Modals Exercise

Twenty sentences to practise modal verbs. Simply choose the appropriate one. To revise or for further practice with students in the classroom. No key!

1. Complete the following sentences with the appropriate modal verb.

1. Anybody who wants can / may join the club.

2. ‘I need to talk to you. I can / may see you tomorrow.’ ‘OK, any time.’

3. Can / May gases freeze?

4. ‘I think PSOE are going to win.’ You may / can be right.’

5. It was a place where anything can / could happen.

6. It could / might be quite frightening when we were alone in our big old house.

7. ‘What shall we do?’ ‘We may / can try asking Lucy for help.’

8. One can / might travel to Holland by boat or by air.

9. I can / might be given a new job soon.

10. Scotland can / may be very warm in September.

11. ‘There’s the doorbell. Who can / may it be?’ ‘Well, it can’t / couldn’t be your mother. She’s
in Edinburgh.’ ‘It could / may / can / might be Sarah. It’s about tea time.’

12. There can / may be a strike next week. (I think so.)


13. Strikes can / may happen at any time.

14. There may / could be a strike next week. (I don’t think so)

15. I may / might go to London tomorrow. (perhaps a 50% chance.)

16. Joe may /might come with me, although I doubt it.

17. I can / might read Italian quite well.

18. She might / could read when she was four.

19. I may / might not be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is
true.)

20. It can’t be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is true. )