Modal verbs: can, must, should or might? Modal verbs exercises by meaning
About this lesson
This B1 drill lesson gives modal verbs exercises sorted by meaning: ability, permission, obligation, advice and possibility, with had to and will be able to for other tenses.
- Grammar
- Modal + base verb (no to, no -s, no do); be able to and had to for other tenses; mustn't vs don't have to; should, ought to, 'd better; might.
- Topic
- A coworking space in Porto: its house rules, Briony's welcome email, Lysander's message after his first week, and a chat with Zuzanna.
- Activities
- Sorting, choices, gap-fills, matching, drag-and-drop rules and messages, word order, tables, quizzes, a memory game and a chat, every answer checked on the spot.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
Chapter 2Yes, you can!
- Choose the right form: can, could or be able to?Choose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps with the right form of be able toFill in the gapsUnlock
- Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
- Read Grandma's message and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 3Rules are rules
- Choose the right meaning: not allowed or not necessary?Choose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: have to in every tenseFill in the gapsTry it
- Sort the sentences: necessary, not necessary or not allowed?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Fill in the table: have to and need toFill in the tableUnlock
- Read the climbing gym rules and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Find the mistake: rules and obligationsQuizUnlock
- Read the swim club's note and fill in the gaps with a modal verbFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 4Good advice, maybe
- Choose the right form: adviceChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: give adviceFill in the gapsUnlock
- Match the problems and the adviceMatchTry it
- Choose the right form: maybeChoose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: advice and possibilityUnjumbleUnlock
- Choose the sentence with the same meaningQuizUnlock
- Read the ski tips and fill in the gaps with a modal verbFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: The house rules
- Read the house rules of a coworking spaceReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the house rules again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read the house rules again and choose the right answerQuizUnlock
- Read Briony's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Lysander's message to his friend and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Zuzanna texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: at the airportChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with be able to: plans and hopesFill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the sentences: permission or ability?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: rules and adviceUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the signs and their meaningsMatchUnlock
- Fill in the table: past and futureFill in the tableUnlock
- Choose the right meaning: at schoolChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: advice for a job interviewFill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: all the modalsQuizUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: the sentence and its meaningMemory gameUnlock
- Read Rosalind's note to her cat sitter and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Evander's hostel review and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form: plans for the weekendChoose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questions: modal verbsUnjumbleUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
Grammar: modal verbs by meaning
Modal verbs add a meaning to the main verb: ability, permission, obligation, advice or possibility. The verb after a modal stays in the base form: You must sign in at the front desk. It might rain later.
Modal verbs: can, must, should, might and friends
Modal verbs add a meaning to the main verb: ability, permission, obligation, advice or possibility.
Modal + base verb: no to, no -s, no do
One form fits every person: he can, she must. Questions and negatives need no do: Can you…? But have to, need to, ought to and be able to keep their to, and have to and need to take do: Does she have to go?
modal + base verb
subjectcan / could / may / might / must / shouldbase verb
She can speak three languages.
You must sign in at the front desk.
It might rain later.
No to, no -s, no do
One form for every person: he can, she must, it might (not: he cans). No to before the verb: must go, should ask (not: must to go). No do: Can you…? You shouldn't… But four keep their to: have to, need to, ought to, be able to. Have to and need to take do: Does she have to go?
Five meanings
Ability: can, could, be able to. Permission: can, could, may. Obligation: must, have to, need to. Advice: should, ought to, had better. Possibility: may, might, could: It might snow tonight.
| Meaning | Modal verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ability: you know how | can, could (past), be able to | I can swim. I could read at four. I'll be able to drive soon. |
| Permission: it's OK | can, could, may (formal) | Can I sit here? Could I ask a question? Guests may use the kitchen. |
| Obligation: it's necessary | must, have to, need to | You must wear a helmet. I have to work on Saturday. |
| No obligation: it isn't necessary | don't have to, don't need to | It's free. You don't have to pay. |
| Prohibition: it isn't allowed | mustn't, can't, may not (formal) | You mustn't smoke here. You can't park here. |
| Advice: it's a good idea | should, ought to, had better (stronger) | You should rest. You'd better hurry, or you'll be late. |
| Possibility: maybe | may, might, could | It might snow tonight. We could miss the bus. |
Negatives and questions
Can't, couldn't, shouldn't, might not, 'd better not; doesn't have to and don't need to. To ask about a rule, say Do I have to…? rather than Must I…?
| Modal | Positive (+) | Negative (−) | Question (?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| can | She can drive. | She can't (cannot) drive. | Can she drive? |
| could | I could swim at five. | I couldn't swim at five. | Could you swim at five? |
| may | You may go in. | You may not go in. | May I go in? |
| might | It might rain. | It might not rain. | (rare in questions) |
| must | You must stop. | You mustn't (must not) stop. | (rare: say Do I have to…?) |
| have to | He has to work. | He doesn't have to work. | Does he have to work? |
| need to | We need to go. | We don't need to go. | Do we need to go? |
| should | You should ask. | You shouldn't ask. | Should I ask? |
| ought to | You ought to ask. | (rare: say shouldn't) | (rare: say Should I…?) |
| had better | You'd better go. | You'd better not go. | (rare) |
| be able to | I'll be able to come. | I won't be able to come. | Will you be able to come? |
Mustn't or don't have to?
You mustn't use your phone in the exam: it isn't allowed. You don't have to come early: it isn't necessary, but you can. Swapping the two turns a rule upside down.
mustn't: it isn't allowed. Don't do it!
- You mustn't use your phone in the exam.
- Visitors mustn't feed the animals.
don't have to: it isn't necessary. You can, but you don't need to.
- You don't have to come early. We start at ten.
- It's Sunday. I don't have to get up early.
Past and future: had to, will be able to
Must has no past, so use had to; can has could. For the future, say will have to and will be able to, never will must or will can. Two modals never go together: It might rain.
Past and future: had to, will be able to
Must has no past: had to (not: musted). Can has could. Future: will have to, will be able to (not: will must, will can). Where can has no form, use be able to: I want to be able to cook. I might be able to help. I haven't been able to sleep. Never two modals together: It might rain (not: might will rain).
Common mistakes
Watch for She must to leave now, He cans speak Italian, It might will rain tomorrow, and You don't have to smoke here where the rule needs mustn't.
She must to leave now.
She must leave now.
no to after must, can, should, might
He cans speak Italian.
He can speak Italian.
no -s: he can, she must
You don't have to smoke here. (a rule)
You mustn't smoke here.
not allowed = mustn't; don't have to = not necessary
It might will rain tomorrow.
It might rain tomorrow.
never two modals together
Examples
- Members can use any free desk.permission
- I couldn't ride a bike until I was nine.ability in the past
- We have to finish the report by Friday.obligation
- You don't have to print it. Just send it by email.no obligation
- You'd better take a coat, or you'll be cold.strong advice
- Our flight might be late because of the fog.possibility
More lessons on this grammar: Modal verbs lessons and exercises
Try the modal verbs exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 41 auto-checked exercises
- 5 games
- 1 real-life document
- 1 grammar scheme
- 1 picture
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
- use a modal with the plain verb for every person: She can speak four languages, not She can to speak
- tell mustn't from don't have to: The museum is free for students, so you don't have to pay.
- use had to, will have to and will be able to: We missed the last bus, so we had to walk home.
- give advice with should, ought to and 'd better: My tooth really hurts. – You'd better see a dentist today.
- say what may happen: Take a sweater. It might get cold in the evening.
- Grammar:
- modal verbs · can / could / be able to · must / have to / need to · mustn't / don't have to · should / ought to / had better · may / might / could
- Topic:
- grammar practice · rules · coworking · work
Teaching tips
- Write house rules for your own classroom: groups write six rules with must, mustn't, don't have to and can, then the class votes on the fairest list.
- Play “Problem and advice”: one student names a problem (My laptop is really slow), and three classmates answer, one each with should, ought to and 'd better.
- Bring in signs from around town: NO PARKING, FREE ENTRY, WET FLOOR. Students say what each one means with a modal: You mustn't park here. You don't have to pay.
Liked it?
Teach the whole lesson in edio
46 exercises in 6 chapters, ready to teach. edio is an online platform for language schools and teachers: ready-made interactive lessons, live classes, homework and student progress in one place.
Start a free trial
7 days, no credit card.
Open the lesson
Find it in the library of 621 ready lessons. Teach it as it is, or copy any chapter into your own lessons.
Teach it live or as homework
Students work in their own accounts, in sync with you during the lesson, and the practice exercises check themselves.
The whole course: English Grammar Practice · B1
English Grammar Practice · B1 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the present perfect continuous, narrative tenses, future forms, modals of deduction, the second conditional, the passive, relative clauses, reported speech, question tags and linkers. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course
- 1Present perfect continuous: how long have you been doing it?
- 2Present perfect simple or continuous: how many or how long?
- 3Past perfect: what had happened before?
- 4Narrative tenses: telling a great story
- 5Future forms: plans, promises and timetables
- 6Future time clauses: I'll call you when I land
- 7Used to, be used to, get used to: settling in
- 8Modal verbs: can, must, should or might?
- 9Could, was able to, managed to: did you make it?
- 10Modals of deduction: whose bag could it be?
- 11Second conditional: what would you do?
- 12Conditionals compared: real or imagined?
- 13Present and past passive: how is it made?
- 14Passive in other tenses: what's being done?
- 15Relative clauses: the person who, the place where
- 16Reported statements: who said what?
- 17Reported questions and commands: what did they ask you?
- 18Indirect questions: could you tell me where it is?
- 19Question tags: it's your first day, isn't it?
- 20Gerunds and infinitives: enjoy doing or decide to do?
- 21Reflexive pronouns: did you make it yourself?
- 22Although, however, despite: great view, tiny room
- 23So, such and because of: what a storm!
- 24Phrasal verbs: who's going to clean it up?
- 25All, both, either, neither, none: two or a whole group?
- 26-ed and -ing adjectives: bored or boring?
- 27Advanced comparatives: the more, the better
- 28Articles with place names: the Nile, but Lake Como