Chapter 4: Modals

Chapter 4: Modals

Exercise 1 — Solved

Fill in the blanks with ‘will’ or ‘shall’

  1. I will surely help you (Determination)
  2. If you make a noise, you shall be punished.
  3. Will you have tea?
  4. He shall play the match tomorrow. (Information about future action)
  5. You shall not leave this place. (Order)
  6. Shall I bring some tea for you? (Offer)
  7. I will take care of your brother. (Promise)
  8. I will send him to jail. (Threat)
  9. How will you solve this problem?
  10. I will take care of your brother. (Promise)

Exercise 2 — Solved

Fill in the blanks with ‘would’ or ‘should’

  1. I told him that he would pass.
  2. You should respect your elders.
  3. Walk fast lest you should miss the bus.
  4. They would sit for hours talking together. (Past habit)
  5. Would that I were the Prime Minister!
  6. You should take your medicine regularly.
  7. I would rather fail than cheat.
  8. I would like to have a cup of tea.
  9. You should not leave this job.
  10. Should you meet him, give him this book.

Exercise 3 (Solved)

Fill in the blanks with ‘can’ or ‘could’:

  1. She can read and write English well.
  2. I told him that he could accompany me.
  3. He could drive a car at the age of twelve.
  4. I could not help laughing.
  5. You can go now.
  6. He can help you if you want.
  7. He can come to meet me any time.
  8. I could have availed myself of the opportunity. (But I didn’t)
  9. Who can be kinder than God?
  10. Three years ago, he could not even walk.

Exercise 4 (Solved)

Fill in the blanks with ‘may’ or ‘might’:

  1. May I go home now?
  2. She asked if she might read my book.
  3. We eat that we may live.
  4. May God bless you!
  5. It might rain today. (weak possibility)
  6. You might have won the race if you had taken an early start.
  7. If you apologise, he may forgive you.
  8. She might have applied for a job, but I am not sure.
  9. May his soul rest in peace!
  10. He is working hard so that he may stand first in the class.

Exercise 5 Solved

Fill in the blanks with ‘used to’ or ‘ought to’:

  1. We ought to serve our country.
  2. My grandmother used to tell me stories.
  3. You ought to change your job.
  4. I am not used to driving alone.
  5. I ought to visit my sick brother.
  6. We ought to obey the laws of our country.
  7. They used to miss their classes to watch a movie.
  8. The students ought to be regular and punctual.
  9. The employees used to come late, but now they have become punctual.

Exercise 6 (Solved)

Fill in the blanks with ‘must’, ‘dare’ or ‘need’:

  1. The candidates must answer five out of ten questions.
  2. How dare you touch my things.
  3. I must finish this work by Monday.
  4. Need I go to school today?
  5. He dare not oppose me.
  6. You need not wait for him.
  7. Does she dare to argue with you?
  8. You need not go to the market as I have brought vegetables.
  9. Need you have taken all this trouble?
  10. You must be joking.

Source note: Exercises 3–6 follow the textbook’s printed answer keys.

Exercise 7 (Unsolved)

  1. Will you please stop talking? (will/shall)
  2. You may go home whenever you like. (may/might)
  3. We should not tell lies. (would/should)
  4. You will get a prize if you finish your work in time. (shall/will)
  5. My grand mother used to go for a morning walk in her youth. (used to/might)
  6. He can read and write Spanish. (can/could)
  7. The rich should help the poor. (should/would)
  8. If you have a ticket, you may go inside. (could/may)
  9. He said that it could be true. (would/could)
  10. Can you hear that sound? (may/can)

Exercise 8 (Unsolved)

  1. I tried to climb up the tree, but could not.
  2. He worked hard so that he might win the gold medal.
  3. Would that I were a princess!
  4. Death may come any time.
  5. May you prosper in life!
  6. Cars must not be parked in front of the gate. (may/must)
  7. She is three years old, but she can not speak as yet.
  8. You shall not drink here. (will/shall)
  9. If it should rain, we will have a holiday. (should/could)
  10. Would you mind my sitting here? (would/should)

Exercise 9 (Unsolved)

  1. You should help the needy. (moral obligation)
  2. If I were you, I would not behave like that. (conditional Sentence)
  3. I will never tell a lie. (determination)
  4. He told me that he would not let me down.
  5. Walk slowly lest you should stumble.
  6. My uncle may have reached by now. (possibility)
  7. The patient is critical. He must be taken to the hospital. (compulsion)
  8. You should not laugh at her mistakes.
  9. How dare you call her names?
  10. I used to play hockey when I was a student. (past habit)

Exercise 10 (Unsolved)

  1. What would you like to have ,tea or coffee?
  2. May I smoke here? (formal permission)
  3. One should do one’s duty.
  4. I can smell something burning.
  5. I would rather die than beg.
  6. It might rain today. (less certain)
  7. I told him that he could take the test. (can/could)
  8. She dare not insult me.
  9. We ought to respect our elders. (can/ought to)
  10. I will help him with money. (will/shall)

Exercise 11 (Unsolved)

  1. Should I answer your question? (should/need)
  2. I wish I could help you, but I have my own problems. (can/could)
  3. Walk carefully lest you should sprain your foot.
  4. You need not see him; just write a letter. (dare/need)
  5. We should go to the station by taxi, it is getting late. (may/should)
  6. You shall do as you are told. (order)
  7. The children asked if they could have an ice cream. (could/would)
  8. Shall we play cricket? (suggestion)
  9. Will you have tea?
  10. It will rain tomorrow. (Prediction)

Exercise 12 (Unsolved)

  1. Shall I bring some tea for you? (Do you want me?)
  2. Could I use your pen? (very polite)
  3. You must attend the class. (Compulsion)
  4. He told me that he might join the Army. (possibility)
  5. Dare he insult you? (challenge)
  6. Play well so that you may win the match. (purpose)
  7. Everyone ought to love his country. (may/ought to)
  8. He is your father, you should obey him. (obligation)
  9. You need not worry about it, I will handle it.
  10. You should do your homework regularly. (advice)

Exercise 13 (Unsolved)

  1. I could hear her reciting a prayer. (might/could)
  2. You said that you would be absent. (should/would)
  3. I will bring a chocolate for you tomorrow. (promise)
  4. You need not hurry, there is plenty of time.
  5. I will try to do better next time. (promise)
  6. Would you please help me? (should/would)
  7. May God save our souls!
  8. I can type ninety words in a minute. (may/can)
  9. You ought to read a grammar book to understand these concepts. (may/ought to)
  10. The doctor told me that the fever would go. (would/will)

Exercise 14 (Unsolved)

  1. A leader must be ready to accept responsibilities. (shall/must)
  2. Take an umbrella with you, it may rain. (should/may)
  3. If we are not free, no one will respect us. (will/shall)
  4. Some books must be read thoroughly. (may/must)
  5. We must preserve our heritage. (can/must)
  6. They need to complete their lessons. (dare/need)
  7. One can not have liberty without discipline. (can/may)
  8. You should see a doctor.
  9. He will be thirty next birthday. (will/shall)
  10. Can we drink salty sea water? (can/could)

Exercise 15 (Unsolved)

  1. Shall we play cricket?
  2. I will invite you to the party. (intention)
  3. You shall not attend my class. (order)
  4. He would have helped you if he wished.
  5. He might come today. (remote possibility)
  6. She used to come late to school every day. (past habit)
  7. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
  8. He did not dare to offend me.
  9. I think I should go now. (could/should)
  10. I must do or die. (compulsion)

Exercise 16 (Unsolved)

  1. Reading can make a full man. (may/can)
  2. We must learn how to govern better. (must/might)
  3. The teacher said that he would be rewarded for his good work.
  4. You must follow the traffic rules.
  5. How could you do this to me? (could/would)
  6. Shall I bring you something to eat?
  7. He will play the match. (willingness)
  8. You need not waste time on it. (necessity)
  9. Had the doctor come in time, he could have saved the patient.
  10. Had you hurried up, you could have caught the train. (could/can)

Editorial notes

  • Exercise 11, Question 6: shall expresses an order in the textbook’s traditional modal usage.
  • Exercise 12, Question 4: might is suggested for reported possibility, though the original sentence does not provide enough context to establish the intended modal conclusively.
  • Exercise 14, Question 7: can is the likely intended choice, but the more natural written form is “cannot.”
  • Exercise 15, Question 10: “I must do or die” is retained as printed; its intended meaning is compulsion or determination.
  • Exercise 16, Question 8: The printed cue says “necessity,” but need not expresses absence of necessity. The answer follows the likely intended construction of the sentence rather than the cue.

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