3. Sajeev ______________ the piano. eats C can to play B can play A She ______________ come on holiday next month if her parents give her permission. will be able to C could B can't A
4. They ______________ go. The weather was too bad. wasn't able to C can't B couldn't A Sorry. I ______________. I haven't got any either. B: Can you lend me some money? A: couldn't C am not able to B can't A
5. You'll be able to solve this, ______________? will you C won't you B can you A Sorry, Teacher. I ______________do it yet. haven't been able to C couldn't B wasn't able to A
6. He ______________ pass the exam if he studied harder. would be able to C can B will be able to A The fishing boat sank but luckily all the crew ______________ save themselves. wasn't able to C could B were able to A
7. We ______________ go to the party. We're going to a wedding. will can't C won't be able to B couldn't A
8. Modal Verbs of Ability and Permission Exercise Check through the different uses. Can you pass me the salt? CAN, COULD requests 5 You may not talk in the exam CAN'T, MAY NOT refusing permission, prohibition 4 You can use my phone. MAY, CAN giving permission 3 Could I borrow your pen? MAY, CAN, COULD asking for permission 2 María can drive. CAN expressing ability 1 EXAMPLE MODAL VERBS USE TYPE
9. Look at the following phrases and write in which type you think it is. Then use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill the gaps.
14. I'm sorry but you (can't/may)________________ use the computer until after I've finished . Manoj, your friends (can/could)________________ st- ay the night if they want to. They're perfectly welcome.
15. Listen, please. Students (may/could)________________ study in the library from five to nine in the evening. (May/Could)________________ you lend me Rs 40 till Monday?
17. She could be Scottish. MAY, MIGHT, COULD for possible explanations 3 She can't be Irish. CAN'T, COULDN'T, MUST to express certainty 2 It may rain tomorrow. MAY, MIGHT, COULD to express possibilities for the future 1 EXAMPLE MODAL VERBS USE TYPE
18. Look at the following phrases and write in which type you think they are. Then use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill the gaps .
19. They (can't/may)________________ still be out! He (can/could)________________ be French, judging by his accent. They (may/must)________________ be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.
20. The exam (can't/might)________________ be easy. You never know. You (can/might)________________ be right but I'm going to check anyway. With luck, tomorrow (can't/could)________________ be a sunny day.
21. I (can't/might)________________ go to the party but I'm not sure yet. He reckons she's from India but I think she (can't/might)________________ be from Pakistan . It (may/can't)________________ be true about a sauropod dinosaur living in Lake Telé in the Congo. It's impossible.
22. I really think Real Madrid (can't/could)________________ lose the final of the King's Cup. She (can't/could)________________ steal things from shops. She's rich and famous. This (must/could)________________ be the right answer but we'll have to check with your teacher to make sure.
23. He (can't/may)________________ be from the USA. He doesn't speak English. Nobody's answering. They (can't/must)________________ be out. She's been revising 10 hours a day for 3 weeks. She (could/must)________________ be exhausted.
24. Modal Verbs of Obligation Exercise Check through the different uses .
25. Ought to is not used in the negative. You ought to phone your mother. ought to You shouldn't eat so quickly. should recommendation 4 You mustn't insult people. mustn't prohibition 3 He doesn't have to go. don't have to no obligation 2 Use only have to in verb tenses apart from THE PRESENT SIMPLE She had to see a doctor. You must see a doctor. must Must expresses more urgency than have to . María has to go to Rome. have to obligation 1 NOTES EXAMPLES MODAL VERB USE
26. Decide which type of modal goes with each sentence and then fill the gaps with have to , must, should or ought to . When you see NEGATIVE , the modal verb must be in a negative form.
27. Stupid boy! You _____________ play with matches! NEGATIVE It's alright. You _____________ come to Muriel's wedding if you don't want to. NEGATIVE If you want to lose weight, you _____________ eat pasta, potatoes, white bread or white rice. NEGATIVE
28. The weather forecast says this weekend will be fine. We _____________ go on a picnic. You _____________ remember your passport. Otherwise they won't let you on the plane. I haven't heard from Sajeev for ages. Maybe I _____________ give her a ring.
29. You _____________ take life so seriously. Relax a bit. NEGATIVE You _____________ come if you don't feel like it. NEGATIVE You _____________ go there on your own. It's extremely dangerous. NEGATIVE
30. These instructions are difficult to follow. They _____________ to explain things better. You _____________ drink and drive. NEGATIVE Orange juice in cartons has no goodness in it at all. You _____________ make it yourself.