Fill in the blanks with an appropriate modal auxiliary verb.
1You have been running for a long time. You ............... be tired.
Wrong!
"Must" shows a strong logical conclusion based on the evidence.
2She has got lots of clients. She ............... be a highly successful lawyer.
Wrong!
"Must" shows a strong logical conclusion about the lawyer's success.
3I can't find my purse now. Somebody ............... have stolen it.
Wrong!
"Must" with have + past participle shows a logical conclusion about the past.
4"Who ............... it be?"
Wrong!
"Can" asks about a possible identity in this question.
5It ............... be the postman. He has already been.
Wrong!
"Cannot" shows that the idea is logically impossible.
6............... you lend me a few hundred dollars?
Wrong!
"Can" is used here to make an informal request.
7I haven't decided what I am going to do during the summer holidays. I ............... go to Goa.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"May" and "might" both show possibility when the speaker has not decided.
8You ............... reveal these secrets to anyone.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Must not" and "cannot" both express prohibition: revealing the secrets is not allowed.
9We ............... live without oxygen.
Wrong!
"Cannot" shows that living without oxygen is impossible.
10Where ............... she have gone?
Wrong!
"Could" asks about a possible past situation.
11You ............... have told me before taking my car.
Wrong!
"Should" with have + past participle says the right action did not happen in the past.
12You ............... regret this.
Wrong!
"Will" expresses a strong prediction or warning.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- You have been running for a long time. You must be tired.
- She has got lots of clients. She must be a highly successful lawyer.
- I can’t find my purse now. Somebody must have stolen it.
- “Who can it be?”
- It cannot be the postman. He has already been.
- Can you lend me a few hundred dollars?
- I haven’t decided what I am going to do during the summer holidays. I may / might go to Goa.
- You must not / cannot reveal these secrets to anyone.
- We cannot live without oxygen.
- Where could she have gone?
- You should have told me before taking my car.
- You will regret this.