Modal verbs express different things, and their meaning vary according to the context of the sentence.

They have no full meaning like the other verbs.

Modal verbs have no s on the third person singular; they do not need auxiliary do to in the negative
and interrogative and after a modal verb there is always another verb in the infinitive without to .

abilityororcapacity
capacity
ability
possibility
possibility
permission
permission

abilityororcapacity
capacity
ability
(past)
(past)
permission
permission
possibility
possibility

permission
permission
possibility
possibility
prohibition(with
(withnot)
not)
prohibition

pasttense
tenseofofmay
may
past
politerequest
request
polite
remotepossibility
possibility
remote

prohibition
prohibition
impossibility
impossibility

obligation
obligation

request
request

offer
offer
order
order
determination
determination

negative obligation
negative obligation

prohibition
prohibition
advice
advice

deductionororlogical
logical
deduction
conclusion
conclusion

moral obligation or
moral obligation or

desirability
desirability
advice
advice

A) Now insert the modal verb according to the clues given at the end of the sentences.
1. ________________________ we go to the cinema tonight? (SUGGESTION)
2. Children ______________________________ obey their parents. (MORAL OBLIGATION)
3. __________________________ you give your phone number? (REQUEST)
4. I really think you _______________________ see a doctor. You have been ill for a whole
week! (ADVICE)
5. Be alert, that ___________________ happen again! (POSSIBILITY)
6. When my father was young, we _______________ go for a bike ride in the woods. (HABIT
IN THE PAST)

B) Fill in the gaps with one of the following

C) Match the sentences.

modal verbs: can, could, cant, couldnt.

1. You look tired.

1.

_______

play

the

violin,

but

Sam

___________.
2. I ______________ sing when I was fourteen, but

2. You shouldnt dive into the pool!

3. May I go to the toilet, Mrs. Underwood?
4. Im sure this is Tom.
5. Im determined to go to university.

now I______________.
3. My classmates were speaking too loud and I
______________ hear what the teacher said.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

a) You cant swim!

b) I promise I will!

4. Now I ______________ swim pretty well, but a

c) You should get some sleep.

year ago I ______________.

d) Surely, but come back right away.

5. Cats _____________ run very fast, ________

e) It must be him.

they?

Replace the underlined expression by a modal verb and make the necessary
transformations.
1. Mary was able to speak clearly when she was 18 months.
D)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Richard is likely to fail the school year.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Sebastian is able to play the violin.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D) D)
Replace
D)
Replace
D)
Replace
D)Replace
the
Replace
the
underlined
the
underlined
the
the
underlined
underlined
underlined
expression
expression
expression
expression
expression
by by
a modal
by
a modal
by
abymodal
aaverb
modal
modal
verb
verb
and
verb
and
verb
make
and
make
and
and
make
the
make
make
the
necessary
the
necessary
the
the
necessary
necessary
necessary
transformations.
transformations.
transformations.
transformations.
transformations.

4. Am I allowed to speak?

1. Mary was able to speak clearly when she was 18

months.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5.Richard
It is impossible
forthehim
to drive.
2.
is likely to fail
school
year.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Sebastian is able to play the violin.
-----------------------------------------------------------------4. Am I allowed to speak?
-----------------------------------------------------------------5. It is impossible for him to drive.