The English Institute

MODAL VERBS

A. Complete with “Have to”/ “Can”/ “Should”/

1. Mary is a teacher, so she _______________ work on Saturdays, but she _______________ take
holidays when she wants to.
2. If they repair the television today, we _______________ watch the football match tonight.
3. Friend to friend: “I have a headache.” “You ______________ take an aspirin.”
4. Even though I didn’t know the way, I ______________ find the office easily yesterday.
5. We _________________ vote, it’s not obligatory.
6. Friend to friend: You ___________________ give up smoking, it’s bad for your health.
7. Doctor: “You ___________________ take this medicine two times a day.
8. “Shall I come with you?” “You can, if you want, but you _____________.”

B. Complete with “Must” / “Have to”

1. Supervisor to worker: You ______________ arrive on time! If you’re late again, you’ll lose your job!
2. Mother to child: You _______________ make any noise! The baby’s asleep.
3. When I was at school, I ________________ do a lot of homework every day.
4. I _______________ be home before two o’clock; my mother told me.
5. I __________________ study hard, or I’ll fail the exam.
C. Complete these sentences using BE ALLOWED TO, CAN , HAVE TO or SHOULD in the present or
past form
1. When I was younger, I _____________________ (not) go out without my parents’ permission
2. _______________ (you) to smoke in your house? – Yes, but I _______________ go out on the balcony.
3. You haven’t felt fine for some time now. I think you _____________________ see the doctor
4. He _____________________ (not) do any housework if he doesn’t want to. His mother does everything for
him.
5. You ______________________ do the washing up. I’ve already done it
6. If you’ve got a cold you ____________________ (not) go swimming
7. Last year I _________________ start school at 8 o’clock
D. Modal verbs. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modal verb in the correct form (negative,
interrogative, past, future, ...). DO NOT USE CAN/CAN’T
Ex: should, have to, mustn’t, be able to, ...
1) In football, you ___________ touch the ball with your hands if you aren’t the goalkeeper.
2) I can’t stop for a drink, I ____________ to go now and pick up my children from school.
3) I think you ___________ stop smoking. It’s bad for you.
4) He ______________ complete the exercise because he hadn’t studied, so he failed the exam.
5) We ______________ wash the dishes by hand in our house because we have a dishwasher.
6) Parent to daughter: You ______________ study harder!
7) ________________ (you) go out until any time you want at weekends? I’m not. My parents are very
strict.
E. MODAL VERBS
1. I think you ______________________ walk to school. It’s good exercise.

2. You ____________________ buy a ticket before you get on the bus.

3. It’s not necessary to book a ticket. You __________________ book a ticket to get on the train.

4. The person in front of me had an extra ticket and gave it to me. I ______________________ buy a
ticket.

5. At the airport: To go to other countries in Europe, you _________________ get a visa.

6. Last year I __________ do the washing up every night, but this year I ____________ because my little
sister does it now.

7. I’m going to France next year. I think I _____________ learn some French.

8. It is Sunday today so I ___________________ get up early. I can sleep longer.

9. You _______________ smoke. It is bad for your health.

F. Modals: underline the correct option

1. I think we must / should / can check the car before we start travelling.
2. I have to/ don't have to/ can go home, my parents are waiting for me.
3. On Fridays we can to/ are allowed to/ haven't to finish work earlier and relax.
4. In the future, we will can/ will be able to/ will suppose to communicate using only the power of our mind.
5. This is a secret, so you don't have to/ mustn't/ ought to tell anyone!
6. Jordi doesn't have to / mustn't / can't go to Paris because the meeting was cancelled.
7. You look so pale (pálido)! You are able to/ ought to/ are allowed see a doctor.
8. When Chiara was young she had to / mustn’t / couldn't cook anything, but now she is a great chef.

G. Modals: (must, have to, should, can, or a verb that means the same thing): Use the correct form
of the verbs (affirmative, negative or interrogative)

1. Susan (not) __________________________ go to school on Monday. It’s a holiday.

2. Teacher to students: You ________________________ finish your essay by Thursday.
3. Notice: Visitors to Thailand __________________________ have a visa. You
__________________________ enter the country without one.
4. Notice: Candidates __________________________ to write in pencil.
5. Yesterday was cleaning day in our house, so I __________________ tidy my room.
6. The museum is free. You __________________________ pay to go in.
7. Father to son: You __________________________ be home by nine.
8. Do you think I __________________________ stop going out with Tom?
9. You __________________________ change the way you are if you don't want to.
10. A sign on a wall: You____________________ smoke here. Penalty £90. (sign: señal)
11. I think you_________________________ to eat less junk food and do more exercise.
12. _____________ you pass me the water, please?
13. She____________________ work so hard, I don't think it's good for her.
14. I ___________________________study hard because I really want to pass the exam.
15. Mother to son: You _________________ finish your lunch before going out.
16. I’m sorry I didn’t go to your party, but I __________________ take care of my little sister.
17. I’m not __________________ to drive. I’ve never learnt to do it.
18. Friend to friend: You__________________ fix your car. It’s very noisy.
19. Gonzalo has broken his leg. He __________________ walk.
20. In England you __________________ to drive on the left hand side of the road. It’s the law.
21. My friend told me I __________________ sit in the sun. It’s bad for my skin.
22. Doctor to patient: You __________________ stop smoking.

H. Transformations: Modal verbs of Deduction. (must / can’t / may, might, could)

1. I’m sure he didn’t see the film.
____________________________________________________________
2. I think Claudia is going out with Julio.
____________________________________________________________
3. It's possible they missed the train.
____________________________________________________________
4. It's possible that the girl in the red dress is Peggy.
____________________________________________________________
5. Perhaps George will accept the new job.
____________________________________________________________
6. I am certain Hugo didn't hear what you said.
____________________________________________________________
7. I’m sure this book was written by Shakespeare.
____________________________________________________________
8. Perhaps he found it in the cellar.
____________________________________________________________
9. It’s impossible for him to study all that.
____________________________________________________________
10. I’m certain she taught in France last year.
____________________________________________________________
11. It’s impossible that it was done by him.
____________________________________________________________
12. It’s possible that we buy a new car soon
____________________________________________________________
13. I’m sure he won a lottery some years ago
____________________________________________________________
14. Perhaps we will travel to London next summer
____________________________________________________________
15. Maybe he missed his bus
____________________________________________________________
16. I’m sure they are selling their house
____________________________________________________________