MODAL VERBS
CONDITIONAL CLAUSES
Fill in the gaps with the correct modal verbs:
Rewrite the sentences as if clauses:
1. Carol ………………… be in; she’s always in
the gym in the morning (impossibility).
2. …………… your brother ski well? No, he
………… (ability).
3. You ……………… do your best to improve
your English (advice).
4. Children ……………… sit in the front seat
(prohibition).
5. According to the EU, unemployment
…………… go down by 2015 (possibility).
1. Sally didn’t find the pendrive because she
didn’t look for it carefully.
If Sally
………………………………………………………
……
………………………………………………………
………………
2. You always make the same mistakes in your
essays, what a bore!
I wish
………………………………………………………
……
………………………………………………………
……………
3. Do your best at school, then your parents are
happy.
Your parents
…………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………
4. The fish doesn’t taste good. Why don’t you put
some more salt in it?
The fish
………………………………………………………
…
………………………………………………………
………………
5. The barbecue was a disaster because it
started raining when we were eating.
The barbecue
…………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
………………
6. Switch the kettle on, then I can make tea.
If you
………………………………………………………
……
7. Why do you spend so much time playing
videogames?
If only
………………………………………………………
……
………………………………………………………
………………
8. We’re broke, so we can’t afford eating out.
If we
………………………………………………………
………
9. Phone me before leaving home, then I won’t
be late.
Unless you
………………………………………………………
6. Tom ………………… not use a computer until
he went on a training course last year (ability in
the past).
7. …………… I help you with the ironing? (offer)
8. We …………… be polite to old people or mum
gets really angry (obligation).
9. You …………… prepare dinner tonight, we’re
going to the new Indian restaurant (no
necessity).
10. My husband …………… not dance at all;
he’s so clumsy! (lack of ability)
11. …………… I tell Mary I love her? (advice)
12. Sarah ……………… be fed up with waiting
for us for one hour! (deduction)
13. Paul …………… pass his exam, but he didn’t
do well (possibility).
14. You …………………… speak German
fluently when you finish the school year (ability in
the future).
15. We ………………… paint the kitchen; it’s
really dirty (necessity).
16. ………… I borrow your pencil, please?
(permission).
17. It …………… rain this evening. Look at these
dark clouds (possibility).
18. The new student ……………… be French;
she doesn’t understand the teacher
(impossibility).
19. I ………………………… (not) to stay up late
(permission).
20. You ………………… wear a school uniform
(no necessity).
21. We ………………… speak in class
(prohibition).
Fill in the gaps with the correct modal verbs:
Rewrite the sentences as if clauses:
1. Carol CAN’T be in; she’s always in the gym in
the morning (impossibility).
2. CAN your brother ski well? No, he CAN’T
(ability).
3. You SHOULD/ HAD BETTER/OUGHT TO do
your best to improve your English (advice).
4. Children MUSTN’T sit in the front seat
(prohibition).
5. According to the EU, unemployment MAY go
down by 2015 (possibility).
6. Tom COULD/ WAS ABLE TO not use a
computer until he went on a training course last
year (ability in the past).
7. SHALL I help you with the ironing? (offer)
8. We MUST/ HAVE TO be polite to old people
or mum gets really angry (obligation).
9. You DON’T HAVE TO/ DON’T NEED TO/
NEEDN’T prepare dinner tonight, we’re going to
the new Indian restaurant (no necessity).
10. My husband CAN’T not dance at all; he’s so
clumsy! (lack of ability)
11. SHOULD I tell Mary I love her? (advice)
12. Sarah MUST be fed up with waiting for us for
one hour! (deduction)
13. Paul MAY/MIGHT pass his exam, but he
didn’t do well (possibility).
14. You WILL BE ABLE TO speak German
fluently when you finish the school year (ability in
the future).
15. We HAVE TO/ NEED TO paint the kitchen;
it’s really dirty (necessity).
16. CAN/ MAY I borrow your pencil, please?
(permission).
17. It CAN/ MAY rain this evening. Look at these
dark clouds (possibility).
18. The new student CAN’T be French; she
doesn’t understand the teacher (impossibility).
19. I AM NOT ALLOWED/ CANNOT (not) to stay
up late (permission).
20. You DON’T HAVE TO/ NEEDN’T/ DON’T
NEED TO wear a school uniform (no necessity).
21. We MUSTN’T speak in class (prohibition).
22. DO you HAVE TO take the school bus?
(obligation).
1. If Sally had looked for the pendrive more
carefully, she would have found it.
2. I wish you wouldn’t make the same mistakes
in your essays.
3. Your parents will be happy if you do your best.
4. The fish would taste better if you put some
more salt in it.
5. The barbecue wouldn’t have been a disaster if
it hadn’t started raining when we were eating.
6. If you switch the kettle on, I’ll make tea.
7. If only you didn’t spend (wouldn’t spend) so
much time playing videogames.
8. If we weren’t broke, we could afford eating out.
9. Unless you phone before leaving home, I’ll be
late.
10. If Peter hadn’t disobeyed his mother, he
wouldn’t have been grounded.
11. Mary wouldn’t have got the job if she hadn’t
had the right qualifications.
12. Tom’s level would drop if he didn’t eat so
much fatty food/ if he ate less fatty food.
13. If you help me with the housework, you’ll get
some pocket money.