Pure modal auxiliary verbs

'Careful. There might be a snake in the hall.'
1. is the use of 'might' to refer to unlikely present possibility
2. is the use of 'might' to refer to permission
3. is the use of 'might' that implies greater likelihood than 'could'
'You would have been able to do it if you'd done your revision.'
1. is a double use of 'would' in a conditional sense
2. is a common use of 'would' to express contingency in conditionals
3. is 'would' used to express likelihood
'I'm tired and it must be getting late.'
1. is a use of 'must' to express a logical deduction
2. is a use of 'must' to express strong advice
3. is a use of must which can be negated with 'needn't' or 'don't have to'
'I ought to write to my mother.'
1. expresses a sense of duty rather than obligation
2. expresses strong advice
3. expresses strong obligation
'should' can express
1. advice, obligation, or deduction
2. advice, possibility or permission
3. permission, advice or obligation
'would' can be used to express requests
1. True
2. False
3. Only when the request is based on a current or past habit
The first-person use of 'should' is considered more formal than the use of 'would' in contingent uses.
1. True
2. False
3. Only in US English
'May your life together be a long and happy one.'
1. expresses possibility
2. expresses permission
3. is an odd, formal subjunctive use of the modal
'If you will just wait outside for a few minutes.'
1. is the use of 'will' for polite requests
2. is the use of 'will' for intentional future
3. is the use of 'will' in a conditional clause
'I couldn't see what he was driving at.'
1. is the use of 'could' for logical deduction
2. is the use of 'could' for past ability
3. is the use of 'could' for expressing a complaint
'could', when used for asking permission, is
1. considered more polite than 'can'
2. considered more polite than 'might'
3. a reference to someone's ability to do something in the future
'would' can express
1. past habits and requests
2. personal characteristics and permission
3. requests and possibilities
The negative of 'must' for denying permission
1. can be expressed using 'don't have to'
2. can be expressed using 'couldn't'
3. can be expressed using 'can't'
'She must be here soon - it's getting late.'
1. expresses strong advice
2. expresses a firm logical deduction
3. expresses strong possibility
'can' expresses
1. ability, permission, possibility and requests
2. ability, logical deduction, possibility and requests
3. ability, permission, possibility and past ability
'must' is used informally for strong advice.
1. True
2. False
3. Only in British English
'You might try speaking French to him.' expresses
1. a complaint
2. a possibility
3. a suggestion
'I could have left my car in his garage.'
1. is always the same as 'I might have left my car in his garage.'
2. is the same as 'I might have left my car in his garage.' when referring to possibility
3. is the same as 'I might have left my car in his garage.' when referring to ability
'You might have told me.' and 'You could have told me.' express
1. complaints only
2. complaints or past possibility
3. past possibility only
It is possible to omit the 'to' after 'ought'
1. when it is used to express negative obligation
2. when it is used to express advice
3. False

Central modal auxiliary verbs

Multiple-choice exercise