English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Modal verbs: speculation exercise

1. Complete the sentences with the correct modal verbs in brackets.

1   That …………………… be my mum calling. I didn’t tell her I was going to be late. (can / can’t / will)

2   I’d take a jacket if I were you. It …………………… get cold later on. (must / may / can’t)

3   Carl …………………… still be playing football. The match finished ages ago. (can’t / may / will)

4   You …………………… have no problems passing. Physics is your best subject. (could / must / should)

5   The weather …………………… be rather unpredictable here. One minute the sun’s out and the next it’s raining. (can / could / will)

6   I suppose Lisa …………………… be waiting at the other exit. We didn’t say exactly where we’d be. (can / might / must)

7   Your dad …………………… have a very demanding job. He always looks exhausted. (might / must / should)

8   Let’s watch the documentary on TV tonight. It …………………… be interesting. (can / can’t / could)

2. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets. Use the modal verb with a perfect, perfect continuous or passive infinitive.

1   Look at all those puddles. It …………………… . (must / rain)

2   Why didn’t you say you had a problem? I …………………… you. (could / help)

3   I’m surprised her sister isn’t here. She …………………… . (can’t / invite)

4   Where’s Ian? He …………………… by now. (should / arrive)

5   I can’t find my wallet. I think it …………………… . (may / steal)

6   Of course she didn’t pick up the phone. She …………………… (will / drive) home from work!

7   I think I …………………… my keys in the front door. (might / leave)

3. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use the modal verbs below. Write between three and six words.

can • can’t • may not • must • should • won’t

1   I’m sure you weren’t listening to me.

     You ……………………………… .

2   It’s freezing! I’m sure you left a window open.

     It’s freezing! You ……………………………… .

3   Their plane is due, so I expect they’re landing now.

      Their plane is due, so they ……………………………… .

4   In spring, it’s common to see lambs in the fields.

     In spring, lambs ……………………………… .

5   It’s possible they haven’t received your application.

     Your application ……………………………… .

6   I know they haven’t marked our exams yet.

     Our exams ……………………………… .

4. Complete six of the gaps in the text with the modal verbs below and two of the gaps with additional words.

can • can’t • could • must • should • will

The Crystal Palace Fire

Built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, Crystal Palace (1) ……………………… have been an impressive sight when it was finished. The opening ceremony, performed by Queen Victoria, (2) ……………………… certainly have drawn crowds from all over the country and beyond. On the evening of 30 November 1936, however, disaster struck when the general manager, Sir Henry Buckland, was walking his dog. Sir Henry may (3) ……………………… been admiring the Palace from a distance when he noticed a red glow. Rushing inside, he found two employees trying to extinguish a small fire. Because of its size, the three men thought they (4) ……………………… be able to put it out by themselves. It (5) ……………………… have been as easy as they expected, however, because they had to call the fire brigade an hour later. By then, the fire had rapidly spread. Generally, old buildings (6) ……………………… contain a great deal of flammable material, and the old dry timber flooring of the Palace will have (7) ……………………… consumed in minutes. Soon the building was utterly destroyed. The cause of the fire has never been ascertained, but some say there’s a chance it (8) ……………………… have been arson. The only thing for sure is that a beautiful building was lost to the world that night.

5. Choose the correct words to complete the dialogues.

Leya:   Gavin (1) can hardly have / will have forgotten about band practice because I sent him a text.

Abi:   He (2) could have / might not have got it.

Leya:   No, he got it – he replied straight away.

Abi:   He (3) can / could be stuck in traffic or something?

Leya:   No, he always cycles here, so it (4) can’t / could be the traffic. There (5) may / must be another explanation.

Man:   The museum alarms (6) should have / may have gone off, but they didn’t. I think the robbers (7) can have / may have hacked into the system.

Guard:   They (8) may / can’t have entered our museum through this hole in the wall, because it’s too small. There (9) must / could be another way in.

Man:   Unless the robbers (10) will / could have made that hole for a drone!