Mastering Modal Verbs: Can, Could, Must, Mustn’t, and More

Posted on Aug 22, 2024 in Mathematics

Could – Could – Manage to – Managed to

Use

We use could as the past tense of can to talk about general abilities in the past.

• I could speak Italian really well when I lived in Venice.
• He could walk when he was only 8 months old.
• I could do the Times crossword ten years ago, but I can’t nowadays. I’m getting too old.
• I could run much faster when I was 20.
• I could read when I was only four.
• When I was young, I could run fast, but now I cannot.
• When I was in school, I could do a handstand, but now I’m too old. I can’t do one anymore.
• I could swim well when I was a child. I even won the school championships.

We use could with verbs of perception: see, hear, taste, feel, smell, etc.

• I couldn’t see what was wrong with what I had put, but I kept getting an error message.

We use manage to to talk about specific achievements (or failures to achieve something) in the past, often in difficult circumstances. We sometimes use could in this way, but it is more common to use managed to.

• It was quite difficult, but I managed to get it all done.
• For once, I managed to get up early today. It was an effort!!
• I missed the last train, but I managed to get a taxi.
• I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find it.
• There were very few seats left, but I managed to get us two tickets.
• I don’t speak much Russian, but I managed to make the taxi driver understand where I wanted to go.
• In spite of his broken arm, he managed to come into the office for the meeting.

Exercises

1. I ____ speak Italian really well when I lived in Venice.
2. It was quite difficult, but I ____ get it all done.
3. It was very frustrating. I ____ make her understand what I wanted.
4. He ____ walk when he was only 8 months old.
5. For once, I ____ get up early today. It was an effort!!
6. I missed the last train, but I ____ get a taxi.
7. I ____ do the Times crossword ten years ago, but I can’t nowadays. I’m getting too old.
8. I looked everywhere, but I ____ find it.
9. There were very few seats left, but I ____ get us two tickets.
10. I ____ run much faster when I was 20.
11. I would have liked to have gone, but I ____ get a ticket.
12. I ____ see what was wrong with what I had put, but I kept getting an error message.
13. I ____ read when I was only four.
14. I don’t speak much Russian, but I ____ make the taxi driver understand where I wanted to go.
15. I asked Tom if he ____ help.
16. How on earth did you ____ find it? It’s just what I wanted.
17. Sorry I’m late. I ____ start my car.
18. When I was young, I ____ run fast, but now I cannot.
19. I ____ find the correct answer anywhere.
20. In spite of his broken arm, he ____ come into the office for the meeting.

Must, Mustn’t, Don’t Have to, Should, Shouldn’t, Might, Can, Can’t

Use

• Must: Expresses obligation, necessity, or strong recommendation. (Rose and Ted must be good players. They have won hundreds of cups!)
• Mustn’t: Expresses prohibition or strong advice against something. (Children, you mustn’t cross the street if the lights are red!)
• Don’t Have to: Expresses lack of obligation or necessity. (You don’t have to pay to use the library. It’s free.)
• Should/Shouldn’t: Expresses advice, recommendation, or what is considered the right thing to do. (You should go to the Louvre if you’re in Paris. It’s wonderful.)
• Might: Expresses possibility or uncertainty. (She might be at her dance class.)
• Can/Can’t: Expresses ability or inability. (Jerry can’t be working today. He never works on Sundays.)

Exercises

1. Rose and Ted ____ be good players. They have won hundreds of cups!
2. You ____ pay to use the library. It’s free.
3. I’m not sure where my wife is at the moment. She ____ be at her dance class.
4. Jerry ____ be working today. He never works on Sundays.
5. You ____ be 18 to see that film.
6. You ____ hear this story. It’s very funny.
7. Dad ____ go and see a doctor. His cough is getting worse all the time.
8. You don’t have to shout. I ____ hear you very well.
9. It ____ be him. I saw him a week ago, and he didn’t look like that.
10. You look pretty tired. I think you ____ go to bed early tonight.
11. Let me look. I ____ be able to help you.
12. “Children, you ____ cross the street if the lights are red!”
13. You ____ sit so near the TV. It’s bad for your eyes.
14. I’m sorry, but I ____ give you a lift because my car is broken.
15. I ____ stop and talk to you now. I have to get to the library.
16. You really ____ go to the Louvre if you’re in Paris. It’s wonderful.
17. You ____ come to the party if you don’t feel well.
18. I don’t know where Kelly is. She ____ be at her sister’s.
19. You have passed all your tests. You ____ be very pleased with yourself.
20. You ____ smoke in your car, especially if there are children sitting in the back.
21. You ____ work this evening. I can do the tasks for you.
22. John doesn’t need a calculator. He ____ do sums in his head.
23. Passengers ____ open the door when the train is moving.
24. It ____ rain today. It’s getting cloudy already.
25. I ____ pay for the tickets because I got them from Sam for free.

Can – Can’t – Could – Couldn’t – Didn’t Need to – Must – Mustn’t – Needn’t

Use

• Can/Can’t: Expresses ability or inability in the present. (I can’t get my phone to work. It must be out of order.)
• Could/Couldn’t: Expresses ability or inability in the past. (He could play chess when he was young.)
• Must: Expresses strong belief or deduction based on evidence. (There’s a knock at the door. I’m expecting Paul. It must be him.)
• Mustn’t: Expresses prohibition or strong advice against something. (You mustn’t forget to turn off the lights when you go to bed.)
• Didn’t Need to: Expresses that something wasn’t necessary in the past, and it’s not clear if it was done or not. (Ann stayed in bed this morning because she didn’t need to go to work.)
• Needn’t: Expresses lack of obligation or necessity. (You’ve got plenty of time. You needn’t hurry.)

Exercises

1. You’ve got plenty of time. You ____ hurry.
2. There’s a knock at the door. I’m expecting Paul. It ____ be him.
3. I can’t get my phone to work. It ____ be out of order.
4. ____ I ask you a question?
5. That was excellent work. But I ____ do it without you.
6. She ____ be 35. She looks older than that.
7. I ____ go to work on Saturdays. It’s my day off.
8. Tom has given me a letter to post. I ____ forget to post it.
9. Ann stayed in bed this morning because she ____ go to work.
10. He ____ play chess when he was young.
11. You ____ drive a car when you’re 18.
12. Jack spends the whole day just walking around. He ____ have a job.
13. When I was in school, I ____ do a handstand, but now I’m too old. I ____ do one anymore.
14. My mother keeps telling me that we ____ wash our hands before we sit down at the dinner table.
15. You ____ forget to turn off the lights when you go to bed.
16. When I was a child, I ____ understand adults, now that I’m an adult I ____ understand children.
17. Sally looks sad and worried. She ____ have a problem with something.
18. ____ I see your passport, please?
19. He sees very badly, so he ____ wear glasses all the time.
20. I ____ take a taxi because the bus was on time.
21. He owns a very expensive house. He ____ be a rich person.
22. I ____ swim well when I was a child. I even won the school championships.
23. You ____ go to the grocery store. We have some milk in the fridge.
24. I ____ find my keys. I probably left them at my mother’s place.
25. You ____ buy the tickets. I got two for free from Dad.
26. She ____ speak so rudely to her parents.
27. The teacher always tells us we ____ cheat during a test.
28. I ____ stop laughing. The joke was so funny.
29. I ____ look at you. You’re so dirty. What were you up to?
30. ____ you turn down the volume? – It’s too loud.

Can, Can’t, Could, Couldn’t, Must, Mustn’t

Use

• Can/Can’t: Expresses ability or inability in the present. (She is a small baby. She can’t eat meat, but she can drink milk.)
• Could/Couldn’t: Expresses ability or inability in the past. (I couldn’t eat lasagna when I was a child, but I like it today.)
• Must: Expresses obligation, necessity, or strong recommendation. (He is so ill that he must see the doctor.)
• Mustn’t: Expresses prohibition or strong advice against something. (We mustn’t pick the flowers in the park. It’s forbidden.)

Exercises

1. She is a small baby. She ____ eat meat, but she can drink milk.
2. He is so ill that he ____ see the doctor.
3. It’s raining heavily. You ____ take your own umbrella.
4. We ____ pick the flowers in the park. It’s forbidden.
5. I ____ sing now, but I ____ sing very well when I was a child.
6. Mike is only nine months old. He ____ eat nuts yet.
7. He is very fat. He ____ run so fast.
8. You are speaking very quickly. I ____ understand you.
9. I’m very tall, so I ____ play basketball.
10. You ____ park that car there. It’s a no-parking zone.
11. Many students in Great Britain ____ wear a uniform when they go to school.
12. George has traveled a lot. He ____ speak 4 languages.
13. I ____ come with you now because I’m studying for my test.
14. Footballers ____ touch the ball with their hands.
15. ____ I use your phone?
16. I’m sorry I ____ come yesterday. I had to work late.
17. You ____ speed through the city. It’s dangerous!
18. My hands are dirty. I ____ wash them.
19. You have been coughing a lot recently. You ____ smoke so much.
20. I’m very tired today. I ____ clean my room now, but I’ll do it tomorrow.
21. I ____ eat lasagna when I was a child, but I like it today.
22. We ____ go to the bank today. We haven’t got any money left.
23. It’s late. I ____ go now.
24. You ____ sleep in that room. It’s full of boxes and other stuff.
25. I ____ swim very far these days, but ten years ago, I ____ swim over to the other side of the lake.
26. You have a bad headache, so you ____ go to bed earlier.
27. I am so strong I ____ do 50 push-ups at any time.
28. I ____ feed the baby now, so can you do it for me?
29. Tourists ____ take their passports when they go abroad.
30. ____ you please pass me the salt? – Thank you.

Modal Verbs Summary Table