CBSE Class 10 English Modals Assignment

CBSE Class 10 English Modals Assignment. Students are advised to refer to the attached assignments and practice them regularly. This will help them to identify their weak areas and will help them to score better in examination. Parents should download and give the assignments to their children for practice.

MODALS

Modals are auxiliary verbs used along with main verbs. A modal gives additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it and forms the tense, mood, and voice of the main verb.
Modals cannot be used on their own but along with other main verbs to express attitudes.
- When something happens, they form the tense of the main verb.
For example: 1. I shall go.    2. He will go.

- They express permission, necessity or possibility to do something.
For example: 1. They may go.    2. You must go.
3. I can’t go.    4. I might go.
5. She would go if she could.

Observe the highlighted words in these sentences.
1. We can make our nation a superpower by the year 2020.
2. Kalam says that we need to do things ourselves. We must not import equipment from other nations.
3. In twenty years, each one of us ought to have our destiny worked out.

All the highlighted words are modal auxiliaries that are used with another verb to express the mood of the speaker.

- The main modals are: can, could; may, might; shall, should; will, would; must; ought to; need to; have to.
- The negative modals are: couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t, mustn’t, needn’t, oughtn’t.
Now, let us see how all these modals express the modality.

 MODALS                           EXAMPLES                                                     INDICATORS OF
Can/Can’t                     - She can swim.                                                  Ability
                                   - It can be risky if you jump.                               Possibility/Probability
                                   - Can I borrow your book?                                  Seeking permission
                                   - Can you lend me your project file?                     Request
                                   - Can I carry your bag?                                       Offer

MODALS                    EXAMPLES                                                        INDICATORS OF
Could/Couldn’t             - There was a time when I could skip very fast.               Past ability                    
                                  - We could go to the theatre for the matinee show.          Suggestion
                                  - Could you please open the door?                                  Request
                                  - Could I borrow your books?                                         Seeking permission

Will/Won’t                   - It is very hot outside, so I will spend my
                                    day at home.                                                             Intention
                                 - It will rain tonight.                                                      Prediction
                                 - I will get you a toy from the market.                            Promise

Shall                          - Shall we put the dinner on the table?                            Suggestion
                                 - Shall I iron your shirt?                                                 Offer

Would/Wouldn’t           - Would you prefer wearing a coat or a jacket?               Preference
                                 - Would you come to our wedding?                                 Invitation
                                 - Would you mind if I reach an hour late?                       Seeking permission or polite request
                                 - He would talk for long hours on phone.                        Past habit

Should                       - We should listen to our elders.                                     Advice
                                 - You should check the timings of the train.                     Recommended action

May                           - May I help you?                                                         Offer
                                - May I close the window?                                             Seeking permission
                                - May I have some water?                                             Request
                                - India may become a sport-loving nation after the         Possibility/Probability
                                  Common Wealth Games.
                                - May God bless you.                                                    Wish/Desire

Might                        - The guest might drop in at night.                                 Future possibility

Ought to                    - You ought to do your duty.                                         Advice
                                - The team of players ought to be here any time.            Probability

Must/Mustn’t              - You must listen to your mother.                                 Obligation
                                - You must not steal things.                                          Necessity

Need/Needn’t             - You need to learn computers.                                    Compulsion
                                - He need not write letters to the office.                        Necessity

Modals are those auxiliary (helping) verbs which express the ‘mode’ or ‘manner’ of the actions indicated by the main verbs. They express modes such as ability, possibility, probability, permission, obligation, etc.
The following are modal auxiliaries:

Shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must, ought to, used to,need, dare.

Use of Modal Auxiliaries

(a) Shall and Will

1. ‘Shall’ is used with the first person subject (I, we) and ‘will’, used with all person subject, to express simple future.

2. ‘Shall’ with the first person subject, expresses:

Intention e.g. I shall go home today,

promise e.g. I shall try to do better.

Threat e.g. I shall kill him.

Determination e.g. I shall do or die. 

3. ‘Will’ with the second & third person subject, expresses:

order e.g. You will do it just now.

threat e.g. You will be punished

promise e.g. You will have a holiday

determination e.g. You will work for me.

Intention e.g. Will he go with you? 

(b) ‘Would’ is used to express: Determination

e.g. I would have my way.

habitual action e.g. he would sit all day with the book in his hand.

willingness e.g. I would do my best to satisfy you.

wish e.g. Would that I were healthy. 

(c) ‘Should’ is used to express:

Duty e.g. We should keep our word.

advice e.g. you should take rest.’

after ‘lest ’e.g. Work hard lest you should fail.

polite request e.g. Should I help you to solve this problem? 

(d) ‘May’ is used to express:

Possibility e.g. he may succeed in his work.

Permission e.g. may I come in?

Wish e.g. may you live long.

Purpose e.g. he works hard so that he may pass. 

(e) Can is used to express:

Power/ability e.g.

He can swim

He cannot speak English

Permission e.g.

You can go now.

Can I use your bicycle? 

Solved Examples (Multiple Choice Questions)

Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals from the options given below.

Question. He ..................... use my phone.
(a) can
(b) shall
(c) would
(d) may
Answer.(a) can

Question. When I was young I ..................... climb any tree.
(a) can
(b) will
(c) could
(d) might
Answer.(c) could

Question. ..................... I have a cup of tea?
(a) Would
(b) Must
(c) Could
(d) Might
Answer.(c) Could

Question. You ..................... go only after finishing your work.
(a) would
(b) may
(c) shall
(d) could
Answer.(b) may

Question. You ..................... work hard.
(a) should
(b) would
(c) may
(d) might
Answer.(a) should

Question. You ..................... obey your parents.
(a) could
(b) must
(c) can
(d) may
Answer.(b) must

Question. Soldiers ..................... obey orders without any question.
(a) can
(b) would
(c) must
(d) will
Answer.(c) must

Question. You ..................... answer all questions.
(a) may
(b) must
(c) would
(d) could
Answer.(b) must

Question. I ..................... go to the market tomorrow.
(a) can
(b) would
(c) will
(d) might
Answer.(c) will

Question. I wish you ..................... fight this election.
(a) can
(b) shall
(c) would
(d) may
Answer.(c) would

Question. He tried but he ..................... not solve the problem.
(a) can
(b) could
(c) may
(d) might

Answer.(b) could

Question. You ..................... not litter the classroom.
(a) should
(b) may
(c) could
(d) will
Answer.(a) should

Question. ..................... God bless you!
(a) Can
(b) Might
(c) May
(d) Should
Answer.(c) May

Question. You ..................... exercise daily.
(a) will
(b) can
(c) ought to
(d) may
Answer.(c) ought to

Question. Somebody ..................... have told him.
(a) may
(b) ought to
(c) can
(d) must
Answer.(d) must

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