for our own pleasure as it is optional. But we Select an option: could need needn't mustn't read it if we don't want to.
• Select an option: May Need Must Can you stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I Select an option: may not needn't can't .
• If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you Select an option: could need needn't mustn't worry. We will help you become a fluent speaker but you have to work hard.
• Take an umbrella. It Select an option: need should mustn't might rain later.
• You Select an option: shouldn't need needn't may not leave small objects lying around. Such objects Select an option: must need may mustn't be swallowed by children.
• People Select an option: couldn't needn't mustn't may not walk on the grass.
• Drivers Select an option: could must may stop when the traffic lights are red.
• Select an option: May Must Should Will I ask a question? Yes, of course.
• You Select an option: couldn't needn't mustn't may not take your umbrella. It is not raining.
• Select an option: Can Need Should May you speak Italian? No, I Select an option: shouldn't mustn't may not can't .

Related pages:

• Modal verbs
• Present and past of modals
• Modals for Obligation
• Must and have to
• Shall and will
• Is need a modal verb?
• Exercise on modals
• Exercise on modals in the past
• Exercise on modals: mustn't or needn't
• Exercise on have to vs don't have to
• Exercise on Modals for Obligation: must, mustn't, don't have/doesn't have to
• Exercise on the meaning of modals

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Unit 8 - Exercise 2 - Modal verbs

Type the correct modal verb into the box.

can couldn't have to might must ought to shouldn't was able

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Modal verbs exercises PDF

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Modal verbs

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Modal verbs exercises + PDF worksheets

PDF exercises to download for free:

Can - Can't Exercises PDF

• Positive, negative and question forms.

Must - Mustn't Exercises PDF

• Practise modal verbs of obligation.

Must Have to Mustn't Needn't Exercises PDF

• Compare these modal verbs in exercises with answers.

Can May Must Have to Exercises PDF

• Mixed modal verbs in positive and negative forms.

Can - Be able to Exercises PDF

• 'Can' compared with 'be able to' in all tenses (PDF exercises).

Can - Be allowed to Exercises PDF

• 'Can' vs 'be allowed to' in PDF exercises to download.

Would Should Could Might Exercises PDF

• Modal verbs of speculation (would be + would have been).

Online exercises with answers:

Can, may, must, mustn't, needn't

Modal verbs exercise 1 | Modal verbs exercise 2

• Rewrite sentences and keep the same meaning.

Modal verbs exercise 3 | Modal verbs exercise 4

• Complete sentences with modal verbs.

Modal verbs exercise 5 | Modal verbs exercise 6

• Choose correct answers in the multiple choice quiz.

Can - Be able to

• 'Can' compared with 'be able to' in all tenses (online exercises and grammar rules).

Can - Be allowed to

• 'Can' vs 'be allowed to' (exercises with answers and grammar rules with examples).

Would Should Could Might

• 'Would be + would have been' online exercises and grammar rules.

More PDF exercises

English grammar worksheets PDF All PDF exercises on e-grammar.org.

English grammar tests PDF Marked grammar tests with keys.

Modal verbs can, may, must, needn't

PDF grammar rules: Modal verbs rules PDF

We use modal auxiliary verbs can, may, must in the English language to express various meanings - ability, possiblity, probability, certainty, permission, prohibition, obligation, opinion, speculation, etc.

1. Can is used to express the ability to do something.

I can swim very well. Can he speak English fluently? - No, he can't. We cannot sing at all!

2. It expresses the possibility to do something.

We can go to the seaside at last. Our holidays start next week.

3. We use it to say that something is probable .

It can be John. He has blond hair and he is wearing glasses.

4. It expresses the permission to do something.

Why not? You can marry her. She is a nice girl.

1. May is used for permissions .

You may borrow my car. I won't need it. May I smoke here? - No, you can't, I'm sorry.

2. It is used to express probability or prediction .

They may call tomorrow. I hope so.

The main difference between may and can is in style. May is more formal than can . Can is typical of spoken English.

3. The opposite of may is must not or may not .

May I smoke here? - You mustn't smoke here. (strong prohibition) - You may not smoke here. (more polite, very formal) - You can't smoke here. (informal spoken English)

Must - Need not

1. Must is used for strong obligations . It is personal, because it expresses the speaker's opinion or will.

I must clean my teeth. I want to be healthy. You must go there. And do it right now!

2. It means a strong recommendation .

You must see it. It's the best film I've ever seen.

3. We use it to show the certainty of the speaker.

They must be at school by now. It's already 9 o'clock.

4. The opposite of must is need not .

You needn't wash up. I've already done it.

Must not has a different meaning. It is used to express prohibition that involves the speaker's will.

We mustn't come late today. Or the teacher will be very angry. He mustn't enter this room. It is dangerous.

Normally, these modal auxiliary verbs are not used in different tenses. The past tense of can is could ,  may and must , however, only have the present form. All the other tenses must be formed in a different way.

We make the passive voice with a verb + be + past participle: This can be done. The laws must be respected.

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