Modal verbs
1. ________ you go already? You only arrived an hour ago!
a. must b. should c. can
2. When he was young, he ________ swim very well. He won medals and championships!
a. had to b. can c. could
3. The company ________ go bankrupt if they don't find a lot of money quickly!
a. should b. shouldn't c. might
4. You look very confused by the homework, Clive. ________ I help you?
a. will b. can c. must
5. I left my purse at home. Lily, ________ you lend me ten dollars?
a. may b. could c. shouldn't
6. It's wet and windy outside today. You ________ go out without an umbrella.
a. shouldn't b. won't c. don't have to
7. I think that sign means we ______ enter the building. Look, there's a security guard too.
a. won't b. have to c. mustn't
8. Lindsay watched the movie in French and ________ understand very much of it.
a. didn't have to b. can't c. couldn't
9. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He _________be exhausted after such a long
flight.
a. must b. should c. has to
10. The book is optional. My professor said we could read it if we needed extra credit. But we
____________read it if we don't want to.
a. shouldn’t b. can’t c. don’t have to
11. Susan ____________hear the speaker because the crowd was cheering so loudly.
a. have to b. couldn’t c. ought to
12. The television isn't working. It ___________damaged during the move.
a. must have been b. should have been c. was able to be
13. Kate: ______________ hold your breath for more than a minute?
a. should b. must c. can
14. You ____________be rich to be a success. Some of the most successful people I know haven't got a
penny to their name.
a. needn’t b. can’t c. mustn’t
15. My answer is wrong according to the answer key. The answer in the book ____be wrong!
a. must b. ought c. should
16. You _____________ do the job if you didn't speak Japanese fluently.
a. couldn’t b. can’t c. needn’t
17. You ____________ worry so much. It doesn't do you any good. Either you get the job, or you don't. If
you don't, just apply for another one. Eventually, you will find work.
a. must b. can c. shouldn’t
18. You _____________ be kidding! That can't be true.
a. needn’t b. have to c. could
19. You ___________ leave the table once you have finished your meal and politely excused yourself.
a. are allowed to b. must c. are able to
20. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It _____________ a fortune.
a. should have cost b. must have cost c. ought to have cost
21. ________________we move into the living room? It's more comfortable in there and there's a beautiful
view of the lake.
a. should b. could c. shall
22. If I had gone white water rafting with my friends, I______________ down the Colorado River right now.
a. can b. could c. should
23. I advised my boss that he _____________take another look at his resume and reconsider him for the
position.
a. can b. could c. ought to
24. You ______________take along some cash. The restaurant may not accept credit cards.
a. should b. could c. ought
25. The machine ________________turned on by flipping this switch.
a. should be b. can be c. ought to be
26. I can't stand these people - I ________ get out of here. I'm going to take off for a while.
a. should b. ought c. must have
27. You _________ pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is very strict about paying on time.
a. can b. could c. should
28. Do you always have to say the first thing that pops into your head. _________you think once in a
while before you speak?
a. can’t b. might c. needn’t
29. Terry and Frank said they would come over after work, so they _______be here by 6:00.
a. have to b. should c. need
30. Yesterday, I ________ study for my French final. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight.
a. had to b. might c. need
31. If I had gone to the University of Miami, I _______________participated in their Spanish immersion
program.
a. can have b. could have c. need to have
32. The lamp ______________be broken. Maybe the light bulb just burned out.
a. shouldn’t b. has to c. might not
Modal verbs
1. ________ you go already? You only arrived an hour ago!
a. must b. should c. can
2. When he was young, he ________ swim very well. He won medals and championships!
a. had to b. can c. could
3. The company ________ go bankrupt if they don't find a lot of money quickly!
a. should b. shouldn't c. might
4. You look very confused by the homework, Clive. ________ I help you?
a. will b. can c. must
5. I left my purse at home. Lily, ________ you lend me ten dollars?
a. may b. could c. shouldn't
6. It's wet and windy outside today. You ________ go out without an umbrella.
a. shouldn't b. won't c. don't have to
7. I think that sign means we ______ enter the building. Look, there's a security guard too.
a. won't b. have to c. mustn't
8. Lindsay watched the movie in French and ________ understand very much of it.
a. didn't have to b. can't c. couldn't
9. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He _________be exhausted after such a long
flight.
a. must b. should c. has to
10. The book is optional. My professor said we could read it if we needed extra credit. But we
____________read it if we don't want to.
a. shouldn’t b. can’t c. don’t have to
11. Susan ____________hear the speaker because the crowd was cheering so loudly.
a. have to b. couldn’t c. ought to
12. The television isn't working. It ___________damaged during the move.
a. must have been b. should have been c. was able to be
13. Kate: ______________ hold your breath for more than a minute?
a. should b. must c. can
14. You ____________be rich to be a success. Some of the most successful people I know haven't got a
penny to their name.
a. needn’t b. can’t c. mustn’t
15. My answer is wrong according to the answer key. The answer in the book ____be wrong!
a. must b. ought c. should
16. You _____________ do the job if you didn't speak Japanese fluently.
a. couldn’t b. can’t c. needn’t
17. You ____________ worry so much. It doesn't do you any good. Either you get the job, or you don't. If
you don't, just apply for another one. Eventually, you will find work.
a. must b. can c. shouldn’t
18. You _____________ be kidding! That can't be true.
a. needn’t b. have to c. could
19. You ___________ leave the table once you have finished your meal and politely excused yourself.
a. are allowed to b. must c. are able to
20. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It _____________ a fortune.
a. should have cost b. must have cost c. ought to have cost
21. ________________we move into the living room? It's more comfortable in there and there's a beautiful
view of the lake.
a. should b. could c. shall
22. If I had gone white water rafting with my friends, I______________ down the Colorado River right now.
a. can b. could c. should
23. I advised my boss that he _____________take another look at his resume and reconsider him for the
position.
a. can b. could c. ought to
24. You ______________take along some cash. The restaurant may not accept credit cards.
a. should b. could c. ought
25. The machine ________________turned on by flipping this switch.
a. should be b. can be c. ought to be
26. I can't stand these people - I ________ get out of here. I'm going to take off for a while.
a. should b. ought c. must have
27. You _________ pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is very strict about paying on time.
a. can b. could c. should
28. Do you always have to say the first thing that pops into your head. _________you think once in a
while before you speak?
a. can’t b. might c. needn’t
29. Terry and Frank said they would come over after work, so they _______be here by 6:00.
a. have to b. should c. need
30. Yesterday, I ________ study for my French final. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight.
a. had to b. might c. need
31. If I had gone to the University of Miami, I _______________participated in their Spanish immersion
program.
a. can have b. could have c. need to have
32. The lamp ______________be broken. Maybe the light bulb just burned out.
a. shouldn’t b. has to c. might not
Answers:
1. a 2. c 3. c 4. b 5. b 6. a 7. c 8. c 9. a 10. c
11. b 12. a 13. c 14.a 15.a 16. a 17. c 18. b 19. a 20. b
21. c 22. b 23. c 24. a 25. b 26. a 27. c 28. a 29. b 30. a
31. b 32. c
Answers:
1. a 2. c 3. c 4. b 5. b 6. a 7. c 8. c 9. a 10. c
11. b 12. a 13. c 14.a 15.a 16. a 17. c 18. b 19. a 20. b
21. c 22. b 23. c 24. a 25. b 26. a 27. c 28. a 29. b 30. a
31. b 32. c
