English Grammar Test: Modal Verbs
- Modal Verbs
- 15 questions
- 12 minutes
These questions test modals for obligation, prohibition, ability, permission, advice and deduction, plus modal perfects such as should have and can't have. Tip: read the second sentence carefully, because it usually tells you how certain or how necessary something is.
Tap an option to mark your answer. You can change your mind, or tap the same option again to leave the question blank. The correct answers and explanations appear when you finish the test.Tap an option to answer; tap it again to leave the question blank.
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Question 1
Tomorrow is a public holiday, so you ____ go to work. You can stay in bed as long as you like.
Correct answer: B
Don't have to means it is not necessary. Mustn't would mean it is forbidden, which does not match the idea of a free choice.
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Question 2
You ____ smoke here. This is a gas station.
Correct answer: D
Smoking at a gas station is forbidden, so the answer is mustn't. Don't have to and needn't only say that something is unnecessary.
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Question 3
She has been working for fourteen hours without a break. She ____ be exhausted.
Correct answer: A
Must expresses a confident conclusion from evidence. Can't would mean the opposite (she is surely not tired).
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Question 4
That ____ be Tom at the door. He is in Brazil this week.
Correct answer: C
For a negative conclusion (it is impossible) English uses can't. Mustn't expresses a prohibition, not a deduction.
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Question 5
When I was five, I ____ already read short books on my own.
Correct answer: C
Could is the past form of can for general ability. Was able would need to, and can does not fit a sentence about the past.
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Question 6
I failed the test. I ____ studied harder.
Correct answer: A
Should have + past participle expresses regret about a past action that did not happen. Must have studied would be a guess that you did study.
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Question 7
We ____ cooked so much food. Half the guests didn't come, and we had to throw a lot away.
Correct answer: D
Needn't have + past participle means we did it, but it was not necessary. Didn't need would need to cook, and can't have cooked would deny that the cooking happened.
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Question 8
"____ I use your phone, please? Mine has no battery."
Correct answer: B
May I…? is a polite request for permission. Must I asks about obligation, and ought needs to and does not ask for permission.
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Question 9
He ____ have taken the 8:00 train. He was still in my office at 8:15.
Correct answer: D
Can't have + past participle says something in the past was impossible. Shouldn't have would criticize an action that did happen.
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Question 10
You hurt her feelings. You ____ to apologize to her.
Correct answer: C
Ought is the only modal here that is followed by to: ought to apologize. Should and must take the base verb without to.
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Question 11
Take an umbrella. The sky is getting dark, and it ____ rain later.
Correct answer: B
Might expresses a possibility in the future. Mustn't expresses prohibition, and can't would say rain is impossible, which contradicts the dark sky.
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Question 12
When we were kids, our grandfather ____ tell us a story every night before bed.
Correct answer: A
Would can describe a repeated action or habit in the past. Will refers to the future, and must and should express obligation.
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Question 13
It's already midnight. We'd better ____ now.
Correct answer: A
Had better ('d better) is followed by the base verb without to: we'd better leave.
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Question 14
Which sentence means "It is possible that she forgot"?
Correct answer: B
May have + past participle expresses a possibility about the past. Can't have forgotten means it is impossible that she forgot.
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Question 15
After this course, you will ____ speak basic Spanish.
Correct answer: D
Two modals cannot stand together, so after will we use be able to. Able to alone is missing the verb be.
Questions you leave blank are not counted as wrong.
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