Modal verbs in real situations worksheet
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How this practice helps you
- Print the questions without the answers beside them.
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Name: ____________________ Date: ____________________
It is optional. You ___ attend.
must not / do not have to / cannot
My answer: ________________________________________
The sign says entry is forbidden. You ___ enter.
must not / need not / might
My answer: ________________________________________
You look tired. You ___ take a break.
should / must to / should to
My answer: ________________________________________
I am not certain, but the library ___ be open.
must / might / has to
My answer: ________________________________________
Students ___ borrow up to four books under the library rules.
can / should to / must to
My answer: ________________________________________
You ___ touch that wire. It is dangerous.
might not / must not / do not have to
My answer: ________________________________________
Attendance is optional, so you ___ come.
do not have to / must not / cannot
My answer: ________________________________________
I’m not sure, but it ___ rain later.
must / has to / might
My answer: ________________________________________
You look tired. You ___ take a break.
would have / should / must have
My answer: ________________________________________
She ___ swim when she was six.
could / can / may
My answer: ________________________________________
Answer key & explanations
- do not have to — Do not have to removes obligation. Must not would prohibit attendance.
- must not — Must not expresses prohibition.
- should — Should gives advice and takes the base form.
- might — Might expresses a possibility, not certainty.
- can — Can expresses permission here.
- must not — Must not expresses prohibition; do not have to means there is no obligation.
- do not have to — Do not have to means coming is not required, not that it is forbidden.
- might — Might expresses uncertainty. Must and has to express stronger necessity or deduction.
- should — Should gives advice about what to do now.
- could — Could expresses general ability in the past.
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Next worksheet: Conditionals: real & imagined situations →Want more modal verbs in real situations practice?
The online topic pack has 40 exercises across four sets, including sentence work and original writing. This printable covers the ten-question warm-up.
Open all four practice sets →Skills to work on in this practice
- Express ability, advice and obligation
- Choose a modal for the intended meaning
- Use the correct verb form after a modal