English Exercises > modals exercises

CAN or MUST




Downloadable worksheets:
Weird Laws - Pairwork - must, have to, allowed to, canīt etc.
Level: intermediate
Age: 14-17
Downloads: 196

 
CAN/CANīT - HAVE TO/DONīT HAVE TO
Level: intermediate
Age: 12-17
Downloads: 191

 
CAN OR MUST
Level: elementary
Age: 10-17
Downloads: 187

 
recycling activities
Level: elementary
Age: 11-14
Downloads: 192

 
must or mustnīt
Level: elementary
Age: 8-12
Downloads: 156

 
Auxiliary or helping verbs + key
Level: intermediate
Age: 8-100
Downloads: 128

 

CAN

CAN'T

MUST

MUSTN'T

ability, request or possibility/permission

"I can jump high!" (ability)
"Can I go to the toilet, please?"(request)
"You can eat in the canteen" (possibility/permission)

lack of ability, certainty that something is impossible, lack of permission.

"She can't speak Japanese" (lack of ability)
"He can't be home so early" (certainty that something is impossible)
"You can't go to the toilet now" (lack of permission)

necessity, obligation, certainty that something is true.

"You must study if you want to pass the exams" (necessity)
"You must follow the rules" (obligation)
"It's ten o'clock, so James must be home." (certainty that something is true)

prohibition

"You mustn't exceed the speed limit"
 
 
ACTIVITY 1: Read the sentences carefully and choose the correct modal verb:
 
a) David is 14 years old. He  have a driving licence.
b) You  respect other people's opinions.
c)  you pass me the butter, please?
d) If you have a problem with one of your classmates, you  ask for help.
e) Jane is so intelligent! She  speak five languages.
f) Students  wear a uniform at Eton College. It is a famous private school in England.
g) Kelly, you  clean you room before going out with your friends!
h) You  smoke in hospitals. It's totally forbidden!
i) How  I get to Oxford Street from here, please?
j) What she told me  be true. I'm certain it is false.
k) What she told me  be true. I'm certain it is true.
l) Anne always arrives home at 9 o'clock. It's 9:30 now, so she  be home.
m) Alex always arrives home at 8 o'clock. It's 7:15 now, so he  be home.
n) These are the house rules: You  listen to loud music. You  stay out of your bedroom after midnight. You  keep your bedroom clean. You  be home before ten in the evening. These rules are strict!
 
ACTIVITY 2: Write sentences with MUST/MUSTN'T and the information below:
 
a) Students/go to school on Fridays. .
b) You/use a mobile phone in class. .
c) Children/revise before exams. .
d) We/help our parents with the housework. .
e) You/copy your classmates' answers! !
 
ACTIVITY 3: Look at the pictures and write true sentences:
 
     
 
a) Look! That's a police car. They are speeding, so they
b) Anne is an excellent swimmer.
c) What a lovely drawing.
d) Anne doesn't usually get good marks, but she had a very good mark in the maths exam.
e) That woman has a very valuable ring with a big diamond.
f) The man in the picture is wearing a thick coat and a scarf.
 
ACTIVITY 4. Write sentences to match the functions. Use CAN, CAN'T, MUST or MUSTN'T:
 
a) You/eat in the classroom. (prohibition) .
b) Students/memorize vocabulary. (obligation) .
c) We/watch TV after doing our homework. (permission/possibility) .
d) She/speak Chinese. (lack of ability) .
e) David/run 900 metres in 4 minutes? (ability) ?
f) She/be Italian (certainty that something is impossible) .
g) He/come from the USA. (certainty that something is true) .