VB035/06
Adapted from Mann, Malcolm and Steve Taylore-Knowles. Destination B2. Macmillan. 2013.
Modal verbs exercise
1) Circle the correct word or phrase. If both options are correct, circle both
a) Hello, could / can I speak to Mrs Johnson, please?
b) We could / were allowed to go home early yesterday because our teachers was ill.
c) The head teacher said we could / were allowed to go home.
d) Do you think I should / could be worried about these spots on my forehead?
e) You ought to / should enter the talent contest!
f) You couldn’t / shouldn’t talk to people like that! It’s rude!
g) Alan should write / have written two essays in the exam yesterday, not one!
h) No, you may / should not go out tonight. You know you’re grounded!
i) Diana should have waited / been waiting for me at the corner. I wonder where she went.
j) What were you doing in the park? You ought to have done / been doing your homework
then!
k) Yes, of course you can / are able to open the window if you’re too hot!
2) Use the words below only once to complete the sentences in Table A. the meaning of the
sentences in Table B will help you.
Able, cannot, could, had, have, might, must, needn’t, mustn’t, ought, should, will
Table A Table B
1. I __________ have left my bag on the bus. Expressing certainty
2. In a few months, I’ll be __________ to buy a car. Expressing future ability
3. I __________ drive when I was thirteen years old! Expressing past ability
4. No, you __________ have any more pocket money! Refusing a request
5. I think you __________ consider a career in the
armed forces.
Giving advice
6. I __________ forget to phone Julie tonight! Expressing personal obligation
7. I __________ to have a filling at the dentist’s. Expressing external obligation
in the past
8. You don’t __________ to do Exercise D for
homework.
Expressing a lack of obligation
9. You __________ have to work a lot harder if you
want to get a good report.
Expressing future obligation
10. They __________ to arrive at about 8. Expressing probability
11. Sean __________ have got stuck in traffic. Expressing possibility
12. I __________ have worried so much about Jan’s
present. She loved it!
Expressing a lack of past
obligation
VB035/06
Adapted from Mann, Malcolm and Steve Taylore-Knowles. Destination B2. Macmillan. 2013.
Formal Letter Exercise
The following is an informal letter requesting an informational interview at a law firm. Change it so it
sounds more formal (and the applicant actually has a chance of seeing the desired person!). The
problem parts are highlighted for you; rewriting of other parts is fine as long as it is related to the
phrases in bold:
Hi Ms. Goldstein!
I’m now an undergraduate student at Ivy League University majoring in Criminal Justice. My buddy,
Filoména Šebestová, who previously worked for your Law Firm as an Office Clerk, told me I should
contact you for a nice info interview.
I’d really love to be a business law attorney, such as yourself. Filoména said you’re a great business
law attorney who’s going to help me a lot about understanding the field. Now I’m in the process of
exploring different professional law schools. Your background and experience in business law will be
great for me as I pursue my career in law. I hope seeing you is ok, I would like to schedule a 20-25
minute informational meeting with you. Why I want to see you is to gather additional information
that will better assist me with my career decisions.
I’ll contact you by telephone on June 9th to see if we can schedule a meeting. Thanks for your
attention, and I hope we can spend some productive time together pretty soon!
Have a nice day,
Přemysl Vomáčka