Fill in the blanks with an appropriate modal auxiliary verb.
1. I ……………………….. go there yesterday.
Correct!
Wrong!
Couldn't shows past inability.
2. She ………………………… get the first prize. (weak possibility)
Correct!
Wrong!
Might shows weak possibility.
3. She …………………………. spend hours reading or writing. (past habit)
Correct!
Wrong!
We use would to talk about past habits.
4. When we were children, we ………………………… often go hiking. (past habit)
Correct!
Wrong!
Use would to talk about past habits.
5. We started early so that we …………………………… get stuck in the traffic.
Correct!
Wrong!
When the main clause is in the past tense, a past modal is used in the so that clause.
6. You ………………………….. wait for me.
Correct!
Wrong!
When need is a modal auxiliary, it is followed by an infinitive without to.
7. We …………………………….. get that roof fixed before the rains.
Please select 2 correct answers
Correct!
Wrong!
Either should or ought to is possible here.
8. She said that she ……………………………. be able to come.
Correct!
Wrong!
When the main verb is in the past tense, use a past tense in the subordinate clause as well. Would is the past form of will.
9. I ……………………………. never forget that experience.
Correct!
Wrong!
10. We …………………………….. depend on them. (inability)
Correct!
Wrong!
11. You …………………………… have told me you weren’t coming.
Correct!
Wrong!
Could have + past participle is used to criticize people for not doing things.
Answers
- I couldn’t go there yesterday.
- She might get the first prize.
- She would spend hours reading or writing.
- When we were children, we would often go hiking.
- We started early so that we might not get stuck in the traffic.
- You need not wait for me.
- We should / ought to get that roof fixed before the rains.
- She said that she wouldn’t be able to come.
- I will never forget that experience.
- We can’t depend on them.
- You could have told me you weren’t coming.
