Can, Could, Be able to

1 ………….he understand what you were talking about?

2 My sister ……..play tennis now.
3 I ……..walk when I was less than a year old.
4 (Polite) ……..you tell me what time it is, please?
5 My grandfather …………walk without any help last night.
6 I would like to ……….play the piano.
7 How long have you ………….drive?
8 I'll ………….help you later.
9 Can you help me? I ………….never understand this.
10 Will Man …………….live forever one day?

Have to, Must, Must not

1 Yesterday I ………… finish my Geography project.
2 She ………wait in line like everyone else.
3 All employees …………..on time for work.
4 We …………..forget to take the chicken out of the freezer.
5 If you are under 13 you …………get your parents' permission.
6 Your daughter ………….. try on a few different sizes.
7 The doctor ……….. get here as soon as he can.
8 ……….. work next weekend?
9 Bicyclists ………. remember to signal when they turn.
10 Angela, you ………… leave your clothes all over the floor like this.

Use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill each gap. 

1 They (can/might)________________ be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.
2 You (may/might)________________ leave now if you wish.
3 (Could/May)________________ you open the window a bit, please?
4 He (can/could)________________ be from Sheffield, judging by his accent.
5 (May/Can)________________ you swim?
6 Listen, please. You (may not/might not)________________  speak during this exam.
7 They (can't/may not)________________ still be out!
8 You (mustn’t/might not)________________ smoke on the bus.
9 With luck, tomorrow (can/could)________________ be a cooler day.
10 You (can/might)________________ be right but I'm going back to check the times.

Multiple Choice Exercise Choose the correct answer for each gap below

1. Unfortunately, James and Michelle had already made plans, so they couldn't/might not come with us to the exhibition at the
Museum of Contemporary Art.
2. They have had several major snow storms in the mountains during the last month. We had better call the highway patrol to check
road conditions. The road to Smithsville couldn't/might not be passable.
3. We should call Tim before we go over to his house; he couldn't/might not be there. I don't want to drive all the way there for
nothing.
4. In order to win the pie eating contest, Norman would have to eat sixteen pies in ten minutes. He couldn't/might not possibly eat
that many pies - he would explode!
5. I know Eve wants to go to the ballet with us, but we'd better call her before we get her ticket. She works Wednesday nights, and
she couldn't/might not be able to get time off that evening.
6. Susan couldn't/might not hear the speaker because the crowd was cheering so loudly.
7. It couldn't/might not be a bad idea to take some snacks along while we're hiking. Last time, we got so hungry we had to come
back early without finishing the hike.
8. Jerry might be angry, or he couldn't/might not. You never really know with him because he's so temperamental.
9. Jerry couldn't/might not be angry at me. I've never done anything to upset him.
10. The lamp couldn't/might not be broken. Maybe the light bulb just burned out.

Complete the sentences using the words listed in the box below

can     could     have to     must     might     should

1. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He ……….. be exhausted after such a long flight. He ……….. 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 ……….. walk downtown and explore the waterfront.
3. Hiking the trail to the peak ……….. 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 ……….. leave small objects lying around. Such objects ……….. be swallowed, causing
serious injury or even death.
5. Dave: ……….. you hold your breath for more than a minute? Nathan: No, I can't.
6. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It ……….. 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 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 ……….. just say a few things in the language.
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.

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.

Complete each of the following sentences with the auxiliary may, might or must. Use may or might when the event described seems
somewhat probable, and use must when the event described seems very probable.
For example:  You ___ be right; we shall have to wait and see.     
You may be right; we shall have to wait and see. or You might be right
   That ____ be our landlord; I would recognize him anywhere.     
That must be our landlord; I would recognize him anywhere.

1. Although it _________ be true, it seems unlikely.

2. That _________ have been the number 10 bus, because no other bus runs on this street.
3. We __________ have to wait a long time for a bus, because they do not run very frequently.
4. That ________ be the right answer; there is no other possibility
.5. Tell me your problem; I _________ be able to help you.
6. It _________ have been he who answered the phone, because no one else was at home.
7. Since we have never been to this store before, we _________ have difficulty finding what we want.
8. You _________ be pleased that you are doing so well in your new job.
9. I _________ go downtown tomorrow; it depends on the weather.
10. Although he is a very careful worker, it is possible that he _________ have made a mistake.

Inserisci il verbo modale più appropriato (afferm., interr. o negat.) scegliendo tra:
can, could, must, have to, might:

1. If you go to Vienna you….……try the local food: it’s delicious

2. Students …………write on classroom walls
3. Tell Mary she …………..go to the post office: I can go tomorrow
4. I can’t go out tonight: I ……….. finish my homework
5. “Where’s Dad?” “He ………..be in the garden”
6. You …………..be interested in the film: you keep yawning
7. All passengers …………..pass through the metal detector
8. What time ………….(you) get up in the morning?
9. I don’t know, he ………….phone tonight but he said he was not sure
10. How long …………(you) study yesterday?
11. ………….you pass me the salt, please?
12. I would let you know if I ………………
13. “Where are the keys?” “I’m not sure, they ………….be on the table”