A1–A2 · Beginner–Elementary

Weekly Exercises · Modal Verbs

Express ability, possibility, permission and obligation! Learn can, could, may, might, must, have to, should, ought to and will in everyday English contexts.
Five exercises on one page · Lesson + Quiz · Listen & Type · Scrambled Sentences · Shadowing · Listen, Read & Understand
Each section has its own Finish & Send button. Complete the exercises in any order.

① Quick Lesson — Modal Verbs

Weekly Exercises — Quick Lesson: Modal Verbs

can/could · may/might · must/have to · should/ought to · will/would

Modal Verbs 1 — CAN & COULD

can — ability & permission · could — past ability & polite requests

Modal verbs come before the base verb. They never change — no -s, no -ed, no -ing.

Use	Example
Ability (present)	I can swim very well. 🏊
Ability (past)	When I was five, I could already read. 📖
Permission	Can I use your phone? / Could I borrow your pen? ✏️
Polite request	Could you help me, please? 🙏
Negative	She can't drive. / He couldn't come yesterday.
Question	Can you cook? / Could you repeat that?

⚠ Key Rule Modal + BASE verb — never add -s, -ed, or -ing!
✗ She cans swim. ✗ He could swam. ✓ She can swim. ✓ He could swim.

Modal Verbs 2 — MAY & MIGHT

may — possibility & formal permission · might — less certain possibility

Use	Example
Possibility (likely)	It may rain this afternoon. 🌧️
Possibility (less sure)	I might go to the party — I'm not sure. 🎉
Formal permission	May I come in? (more formal than "can I")
Negative	She may not be home. / They might not come.
Question	May I ask a question? 🙋

⚠ may vs. might may = more likely (around 50%+) might = less sure (lower chance)
"I may come." (probably) vs. "I might come." (maybe, not sure)

Modal Verbs 3 — MUST & HAVE TO

must — strong obligation / deduction · have to — external obligation

Use	Example
Strong obligation (personal)	I must study harder. (I feel this strongly) 💪
External obligation	We have to wear uniforms at school. (school rule)
Logical deduction	You ran 10 km — you must be tired! 😅
Prohibition	You must not / mustn't run in the hallways. 🚫
No obligation	You don't have to come — it's optional. ✅

⚠ mustn't ≠ don't have to! mustn't = forbidden! Do NOT do it. 🚫
don't have to = not necessary, but you can if you want. ✅
"You mustn't touch that!" ≠ "You don't have to come."

Modal Verbs 4 — SHOULD & OUGHT TO

should — advice & recommendation · ought to — moral obligation

Use	Example
Advice	You should drink more water. 💧
Recommendation	You should try the pizza here — it's amazing! 🍕
Moral obligation	We ought to help others when we can. 🤝
Negative	You shouldn't eat so much sugar. 🍬
Question	Should I call him now or later?
Past regret	I should have studied more. (but I didn't) 😬

Modal Verbs 5 — WILL & WOULD

will — future & decisions · would — conditional & polite requests

Use	Example
Future / decision now	I 'll help you with that! 😊
Promise	I will call you tomorrow. I promise. 📱
Offer	Will you have some tea? / I'll get it. ☕
Conditional (imaginary)	If I had more time, I would travel the world. ✈️
Polite request	Would you mind opening the window? 🪟
Preference	I 'd like a coffee, please. / I would prefer tea.

⚠ Quick Summary Table can/could → ability, permission | may/might → possibility | must/have to → obligation | should → advice | will/would → future, conditional

📝 Quick Quiz — Modal Verbs

20 questions · Multiple choice · Auto-graded

Score: 0 / 20

15:00

Submit any time — your answers and score will be sent to your teacher.

② Listen & Type

Listening Exercise | Modal Verbs

Listen & Type — Modal Verbs

15 relative clause sentences • Level A1

Sentence 1 of 15 0 / 15 correct

50%

100%

Word-by-word hint

Submit any time — unfinished sentences will be recorded.

③ Scrambled Sentences

Modal Verbs — Scrambled Sentences

🔀 Put the sentences in order | Modal Verbs in Context | English A1–A2

Volume

50%

Speed

1.0×

PronounVerb ★Article AdjectivePrepositionNoun Adverband / but / by

④ Shadowing

🎤 Shadowing — Modal Verbs

Listen · Repeat · Practice — 25 beginner sentences in natural context

🔊 Volume50%

⚡ Speed1.0×

Press Start to begin

25 sentences — Modal Verbs · Level A1–A2

Repeat

▶

Repeat again

Shadowing is a practice exercise — press Finish & Send to record your participation.

⑤ Listen, Read & Understand

Listen, Read & Understand — Modal Verbs

Read the story · listen along · answer the quiz · send your results

It is Saturday afternoon. Lucas and his friend Mia are sitting in a café, talking about their plans for the summer.

"I can't believe school is almost over!" says Lucas. "What are you going to do this summer?"

"I'm not sure," says Mia. "I might visit my cousins in Mexico City. But I might not go — it depends on my parents. What about you?"

"Well, I will definitely take a cooking class," Lucas says. "I should have learned to cook years ago. I can only make pasta and eggs right now." He laughs. "Oh — and I have to work at my uncle's shop on weekends. It's not optional."

"That could be really useful experience," says Mia. "Should I come and visit you there?"

"You would be very welcome!" Lucas says. "Actually — may I ask you something?" "Of course," says Mia.

"There's a music festival next weekend. Would you like to come with me? We ought to go early — it says on the website that you must arrive before noon to get a good spot. And you don't have to bring much — just some water and sunscreen."

Mia smiles. "That sounds amazing! I can ask my mom tonight. She should say yes — she knows your family." She pauses. "You know what? You should have asked me sooner — I could have checked my schedule."

Lucas grins. "I know, I know. I shouldn't have waited so long! Next time I will ask you straight away." They both laugh and order another coffee.

50%

100%

Grammar Notes — Modal Verbs in the Story:

🔵 "can't believe / can only make" → CAN / CAN'T — present ability and inability

🔵 "might visit / might not go" → MIGHT / MIGHT NOT — uncertain possibility (not sure yet)

🟢 "will definitely take / will ask / will ask straight away" → WILL — future intention, promise, decision

🟢 "have to work" → HAVE TO — external obligation (his uncle's rule, not his own choice)

🔴 "should have learned / shouldn't have waited" → SHOULD HAVE — past regret (he didn't do it, wishes he had)

🔴 "must arrive before noon" → MUST — strong obligation from an external rule (the festival website)

🟡 "don't have to bring much" → DON'T HAVE TO — not necessary / optional. Compare with mustn't (forbidden)

Score: 0 / 10

📝 Comprehension & Grammar Quiz — Modal Verbs

When you're done, press Finish & Send to submit your results.