Modal Verb Practice Exercises +PDFs
This page has a collection of different modal verb exercises with fill-in-the-gap type questions based around natural conversation. Everything is free to practice and you can also download free printable pdf worksheets on this page.
If you want to focus on specific modal verbs click on the exercises on the left of the page.⬅️
This page has a collection of different modal verb exercises with fill-in-the-gap type questions based around natural conversation. Everything is free to practice and you can also download free printable pdf worksheets on this page.
If you want to focus on specific modal verbs click on the exercises on the left of the page.⬅️
Exercise 1
16 questions and answers with explanations.
How do I do these exercises?
Question: Max: I am going to the mountains soon, so I ______ (should/can) exercise more to get fit.
Answer：should
1.
🧔 Max: Hi Jane, I haven’t seen you for a long time! What have you been doing lately?
👱♀️Jane: Oh, hi Max! I’ve been doing a lot of music recently. I _______ (can/should) spend hours making music on my computer. It’s so relaxing!
✅ can
ℹ️ “Can” is used to express present ability.
2.
🧔Max: That sounds fun! I _______ (could/couldn’t) play the piano when I was younger, but now I’m terrible at it.
✅ could
ℹ️ “Could” is used to express past ability. Max is talking about his ability to play the piano in the past.
3.
👱♀️ Jane: Hey! You _______(can/can’t) be that bad! Have you tried picking it up again?
✅ can’t
ℹ️ “Can’t” is used to express present inability. ℹ️ In English, we also use the phrasal verb ‘to pick up’ to start something that you previously stopped.
“I am picking up the guitar again after 5 years”
4.
🧔 Max: No… I ______(don’t have to/should) give it another chance, but I’ve been too busy with tennis. Practice is intense!
✅ should
ℹ️ “Should” is used to express advice or recommendation. Max is trying to give advice to himself.
5.
👱♀️ Jane: Tennis? That sounds great! You _____ (must/can) be pretty good if you’re playing all the time.
✅ must
ℹ️ We use “must” to express logical probability based on evidence. Jane believes that Max is probably good at tennis because of his intense practice.
6.
🧔Max: I think I’m okay. I ______ (can’t/couldn’t) keep up with the team last year, but I’ve improved a lot.
✅ couldn’t
ℹ️ “Couldn’t” is used to express past inability.
7.
👱♀️Jane: Ok. You (should/don’t have to) be the best to enjoy it, right? It’s not so important…
✅ don’t have to
ℹ️ “Don’t have to” is used to express lack of obligation.
8.
👱♀️ Jane: For myself, I’ve been trying archery🏹, but I _____ (can/can’t) shoot straight yet!
✅ can’t
ℹ️ “Can’t” is used to express present inability.
9.
🧔Max: Archery seems difficult to me! You _______ (should/shouldn’t) keep practicing, though. It _______ (must/mustn’t) get easier with time.
✅ should / must
ℹ️ Max says “should” because he is giving advice. ℹ️ He uses “must” to express logical probability because he believes her archery practice will get easier.
10.
👱♀️Jane: Yeah, I really hope so. By the way, are you still dating Jenny? You two _______ (can/must) be getting into a serious relationship by now.
✅ must
ℹ️ Jane uses “must” to express logical probability. She believes Max’s relationship is probably serious based on the time he has been together with Jenny.
11.
🧔Max: Yes! Things are going really well between us. I ______(can/could) always talk to Jenny about anything, which is fantastic.
✅ can
ℹ️ We use “can” to express present ability.
12.
👱♀️Jane: That’s so nice! You ______(mustn’t/don’t have to) take that for granted.
✅ mustn’t
ℹ️ Jane uses “mustn’t” to express strong advice against something. ℹ️ In English, we use the expression “take something for granted” when we do not appreciate something because we assume it will always be there.
13.
🧔Max: Yes, I think you are right. By the way, you ______ (would/should) play tennis with Jenny sometime. She’s really good!
✅ should
ℹ️ Max uses ‘should’ to give advice.
14.
👱♀️Jane: That sounds good. However, I ______ (can/can’t) play tennis very well! Anyway, it doesn’t matter… I ______ (could/couldn’t) try to play her later this week. I will ask her!
✅ can’t/could
ℹ️ We use ‘can’t’ to express present inability. ℹ️ We also use ‘could’ to express probability.
15.
🧔Max: That’s great. I think if the weather is good, you ______ (can/could) have a lot of fun.
Jane: Great, sounds good.
✅ could
ℹ️ Max uses “could” to show future possibility.
16.
🧔Max: Jane I ______(must/can) go now because my boss will kill me if I’m late! It’s nice to speak with you again.
👱♀️Jane: Ok, speak soon.
✅ must
ℹ️ “must” expresses necessity.
This next conversation exercise contains the modal verbs “might” “may” “have to” and “would”.
Exercise 2
18 questions and answers with explanations.
1.
Greg: Martin, I’m thinking about investing some money, but I’m not sure where to start. I think I _______(have to/would) read some financial books or good websites first.
✅ have to
ℹ️ We use “have to” to express necessity or obligation. Greg feels it’s necessary to read financial books to gain knowledge before investing.
2.
Martin: That’s a good idea! You _____ (have to/might) find books on basic stocks useful since they’re beginner-friendly.
✅ might
ℹ️We use “might” to suggest a possibility or recommendation without certainty.
3.
Greg: Yeah, I need to get a good book _____ (may/would) also check out some online courses, but I am so busy with my job at the moment…
✅ may
ℹ️ “May” indicates possibility or consideration of an action. ℹ️ The phrasal verb “to check out” means to explore or find out about something.
4.
Martin: Yes… It’s the same for me… I _____ (might/have to) finish my project by the end of the week, or my boss will be very unhappy.
✅ have to
ℹ️ “Have to” expresses an obligation to complete a task (finishing the project).
5.
Greg: Sorry to hear that… So, the economy has been unpredictable hasn’t it? Do you think it ______ (might/would) crash soon?
✅ might
ℹ️ “Might” is used to express a possibility about a future event (market crash) that is uncertain.
6.
Martin: It _____ (would/may) happen, but I wouldn’t panic. I thought about crypto-currency, but I think it is too risky.
✅ may
ℹ️ “may” shows a possible outcome without certainty.
7.
Greg: Sure. If I could, I ______ (would/have to) buy some crytpo currency, but my wife will kill me! Anyway, how’s the weather where you are?
✅ would
ℹ️ We use “would” because this sentence is a conditional sentence.
8.
Martin: Unfortunately, it’s raining again. I _____ (would/might) cancel my outdoor plans this weekend if the rain continues.
✅ might
ℹ️ The modal verb “might” expresses a possible decision due to uncertain weather conditions.
9.
Greg: That’s a shame… I ______ (would/have to) go hiking with my family if the weather were better here, but it’s stormy here too.
✅ would
ℹ️ This sentence has a conditional meaning “if the weather were better”.
10.
Martin: Yes, the weather ___ (would/has to) get better soon! I hope so… ruin plans Speaking of plans, I will visit my parents soon as I haven’t seen them for a while.
✅ has to
ℹ️ “has to” indicates an obligation. Martin feels the weather should be better!
11.
Martin: That sounds good. Family is so important. If I don’t visit, my mum ______ (would/has to) be disappointed.
✅ would
ℹ️ In this sentence, the modal verb “would” is used in a conditional structure.
12.
Greg: Yes. I _____ (have to/might) visit my parents frequently especially as they are getting older.
✅ have to
ℹ️ “have to” indicates an obligation and necessity.
13.
Martin: Yes. Oh! By the way, you _____ (would/might) want to check the opportunity to buy gold as an investment.
✅ might
ℹ️ In this sentence, “might” is a suggestion.
14.
Greg: I think that could be good advice, and I have heard other people talking about that. I _____ (may/have to) research gold more carefuly before I invest anything.
✅ have to
ℹ️ “have to” expresses necessity to research something carefuly.
15.
Martin: Also, I _____(may/have to) attend a financial conference next month, so I will let you know if I hear any good tips.
✅ may
ℹ️ “may” indicates a possible action.
16.
Greg: That sounds good. I _____ (might/have to) join you if I’m free. I will look at my calendar and let you know.
✅ might
ℹ️ “might” expresses a possible action.
17.
Martin: Great! We _____ (may/would) have a good time there, and it’s also good to get out of this busy city.
✅ would
ℹ️ “would” indicates a likely positive outcomein this imaginary situation. “may” is incorrect because it suggests a possibility, but Martin sounds very confident here.
18.
Greg: Yes definitely. Ok Martin, I ______ (have to/might) go now. I am a bit late and I need to get back to work. Speak to you soon!
✅ have to
ℹ️ This expresses a necessity.
