Types of modality: test

Multiple-choice test
ELT Concourse Home

Choose the best answer. In some cases, there are two possible correct responses.

  1. Could you speak French before you lived in Paris?
    1.   alethic
    2.   deontic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   epistemic
  2. That can't be his mother; she's too young.
    1.   epistemic
    2.   deontic
    3.   alethic
    4.   dynamic
  3. If you would follow me, please.
    1.   deontic
    2.   epistemic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   alethic
  4. We have to arrive early to get a seat.
    1.   dynamic
    2.   alethic
    3.   epistemic
    4.   deontic
  5. He seems to be getting old rather quickly.
    1.   deontic
    2.   dynamic
    3.   alethic
    4.   epistemic
  6. I'll cook, if you like.
    1.   deontic
    2.   dynamic
    3.   epistemic
    4.   alethic
  7. Pure modal auxiliary verbs cannot co-occur in English.
    1.   alethic
    2.   dynamic
    3.   deontic
    4.   epistemic
  8. May I enquire who you are?
    1.   epistemic
    2.   alethic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   deontic
  9. He might be there already.
    1.   epistemic
    2.   dynamic
    3.   alethic
    4.   deontic
  10. Patently, that's false.
    1.   dynamic
    2.   deontic
    3.   alethic
    4.   epistemic
  11. I really must get this toothache seen to.
    1.   deontic
    2.   alethic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   epistemic
  12. Silence: Examination in Progress
    1.   alethic
    2.   deontic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   epistemic
  13. You ought to telephone your mother. She'll be worried sick.
    1.   dynamic
    2.   alethic
    3.   epistemic
    4.   deontic
  14. It's my turn to pay, isn't it?
    1.   epistemic
    2.   dynamic
    3.   deontic
    4.   alethic
  15. Could I ask a question, please?
    1.   deontic
    2.   alethic
    3.   dynamic
    4.   epistemic