Fill in the blanks with an appropriate modal auxiliary verb.
1I ............... see the hills from my room.
Wrong!
Use "can" to say that something is possible from where you are now.
2I don’t have a pen. ............... you lend me yours?
Wrong!
Use "Can" to make an informal request.
3We stayed in a lovely hotel. We ............... see the sea from our room.
Wrong!
Use "could" to talk about ability or possibility in the past.
4If you are busy now, I ............... come in the afternoon.
Wrong!
Use "can" to offer a possible action in the present or future.
5I was sitting in the back row and ............... see the dance properly.
Wrong!
Use "could not" for inability in a past situation.
6As soon as I entered the room, I ............... smell something foul.
Wrong!
Use "could" to describe what someone was able to perceive in the past.
7My sister worked in the US for a while. She ............... speak English perfectly.
Wrong!
Use "can" to describe a present ability.
8I am afraid I ............... accept your invitation.
Wrong!
Use "cannot" for a present refusal or inability.
9When we were kids, we were totally free. We ............... do whatever we wanted.
Wrong!
Use "could" to talk about general freedom or ability in the past.
10He was an excellent chess player. He ............... beat anybody.
Wrong!
Use "could" for general ability in the past.
11I ............... swim.
Wrong!
Use "cannot" to say that you do not have an ability now.
12I played well, but I ............... beat my sister.
Wrong!
Use "could not" to describe inability in a specific past event.
Done.
Score: 0/12
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 invitation.
- 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.
