Fill in the blanks with an appropriate modal auxiliary verb.
1. I ………………….. see the hills from my room.
Correct!
Wrong!
Can shows ability.
2. I don’t have a pen. ……………………. you lend me yours?
Correct!
Wrong!
3. We stayed in a lovely hotel. We ……………………. see the sea from our room.
Correct!
Wrong!
4. If you are busy now, I …………………….. come in the afternoon.
Correct!
Wrong!
Can shows ideas such as ability and willingness.
5. I was sitting in the back row and ………………………. see the dance properly.
Correct!
Wrong!
6. As soon as I entered the room, I ………………………… smell something foul.
Correct!
Wrong!
7. My sister worked in the US for a while. She …………………….. speak English perfectly.
Correct!
Wrong!
Can shows ability in the present.
8. I am afraid I …………………….. accept your invite.
Correct!
Wrong!
9. When we were kids we were totally free. We ……………………….. do whatever we wanted.
Correct!
Wrong!
Use could to talk about past ability.
10. He was an excellent chess player. He ……………………. beat anybody.
Correct!
Wrong!
11. I …………………….. swim.
Correct!
Wrong!
12. I played well but I ……………………….. beat my sister.
Correct!
Wrong!
Could not shows past inability.
Answers
- I can see the hills from my room.
- I don’t have a pen. Can you lend me yours?
- We stayed in a lovely hotel. We could see the sea from our room.
- If you are busy now, I can come in the afternoon.
- I was sitting in the back row and could not see the dance properly.
- As soon as I entered the room, I could smell something foul.
- My sister worked in the US for a while. She can speak English perfectly.
- I am afraid I cannot accept your invite.
- When we were kids we were totally free. We could do whatever we wanted.
- He was an excellent chess player. He could beat anybody.
- I cannot swim.
- I played well but I could not beat my sister.
