Modal Verbs Ability Certainty and Probability

1. Fill in the gaps with a suitable modal verb.

a. She always gets great marks; She _________ very intelligent.

b. She always gets great marks; She _________ be stupid.

c. Their car is really old; they _________ have a lot of money.

d. Jane usually goes out in the evening, so she _________ be at home when we get

there.

e. Ian isn´t here, so he _________ be at school, but I’m not sure.

f. I don’t believe it. She looks really well, so she _________ be sick.

g. You haven’t eaten all day. You _________ be hungry!

h. He _________ be tired. He hasn’t done anything all day!

i. Tess _________ lend you some money. Why don’t you ask her?

j. Don’t go in. The dog _________ bite you.

k. I can’t promise to help you because I _________ have time.

l. He eats a lot of junk food and he never exercises, so he _________ be very

healthy.

m. Lisa never eats very much, so she _________ want to go to the restaurant for lunch.

Let’s ask her.

n. Wendy is so rude; she _________ have many friends.

o. Tim told me not to wait for him because he _________ arrive in time.

2. Rewrite the sentences using a modal verb.

a. I’m sure he is a basketball player. He

________________________________________

b. Perhaps he is a basketball player. He

________________________________________

c. Perhaps he isn’t a basketball player. He

______________________________________

d. I’m sure he isn’t a basketball player. He

______________________________________

e. I’m sure she has got a Porsche. She

__________________________________________

f. Perhaps she has got a Porsche. She

__________________________________________

g. Perhaps she hasn’t got a Porsche. She

________________________________________

h. I’m sure she hasn’t got a Porsche. She

________________________________________

3. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of can.

a. ___________ you read when you were five years old? No, I ___________.

b. Doris is from Austria so she ___________ speak German, but she ___________

speak French.

c. They ___________ drive, but they want to learn.

d. Sarah ___________ ride a motorbike when she was twelve, and now she

___________ also fly her father’s airplane.

e. My son ___________ speak until he was three years old.

f. I ___________ dance before, but now I ___________. I’m too old.

g. Her eyes are really week. She ___________ read the headlines, but she

___________ read the small print.

4. Write questions for the answers.

a. _____________________________________________________________________?

No, I can´t play the violin, but I can play the guitar.

b. _____________________________________________________________________?

Yes, she can cook very well.

c. _____________________________________________________________________?

No, he couldn’t play chess when he was younger.

d. _____________________________________________________________________?

No, I couldn’t speak English very well when I was small.

e. _____________________________________________________________________?

Yes, I could swim when I was little.

f. _____________________________________________________________________?

Yes, they can ride a motorbike.

Answer key

1

a. must b. can’t c. can’t d. might not / may not e. might / may/ could f. can´t g. must h. can’t i. might / may j. might / may / could k. might not / may not l. can’t m. might not / may not n. can’t o. might not / may not

2.

a. must be a basketball player. b. might be a football player. c. might not / may not be a basketball player. d. Can be a basketball player.

a. must have a Porsche. b. may / might have a Porsche. c. might not / may not have a Porsche.. d. can’t have a Porsche.

3.

a. Could / couldn’t b. can / can’t c. can´t d. could / can e. couldn’t f. could / can’t g. can / can’t

4.

a. Can you play the violin? b. Can she cook well? c. Could he play chess when he was younger?

d. Could you speak English when you were small? e. Could you swim when you were little? f. Can they ride a motorbike?