Practice

1. PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2015
Modal verbs
1 Choose the best answers to complete the sentences.
1 Can I / Am I able to have a replacement, please?
2 You need to be able to / manage to drive if you live in the
country.
3 I thought we were going to be late but we could / managed
to arrive on time.
4 You could have gone / were able to go to the supermarket for
me if you weren’t busy.
5 Could I have / Could I borrow your car at the weekend?
2 Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets.
1 It’s a good idea for you to talk to her. (should)
2 It’s OK. It’s not obligatory for you to give me the money
back. (needn’t)
3 It’s obligatory for us to do something about climate change.
(must)
4 It’s necessary for you to feed the cat before you go out.
(need)
5 It isn’t a good idea to put glass containers in with the
ordinary rubbish. (shouldn’t)
6 It’s not necessary for Jim to go to the supermarket. I’ve
already been. (have to)
7 We are not allowed to be late. (mustn’t)
8 It’s a really good idea for you to recycle more. (have)
3 Choose the best answers to complete the sentences.
1 Climate change a global disaster.
a should be b might be c must have been
2 We global warming if we had acted sooner.
a could have prevented b must have prevented
c can prevent
3 The planet permanently damaged.
a mustn’t have been b might have already been
c should already be
4 Our parents anything about the problem 50 years ago.
a might know b may not know c couldn’t have known
5 We fossil fuels forever.
a can’t continue burning b should continue burning
c must have burnt
6 We thinking about the issue.
a couldn’t have stopped b may stop c mustn’t stop
4 Correct the underlined mistakes in the sentences.
1 Don’t forget to take some money – you can need it.
2 Sam mustn’t be 16 already – don’t they grow up quickly!
3 I didn’t know! You must have told me!
4 We can’t get the chance to go on holiday this year, as we
don’t have much money.
5 Thank you! I couldn’t have did it without you.
5 Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
be able to can don’t need to have to might not
must mustn’t should
1 You light a fire here – it’s
illegal.
2 I do the shopping if you like –
I’ve got plenty of time.
3 I have lots of work to do so I
go to the festival.
4 You help with the cooking –
I’ll do it by myself.
5 I need to borrow some tools in order to
fix my bike.
6 You choose the one you like
not the one everyone tells you to choose.
7 They move to a smaller
house now that Dan has lost his job.
8 You stop getting stressed –
it’s affecting your health.
6 Complete the sentences with a suitable modal verb
according to the meaning given in brackets.
1 We reduce greenhouse gases. (strong
obligation)
2 It work; but then again maybe not. (possibility)
3 You talk to him and tell him how you feel.
(advice)
4 It been John because he’s in Germany.
(impossibility)
5 George arrived by now – it’s 5 pm. (certainty)
6 The police stopped us – we go any closer. (no
permission)
7 I look at your newspaper, please? (permission)
8 You finish that until next month.
(no obligation)
Unit 2Grammar practice – reinforcement