Complete the following sentences with the appropriate modal verb.

1. Anybody who wants can / may join the club.

2. ‘I need to talk to you. I can / may see you tomorrow.’ ‘OK, any time.’

3. Can / May gases freeze?

4. ‘I think PSOE are going to win.’ You may / can be right.’

5. It was a place where anything can / could happen.

6. It could / might be quite frightening when we were alone in our big old house.

7. ‘What shall we do?’ ‘We may / can try asking Lucy for help.’

8. One can / might travel to Holland by boat or by air.

9. I can / might be given a new job soon.

10. Scotland can / may be very warm in September.

11. ‘There’s the doorbell. Who can / may it be?’ ‘Well, it can’t / couldn’t be your mother. She’s
    in Edinburgh.’ ‘It could / may / can / might be Sarah. It’s about tea time.’

12. There can / may be a strike next week. (I think so.)


13. Strikes can / may happen at any time.

14. There may / could be a strike next week. (I don’t think so)

15. I may / might go to London tomorrow. (perhaps a 50% chance.)

16. Joe may /might come with me, although I doubt it.

17. I can / might read Italian quite well.

18. She might / could read when she was four.

19. I may / might not be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is
    true.)

20. It can’t be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is true.)

Modals Exercise

  • 1.
    Complete the followingsentences with the appropriate modal verb. 1. Anybody who wants can / may join the club. 2. ‘I need to talk to you. I can / may see you tomorrow.’ ‘OK, any time.’ 3. Can / May gases freeze? 4. ‘I think PSOE are going to win.’ You may / can be right.’ 5. It was a place where anything can / could happen. 6. It could / might be quite frightening when we were alone in our big old house. 7. ‘What shall we do?’ ‘We may / can try asking Lucy for help.’ 8. One can / might travel to Holland by boat or by air. 9. I can / might be given a new job soon. 10. Scotland can / may be very warm in September. 11. ‘There’s the doorbell. Who can / may it be?’ ‘Well, it can’t / couldn’t be your mother. She’s in Edinburgh.’ ‘It could / may / can / might be Sarah. It’s about tea time.’ 12. There can / may be a strike next week. (I think so.) 13. Strikes can / may happen at any time. 14. There may / could be a strike next week. (I don’t think so) 15. I may / might go to London tomorrow. (perhaps a 50% chance.) 16. Joe may /might come with me, although I doubt it. 17. I can / might read Italian quite well. 18. She might / could read when she was four. 19. I may / might not be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is true.) 20. It can’t be true. (= It is possible that it is not true / It is not possible that is true.)