Modals of Ability/Permission: Can, Could – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are in a formal setting (a class or an important meeting) and have an emergency. You need to ask your teacher or boss for permission to leave the room to answer your phone. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
1 Excuse me, Mr. Davis. ______ I step outside for a moment to take an urgent phone call?
(A) Do
(B) Could
(C) Could to
(D) Will
2 Professor, my mother is calling me right now. ______ I answer it in the hallway, please?
(A) Should
(B) Am
(C) Could
(D) Could to
3 I have a family emergency. ______ I possibly leave the classroom early today?
(A) Have
(B) Can’s
(C) Would
(D) Could
4 Ms. Smith, ______ I use my phone for a quick second? It is very important.
(A) must
(B) coulds
(C) could
(D) am I able
5 Could I ______ my phone with me to the restroom? I am expecting a call from the hospital.
(A) taking
(B) took
(C) to take
(D) take
6 (Speaking to the company CEO) Sir, ______ I be excused from the meeting for five minutes to answer this?
(A) could
(B) do
(C) can
(D) am
7 Mr. Chairman, ______ we pause the presentation? I need to take an urgent call from a client.
(A) could
(B) are we able
(C) should
(D) do we can
8 “______ I make a quick phone call, Mrs. Robinson?” – “Of course, go ahead.”
(A) Could to
(B) Did
(C) Must
(D) Could
9 I am sorry to interrupt the lecture. ______ I step out to call my babysitter?
(A) Can
(B) Could
(C) To could
(D) Do
10 Excuse me, ______ for a moment? My medical results are ready.
(A) could leave I
(B) did I leave
(C) could I leave
(D) I could leave
11 Director, ______ I use your office phone to call the police? My car was just hit.
(A) have
(B) would
(C) could
(D) cans
12 ______ I please go to the lobby to answer this? It is a serious family matter.
(A) Do
(B) Cans
(C) Could
(D) Should
13 “Could I step out to take this call?” – “No, I’m afraid you ______. The exam has already started.”
(A) cannot
(B) couldn’t
(C) don’t can
(D) haven’t
14 I know we are discussing the project, but ______ I ask you to wait? I have an emergency call from home.
(A) do
(B) could
(C) might
(D) to can
15 Professor White, ______ I possibly go outside to take a call from the embassy?
(A) did
(B) could
(C) can
(D) could to
16 I know we are in a strict meeting, but ______ I have your permission to answer my ringing phone?
(A) am I
(B) do I can
(C) could
(D) was I able to
17 Mr. Manager, John’s wife is in the hospital. ______ he leave his shift early to call her?
(A) Can
(B) Could
(C) Would
(D) Does he can
18 “Could I answer this call from my mother?” – “I’m afraid you ______. Phones are strictly banned during the test.”
(A) shouldn’t
(B) can’t
(C) don’t can
(D) couldn’t
19 Sorry to stop your speech, but ______ I be excused? My daughter’s school is calling.
(A) would
(B) can
(C) could to
(D) could
20 If it is not too much trouble, ______ I borrow your phone? Mine is dead and I have an emergency.
(A) may to
(B) did
(C) could
(D) must
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: “Could I” is the standard, polite way to ask for formal permission in the present.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do is a Common Mistake (wrong auxiliary for permission). (C) Could to is a Structural Error (modals never use “to”). (D) Will is a Strong Distractor (asks about the future, doesn’t ask for permission).
2 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Highly polite request to a professor.
- Error Analysis: (A) Should is a Strong Distractor (asks for advice, not permission). (B) Am is a Common Mistake (wrong verb). (D) Could to is a Structural Error.
3 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: Used to make a soft, polite request.
- Error Analysis: (A) Have is a Common Mistake. (B) Can’s is a Structural Error (modals never take an ‘s’). (C) Would is a Strong Distractor (“Would I” is unnatural when asking for permission for yourself).
4 (C) could
- Why it’s right: Polite permission.
- Error Analysis: (A) must is a Strong Distractor (sounds like an obligation, not a request). (B) coulds is a Structural Error. (D) am I able is a Common Mistake (missing “to” and sounds too focused on physical ability rather than permission).
5 (D) take
- Why it’s right: Modal verbs are always followed by a bare infinitive (verb without “to”).
- Error Analysis: (A) taking is a Common Mistake (using the -ing form). (B) took is a Strong Distractor (students think “could” is past tense, so they use a past tense verb). (C) to take is a Structural Error.
6 (A) could
- Why it’s right: You are speaking to a CEO, which requires extreme politeness (“Could” is softer and more respectful).
- Error Analysis: (B) do is a Common Mistake. (C) can is a Strong Distractor (grammatically okay, but pragmatically too informal for a CEO). (D) am is a Structural Error.
7 (A) could
- Why it’s right: Formal request to a Chairman.
- Error Analysis: (B) are we able is a Common Mistake (missing “to”). (C) should is a Strong Distractor (asks for an opinion, not permission). (D) do we can is a Structural Error.
8 (D) Could
- Why it’s right: “Could” here refers to the present/future, not the past.
- Error Analysis: (A) Could to is a Structural Error. (B) Did is a Common Mistake (students confuse the past form “could” with past auxiliary “did”). (C) Must is a Strong Distractor.
9 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Interrupting a lecture requires a formal apology and a very polite request (“Could”).
- Error Analysis: (A) Can is a Strong Distractor (too casual for interrupting a formal lecture). (C) To could is a Structural Error. (D) Do is a Common Mistake.
10 (C) could I leave
- Why it’s right: Correct question word order: Modal + Subject + Verb.
- Error Analysis: (A) could leave I is a Structural Error. (B) did I leave is a Strong Distractor (incorrectly shifts to past tense). (D) I could leave is a Common Mistake (statement word order instead of question).
11 (C) could
- Why it’s right: Asking permission from a Director.
- Error Analysis: (A) have is a Common Mistake. (B) would is a Strong Distractor (“Would I use” is not used for permission). (D) cans is a Structural Error.
12 (C) Could
- Why it’s right: Polite request.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do is a Common Mistake. (B) Cans is a Structural Error. (D) Should is a Strong Distractor.
13 (A) cannot
- Why it’s right: When denying permission requested with “Could I…?” in the present, we use “cannot” or “can’t”, NOT “couldn’t”.
- Error Analysis: (B) couldn’t is a Strong Distractor (it means past inability, which doesn’t fit a present denial). (C) don’t can is a Structural Error. (D) haven’t is a Common Mistake.
14 (B) could
- Why it’s right: Softening an interruption.
- Error Analysis: (A) do is a Common Mistake. (C) might is a Strong Distractor (very old-fashioned and overly formal, “could” is the standard). (D) to can is a Structural Error.
15 (B) could
- Why it’s right: Pairs perfectly with “possibly” for an extremely polite request to a professor.
- Error Analysis: (A) did is a Common Mistake. (C) can is a Strong Distractor (“Can I possibly” is clumsy; “Could” is standard for “possibly”). (D) could to is a Structural Error.
16 (C) could
- Why it’s right: Asking for permission in a strict environment.
- Error Analysis: (A) am I is a Common Mistake. (B) do I can is a Structural Error. (D) was I able to is a Strong Distractor (wrongly uses past tense for a present request).
17 (B) Could
- Why it’s right: Asking formal permission on behalf of someone else.
- Error Analysis: (A) Can is a Strong Distractor (too informal for a manager). (C) Would is a Common Mistake. (D) Does he can is a Structural Error.
18 (B) can’t
- Why it’s right: The negative present answer to a permission request.
- Error Analysis: (A) shouldn’t is a Common Mistake (changes meaning to advice). (C) don’t can is a Structural Error. (D) couldn’t is a Strong Distractor (trap for students who think “Could I” must be answered with “couldn’t”).
19 (D) could
- Why it’s right: Extremely polite request when interrupting.
- Error Analysis: (A) would is a Strong Distractor. (B) can is a Common Mistake (not polite enough). (C) could to is a Structural Error.
20 (C) could
- Why it’s right: Polite request to borrow something during an emergency.
- Error Analysis: (A) may to is a Structural Error. (B) did is a Common Mistake. (D) must is a Strong Distractor.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- “Could” for the Present Context: Even though “could” is the past tense form of “can,” when used in the structure “Could I…?”, it does not refer to the past. It is used in the present tense to express a high level of formality and absolute politeness (especially appropriate when speaking to teachers, bosses, or strangers).
- Verb Form (Bare Infinitive): After the modal verb “could,” the main verb must always be in the bare infinitive form (the base verb without “to”). For example: Could I leave? (Do NOT use to leave or leaving).
- Answering the Request: When someone asks for permission using “Could I…?”, if you agree, you should answer with “Yes, you can“ or “Yes, of course.” If you need to refuse, use “No, you can’t / cannot.” Do NOT use “couldn’t” to deny a present request for permission, as “couldn’t” strictly refers to an inability in the past.
- No “S” or Auxiliary Verbs (Do/Does): Because “could” is a modal verb, it functions as its own auxiliary. To form a question, you simply invert “could” and the subject. Never use auxiliary verbs like “do” or “does” (e.g., never say Do you can or Does he could), and never add an “-s” to the modal verb (e.g., never write coulds).