Modal Auxiliaries-Uses and Exercises

Modal auxiliaries (or modal verbs) are a type of auxiliary verb that express necessity, possibility, permission, ability, or other conditions. They are used alongside the main verb to add meaning related to mood or attitude, such as certainty, obligation, or willingness. Modal auxiliaries do not change form (no past tense or participle forms) and are always followed by the base form of the main verb. 

Common Modal Auxiliary Verbs and Notes on Usage:

• Can/Could: Ability, permission, possibility.

• May/Might: Permission, possibility.

• Must: Necessity, obligation.

• Shall/Should: Suggestions, advice, obligation.

• Will/Would: Future actions, willingness, polite requests.

• Ought to: Moral obligation or advice.

• Need to: Necessity.

• Used to: Past habits or states.

• Dare: Challenge or audacity (often used in negative or interrogative forms).

(A) Uses of Modal Auxiliary : Shall, Should, Will, Would

SHALL

A)     Shall is used in the first person to express futurity.

B)      Shall is used in the first person to express permission and suggestion.

C)      Shall is used in the Second and Third person to express a command.

D)     Shall is used in the Second and Third person to express a promise.

E)      Shall is used in the Second and Third Person to express a threat  or warning.

SHOULD

A)     Should is the past form of shall and is used in indirect speech

B)      Should is used to express a duty or obligation

C)      Should is used to express a possibility or supposition in conditional clauses.

D)     Should is used to express unreal condition.

E)      Should is used after lest in a clause to express purpose.

F)      Should is used to express possibility or likelihood.

G)     Should with perfect infinitive is used to indicate a past obligation which was not fulfilled.

WILL

A)     Will is used to express futurity in the Second and Third Person.

B)      Will is used to express determination in the First Person.

C)      Will is used to express promise in the first person.

D)     Will is used to express threat in the first person.

E)      Will is used to express willingness in the first person.

WOULD

A)     Would is the past form of will and is used in indirect speech.

B)      Would is used to express a past habit of a person.

C)      Would + like to + v is used to express a wish.

D)     Would is used to make a polite request.

E)      Would + rather is used to express a preference or choice

F)      Would is used in the main clause , when proceeded or followed by a subordinate clause expressing an improbable condition.

G)     Wish + would is used to express intention.

H)     Would you mind + V + ing may be used to request in a natural way.

Exercise: 1

Mixed Exercise of Shall, Should, Will, and Would

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of shall, should, will, or would based on the context.

1. If you continue behaving like this, you _______ regret it.

2. Every weekend, we _______ go to the beach as children.

3. _______ we go for a walk after lunch?

4. If it rains, we _______ stay indoors.

5. You _______ have told me about the problem earlier.

6. _______ you pass me the salt, please?

7. If I were in your place, I _______ take that job offer.

8. You _______ apologize for being late.

9. I promise you, you _______ have your money back by the end of the week.

10. _______ I bring an umbrella in case it rains?

11. I _______ meet you at the library tomorrow morning.

12. I _______ rather stay home tonight than go to the party.

13. They _______ arrive here at 5 PM.

14. _______ you mind helping me with these boxes?

15. I _______ finish this work no matter how long it takes.

16. If I _______ see her tomorrow, I’ll tell her the news.

17. We _______ help you with your move next week.

18. He said he _______ be here by noon.

19. I _______ gladly join you for dinner tomorrow.

20. You _______ finish this task before leaving the office.

(B) Uses of Modal Auxiliary : Can, Could, May, Might

CAN

A)     Can is used to express ability

B)      Can is used to express capacity.

C)      Can is used to express permission

D)     Can is used to express possibility.

COULD

A)     Could is the past form of can and is used in indirect speech.

B)      Could is used to express a past ability or capacity of a person.

C)      Could is used to make a polite request.

D)     Could is used to express permission.

MAY

A)     May is used to express permission in an informal and polite way.

B)      May is used to express probability.

C)      May is used to express a wish.

D)     May is used in subordinate clause to express purpose.

MIGHT

A)     Might is the past tense of May and is used in indirect speech.

B)      Might is used to express possibility or probability

C)      Might is used to express permission

D)     Might is used to make a gentle reproach.

Exercise: Can, Could, May, and Might

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of can, could, may, or might based on the context.

1. _______ I leave early today if my work is finished?

2. When I was younger, I _______ run for hours without getting tired.

3. It looks cloudy; it _______ rain later this afternoon.

4. She said she _______ visit us next weekend if she's free.

5. You _______ go now, the meeting is over.

6. If you study hard, you _______ pass the exam with flying colors.

7. _______ you help me carry these bags to the car, please?

8. When I was a student, we _______ stay in the library until 9 PM.

9. He _______ have told me he wasn't coming. I waited for an hour!

10. You _______ borrow my book, but please return it by next week.

11. _______ I join you for lunch?

12. The meeting _______ start a bit late today due to some technical issues.

13. If she had more time, she _______ have attended the conference.

14. You _______ have been more careful while crossing the road.

15. They _______ have left earlier to avoid the traffic jam.

(C) Uses of Modal Auxiliary: must, ought (to), dare, and need, 

MUST

A)     Must is used to express duty or obligation. But it is stronger than should.

B)      Must is used to make an order.

C)      Must is used to express necessity and unavoidability.

D)     Must is used to express a fixed or strong determination.

E)      Must is used to express strong likelihood or probability.

OUGHT (TO)

A)     Ought to is used to express moral duty or obligation. It also expresses necessity.

B)      Ought to + perfect infinitive is used to express a past obligation which was not fulfilled.

C)      Ought to is used to express fitness/eligibility.

DARE

A)     Dare, as modal is commonly used with ‘not’ or in interrogative sentences.

B)      Dare is used as both main verb and auxiliary verb.

NEED

A)     Need is used both as a main verb and as an auxiliary verb. It simply means ‘require’.

B)      Need is used with ‘hardly’.

C)      Need is commonly used with ‘not’.

D)     Need without not may be used in questions.

Exercise: must, ought (to), dare, or need 

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of must, ought (to), dare, or need based on the context.

1. You _______ not worry about the test results; you've done well.

2. How _______ you speak to me like that?

3. They _______ leave now if they want to catch the last bus.

4. He _______ hardly explain his decision; it was quite obvious.

5. You _______ submit your assignment by tomorrow morning.

6. We _______ have booked the tickets earlier to avoid the rush.

7. I _______ finish this work today, no matter how long it takes.

8. _______ you defy your teacher’s instructions?

9. He _______ not ask his parents for money again.

10. She _______ him to try bungee jumping during the trip.

11. You _______ apologize for your behavior at the party.

12. She _______ be exhausted after working all day without a break.

13. This laptop _______ be perfect for your design projects.

14. He _______ have told you about the meeting yesterday.

15. You _______ not come to the office tomorrow; it's a holiday.

16. _______ we bring our own utensils to the picnic?

Exercise: 

MODALS

Fill in the blanks with suitable modals :–

1. I didn’t know whether he ________ help me (will/shall/would).

2. A servant ________ obey his master (must/should/would).

3. Arti ________ dance well (can/could/may)

4. She worked hard so that she ________ pass. (can/could/may)

5. You ________ obey the traffic rules (must/should/can)

6. You ________ stop smoking (can/should/would).

7. He ________ speak English fluently (will/can/could).

8. She ________ reach school in time (may/would/must)

9. ________ You live long! (might/can/may).

10.  Be careful lest you ________ fall (should/would/shall).

11.  It looks nice, but it might be very expensive. (may, might)
It's quite bright. It might not rain today. (May, might)

12.  I ____ help you, but I don't want to.(can could, would)

13.  The test starts at 10.30. You ____ not be late. (must, should)

14.  Why didn't you tell me? I ....... help you! (could , could have, would)

15.  I was using my pencil a minute ago. It ....... be here somewhere! (can, could, must,would)

16.  I really ....... try to get fit.(may,must, would)

17.  ________ you go already? You only arrived an hour ago! (can, should, must)

18.  Meera _____ type 80 words per minute. (may, could, can)

19.  Phone her now. She ....... home by now. (must be, would be)

20.  I'm afraid I ....... n’t play tennis tomorrow. I've got a dentist appointment.(can, could, would)