Use the best modal to complete each sentence; use a negative form when necessary.

Type all of your answers in the spaces and then and click on "Check answers". If you need help, click "Show a letter".

Начало формы

1. I borrow your pencil? Thanks!
2. James and Sara were so sad because they go to their brother's wedding. They were too sick.
3. The students understand the instructions for the test yesterday, so many of them failed.
4. A: We have a big problem. What we do? B: I don't know. Maybe we ask our boss for help.
5. When Tina was a child, she speak three languages: French, Arabic and English. She rarely practised French, so she speak it anymore.
6. I'm sorry. I hear you. Please speak more loudly.
7. My little brother play piano and guitar.
8. Excuse me. I ask you a question?
9. A:What are you going to do on the weekend? B: I'm not sure yet. We go to a movie or we stay home and relax.
10. I go to school tomorrow because I'm feeling sick right now. I'm not sure.

Конец формы

 

Put in the following modals of ability into the missing blanks. If none is possible then in the correct tense use 'be able to'.

 

Can

Be able to      Couldn't

Can't

Could

Modal verbs of ability answers

________________ you ski when you were 15?

We ________________ get to the meeting on time yesterday because the plane was late by 2 hours.

He ________________ arrive at the party on time, even after missing the bus, so he was very pleased.

He's amazing, he ________________ speak 3 languages including French.

I ________________ drive a car until I was 34, then I moved to the countryside so I had to learn.

I looked everywhere for my sunglasses but I ________________ find them anywhere.

I searched for your flat for ages, luckily I ________________ find it in the end.

She's 7 years old but she ________________ read yet – her parents are paying for extra lessons.

I read the book three times but I ________________ understand it

Sarah ________________ speak Thai when he lived in Thailand, but she has forgotten most of it now.

 

Modals of Ability Exercise 1

Put in ‘can’ / ‘can’t’ / ‘could’ / ‘couldn’t’. If none is possible, use ‘be able to’ in the

correct tense:

1. _________________ you swim when you were 10?

2. We _________________ get to the meeting on time yesterday because the

train was delayed by one hour.

3. He _________________ arrive at the party on time, even after missing the

train, so he was very pleased.

4. He’s amazing, he _________________ speak 5 languages including Chinese.

5. I _________________ drive a car until I was 34, then I moved to the

countryside so I had to learn.

6. I looked everywhere for my glasses but I _________________ find them

anywhere.

7. I searched for your house for ages, luckily I _________________ find it in the

end.

8. She’s 7 years old but she _________________ read yet – her parents are

getting her extra lessons.

9. I read the book three times but I _________________ understand it.

10. James _________________ speak Japanese when he lived in Japan, but he’s

forgotten most of it now.

© 2011 www.perfect-english-grammar.com

May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.

11. I _________________ understand the chapter we had to read for homework. It

was so difficult.

12. I _________________ lift this box – it’s too heavy! Would you help me?

13. Lucy _________________ make it to our meeting after all. She’s stuck in

traffic at the moment.

14. John _________________ play tennis really well. He’s champion of his club.

15. Unfortunately, I really _________________ sing at all! No-one in my family

is musical either.

16. When the car broke down I was really pleased because I _________________

solve the problem.

17. Julian _________________ play excellent golf when he was only ten.

18. My grandmother _________________ use a computer until last month. Since

then, she’s been taking lessons at the library.

19. I _________________ open this window. I think it’s stuck!

20. Gill _________________ play the piano. She’s never studied it