LOS MODALES

 
MODALES USOS EJEMPLOS
 
  Habilidad Tina can run very fast.
  (Tiena puede corer muy deprisa)
CAN Petición Informal Can I stay here for two more weeks?
  (¿Puedo quedarmen aquí durante 2 semanas más?
Posibilidad She can be very rude at times.
  (Ella puede ser muy grosera a veces)
  Habilidad Mike i sable to spot lies by looking at your face.
BE ABLE (Mike puede detector mentiras mirándote a la cara).
TO Posibilidad You will be able to meet my wife tonight.
(Podrás conocer a mi mujer esta noche)
  Imposibilidad Alice can’t sing very well.
  (Alice no canta muy bien).
CAN’T Prohibición You can’t take your children with you.
(No puedes llevar a tus hijos contigo)
Incredulidad / That can’t be Paul. He is in Ireland!
Deducción (Ese no puede ser Paul. ¡Está en Irlanda!
  Habilidad en She could dance very well when she was a child.
  pasado (Ella bailaba muy bien cuando era una niña).
COULD Petición formal Could you introduce me to your Friends?
  (¿Podrías presentarme a tus amigos?)
Sugerencia You could take your parents out for dinner.
educada (Podrías llevar a tus padres a cena fuera)
Posibilidad He could meet new people at the party.
  (El podría conocer gente nueva en  la fiesta).
MAY / Posibilidad I may / might meet her mother tonight.
MIGHT (Podría conocer gente nueva en la fiesta)
MAY Petición Formal  / May I ask you a question?
Permiso. ¿Puedo hacerle una pregunta?
SHOULD / Consejo / Opinión You should / ought to accept Tim’s proporsal.
OUGHT TO (Tu deberías aceptar la propuesta de Tim)
NEED TO Necesidad  / I need to talk to the boss (Necesito hablar con el jefe)
Obligación
HAVE / Necesidad  / Peter has to help her mother in the garden.
HAS TO Obligación (Peter tiene que ayudar a su madre en el jardín)
  Obligación She must phone her father immediately.
MUST (Ella debe llamar por teléfono a su padre
inmediatamente)
Fuerte creencia Paul must be very happy in his new house.
(Paul debe estar muy feliz en su nueva casa)
MUSTN’T Prohibición You mustn’t use the pone after midnight.
(No debes utilizer el teléfono después de media noche)
DOESN’T / Falta de You don’t have to talk about our families.
DON’T obligación / (No tenemos que hablar de nuestras familias)
HAVE TO Necesidad
WOULD Petición formal Would you meet me tomorrow at the office, please?
(¿Podrías reunirte mañana conmigo en mi oficina, por
favor?
Ofrecimiento Would you like to come to the opera with me?
(¿Te gustaría venir a la ópera conmigo?

Complete the senteces using the correct modal verb. There may be more than one possible
answer:
 
 
1. I__________________  swim when I was three years old. 

2. Where is Kate? She ____________________  be home by now.

3. It is very dark in here. I ____________ see you very well.

4. In my opinion, they ________________ go to Portugal, not Italy.

5. You _______________________  tell her about the surpise party. 

6. _____________ I speak to Mr. Smith, please?

7. We ______________________ wait outside the restaurant. There aren't any empty tables.

8. Sh e  (go) _ __ __ __ _ __ _ t o th e u n ive rsit y if she wan t s to be a d oct o r.

9 .   We   (ta ke ) __ __ __ __ _ __ __   a n u mb re lla. I t ´s go ing t o ra in .

1 0.   Th e e xa m is go ing to sta rt . Yo u   (be ) _ __ __ __ _ __ _   qu ie t.

1 1.   G irls   (wa l k ) _ __ __ __ _ __ __ _   a lo ne a t n igh t s.

1 2.   Y ou   (re a d) _ __ __ __ _ __ __ __ _ th e in st ru ct ion s be fo re u sin g it .

1 3. I t ´s to o ho t. Yo u   (we a r) _ __ __ __ __ __ _ _   a T- sh irt .

1 4.   He ´s d run k. He   (dri nk ) __ __ __ __ __ _ __ __   a nymo re .

1 5.   To mmy   (fi ni s h) _ __ __ __ __ __   h is ho me wo rk be fo re p la yin g th e g u it a r.

1 6  (w e / w ea r) _ __ __ __ __ __ _   a t ie ?

2.ELIGE EL VERBO MODAL QUE CONVIENE.

1 He ……..phone today, you should stay if you want to talk to him.

2 Sarah has a flexible body. She ……. practice gymnastics very well.

3 ……..I drive your car?

4 This man is not careful. He ……. wear a helmet when he rides his motorbike.

5 Yesterday he ……. run to catch his train because he was late.

6 I looked everywhere yesterday and I …… find my mobile phone. Today it's in the living room!

7 It ……. rain this afternoon, the sky is really cloudy.

8 I ….. speak with you as soon as possible.

9 If they want to buy a bigger house next year they …………save money.

10 Their son has passed all his exams. They …….be really pleased!

ELIGE EL VERBO MODAL QUE CONVIENE.

1 I'm afraid I……… help you at the moment.

2 I'm asking permission: ……….I do it?

3 He drowned because he…………. not swim.

4 They………………….. to arrive on time tonight because their flight was

cancelled.

5 Let's go to the cinema! - Yes! Good idea! We could see a thriller.

6 To make progress, you…………….practise your English every day.

7………………… I go to the sea next summer?

8 She has worked for many years in a restaurant. She………. cook wonderful meals.

9 I never go to the sea. I…………. swim.

10 This man is not careful. He……………. wear a helmet.

1. I’m sorry, I ______________ take you to the airport in the morning because I’ve got a business
meeting at 9 o’clock.

2. I think I ________________ pass my driving test before my 50th birthday.

3. One day in the future I think we ___________________ live on the moon.

4. If we left now, we _______________ before the shops close.

5. I’m not working this weekend so we ______________ go cycling on Sunday.

6. I ________________ meet you for coffee at 11, but I’ll only have fifteen minutes.

7. I’ll do the washing and the ironing, but I ________________ do the shopping.

8. If we worked together, we _________________ finish it before the film starts.

9. She was bad after the accident, but I think she ________________ go back to
work next week.

10. It’s not possible yet, but I think computers _______________ do the housework
for us in a few years.

11. I __________________ go for a run this evening. My parents are coming to visit and I won’t have
time.

12. I __________________ do your job. It’s so complicated and stressful.

ELIGE COULD, COULDN’T O MANAGED TO

1. I _____________ play the piano when I was four.

2. They _______________ to get to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, but it took them six days.

3. Eventually Luis _______________ convince me that there’s no future in teaching English.

4. Mark wanted to see the final of the European Cup, but he ______________ get tickets.

5. Henry was so advanced for his age that he _________________ burn music CD’s when he was 8
months old.

6. Val and John were amazed that they _____________________ to drive over the Pyrenees in such
an old car.

7. I spoke to her for more than an hour, bought her a drink, and finally _______________ get her
phone number.

8. Carlos ______________ speak English when he was six years old. His parents are from Liverpool.

9. Cathy grew up near the beach in South Africa. She ______________ swim, sail and dive when
she was very young.
10. Danny lost his job at the clock factory because he __________________ get up on time in the
mornings.

Ahora escribe must/mustn’t/should/shouldn’t/can o can’t en el espacio adecuado.

1. Se utiliza ____________ para decir que algo es posible.

2. Se utiliza _____________para decir que algo no es posible.
3. Se utiliza _____________ para aconsejar a alguien hacer algo.
4. Se utiliza ______________ para aconsejar a alguien no hacer algo.
5. Se utiliza ______________para ordenar a alguien hacer algo.
6. Se utiliza ______________ para ordenar a alguien hacer algo.

COMPLETE WITH THE CORRECT MODAL.

Andy …………… know how to make a barbecue.

If she studies a lot she …………… improve her pronunciation.

The football practice …………… be quite hard.

James …………… clean his bedroom sometime.

You …………… visit the new restaurant in town.

The activities …………… be more interesting.

Mike …………… buy the tickets before the concert.

My mother …………… make a delicious food for Christmas.

You …………… understand the rules before playing poker.

Tom …………… play if he finishes the work.

If she needs something she …………… call her home.

My father …………… consider the idea of buying a new house.

Sonia …………… knit beautiful and colourful sweaters.

She …………… explain the exercises many times.

Peter …………… read the book for the test.

Fill in the gaps with should/shouldn't- should have/ shouldn’t have/ mustn’t o don’t have to
1 If you’re ill, you.............. go out

2 You.............. Worry about Joan. She’ll come back safely as usual

3 David, you.............. play near the river. It can be dangerous

4 We.............. Forget to take the dog before leaving

5 She.............. called so late. She.............. know that we are in bed at 11

6 You.............. watch TV instead of studying

7 This jumper is full of holes. You.............. darn it

8 I.............. wash my car at once. I’ ll do it tomorrow.

Fill in the gaps with may/might, may have/might have (in some cases you can choose more
solutions
1 Don’t park here. That policewoman.............. give you a fine
2 I.............. not be here when he comes, please tell him to wait

3 Sheila didn’ t come to the theatre last night. She.............. forgotten about it.

4 Isn’ t John here yet? I’ m afraid he.............. not come. He had an important meeting.

5 I can’ t find the red tablecloth. You.............. put it in the washing machine

6 Poor old man! Someone.............. helped him

7 Why did you touch that hot pan? You.............. burnt yourself

8 Why did you play near the swimming pool? You.............. fallen into the water.

Complete the sentences with an appropriate verb.

1 I’m hungry. You should …………… something.

2 I have a cold. You should …………… an aspirin.

3 It’ s raining. You shouldn’ t ……………. out with your bicycle.

4 It is hot today. You ought to …………….. something fresh.

5 Somebody stole my bag. You ought to …………….. the police.

6 I have got nothing to wear for tonight’ s party. You should …………….. a dress.

7 I always do grammar mistakes when I go abroad. You should …………….. a pocket dictionary with
you.

8 I’ m getting late to the summit. You ought to ………….. a taxi.

9 I’ m always tired. You shouldn’ t …………. to bed so late.

Complete the following sentences using must or must have and modifying the verb in the
brackets appropriately

1 When I got home the bottle in the fridge was empty. Somebody (drink) .............. all the beer
2 Bob didn’ t find his car when he returned to the car park. Somebody( steal).............. it.
3 It was Lucy’ s birthday yesterday. What did Rob give her? He( send).............. her a beautiful bunch
of roses
4 Mrs Charlie’ s son comes to take the dog every day. Mrs Jones( still/ be).............. on holiday
5 Someone is knocking at the door. It( be).............. the postman. He always comes at six
6 The car is very wet this morning. It( rain).............. all night
7 Grandpa has been working hard in the kitchen all day. He( be).............. exhausted
8 is Miss Caroline? She isn’ t at home and it’ s only eight o’ clock. She( leave).............. home early
9 All the lights are on at the Johnson’. You can see a lot of people in the garden. There( be)..............
a party going on.