Fill-in-the-blank exercise for practicing modal verbs in English grammar.

Let's solve the exercise step by step. The task is to complete each sentence with a modal verb from the box provided:

Modal Verbs Available:
- CAN - CAN'T - CAN'T HAVE - COULD - COULD HAVE - DON'T HAVE - HAD BETTER - MIGHT - MUST - MUST HAVE - MIGHT'VE - NEED - OUGHT - SHOULDN'T

We will go through each sentence, determine the correct modal verb based on context and grammar, and explain why.

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1. You ________ be exhausted after your long trip. Come and have a drink.

✔ MUST
👉 "You must be exhausted..." – This expresses a logical conclusion or strong assumption based on the situation (after a long trip).
✔️ Answer: MUST

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2. John ________ taken your car keys. He hasn't even left the house.

✔ CAN'T HAVE
👉 "Can't have" is used for negative speculation about past actions. Since John hasn’t left the house, it’s impossible he took the keys.
✔️ Answer: CAN'T HAVE

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3. I won't go out this afternoon because the weather forecast is not very good, and I ________ get wet.

✔ MIGHT
👉 "I might get wet" – expresses possibility. The weather isn’t great, so there’s a chance of rain.
✔️ Answer: MIGHT

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4. You ________ to apply for the job yet. You can do it later this week.

✔ DON'T HAVE
👉 "Don't have to" means "it is not necessary." You’re not required to apply now.
✔️ Answer: DON'T HAVE

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5. I ________ left my wallet in the car. I can't find it anywhere.

✔ MUST HAVE
👉 "Must have" expresses a logical conclusion about the past. Since you can’t find it, you deduce it was left in the car.
✔️ Answer: MUST HAVE

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6. That ________ be Jake. It's impossible. He said he was going to Spain.

✔ CAN'T
👉 "Can't be" expresses impossibility. Jake is supposed to be in Spain, so it can’t be him.
✔️ Answer: CAN'T

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7. You ________ step into the headmaster's office without permission.

✔ SHOULDN'T
👉 "Shouldn't" gives advice or a warning. You're not allowed to enter without permission.
✔️ Answer: SHOULDN'T

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8. Tell your sister she ________ stay the night here if she wants to.

✔ CAN
👉 "Can" gives permission. You're allowing her to stay overnight.
✔️ Answer: CAN

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9. You have already drunk a glass of wine. You ________ not drive. Let me...

✔ MUST
👉 "Must not" = prohibition. Drinking alcohol makes driving illegal/unsafe. Strong obligation not to drive.
✔️ Answer: MUST

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10. You ________ see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre when you go to Paris.

✔ SHOULD
👉 "Should" suggests a recommendation or what is expected. It’s advisable to visit these landmarks.
✔️ Answer: SHOULD

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11. I ________ to take orders from you. You're not my boss!

✔ DON'T HAVE
👉 "Don't have to" = no obligation. You're refusing to accept authority.
✔️ Answer: DON'T HAVE

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12. When I was younger, I ________ run very fast.

✔ COULD
👉 "Could" refers to past ability. Describes something you were capable of doing in the past.
✔️ Answer: COULD

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13. You could be getting worse and you have a runny nose. You ________ to see the doctor.

✔ HAD BETTER
👉 "Had better" gives strong advice, often with a warning. With worsening symptoms, it's urgent to see a doctor.
✔️ Answer: HAD BETTER

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14. My husband is preparing dinner. He's not a good cook so you ________ expect anything special.

✔ SHOULDN'T
👉 "Shouldn't" indicates that it's not reasonable to expect good food. It's a gentle warning.
✔️ Answer: SHOULDN'T

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15. ________ I leave my window open at night. Someone ________ climb in.

✔ SHOULDN'T, COULD
👉 First blank: "Shouldn't" – advice against leaving the window open.
Second blank: "Could" – possibility of someone entering.
✔️ Answer: SHOULDN'T / COULD

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16. Brenda ________ be over thirty. She graduated a year after me and I'm only 26.

✔ MUST
👉 "Must" expresses a logical conclusion. Since she graduated after you and you’re 26, she must be older than 26.
✔️ Answer: MUST

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17. You ________ come with me. I can manage on my own.

✔ DON'T HAVE TO
👉 "Don't have to" = not necessary. You're telling the person they aren’t required to come.
✔️ Answer: DON'T HAVE TO

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18. She ________ got lost. Otherwise she'd be here by now.

✔ MUST HAVE
👉 "Must have" = logical conclusion about the past. Since she’s not here, you conclude she got lost.
✔️ Answer: MUST HAVE

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19. You must be more careful. You ________ been killed crossing the street without looking.

✔ COULD HAVE
👉 "Could have been" = a possible past event that didn’t happen but almost did. You narrowly avoided danger.
✔️ Answer: COULD HAVE

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20. I didn't ________ to buy more groceries. We already had enough.

✔ NEED
👉 "Didn't need to" = no necessity in the past. You didn’t have to buy more because you already had enough.
✔️ Answer: NEED

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✔ Final Answers:

1. MUST
2. CAN'T HAVE
3. MIGHT
4. DON'T HAVE
5. MUST HAVE
6. CAN'T
7. SHOULDN'T
8. CAN
9. MUST
10. SHOULD
11. DON'T HAVE
12. COULD
13. HAD BETTER
14. SHOULDN'T
15. SHOULDN'T / COULD
16. MUST
17. DON'T HAVE TO
18. MUST HAVE
19. COULD HAVE
20. NEED

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