We have already talked about modal auxiliary and semi auxiliary verbs, in the article below we have prepared its exercises for ESL teacher or students. Attempt the following modal auxiliary & semi auxiliary verbs exercises than check the correct answers given below and compare your answers with the answers given and find your mistakes.
Modal Auxiliary & Semi Auxiliary Verbs Exercises
Exercise 1:
Opt the correct option to complete the sentence below.
1. You seem to be having trouble there. _________ I help you?
- Would
- Will
- May
2. I don’t have enough money to buy lunch. __________ you lend me a couple of dollars?
- May
- Could
- Should
3. That ice is dangerously thin now. You ________ go ice-skating today.
- must not
- might not
- would mind not to
4. It’s way past my bedtime and I’m really tired. I ________ go to bed.
- should
- ought
- could
5. He ______________ have committed this crime. He wasn’t even in the city that night.
- might
- should
- couldn’t
6. John is over two hours late already, He ___________ missed the bus again.
- should have
- must have
- could have
7. I’m really quite lost. _______________ showing me how to get out of here?
- Would you mind
- Would you be
- Must you be
8. That bus is usually on time. It _________ to be here any time now.
- might
- has
- should
9. I read about your plane`s near disaster. You ____________ terrified!
- might have been
- must have been
- could have been
10. It’s the law. They ____________ have a blood test before they get married.
- might
- could
- have to
11. Professor Villa, we’ve finished our work for today. _________ we leave now, please?
- May
- will
- Must
Exercise 2:
Make negative sentences. Use the verbs in brackets.
- This (________) car be expensive. It’s five years old. (can)
- You (________) hurry. We have plenty of time. (must)
- I am afraid I (________) help you now. (can)
- Well, I don’t know. He (________) like it. (may)
- I (________) play the piano. (can)
- They (________) wash up today. (must)
- You must try hard solving modal auxiliary & semi auxiliary verbs exercises. You (________) give it up. (may)
- She (________) go out on Monday. (can)
Exercise 3:
Complete the following sentences with correct modal (or semi-modal) auxiliaries taken from the list given below. Notice that in some cases more than one modal may be used.
(can, would, may, could, should, had better, must, have to, can’t, couldn’t, mustn’t, don’t have to)
1. I forgot to close the door. __________ you mind closing it for me?
2. I wrote this paper for my literature class last night. __________ you please read it over for spelling errors?
3. I need to borrow a car for today. __________ I borrow yours?
4. I want to buy a computer. __________ you give me some advice about buying a better one?
5. It is cold in here. __________ you mind if I closed the window?
6. Soldiers __________ disobey their officers.
7. To stay alive, people __________ breathe oxygen.
8. If you have an aquarium, you ___________________ give your tropical fish too much food or they’ll die.
9. Thank goodness we ___________________ eat fish again tonight. Dad didn’t catch any today.
10. (you) ___________________ leave so early?
11. I’m afraid I do. I have some work I __________ finish before I go to bed tonight.
12. A: Ann would like to make some friends. B: I think he __________ join some clubs to meet people with similar interests.
13. Ellen is having a lot of trouble in her chemistry class. She’s failed the last two tests. I think she ___________________ hire a tutor.
14. Bruce has lost a lot of weight lately. He ___________________ go see a doctor.
15. Fish __________ talk.
16. I used to be a good swimmer. I __________ swim long distances when I was a teenager.
17. Why __________ all the nations of the world just get along in peace? Why are there always wars somewhere on the earth?
18. I __________ get to sleep last night because it was too hot in my room.
19. My uncle was a wonderful craftsman. He made beautiful things out of wood. But he __________ read or write because he never went to school.
20. My father never liked to talk on the phone. Whenever it rang, he __________________ (always, yell), “I’m not here!” Usually, he was only joking and ______(come) to the phone when it was for him.
Exercises:
Exercise 1. | Exercise 2. |
1. May | 1. can’t |
2. Could | 2.must not |
3. must not | 3. can’t |
4. should | 4. may not |
5. couldn’t | 5. can’t |
6. must have | 6. must not |
7. would you mind | 7. may not |
8. has | 8. can’t |
9. might have been | |
10. might | |
11. May |
Exercise 3.
1. would | 11. should/have to |
2. would | 12. B: should/may |
3. may | 13. should |
4. can/could | 14. should/ |
5. would | 15. can’t |
6. mustn’t | 16. could |
7. have to | 17. would |
8. shouldn’t | 18. couldn’t |
9. may not | 19. couldn’t |
10. don’t have to | 20. would |