Modals & Conditionals exercises.

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ENGLISH TEST – YES, YOU CAN!
MODALS
BE CAREFUL!
They can’t be conjugated (EXCEPT: Be able to, have to, be allowed to)
They are followed by another verb in bare infinitive (without TO) (EXCEPT: be able to, have to, be allowed
to, ought to, need to)
CAN:
• Abilities: I can run more than 10 km.
• Possibility: John can help you if he doesn’t work.
• Informal request: Can I have some water?
CAN’T:
• Lack of ability: I can’t run more than 100 km.
• Lack of possibility: You can’t go to Paris.
• Prohibitions: You can’t smoke here.
• “Impossibility” when you know for sure that something is impossible: Mary can’t be cleaning the
kitchen because she left two hours ago.
COULD:
• Ability in the past: She could swim 300 metres.
• Possibility in the Present and in the Past: You could pass the exam.
• Second conditional.
• Formal request: Could you help me with the shopping, please?
COULDN’T:
• Lack of possibility in the past.
• Lack of ability in the past.
CAN’T/COULDN’T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Impossibility in the past: John can’t have bought a new car since he was fired last week.
COULD HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Possibility in the past but shows a criticism or irony: Chris could have phoned before paying us a
visit.
BE ABLE TO: No es lo mismo que el CAN.
• You haven’t acquired “the knowledge” to do something but due to the circumstances you

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succeed (or not) in your objective: The students were able to pass the exam despite not having
studied before.
BE ALLOWED TO:
• Give permission.
MUST:
• External obligation (rules, laws…): You must turn right.
• Strong advice (almost obligation).
• Certainty. We know for sure that something is true: This diamond must cost a fortune.
MUSTN’T:
• Prohibition.
MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Certainty in the past.
HAVE/HAS TO – NEED TO:
• Internal obligation.
• Personal necessities.
DON’T HAVE TO – D0N’T NEED TO:
• Lack of obligation in the present: You don’t have to do this homework.
HAD TO:
• Obligations in the past. (We can use NEED TO too)
DIDN’T HAVE TO – DIDN’T NEED TO:
• Lack of obligation in the past. So the activity wasn’t done.
NEEDN’T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Lack of obligation in the past. But something ended up doing it.
OUGHT TO – SHOULD – SHOULDN’T:
• Positive or negative advice.
SHOULD / SHOULDN’T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Advice in the past but it shows criticism.
MAY:
• Very formal requests: May I come in, please?
• Possibility in the present or future (50%)
MIGHT:
• Remote possibility in the present or future (10%)

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MAY / MIGHT HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:
• Possibility in the past.
EXERCISE 1: Rewrite the sentences using the modal verb in brackets.
1. It’s possible that Jane will visit Switzerland next year. (COULD)
________________________________________________________________
2. I’m thinking about taking Spanish lessons. (MAY)
________________________________________________________________
3. I’m sure they’ll be at home by now. (MUST)
________________________________________________________________
4. James definitely isn’t eighteen yet. (CAN’T)
________________________________________________________________
5. It’s possible the weather will be sunny tomorrow. (MIGHT)
________________________________________________________________
6. I’m sure that Mr.Smith didn’t leave home. (CAN’T)
________________________________________________________________
7. Perhaps she has gone to stay with her mother. (MIGHT)
________________________________________________________________
8. It’s possible that Mr.Smith committed a crime. (MAY)
________________________________________________________________
9. I’m certain that he buried something in the garden. (MUST)
________________________________________________________________
10. Perhaps he won the lottery. (COULD)
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11. I’m sure he bought a new car. (MUST)
________________________________________________________________
12. I’m sure he’s not a teacher. He’s too well dressed. (CAN’T)
________________________________________________________________
13. This water is possibly dangerous. (COULD)
________________________________________________________________
14. Politics is sometimes really boring. (CAN)
________________________________________________________________
15. I advice you to see a dentist (SHOULD)
________________________________________________________________

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EXERCISE 2: Rewrite the sentences using a modal verbal.
1. It isn’t necessary for you to take a jacket.
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2. You aren’t allowed to talk during the exam.
________________________________________________________________
3. It’s forbidden to park here.
________________________________________________________________
4. I advise you to study harder.
________________________________________________________________
5. He is obliged to go to the police station twice a week.
________________________________________________________________
6. Tom knows how to speak Spanish.
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7. It isn’t possible that that is our plane.
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8. It isn’t necessary to take a thick coat.
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9. I am certain you haven’t seen John because he is on a trip.
________________________________________________________________
10. It is possible that Jake is in his room.
________________________________________________________________
11. Perhaps Anita didn’t get the text message.
________________________________________________________________
12. I advise him to give up smoking.
________________________________________________________________
13. I didn’t have the ability to cook when I was younger.
________________________________________________________________
14. Eating chewing – gum in the class is prohibited.
Students __________________________________________________________
15. There was an obligation to turn off the mobile phone.
________________________________________________________________
16. It is unnecessary for you to come.
________________________________________________________________

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CONDITIONALS
ZERO
• True facts (IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE, SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE)
If you heat water up to 100ºC, it boils.
• Commands (IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE, IMPERATIVE)
If you go to the cinema, be quite.
FIRST
• Possible situations (IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE, SUBJECT + WILL / WON’T + INFINITIVE)
(If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the bus)
SECOND
• Hypothetical situations (IF + SUBJECT + PAST SIMPLE, SUBJECT + WOLD/WOULDN’T +
INFINITIVE)
If I had a lot of money, I would have an helicopter.
ATTENTION:
I / HE / SHE / IT + WERE or WAS. We use WERE to give advice: If I were you, I would visit a doctor.
THIRD
• A regret from the past
• Impossible things
(IF + SUBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE, SUBJECT + WOULD/WOULDN’T + HAVE + PAST
PARTICIPLE)
If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.
MIXED CONDITIONALS (Second and third)
We have two possibilities:
• When something from the past (3rd conditional) affects our present or future (2nd conditional)
(IF + SUBJECT + PAST PERFECT, SUBJECT + WOULD/WOULDN’T + INFINITIVE)
If I had taken a pain killer two hours ago, I would feel better now.
• A present situation that affected us in a past situation.
(IF + SUBJECT + PAST SIMPLE, SUBJECT + WOULD/WOULDN’T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE)
If I had FCE passed, they would have employed me.
ALTERNATIVES TO IF:
• UNLESS = IF NOT
• SHOULD: Only if you have the chance.
(Should you see Sarah, tell her I phoned yesterday)

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EXERCISE 3: Underline the most suitable verb forms in each sentence.
1. If the machine stops / will stop, you press / will press this button.
2. I can’t understand what he sees in her! If anyone treats / treated me like that, I am will be /
would be extremely angry!
3. If you help / helped me with this exercise, I will / would do the same.
4. According to the timetable, if the train leaves / left on time, we will / would arrive at 5.30.
5. If it is / will be fine tomorrow, we go / will go to the coast.
6. If we find / found a taxi, we will get / would get there before the play starts.
7. It’s quite simple really. If you take / took this tablets every day, then you will lose / would lose
weight.
8. I don’t like this flat. I think I will be / would be happier if I live / lived in a house in the country.
9. I don’t know how to play baseball, but I’m sure that if I will do / did, I will play / would play a lot
better than anyone in this awful team!
10. If I phone / phoned you tonight, will you be / would you be in?
11. What bad luck! If Alan didn’t fall / hadn’t fallen over, he would win / would have won the race.
12. If you invited / had invited me last week, I would be able / would have been able to come.
13. I’m sure your letter hasn’t arrived yet. If it came / had come I’m sure I had noticed / would have
noticed it.
EXERCISE 4: Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown. Do not change the
meaning.
1. I didn’t have an umbrella with me so I got wet.
I wouldn’t _________________________________________________________
2. I will call the police if you don’t leave me alone!
Unless ___________________________________________________________
3. In the snowy weather we don’t go to school.
If _______________________________________________________________
4. Without Jack’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to move the table.
If _______________________________________________________________
5. Make me some coffee, and I’ll give you one of my biscuit.
If _______________________________________________________________
6. If you hadn’t told me about Sue’s hair, I wouldn’t have noticed.
Unless ___________________________________________________________
7. If you see Peter, tell him to be here at 8.00
Should ___________________________________________________________

Modals & Conditionals exercises.

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Modals & Conditionals exercises.