1

Modal Verbs and Exercises

Modal verbs are a class of auxiliary verbs that combine with the base form of a following verb to make
verb phrases with a wide variety of meanings. Modal verbs are special verbs, which behave very
differently from normal verbs; they can be used to change the grammatical mood of a sentence. A modal
verb is a type of verb that is used to indicate modality, e.g. likelihood, ability, permission, request,
capacity, suggestions, order, and possibility, lack of necessity, probability, advice, obligation and
prohibition. Modal verbs always accompany the base (infinitive) form of another verb having semantic
content. They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. The modal
verbs paired as present and past forms are: can and could, may and might, mote (archaic) and must,
will and would, shall and should, ought to, need not (needn’t) had better. The following are not
modal verbs but may be used for similar purpose: ought to, had better, used to, dare and have to.
Modal verbs exist in one form only. None of them has an –s form or an –ing form, and although could,
would, might and should are usually considered the past tense of can, will, may and shall, respectively, it
is more convenient to treat each modal as a separate item; these words do not always mean the past of
anything, but have independent meaning of their own, e.g.
Ability (can/could): Can you swim?
Permission (can/could, may/might): Can/may I leave the table?
Obligation (must, ought to, shall/should): No, you must/ought to/should stay.
Choice (will/would): I will leave the table anyway. I would leave the table if I were you.
Possibility (may/might): Air fares within Europe may be increased.
Prediction (will/shall): I won’t/shan’t be able to come, I’m afraid.
Habitual Activity (will/would): At such times he would stand and listen to the wind.

1. Can
Can is the commonest and most informal modal verb. We use the modal can for:
a. Physical or intellectual ability
She can lift this weight, it’s not too heavy.
We can’t resolve this equation. It’s too difficult
Yes, I can speak, read and write English very well.
b. Permission
I am sorry sir, you can’t park here.
You can leave your hat on.
Can I go now?
c. Possibility
This plant can grow up to ten feet.
It can be a very good day tomorrow.
You can avoid the traffic going that way.
d. Request
Can you open the door please?
Can you play that song again?
Can I have a cup of tea?
e. Offer
He can help you with this homework.
We can drop the price if you buy two units.
The airline can take you to London via Paris.
 2

Can is followed by the simple form of the verb.

Can does not change form according to the subject.
Can goes before the subject in questions.
Can or can’t completes the short answers.
Can’t is the contraction of cannot (can + not)

Notice the form and the position of can:

Affirmative sentences Negative sentences

I can ride a bicycle. I can’t ride a motorcycle.
You can ride a bicycle. You can’t ride a bicycle.
He can ride a bicycle. He can’t ride a bicycle.
She can ride a bicycle. She can’t ride a bicycle.
We can ride a bicycle. We can’t ride a bicycle.
You can ride a bicycle. You can’t ride a bicycle.
They can ride a bicycle. They can’t ride a bicycle.

Questions Answer
Can I help you? Yes, I can.
No, I can’t.
Can you help me? Yes, I can.
No, I can’t.
Can he help me? Yes, he can.
No, he can’t.
Can she help me? Yes, she can.
No, she can’t.
Can we help you? Yes, you can.
No, you can’t.
Yes, they can.
Can you help them? No, they
can’t.
Yes, they can.
Can they help us? No, they
can’t.

2. Could
The modal could is used to offer to do something for someone. It is used to express possibility in the
present and the future, to make suggestions, to ask for permission. Could is more formal and polite
than can. Could cannot be used with another modal verb. The negative form of could is could not and
its contraction is couldn’t.
a. Physical or intellectual ability in the past
You could play the piano well when you were 9 years old.
We could run faster when we were younger.
I couldn’t go swimming yesterday.
 3

b. Polite requests It is more polite and less direct.

Could you tell the tourists where the British Museum is?
Could I have more, please?
Could you please give us a hand?
a. Suggestion
I could help you with your English.
If you want, we could have dinner after class.
You could try exercising more.
b. Possibility in the past.
A lot of crime could be prevented.
Why did you do that? You could have crashed.
You could have called first.
c. Polite permission
Excuse me, could I come in?
Could he sit next to you?
Could I speak to the Manager?
d. Ability in a conditional or unreal sense.
You could pass the exams if you studied.
I could visit Korea if I had more money.
If you call me, I could help.

3. Will
The modal will is used for the future and it has a similar meaning of going to. It is used to say that we
are willing to do something or to offer to do something. The negative contraction of will is won’t.
The interrogative of will is often used to express requests, the negative indicates refusal.
a. Prediction
The train will arrive at Victoria Station at 8:22 am.
This will be easy for you to learn.
The weather forecast predicts that it will rain tonight.
b. Willingness, present or future time.
The chauffer will meet you and drive you to your hotel.
Will you please sign the papers?
We told them to put their masks, but they won’t cooperate.
c. Formal commands
Employees will report to work at 9am
You will stop what you are doing when the Headmaster comes in.
Baseball players will show their spikes to the Referee.
d. Promise
If you marry me, I promise I will never be unfaithful.
If you lend me $100, I promise I will pay you back at the end of the month.
If you take me with you to the mall, I promise I will not ask you to buy me anything.
 4

4. Would
The modal would is used for possibility or an imaginary situation. It is used with like, prefer and
rather to make polite offers and invitations. Would is used mainly to talk about the past, to talk about
the future in the past, to express the conditional mood, to express desire, for polite requests and
questions, for opinion, hope, wish and regret
a. Would for the past. It is often used as a kind of past tense of will or going to:
He said he would arrive the next day.
She met in London the man she would marry one day.
He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life.
a. Willingness in the past and polite requests
My son said he would meet me at the airport.
The postman would not give me the registered letter.
Would you pass me the salt, please?
b. Contemporary unreality or advice.
I would come to see you if I had time.
If you asked me, I would tell you to go.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a Mercedes Benz
c. Habitual actions in the past.
When John was a student, he would often go to the library to study.
The candidate promised he would not raise the taxes.
Every summer we would go to the beach on holidays.

5. May
The modal may is most commonly used to express suggestions, probability or possibility and can
also be used to give or request permission.
a. Permission or request
May I see the Director in his office now?
You may not go out today.
May I leave early?
b. Possibility or probability
I may see the dentist this afternoon.
She may win the lottery.
They may be in Munich in Christmas.
c. Suggestion
You may take an English course so you can communicate better in Europe.
The tomatoes may grow bigger if you use natural fertilizer.
You may lower the volume of your earplugs to prevent future deafness.

6. Might
The modal might is the most polite but the least common. It is be used for permission or request, for
probability or possibility in the present, past or future and to express suggestions.
 5

a. Permission or request
Might we close our books?
Might I join the dance?
Might you want some biscuits with your tea?

b. Possibility or probability
He might fly to London next week.
It seems it might snow.
She said she might marry him.

c. Suggestion
You might want to take a break.
If you need more information, you might try the internet.
You might leave early to avoid the traffic jam.
May and might can normally be interchanged without significant difference in meaning. However,
might often implies a smaller chance of something happening e.g. It may rain (70% chance). It might
rain (40% chance). The contraction for may not and might not are mayn’t and mightn’t.

7. Must
Must is used to say that something is essential or necessary, to express obligation, give orders and give
advice. It can only be used in the present and future- Must has no past form., when the past is involved,
you use the modal verb have to. The negative is must not or mustn't and is used for not for prohibition,
when something is not permitted or allowed for example: Passengers must not talk to the driver. We
can use must to talk about the present or the future, e.g. I must go now (present). I must call my
mother tomorrow (future). We cannot use must to talk about the past. We use “have to” to talk about
the past.
a. Obligation
All pupils must bring a packed lunch tomorrow.
This is a hospital, you must be quiet.
The meeting is at 10 o’clock and you mustn’t be late
b. Giving orders firmly and positively
You must go to sleep now.
You must not smoke in here.
She is sick, she must stay in bed.
c. Giving advice or making recommendations emphatically
You must get a pair of these smooth shoes, they are great.
You must see “You only live twice” it’s a fantastic James Bond film.
If they travel to England, they must visit Windsor castle.
d. To speculate about the truth of something
You must be joking.
There must be some mistake.
The Teacher is here, it must be 5 o’clock.

Must not is used to express prohibition, something that is not permitted, not allowed. The prohibition
can be subjective (the speaker's opinion) or objective (a real law or rule). Look at these examples:
 6

I mustn't eat so much sugar (subjective)

You mustn't watch so much television (subjective)
Students must not leave bicycles here (objective)
Policemen must not drink on duty (objective)

We can use must not to talk about the present or the future:
Visitors must not smoke (present)
I mustn't forget Tara's birthday (future)

We cannot use must not to talk about the past. We use other structures to talk about the past, for
example: We were not allowed to enter. I couldn't park outside the shop.

8. Have to
Have to is used to say that something is obligatory. The subject of have to is forced by external
obligations to do, make or behave when the external entity informs or expresses to do so. For example,
laws or rules obligate to behave and act according to those laws or rules. Have to sentences can be used
in all tenses, for example: he has to, he had to, he has had to, he will have to. The negative and
questions are formed using the auxiliary verb do: do not have to, doesn’t have to.
Have to is objective. Look at these examples:
In England, you have to drive on the left.
In Arab countries, most women have to wear burkes.
John has to wear a tie at work.

Differences between must and have to

Must and have to are both used to express an obligation, responsibility or necessity, while must can
generally be replaced by have to in the present tense. Must is generally used when the speaker decides
that something is necessary, or needs to be done. Have to is used when somebody tells the subject to do
something, or informs the subject that something needs to be done.
Look at the difference in the following example with must: I must write a letter to John. In this case the
subject has decided to write a letter to John, nobody told the subject to write the letter, the subject
thought it was necessary. Look at the difference using have to with the same example. I have to write a
letter to John. The subject did not decide to write a letter. Somebody else told the subject to write a
letter, and that it was necessary to do.
Let’s look at some more examples: I must book a hotel for my trip next week. Here I am reminding
myself that it is necessary to do. I have decided that it is necessary. We have to wear a uniform at work.
Our boss makes us wear a uniform. It is an obligation that our boss has decided that is necessary. I, the
speaker, am not making this obligation, someone else is.
Compare the following sentences: The Teacher says: “You must complete the essay by Friday”. We, the
students say: “We have to complete the essay by Friday”. The teacher has used must because he or she
is giving the students an obligation. Since the teacher has given us the obligation, we use have to. This
is because somebody else, in this case the teacher, has told us what needs to be done.
When we mention someone else’s obligation, then we use the correct conjugation of have to. For
example: Mike can’t come because he has to work tomorrow. It is Mike’s obligation to fulfill his work
commitments. Susan and Steve have to pay their rent every Friday. They both have the obligation to pay
their rent on that day. In both examples you would not use must because we are talking about someone
else’s obligations.
 7

9. Shall
The modal shall is used with the first person (I and we) when the meaning is simple futurity, to make
offers, suggestions and to seeking for advice. Shall we is a polite expression for let’s go. Shan’t is the
contraction of shall not.
a. Simple Futurity
This time next week, I shall be in Scotland.
Don't worry, I shall be there to meet the train.
We shall be there at 5 o’clock.
b. Making offers
Shall I carry your bag?
Shall I show you around the school?
Shall we have coffee?
c. Suggestion
Shall I call again on Thursday?
I'm cold. Shall I close this window?
Shall we go out for dinner tonight?
d. Seeking advice
What shall we do with this?
Shall I go to the Doctor?
Shall I tell her to stop drinking?

The modal shall is used with the second and third person (you, he, she, it, they) when the meaning is
intention, choice or command
e. Intention or commitments
She shall get a saree if she stands first.
They shall have it tomorrow.
It shall be done by the end of the month.
f. Choice
They shall choose the President.
Parents shall pay an extra $20 for extra curriculum classes.
She shall go with you if she likes you.
g. Command
This door shall be kept closed at all times.
No child shall be allowed out of the school during the day.
He shall go at once.

10. Should
Should is a modal verb most commonly used to make recommendations or give advice. It can also be
used to express obligation as well as expectation. The auxiliary verb should is invariable, there is only
one form of should for I, you, he, she, it, we, they. The negative of should is shouldn’t or should not.
Shouldn’t is used to advise not to do something, usually because it is bad or the wrong thing to do. This
modal verb is not as strict as the must.
a. Recommendation
When they go to Paris, they should go to the Eifel Tower.
 8

You should be wearing your seatbelt.

She should study German if she is planning to go to Munich.
b. Advice
You shouldn’t throw litter on the streets.
Your hair is too long, you should get a haircut.
You should try to focus more on your writing skills.
c. Obligation
You should go to class now.
Pedestrians shouldn’t cross the street on this corner.
You shouldn’t speak with your mouth full)
d. Prediction or surprise
They should win tonight, they are a better team.
Why should he lie?
How should I know?
e. Polite suggestion
Should I tell the owner of the dog to stop the animal from barking?
You should ask her for pardon, you were not a gentleman.
They should leave now, it is getting late.
She shouldn’t buy that dress; it’s too big for her.
You look tired. You shouldn’t work so much.
He shouldn’t talk to his boss like that.
We use should in questions when we want advice, a recommendation, or a suggestion.
Should I wear the green shirt?
What should we do now?
Should I go now?
Should can be replaced with ought to without a change in meaning. “Ought to” is more formal than
should.

11. Ought to
The use of ought to is similar to should, but it is much less frequent. It indicates a weaker obligation or
duty and it is considered not as strong as must. Like should the verb ought to does not have a past form
and it has only one form for all the subjects. It is only used with reference to the present and the future.
Ought to is rarely used in questions and negatives, when it is, it is confined mainly to formal styles. The
negative of ought to is not to e.g. I ought not to have said those things to her. The contracted negative
form is oughtn’t to e.g. That's awful. You really oughtn't to have done that. In questions, the subject
comes between ought and to e.g. Ought she to work as a judge?
a. To express an obligation or an expectation that someone should do something.
You ought to listen carefully.
Lucy ought to go by herself.
People ought to be a bit nicer with the asylum immigrants.
b. To express the likelihood of something happening.
Annabel ought to be here by now.
The journey ought to take about 2 hours.
Children ought to be able to read by the age of 7.
 9

c. To express regret that something was not done or to reproach someone for doing or not doing
something.

I ought to have spoken up earlier. I’m sorry.

You ought to have offered to help.
They ought to have told us what to expect.
d. In questions and negatives, should is frequently used instead of ought to because it sounds
more natural.
Ought I to report it to someone in authority?
Ought we to make a start?
Ought we to make such a sacrifice for the benefit of future generations?

12. Need
As a modal verb, need is most typically used in negative sentences or in affirmative sentences with a
negative meaning. There is almost always a negative word e.g. no one, nobody, nothing and no other
modal verb can be used with need. It expresses absence of obligation or necessity. Need as a modal verb
also occurs in interrogative sentences, but this use is much more formal. Need as a modal verb does not
have a past tense form, however, using needn’t plus a bare infinitive, have and the past participle, it can
be used for actions which were performed but were unnecessary
a. Absence of obligation or necessity
I need not play football.
Nobody need know the name of the person who made the complaint.
She needn’t arrive so early.
b. Interrogative sentences
Need you be working?
Need I bring you this report at once?
Need she iron the clothes?

c. Modal verb need in the past

I needn’t have come at 4pm as our class starts at 5pm.
You needn’t have called; I already sent you a message.
We needn't have bought any milk. We still have plenty at home.

13. Had Better

Had better is used to talk about actions we think people should do or which are desirable in a specific
situation, especially when you want to ensure you avoid a negative consequence outcome. We use had
better to refer to the present or the future. The verb form is always had, not have followed by the
infinitive without to. The contraction form used in spoken English is _’d better. It also implies some
sort of consequence if action is not followed.
a. To give advice
It’s five o’clock. I’d better go now before the traffic gets too bad.
She had better get here soon or she’ll miss the opening ceremony.
You’d better not tell Elizabeth about the broken glass.
b. Consequences if actions are not taken
You had better pay your taxes on time.
You’d better obey the rules.
They’d better not cheat on the exam.
 10

Exercises:
A. Make negative sentences, example:
Pele can play football. (baseball)
Pele can’t play baseball.
1. Helen can remember faces (names)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. We can watch television tonight (basketball games)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The students can speak English. (Chinese)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Phillip can play the piano.(violin)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. You can go home this weekend.(swimming)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B. Make questions and answer them affirmative or negative according to the affirmative o negative
sentence, example:
George can play cricket. Martha can’t read French.
Can George play cricket? Can Martha read French?
Yes, he can. No, she can’t.
1. Katherine can sing well.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

2. David can’t travel by airplane.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

3. Carol can buy a car.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

4. Michelle can’t lift a sofa.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

5. They can swim very fast.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
11