English Grammar Exercises for A1 A2 – Review: modals

A. Complete the sentences using the words in the box. Sometimes two or three answers are possible.

1   When you travel by bus, you ……must…… have a ticket.

2   When I was a young man, I ………………… run 10 kilometres, but now I’m too old.

3   My mum says I ………………… to come home before 10 o’clock.

4   ………………… I go home early today, please?

5   You ………………… to read this book – it’s very interesting.

6   I’m going to take an umbrella because it ………………… rain later.

7   She ………………… speak French and Spanish, but her English is terrible.

8   What do you think? ………………… I do the exam this year or next year?

9   You ………………… watch television, but please keep it quiet.

10   Don’t worry. You don’t ………………… to buy me a present.

11   ………………… you give me some money, please? I’ve left my bag at home.

12   At the zoo, you ………………… give food to the animals. It’s very bad for them.

B. Match the sentences in Exercise A to these reasons for using modal verbs.

a   talking about present ability   ……7……

b   talking about past ability   ………….

c   asking people to do things   ………….

d   asking for permission   ………….

e   giving permission   ………….

f   talking about rules and laws   ………….

g   talking about things we are not allowed to do   ………….

h   talking about an obligation imposed by others   ………….

i   talking about something which is not necessary   ………….

j   asking for advice   ………….

k   giving advice   ………….

I   talking about the possibility of something being true   ………….

C. Complete the sentences using the modal verbs from the boxes.

1   Last year I ……could…… run 1500 metres in 5 ½ minutes.

2   Now I ……………… run 1500 metres in 5 minutes.

3   Next year I ……………… run 1500 metres in 4 ½ minutes.

4   Yesterday you ……………… wash the windows.

5   Today you ……………… wash my car.

6   Tomorrow you ……………… wash your clothes – they’re very dirty.

7   When I was 5 I ……………… climb trees but I ride a bike.

8   Now I’m 14 I ……………… ride a bike but I drive a car.

9   50 years from now I ……………… drive a car but I ……………… climb trees.

10   When I was small I ……………… do homework, but I ……………… go to bed early.

11   Now I ……………… do homework, but I ……………… go to bed early.

12   In 10 years I ……………… do homework and I ……………… go to bed early, but I ……………… get a job.

Write three more similar sentences about yourself.

…………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………

D. Complete each sentence b so that it means the same as sentence a. Use two to four words including the correct form of the word in brackets.

1    a It’s a good idea to eat fruit and vegetables every day. (ought)

      b You ……ought to eat…… fruit and vegetables every day.

2   a Maybe Sharon will know the answer. You should ask her. (might)

      b You should ask Sharon. She …………………… the answer.

3   a She’ll be very good at playing the piano next year. (able)

      b Next year she will …………………… the piano very well.

4   a I want to open the window. Is that OK? (may)

      b …………………… the window, please?

5   a You must have clean hair before you go in the swimming pool. (have)

      b Your hair …………………… clean before you go in the swimming pool.

6   a Bob will be ready in five minutes. Please wait in the garden. (could)

      b …………………… for Bob in the garden, please? He’ll be ready in five minutes.

7   a It’s possible that Anna isn’t asleep. I’ll phone her. (may)

      b I’ll phone Anna. She …………………… asleep.

8   a Don’t worry. It’s not necessary to wear a tie at the opera. (have)

      b Don’t worry. You …………………… a tie at the opera.

E. Tick ✓ the odd one out.

1   a You mustn’t speak in the exam.

      b You don’t have to speak in the exam. ✓

      c You can’t speak in the exam.

2   a We may go home now.

      b We should go home now.

      c We ought to go home now.

3   a It might be sunny tomorrow.

      b It may be sunny tomorrow.

      c It has to be sunny tomorrow.

4   a May I sit here?

      b Must I sit here?

      c Can I sit here?

5    a I can’t understand her.

      b I wasn’t able to understand her.

      c I couldn’t understand her.

6   a Could you be quiet?

      b Can you be quiet?

      c Should you be quiet?

F. Complete the dialogue with the modals from the box. Sometimes there is more than one correct answer.

Alice:   Where are you going on holiday?

Brad:   To Switzerland. We’re going skiing.

Alice:   Really? 1……can…… you ski?

Brad:   Well, I 2……………… ski quite well when I was a child, but that was 10 years ago. I think I 3……………… have some problems.

Alice:   No, you’ll be fine. You’ll 4……………… be careful on the first day, but after a day or two of lessons you’ll 5……………… ski quite fast.

Brad:   Lessons? 6……………… I have an instructor?

Alice:   Hmm … yes, I think you 7………………  to have some lessons. You don’t 8………………, but it’s a good idea.

Brad:   I don’t know. It 9………………  be expensive.

Alice:   It 10……………… be. Just a second, my friend is a ski instructor. He 11……………… know a cheap instructor in Switzerland. You 12……………… call him.

Brad:   Great. 13………………  I have his number, please?

Alice:   Er … I 14……………… remember it. But my mum 15……………… know it.

Brad:   Great. 16……………… you ask her?

Alice:   Of course.