MODAL VERBS EXERCISES

Gap-fill Exercise

Complete the sentences using the words listed in the box below. Some gaps may have more than one correct
answer.

can could have to must might should

1. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He ______M____ be exhausted after such a long
flight. He ___M_______prefer to stay in tonight and get some rest.

2. If you want to get a better feeling for how the city is laid out, you ______S____walk downtown and
explore the waterfront.

3. Hiking the trail to the peak ____C______be dangerous if you are not well prepared for dramatic weather
changes. You __________research the route a little more before you attempt the ascent.

4. When you have a small child in the house, you ______H____leave small objects lying around. Such
objects ______S____be swallowed, causing serious injury or even death.

5. Dave: __________you hold your breath for more than a minute?

6. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It _____M_____have cost a fortune.

7. Please make sure to water my plants while I am gone. If they don't get enough water, they __________die.

8. I ________S__speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Egypt. But after we moved back
to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a child. Now,
I ______S____just say a few things in the language.
S
9. The book is optional. My professor said we __________read it if we needed extra credit. But we
__________read it if we don't want to.
10. Leo: Where is the spatula? It __________be in this drawer but it's not here.
Nancy: I just did a load of dishes last night and they're still in the dish washer. It __________be in there.
That's the only other place it __________be.

11. You __________take your umbrella along with you today. The weatherman on the news said there's a
storm north of here and it __________rain later on this afternoon.

12. __________we pull over at the next rest stop? I really __________use the bathroom and I don't know if I
__________hold it until we get to Chicago.

13. Oh no! Frank's wallet is lying on the coffee table. He __________have left it here last night.

14. Ned: __________I borrow your lighter for a minute?

15. I __________believe she said that to Megan! She __________insult her cooking in front of everyone at
the party last night. She ________have just said she was full or had some salad if she didn't like the meal.

16. Do you __________chew with your mouth open like that? Geez, it's making me sick watching you eat that
piece of pizza.
 must have to

1. I __________ be at the meeting by 10:00. I will probably __________ take a taxi if I want to be on time.

2. You __________ submit the application if it has not been completely filled out. Check that the name,
address, and background information are correct. If the form is not accurate and complete, you will be rejected
and you will __________ reapply at a later date.

3. Tina: Look at these flowers - they're beautiful! But, there's no card. Who could have sent them?
Stephanie: It __________ have been David. He's the only one who would send you flowers.

4. You __________ forget to pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is very strict about paying on time.

5. You __________ be so rude! Why don't you try saying "please" once in a while.

6. If you are over 18 in California, you __________ take a driver training course to get a driver's license. You
can have a friend or a family member teach you instead. But remember, you __________ still get your permit
before you start practicing.

7. You __________ be rich to be a success. Some of the most successful people I know haven't got a penny to
their name.

8. Ed: My car broke down in Death Valley last week. I __________ have it towed more than a hundred miles
to the nearest mechanic.
Lilly: That __________ have cost a fortune!

9. While hiking in Alaska, you __________ keep an eye out for bears. If you see one, you __________
approach it. They are beautiful animals; however, they are wild and unpredictable in nature. You __________
be afraid of them, but educating yourself about the dangers can help keep you safe.

10. I __________ go to work tomorrow because it is Memorial Day. The best thing about a day off from work
is that I __________ get up at 6:00; I can sleep in till noon if I want to.

11. Yesterday, I __________ cram all day for my French final. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight.

12. Nate: Oh no! I completely forgot we were supposed to pick Jenny up at the airport.
Barbara: She __________ still be sitting there waiting for us.

13. Ingrid received a scholarship to Yale University which will cover 100% of the tuition. She __________
worry at all about the increasing cost of education.

14. When I was a child my grandmother was continually correcting our manners. She always used to say, "One
__________ eat with one's mouth open." Or, she would correct us by saying, "One __________ rest one's
elbows on the table." And every time I wanted to leave the table, she would say, "One __________ ask to be
excused."

15. I've redone this math problem at least twenty times, but my answer is wrong according to the answer key.
The answer in the book __________ be wrong!

might must should

1. Nancy said you didn't need to buy her anything for her birthday, but I really think you __________ at least
get her some flowers or a nice bottle of wine.
2. Debbie said she was really busy this week, but I think she __________ show up at the party if she doesn't
have to work overtime on Friday.

3. Nina said she would come over right after work, so she __________ be here by 6:00.

4. Oh my God, he's unconscious. Don't move him - he __________ have internal injuries. Somebody call an
ambulance.

5. You __________ be kidding! That can't be true.

6. Dan: Where's the remote control? I want to change the channel.

7. For most people, learning a language is a challenging undertaking. Experts agree that to make the most of
your language learning experience, you __________ practice the language regularly and push yourself to
maintain old vocabulary while acquiring new words and expressions.

8. New research suggests that exercise can reduce the chance of heart disease as well as cancer. That's why I
told my father that he __________ start walking once a day.

9. We should invite Sally and her husband to come to the picnic on Saturday. We haven't seen them in
weeks, and they __________ really enjoy a nice day at the beach.

10. Tim: While I was a student, I spent a year and a half studying Pygmy culture in the Central African
Republic. My research focused on unique aspects of the their social structure and religion.
Simona: That __________ have been absolutely fascinating!

11. We had better call Tony to see if he's at home before we go over to his house. He __________ be there
and we don't want to drive all the way over there for nothing.

12. At first, my boss didn't want to hire Sam. But, because I had previously worked with Sam, I told my boss
that he __________ take another look at his resume and reconsider him for the position.

13. 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.

14. I would love to go on the cruise to Tahiti with Robin and Michelle. But such a luxurious trip __________
cost a fortune. I doubt I could afford something like that.

15. The book recommends adding fresh soil and using plant food to make your garden flowers grow. Since
some people might be allergic to chemicals in artificial plant foods, the book says that you __________ use
an organic brand to avoid skin irritations.