Modals of Ability/Permission: Can, Could – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are a receptionist. You are speaking to customers on the phone and you need them to wait or give you information. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each polite request.
1 “______ you hold the line for a moment, please?”
(A) Must
(B) Could to
(C) Could
(D) Are
2 “______ you spell your last name for me, please?”
(A) Could
(B) Cans
(C) Should
(D) Do
3 “I need to check the computer system. ______ you give me your booking number?”
(A) Have
(B) Could
(C) May
(D) Could to
4 “______ you speak a little louder, please? The line is quite bad.”
(A) Are
(B) Do could
(C) Must
(D) Could
5 “Could you ______ me your phone number, sir?”
(A) telling
(B) told
(C) tell
(D) to tell
6 “I am transferring your call right now. ______ you please stay on the line?”
(A) Will
(B) Could
(C) Could to
(D) Do
7 “Could you ______ a message for Mr. Smith? I will write it down.”
(A) to leave
(B) left
(C) leaving
(D) leave
8 “My computer is a bit slow today. ______ you wait for just one minute?”
(A) Could
(B) Are you can
(C) Can
(D) Should
9 “______ you repeat your email address, please? I want to make sure it is correct.”
(A) Need
(B) Could
(C) Do
(D) Could to
10 “We don’t have that information here. ______ you call our support team at 1800-123?”
(A) Could to
(B) Must
(C) Could
(D) Are you able
11 “I will check if the manager is available. Could you ______ me put you on hold?”
(A) let
(B) to let
(C) allowed
(D) letting
12 “______ you confirm your date of birth, please, madam?”
(A) Would mind
(B) Cans
(C) Do you can
(D) Could
13 “I cannot hear you clearly. ______ you move closer to the microphone?”
(A) Can
(B) Could
(C) Should
(D) Do you could
14 “______ you please check if you received our confirmation email?”
(A) Might
(B) Do
(C) Could
(D) Could to
15 “Could you possibly ______ me an email with those details?”
(A) to send
(B) send
(C) sending
(D) sent
16 “I need to open your file. ______ you bear with me for a second?”
(A) Could
(B) Must
(C) Can
(D) Are you could
17 “I am sorry, the doctor is busy. ______ you call back at 3 PM?”
(A) Could to
(B) Could
(C) May
(D) Can
18 “Could you ______ your account number slowly so I can type it in?”
(A) reading
(B) reads
(C) to read
(D) read
19 “This department only handles sales. ______ you contact the billing office instead?”
(A) Should
(B) Do you can
(C) Could
(D) Can
20 “Could you be so kind as to ______ on the line?”
(A) to hold
(B) hold
(C) holding
(D) held
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: “Could you” is the standard, most polite structure to ask a customer to wait on the phone.
- Error Analysis: (A) Must (Strong Distractor: Too forceful and impolite for a customer). (B) Could to (Structural Error: Modals do not take “to”). (D) Are (Common Mistake: Grammatically incorrect).
2 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: Used to make a formal, polite request.
- Error Analysis: (B) Cans (Structural Error: Modal verbs never take an “s”). (C) Should (Strong Distractor: Means giving advice, not making a request). (D) Do (Common Mistake: Wrong auxiliary verb).
3 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for information formally.
- Error Analysis: (A) Have (Common Mistake). (C) May (Strong Distractor: Grammar trap. You can say “May I”, but NEVER “May you” when making a request). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
4 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Softly asking the customer to speak louder without sounding demanding.
- Error Analysis: (A) Are (Common Mistake). (B) Do could (Structural Error: Two auxiliary verbs cannot be combined). (C) Must (Strong Distractor: Sounds like a rude command).
5 (C) tell
- Why it’s right: After “Could you”, the main verb must be in the bare infinitive form (without “to”).
- Error Analysis: (A) telling (Common Mistake). (B) told (Strong Distractor: Students often mistakenly use the past tense because “could” is a past modal). (D) to tell (Structural Error).
6 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Highly polite request for the service industry.
- Error Analysis: (A) Will (Strong Distractor: “Will you” is grammatically correct but can sound like an impatient command rather than a polite request). (C) Could to (Structural Error). (D) Do (Common Mistake).
7 (D) leave
- Why it’s right: Bare infinitive verb after the modal.
- Error Analysis: (A) to leave (Structural Error). (B) left (Strong Distractor). (C) leaving (Common Mistake).
8 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking the customer for patience due to a technical issue.
- Error Analysis: (B) Are you can (Structural Error). (C) Can (Common Mistake: “Can you” is too casual for this professional context). (D) Should (Strong Distractor).
9 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Respectfully asking the customer to repeat something.
- Error Analysis: (A) Need (Strong Distractor: Grammatically wrong here; it should be “Do you need to”). (C) Do (Common Mistake). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
10 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Politely directing the customer to another department.
- Error Analysis: (A) Could to (Structural Error). (B) Must (Strong Distractor: Too bossy). (D) Are you able (Common Mistake: Missing “to” and focuses too much on physical ability rather than a polite request).
11 (A) let
- Why it’s right: Bare infinitive after “Could you”.
- Error Analysis: (B) to let (Structural Error). (C) allowed (Strong Distractor). (D) letting (Common Mistake).
12 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for personal details formally.
- Error Analysis: (A) Would mind (Strong Distractor: Missing “you” and requires a V-ing verb afterwards). (B) Cans (Structural Error). (C) Do you can (Common Mistake).
13 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking the client to adjust their position politely.
- Error Analysis: (A) Can (Common Mistake: Too informal). (C) Should (Strong Distractor: Advice, not a request). (D) Do you could (Structural Error).
14 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Pairs perfectly with “please” for formal requests.
- Error Analysis: (A) Might (Strong Distractor: “Might you” is extremely rare and unnatural for requests). (B) Do (Common Mistake). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
15 (B) send
- Why it’s right: The verb stays in the bare infinitive form even if an adverb (“possibly”) is placed before it.
- Error Analysis: (A) to send (Structural Error). (C) sending (Common Mistake). (D) sent (Strong Distractor: Tense trap).
16 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: “Bear with me” is a professional idiom asking for patience, and it matches perfectly with “Could you”.
- Error Analysis: (B) Must (Strong Distractor). (C) Can (Common Mistake). (D) Are you could (Structural Error).
17 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Politely asking a patient/client to call back later.
- Error Analysis: (A) Could to (Structural Error). (C) May (Strong Distractor: “May you” is grammatically incorrect). (D) Can (Common Mistake).
18 (D) read
- Why it’s right: Bare infinitive form to make the request.
- Error Analysis: (A) reading (Common Mistake). (B) reads (Structural Error). (C) to read (Structural Error).
19 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Courteously transferring the customer’s issue.
- Error Analysis: (A) Should (Strong Distractor). (B) Do you can (Structural Error). (D) Can (Common Mistake).
20 (B) hold
- Why it’s right: In the phrase “Could you be so kind as to…”, the word “to” requires a base verb immediately after it.
- Error Analysis: (A) to hold (Structural Error: Creates a double “to”). (C) holding (Common Mistake). (D) held (Strong Distractor).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Formal Requests: When working as a receptionist, in customer service, or speaking to a superior/stranger, always use “Could you…?” instead of “Can you…?”. Although “Could” is the past tense of “Can”, in this specific structure, it is used in the present to show a high level of respect and formality.
- Verb Form (Bare Infinitive): The main verb following the “Could you” structure must always be in its base form, without “to” (Bare Infinitive). For example: Could you hold the line? (Never use to hold, holding, or held).
- The “May you” Trap: Many learners mistakenly believe that because “May” is polite, they can use it for requests. While you can say “May I help you?” (asking for permission to do something), you NEVER use “May you help me?”. “May” cannot be used with the pronoun “you” to make a request.
- No Double Auxiliaries: “Could” is already a modal auxiliary verb. To form a question, simply put “Could” before the subject. Never combine it with other auxiliary verbs like “Do”, “Does”, or “Are” (e.g., Do you could is completely incorrect).