Modals of Ability/Permission: Can, Could – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are traveling in a foreign country and you are lost. You need to approach local strangers on the street to ask for directions politely. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
1 “Excuse me, sir. ______ you tell me where the nearest train station is?”
(A) Do
(B) Could
(C) Can
(D) Are
2 “Good morning. I am a bit lost. ______ you help me find this hotel?”
(A) Should
(B) Cans
(C) Could
(D) Am
3 “Sorry to bother you, but ______ you point me in the right direction to the national museum?”
(A) do you can
(B) must
(C) could to
(D) could
4 “Hello! I have a tourist map here. ______ you show me where we are right now?”
(A) Could
(B) Are you able
(C) Do
(D) Can
5 “Excuse me, madam. Could you possibly ______ me how to get to the airport?”
(A) telling
(B) to tell
(C) tell
(D) told
6 “Excuse me. ______ you speak English? I need some help with directions.”
(A) Could
(B) Can
(C) Are
(D) Do can
7 “Pardon me. ______ I ask you a quick question about the local bus schedule?”
(A) Must
(B) Do
(C) Could to
(D) Could
8 “I don’t have internet on my phone. ______ you draw a quick map for me on this piece of paper?”
(A) Could
(B) Have
(C) Should
(D) Cans
9 “Excuse me. ______ you tell me if this is the right way to the city center?”
(A) Are
(B) Do
(C) Could
(D) Can you to
10 “Sorry to interrupt your walk. ______ you take a look at this address for me?”
(A) Will
(B) Could
(C) Could to
(D) Do
11 “Excuse me, could you ______ me the way to the nearest pharmacy?”
(A) to show
(B) showing
(C) showed
(D) show
12 “I ______ find the subway station anywhere. Could you help me?”
(A) can’t
(B) don’t can
(C) couldn’t
(D) am not can
13 “Hello there. ______ you recommend a good local restaurant near here?”
(A) Must
(B) Can to
(C) Could
(D) Do you can
14 “I am sorry, my English is not very good. ______ you speak a little slower, please?”
(A) Are
(B) Could
(C) Should
(D) Could to
15 “Excuse me. ______ you let me know when we reach the Central Park bus stop?”
(A) Do
(B) May
(C) Cans
(D) Could
16 “(Stranger replying to you) I’m sorry, I ______ help you. I am not from around here.”
(A) can’t
(B) couldn’t
(C) shouldn’t
(D) don’t can
17 “Pardon me, ______ you explain how this subway ticket machine works?”
(A) can to
(B) are able
(C) could
(D) do
18 “Excuse me, my phone battery is dead. ______ I borrow your phone for a second to check the map?”
(A) Will
(B) Could
(C) Must
(D) Did
19 “I am totally confused. ______ you walk with me to the corner and point the way?”
(A) Do you can
(B) Are you could
(C) Can’s
(D) Could
20 “Thank you so much! You’ve been very helpful. ______ I take a quick picture with you?”
(A) Could
(B) Do
(C) Am
(D) Could to
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: “Could you” is the standard, most polite way to interrupt a stranger and ask for a favor.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do (Common Mistake: wrong auxiliary). (C) Can (Strong Distractor: “Can you” is grammatically correct but too direct and informal for a stranger on the street). (D) Are (Structural Error).
2 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Softens the interruption when approaching a local.
- Error Analysis: (A) Should (Strong Distractor: means asking for advice, not a request for action). (B) Cans (Structural Error: modals never take an ‘s’). (D) Am (Structural Error).
3 (D) could
- Why it’s right: A polite request.
- Error Analysis: (A) do you can (Structural Error: double auxiliary). (B) must (Strong Distractor: sounds demanding and rude). (C) could to (Structural Error).
4 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: Formal and respectful request to a stranger.
- Error Analysis: (B) Are you able (Common Mistake: missing ‘to’ and focuses too literally on physical ability rather than politeness). (C) Do (Common Mistake). (D) Can (Strong Distractor: too casual).
5 (C) tell
- Why it’s right: Modal verbs are always followed by the bare infinitive (base form of the verb without “to”).
- Error Analysis: (A) telling (Common Mistake). (B) to tell (Structural Error). (D) told (Strong Distractor: tense trap, students think “could” means they must use a past tense verb).
6 (B) Can
- Why it’s right: Here, you are asking about a factual, present ability (Do you have the ability to speak English?), not making a request for them to do a physical favor. “Can” is the correct choice for present ability.
- Error Analysis: (A) Could (Strong Distractor: “Could you speak English” implies a request to change languages, or asks about a past ability, neither of which fits). (C) Are (Common Mistake). (D) Do can (Structural Error).
7 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Highly polite way to ask for permission to ask a question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Must (Strong Distractor). (B) Do (Common Mistake). (C) Could to (Structural Error).
8 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking a stranger to take time out of their day to draw something requires maximum politeness.
- Error Analysis: (B) Have (Common Mistake). (C) Should (Strong Distractor). (D) Cans (Structural Error).
9 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Polite request for information.
- Error Analysis: (A) Are (Common Mistake). (B) Do (Common Mistake). (D) Can you to (Structural Error).
10 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Standard polite opening.
- Error Analysis: (A) Will (Strong Distractor: grammatically okay, but sounds slightly like an order). (C) Could to (Structural Error). (D) Do (Common Mistake).
11 (D) show
- Why it’s right: Bare infinitive form after “could”.
- Error Analysis: (A) to show (Structural Error). (B) showing (Common Mistake). (C) showed (Strong Distractor: tense trap).
12 (A) can’t
- Why it’s right: Expresses a current inability to do something (find the station).
- Error Analysis: (B) don’t can (Common Mistake: wrong negative formation). (C) couldn’t (Strong Distractor: past tense trap, but the context is happening right now). (D) am not can (Structural Error).
13 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for a recommendation politely.
- Error Analysis: (A) Must (Strong Distractor). (B) Can to (Structural Error). (D) Do you can (Common Mistake).
14 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Respectfully asking the stranger to adjust their speaking speed.
- Error Analysis: (A) Are (Common Mistake). (C) Should (Strong Distractor). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
15 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for a favor on public transport.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do (Common Mistake). (B) May (Strong Distractor: grammar trap. “May I” is correct, but “May you” is never used for requests). (C) Cans (Structural Error).
16 (A) can’t
- Why it’s right: The stranger is explaining their present inability to help.
- Error Analysis: (B) couldn’t (Strong Distractor: wrong tense). (C) shouldn’t (Meaning Trap: means “I advise myself not to help”). (D) don’t can (Common Mistake).
17 (C) could
- Why it’s right: Polite request for an explanation.
- Error Analysis: (A) can to (Structural Error). (B) are able (Common Mistake). (D) do (Common Mistake).
18 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Borrowing a stranger’s personal item requires a very formal “Could I…?”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Will (Strong Distractor: “Will I” sounds like asking about the future, not asking for permission). (C) Must (Strong Distractor). (D) Did (Common Mistake).
19 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for a big favor politely.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do you can (Common Mistake). (B) Are you could (Structural Error). (C) Can’s (Structural Error).
20 (A) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking for final permission politely.
- Error Analysis: (B) Do (Common Mistake). (C) Am (Structural Error). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Softening the Interruption: When you approach a stranger on the street, you are interrupting their day. Using “Could you…?” instead of “Can you…?” is crucial. It shows respect, creates a polite distance, and makes the local person much more willing to stop and help you.
- Ability vs. Request: Use “Could you…” to ask them to do something for you (e.g., Could you show me the map?). However, if you are asking a factual question about their skills, use “Can” (e.g., Can you speak English?).
- The Bare Infinitive Rule: After “Could you”, the action verb must be in its purest base form (the bare infinitive). It does not matter if you add polite words like “possibly” or “please”. (e.g., Could you possibly tell me…, NEVER to tell or telling).
- Present Inability: If a stranger cannot help you, or if you cannot find your way, use “can’t” (e.g., I can’t find my hotel). Do not use “couldn’t” in this scenario, because “couldn’t” refers to being lost in the past, not right now.