Choose the best modal completion for each sentence.
1The forecast keeps changing, so it ............... later this afternoon.
Wrong!
The changing forecast shows uncertainty, so "may rain" expresses a future possibility.
2Nadia said she was choosing between the café and the library, so she ............... at the café, but we cannot be sure.
Wrong!
Nadia was considering two places, and her location is uncertain, so "might be" is correct.
3The report ............... by Malik, because he was abroad without access to the company system when it was uploaded.
Wrong!
Malik had no system access at the relevant time, so "can't have been uploaded" expresses past impossibility.
4The courier's photo shows the package inside our locked front hall, so it ...............
Wrong!
The photograph provides strong evidence, so "must have arrived" expresses a firm conclusion about the past.
5This route ............... quicker, but we will not know until we try it.
Wrong!
The result is unknown until the route is tested, so "could be" expresses possibility.
6If the museum is still closed tomorrow, we ............... the castle instead; it is open every day.
Wrong!
Visiting the castle is a possible alternative, so "could visit" is correct.
7The lights are on, but that ............... anyone is inside; the cleaners sometimes leave them on overnight.
Wrong!
The cleaners provide another explanation for the lights, so "may not mean" avoids an unjustified conclusion.
8With heavy snow causing some delays, the last bus ............... on time, although the service has not been cancelled.
Wrong!
The snow creates a risk of delay but does not make punctual arrival impossible, so "might not arrive" is correct.
9I have emptied and checked every drawer in this desk, so the passport ............... in one of them.
Wrong!
Every drawer has been emptied and checked, so "can't be" expresses a strong negative conclusion.
10The new intern speaks fluent French, so she ............... the client from Paris if we need her.
Wrong!
Her language skill makes helping possible without making it compulsory, so "could help" is correct.
11Ella isn't answering; she ............... her phone at home, or it may simply be on silent.
Wrong!
Two explanations remain possible, so "might have left" expresses uncertainty about the past.
12The security guard saw Sam enter and confirms that he has not left, so he ............... somewhere in the building.
Wrong!
The guard's confirmation makes the conclusion practically certain, so "must be" is correct.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The forecast keeps changing, so it may rain later this afternoon.
- Nadia said she was choosing between the café and the library, so she might be at the café, but we cannot be sure.
- The report can’t have been uploaded by Malik, because he was abroad without access to the company system when it was uploaded.
- The courier’s photo shows the package inside our locked front hall, so it must have arrived .
- This route could be quicker, but we will not know until we try it.
- If the museum is still closed tomorrow, we could visit the castle instead; it is open every day.
- The lights are on, but that may not mean anyone is inside; the cleaners sometimes leave them on overnight.
- With heavy snow causing some delays, the last bus might not arrive on time, although the service has not been cancelled.
- I have emptied and checked every drawer in this desk, so the passport can’t be in one of them.
- The new intern speaks fluent French, so she could help the client from Paris if we need her.
- Ella isn’t answering; she might have left her phone at home, or it may simply be on silent.
- The security guard saw Sam enter and confirms that he has not left, so he must be somewhere in the building.