This document provides practice exercises on ability and requests, including completing sentences with modal verbs like can, could, be able to. It also covers topics like body language, attitudes, and modal perfects. The exercises include filling in blanks, rewriting sentences, and translating sentences into another language. The goal is to practice various grammar points related to ability, requests, obligations, possibilities and certainties.

1. Escolàpies ENGLISH 1st BATXILLERAT
Sant Martí
EXTRA PRACTICE UNIT 5 Ability & requests
1 Complete the sentences with the correct forms of can, could or be able to. Sometimes
there is more than one possible answer.
When I first moved here, I couldn’t understand people’s gestures, but now I can
communicate easily.
1 He didn’t want to move to India, but Sarah ............................................... change his
mind.
2 Maria usedto be an amazingsprinter –she ............................................... beateveryone
in the class.
3 He’s broken his ankle – he ............................................... walk for six weeks.
4 I lostmy mobile phone yesterday,butI ............................................... borrow myfriend’s
phone to call home.
5 Manchester United ............................................... beat most football teams, but they
............................................... win against Everton yesterday.
6 WhenI was a child,I ............................................... speak Arabic, but now I’ve forgotten
all of it and ............................................ understand a word.
Obligation, prohibition & advice; possibility & certainty
2 Correct six more mistakes in the text.
Handshaking taboos
If you travel frequently, then you shouldn’t learn about handshaking taboos – in which
countries should do you shake people’s hands and what type of handshake will you use?
In northern Europe, you should have shake hands quickly and firmly, but in southern
Europe you couldn’t be prepared for a longer handshake. You can shake hands too firmly
because this may be seen as aggressive. You also need to remember that, in some
countries, you do never shake hands with somebody of the opposite sex.
3 Translate the sentences into your language.
1 You shouldn’t eat with your mouth open because it’s very rude.
2 You don’t have to dress smartly when you go to lectures.
3 He needn’t apologize for his hand gesture because he didn’t know that it was rude.
Modal perfects
4 Rewrite the sentences. Use an affirmative or negative modal perfect form of the verbs in
bold.
In China, it was rude of Laura to place her chopsticks upright in her rice. (should)
In China, Laura shouldn’t have placed her chopsticks upright in her rice.
1 I wish you had told me you were going to wear a suit. (could)
......................................................................................
2 It’s possible that they went out for dinner. (might)
......................................................................................
3 I’m sure that Tom was happy to see you. (must)
......................................................................................
4 It was wrong of Kim to point her palm at somebody in Greece. (should)
need to

2. Escolàpies ENGLISH 1st BATXILLERAT
Sant Martí
......................................................................................
5 It’s impossible you saw Sian because she’s on holiday. (can)
......................................................................................
Consolidation
5 Complete the sentenceswithyour own ideas.
I will neverforgetthetimethatI spenthere.
1 WhenI was a child,Iwasn’tallowedto
...................................................................................
2 WhenI was younger,Iused to.....................................
...................................................................................
3 I’mnot sure where I’mgoingon holidaybutImight
...................................................................................
4 I’ve never...................................................................
5 Before lastyear,I’dnever..........................................
...................................................................................
6 Complete the secondsentence so that it has the same meaningas the first sentence.Use
the words in bold.
It’spossible thatthe studentswillpasstheirexams.(might)
The students mightpasstheir exams.
1 Sorry,you can’t walkonthe grass. (allowed)
You’re ......................................................................... .
2 It’sagainstthe rulesforstudentstorun inthe corridors.(mustn’t)
Students .....................................................................
3 Gemmamovedto Shanghai 30 years ago.(been)
Gemma...................................................................... .
4 It’spossible thatthe students’resultshaven’tarrivedyet.(may)
The students’results………………………………….. .
Ability & requests
1 Complete the sentenceswiththe correct forms of can,couldor be able to. Sometimes
there is more than one possible answer.
I used to be able to playthe pianoreallywellwhenIwasa child,butnow I can’tremember
anythingat all!
1 .................................................... youpassme the salt,please?
2 I’msorry, butI . ................................................... gotoGenevanextweek.I’mtoobusy.
3 I . ................................................... rememberhisname – whatis it?
4 Will you ................................................... emailme when you’re onholiday?
5 I .................................................. hearwhatyouwere sayingearlier –..
................................................. yougive me the messageagain,please?

3. Escolàpies ENGLISH 1st BATXILLERAT
Sant Martí
Consolidation
2 Complete the sentenceswiththe correct forms of the verbs in the box. Sometimesthere
is more than one possible answer.
attend come finish go live nevermeet
read understand
Thisbookis absolutelyamazing –you mustread it whenI’vefinished it.
1 Thistime nextTuesday,all the studentsinthe final year
......................................................... acourse on examskills.
2 I ......................................................... inGermanysince 2010, so I
......................................................... how peoplebehavehere.
3 He saidthat he ......................................................... anyone like Carlobefore.
4 I’mnot sure what I’mdoingnextFriday,butI ......................................................... to
your party.
5 I ......................................................... fishingall the time whenIwasachild.
3 Rewrite the sentenceswiththe words inbold. Sometimesthere ismore than one
possible answer.
It’spossible thatI’ll come tocollege tomorrow.(may)
I may come to college tomorrow.
1 It’sessential thatstudentsarrive ontime fortheirexam.(must)
...................................................................................
2 It was wrongof the manto shake handswiththe Japanese woman.(shouldn’t)
...................................................................................
3 ‘I think youshouldsee the doctor,’Neil’ssistersaidtome.(suggested)
...................................................................................
4 Janetstartedworkinghere eightmonthsago.(for)
...................................................................................
5 Thisisthe man thattoldme aboutthe festival.(who)
...................................................................................
6 The meetingstartedbefore we arrived.(already)
...................................................................................
Obligation,prohibition& advice; possibility& certainty
4 Complete the text withthe words in the box.
can reveal may help mighttell oughtto make
shouldmake sure shouldnotice shouldn’tuse
Body language
A person’sbodylanguage can revealwhattheyare reallytryingtosay.These tips (1)
.............................................. youtounderstandotherpeople’sbodylanguage.

4. Escolàpies ENGLISH 1st BATXILLERAT
Sant Martí
 You (2) .............................................. the differences betweenwhatpeoplesayandwhat
theydo with
theirbodiesandfaces – for example,somebody
(3) .............................................. youthey’re happywhilefrowning.
 In some countries,you (4) .............................................. eyecontacttoshow thatyouare
interestedinwhataspeakerissaying.
 You (5) .............................................. thatyourowntone of voice isappropriate – if
you’re sayingsorry,you (6) .............................................. ahappytone of voice.
Modal perfects
5 Completethesentenceswiththe correctformsoftheverbsinbold.Useanaffirmativeor
negativemodal perfect.
I shouldn’thaveoffered porktomyMuslimneighbour.(should/offer)
1 I ......................................................... myrighthandfor eatinginIndiabecause the left
handis consideredunclean.(should/use)
2 He showedthe bottomof hisfootinthe UnitedArabEmirates – he
......................................................... thatthisisrude.(can / realize)
3 They ......................................................... the‘thumbsup’gestureinthe MiddleEastbecause
it’sveryoffensiveinsomecountriesinthatregion.(should/use)
4 His etiquettewasperfect duringhistriptoChina– he
......................................................... aboutcorrectformsof behaviourbefore he went.
(must / read)
5 She ......................................................... herGreekfriendbecauseshe didn’teatmuch
whenshe haddinnerat hishouse.(may/ offend)
Attitudes
1 Complete the table.
noun adjective
innocence innocent
assertiveness
impatient
shy
frustration
sensitive
nervousness
2 Write the adjectivesfromexercise 1 nextto the correct definition.
not guilty:innocent
1 unable towaitpatiently: ..........................
2 disappointedata lack of success: ..........................
3 not confident:..........................
4 confident/self-assured:..........................

5. Escolàpies ENGLISH 1st BATXILLERAT
Sant Martí
5 beingconcernedaboutotherpeople’sfeelings: ..........................
6 worried/scared: ..........................
3 Choose A or B to complete the text.
Your bodylanguage can reveal alotabout whatyou’re reallythinking:
 Standingwith yourhandson yourhipscan be seenasa sign of A.
 Sittingwithyourhandsbehindyourheadissignthat youfeel (1) ...... .
 Showinganopenpalmisa signof (2) ...... or (3) ...... .
 Havingyour arms crossedoveryourchestis a signthat you mightbe (4) ...... .
 Puttingyourhandstogetherbehindyourbackisa signof (5) ...... .
A aggression B aggressive
1 A confidence B confident
2 A openness B open
3 A innocence B innocent
4 A defensiveness B defensive
5 A frustration B frustrated
4 Complete the dialogue.
A: I had to complete thisquestionnairewhenIstartedcollege,whichrevealshow you
communicate.
B: Really?Whatdidit show?
A: It saidthat I’ve gotan assertivecommunicationstyle,whichmeansthatI’mveryself-
assured.
B: Yes,I agree withthat. You’re alwaysvery
(1) c............................. andnotafraidto say whatyou think.
A: I suppose so.I’mjustgladit didn’tsayI’m an
(2) a............................. communicatorbecause Iworrythat I’msometimestooforceful.
What do youthinkthe questionnaire wouldshow aboutyou?
B: Hmm, probablythe opposite toyou.I’mquite
(3) s............................. andalwaysgetreally
(4) n............................. whenI’mspeakingtosomebodynew.IalsothinkthatI’mquite
(5) s............................. becauseI’mgood at understandinghow otherpeopleare feeling.
5 Correct the mistakesin the sentences. One sentence iscorrect.
He’sfeelingdisappointedand frustration. frustrated
1 I hate waitingforthings.I’mveryunpatient. ...................................
2 Sara doesn’tlike dressingsmartly –itmakesher feel veryself-consciousness.
...................................
3 Sue admiredManuel’sassertive. ...................................
4 The familywere veryopenandwelcoming. ...................................
5 His replywasverydefensiveness. ...................................
6 At the wedding,theywishedthe brideandgroomhealthandhappy.
...................................