CBSE Class 12 English Modal Verbs Worksheet

Modal Verbs

Fill in the blanks.

Question. 'I rang the door bell twice but she didn't open the door.' 'She .......................................'
(a) might be asleep
(b) might be sleeping
(c) might have been asleep

Answer : C

Question. Sam was absent yesterday. Perhaps he .............................. ill.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) has been

Answer : B

Question. She has been absent for a few days. She ............................... ill.
(a) might be
(b) might have been
(c) may have been

Answer : A

Question. I saw something moving behind the curtain. What .............................. it be?
(a) can
(b) may
(c) could

Answer : A

Question. She wasn't at the meeting yesterday. Perhaps she .............................. about it.
(a) didn't know
(b) hadn't known
(c) doesn't know

Answer : A

Question. She is not in her room. Where ............................ she have gone?
(a) may
(b) could
(c) would

Answer : B

Question. I ............................... Ireland in summer.
(a) might be visiting
(b) might visit
(c) Either could be used here

Answer : A

Question. We .................................. to wait an hour for the next bus.
(a) Please select 2 correct answers
(b) will have
(c) would have
(d) have

Answer : B

Question. That .............................. be John. He is in Madrid.
(a) must not
(b) may not
(c) cannot

Answer : C

Question. That ................................ a cat. I had heard a meow.
(a) may be
(b) must have been
(c) could be

Answer : B

Question. Don't call her in the afternoon. She .................................. a nap.
(a) might be having
(b) might have
(c) might have had

Answer : A

Question. 'I wonder why didn't reply to my letter?' 'She ....................................... it.'
(a) couldn't receive
(b) couldn't have received
(c) couldn't be receiving

Answer : B

Modal Verbs

Fill in the blanks with ‘can’ or ‘could’.
1. ……………………. you prepare a cup of tea for me, please?
2. She ……………………. not help to laugh at the joker.
3. We ……………………. execute your plan at once.
4. He said that he ……………………. walk twenty kilometres at a stretch.
5. A lame person ……………………. not walk.
6. ……………………. you lift this box for me?
7. She ……………………. read without glasses till last year.
8. You ……………………. not see the principal now.
9. He worked hard but ……………………. not pass the examination.
10. She ……………………. play the piano when she was only eleven.
Answer :
1. could 2. can 3. can 4. could 5. can 6. could 7. could 8. can 9. could 10. could.

Fill in the blanks with May’ or “Might’.
1. The news ……………………. not be true.
2. With a little more effort we ……………………. win this time.
3. The examinations ……………………. be postponed.
4. We ……………………. have gone if they had invited us to dinner.
5. With a little push, he ……………………. have got the job.
6. ……………………. your future be bright!
7. You ……………………. not attend the meeting this evening.
8. He said that it ……………………. not rain.
9. She asked if she ……………………. see the director.
10. The sky is overcast. It …………………….rain at any time.
Answer :
1. may 2. might 3. may, 4. might 5. might 6. may 7. may 8. might 9. might 10. may

Fill in the blanks with ‘can’, ‘could’, ‘may’ or ‘might’ appropriate to the sense given in brackets.
1. He ……………………. do this if he tried. (possibility)
2. She ……………………. not run as fast as you. (ability)
3. He ……………………. enter college next year. (possibility)
4. I knew that I ……………………. borrow his car. (ability)
5. You ……………………. tell me what he said. (claim)
6. You ……………………. tell me what he said. (ability)
7. I ……………………. help him if he asked me to. (wish)
8. He works hard so that that he ……………………. get good marks. (purpose)
9. When I was young, I ……………………. write Hindi verse. (capacity)
10. Had you worked hard, you ……………………. have won a scholarship (possibility)
Answer :
1. Might 2. can 3. may 4. could 5. might 6. could 7. may 8. may 9. could 10. might.

Use shall or will in the blanks in the following sentences.
1. He ………………. leave this office at once. It is final.
2. I ………………. file a case of defamation against the paper.
3. We ………………. not allow this type of misrule to continue.
4. All traitors ………………. die.
5. How long ………………. you stay at Manali?
6. ……………….you attend her farewell party?
7. ……………….we be invited to her mango party?
8. She ………………. just sit and brood over her past life.
9. We ………………. not visit the Trade Fair tomorrow.
10. ………………. we refresh ourselves with some coffee now?
Answer :
1. shall 2. will 3. will 4. shall 5. will 6. will 7. shall 8. will 9. shall 10. shall.

Fill in the blanks with ‘shall’ or ‘will’ whichever is appropriate.
1. You ………………. not steal. (command)
2. We ……………….be very glad to see you. (simple future)
3. My son ……………….be twelve next month. (natural occurrence)
4. ………………. you do it or shall I? (enquiry)
5. All right! You ………………. have what you want. (promise)
6. I ………………. meet you again if you so desire. (determination)
7. I ………………. meet you again next week, I expect. (simple future)
8. You ………………. stay till you have finished your work. (threat)
9. You ………………. not prevent me from saying what I want, (simple future)
10. If you carry the chairs I ………………. carry the table. (willingness)
Answer :
1. shall 2. shall 3. will 4. will 5. shall 6. will 7. shall 8. shall 9. will 10. will.

Fill in the blanks with ‘would’ or ‘should’.
1. You ………………………… work hard to win a scholarship.
2. He ………………………… rather starve than beg.
3. ………………………… you post this letter?
4. They ………………………… arrive here at any moment.
5. If I were a judge, I ………………………… do fair justice.
6. I ………………………… like you to help him with his studies.
7. We ………………………… help the poor and the needy.
8. ………………………… she walks fast, she will catch the train.
9. ………………………… you like to listen to music?
10. I wish he ………………………… not fail this time.
Answer :
1. should 2. would 3. Would 4. should 5. would 6. would 7. should 8. should 9. would 10. would.

Fill in the blanks with the right word out of ‘Must’, ‘Ought’ ,‘used to’, ‘need’, ‘needn’t’, ‘dare’.
1. How ……………………. you say so?
2. She ……………………. have been ill.
3. You ……………………. worry about the child. He will recover soon.
4. How……………………. you disobey your father?
5. Do I ……………………. to come here again?
6. You ……………………. to have obeyed your teacher.
7. He ……………………. not come tomorrow. We are going out on a picnic.
8. I ……………………. to have been there this time.
9. Gandhiji ……………………. spin every day.
10. You ……………………. engage a tutor for your son.
Answer :
1. dare 2. must 3. needn’t 4. Dare 5. need 6. ought 7. need 8. ought 9. used to 10. must.

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable modals.
May, ought to, would, must, need.
(i) You ………….. go home now.
(ii) The doctor told me that I ………….. not smoke anymore.
(iii) You ………….. not see him. Just write a letter to him.
(iv) We ………….. show respect to our elders.
(v) ………….. you possibly lend a thousand rupees?
Answer : 1.(i) may (ii) must(iii) need (iv) ought to (v) Could/Would

2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals.
may, could, must, ought, shall.
(i) You ………….. not enter my class. I forbid it.
(ii) He has been absent for a fortnight, he ………….. be ill.
(iii) ………….. I come in? I’m sorry to be late.
(iv) You ………….. to respect your elders.
(v) ………….. I speak to the Principal for a minute?
Answer : 2.(i) shall (ii) must (iii) May (iv) ought (v)Could

3. Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals.
will, shall, should, can, could, must, ought to, need.
(i) I ………….. go there even if it rains.
(ii) You have burnt the midnight oil. You ………….. win a scholarship.
(iii) If you have a ticket, you ………….. go inside.
(iv) I ………….. not come yesterday since I was too busy.
(v) We ………….. go to the station by taxi; it is getting late.
(vi) You ………….. not bring your umbrella. I’ll lend you mine.
(vii) Work hard lest you ………….. fail.
(viii) ………….. he brings the dinner now?
Answer :
3.(i) will (ii) ought to (iii) can (iv) could (v) must (vi) need (vii) should (viii) will.

Set: 10 Fill in the blanks with suitable modals to convey the sense indicated in the brackets.
1. I …………………… speak English fluently. (Present ability)
2. You …………………… have the money tomorrow. (Promise)
3. When I was young, I …………………… run faster. (Past ability)
4. How …………………… he disobeys his father? (Courage)
5. He …………………… apologise or face the consequences. (Command)
6. You …………………… leave these papers on my desk and go.(Permission)
7. …………………… we go to a movie? (Suggestion)
8. I …………………… wait till you return. (Willingness)
9. We …………………… not give up fighting. (Determination)
10. You …………………… not touch those exhibits. (Prohibition)
11. You ……………………. not worry about your son now. (Absence of necessity)
12. I fear the weather …………………… not improve soon. (Possibility)
13. You …………………… go (permission), if you …………………… (Compulsion)
14. They …………………… sit together in the lawn and talk for hours. (Habitual action in the past)
15. We …………………… to serve our nation. (Moral obligation)
Answer :
1. can 2. shall 3. could 4. Dare 5. must 6. may lean 7. shall 8. will / must 9. will 10. must 11. need 12. may
13. can; must 14. would 15. ought.

SECTION A

READING

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will further expand the educational facilities in the remote areas of the country through EDUSAT, announced Prof. H.P. Dikshit, Vice- Chancellor of IGNOU, who has been recently appointment as chairman of core group to utilise the EDUSAT facility. 

EDUSAT is the first exclusive satellite dedicated to the educational sector which is primarily meant for providing connectivity to school, college and higher education sector and also support non – formal education, including development communication.

EDUSAT was launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh in Sept. 2004, 80 kms from Chennai. While giving this information Dr. Umes Chandra Pandey, Regional Director of IGNOU for Punjab and Chandigarh, said that with the launch of EDUSAT the distance education programmes of IGNOU will get a fresh boost. IGNOU has been assigned crucial responsibilities for implementation of EDUSAT which will enhance the capabilities of IGNOU to serve its mandate of providing education at every doorstep of people, making education convenient for them. 

Dr. Pandey also said that the extension of quality education to remote and rural regions becomes a challenging task for a large country like India with multi-lingual and multi-cultural population separated by vast geographical distances and a number of areas having inaccessible terrain. 

Dr. Pandey informed that through EDUSAT a teacher sitting in a television studio can simultaneously address hundreds of students in different schools / colleges all over the country which will bring about equity in access to quality education. 

It will be the beginning of a silent revolution in India Educational scenario, he said. IGNOU and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have been working together to develop satellitebased education network dedicated to education since 1993.

Besides supporting formal education, a satellite system can make it possible to disseminate knowledge to the rural and remote population about crucial aspects like health and hygiene,  and allow professional to update their knowledge base as well, which can prove to be very beneficial to them in the long run.

Thus, in spite of limited trained and skilled teachers, the educational demands of the growing student population at different levels can be met through the EDUSAT. ISRO will provide the space segment for EDUSAT system and demonstrate the efficacy of the satellite system for distance education. The content generation would be the responsibility of the user agencies 

The quantity and quality of the content would ultimately decide the success of EDUSAT system which involves enormous effort by the user agencies, including IGNOU, which has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ISRO. IGNOU and ISRO have been working together to develop satellite-based educational network dedicated for education since 1993.

A.1.1 Based on your reading of the passage answer the following questions:

(a) What is the primary purpose of the launch of EDUSAT?1

(b) Explain the role of IGNOU vis-à-vis EDUSAT?2

(c) What hinders the spread of quality education across the country and how can the problem be solved?2

(d) Describe the silent revolution.2

(e) The Satellite system is a multi-purpose one. Explain.2

(f) Find synonyms from the passage for the following words:1x3=3 

(i) From a distance (ii) unapproachable (iii) improve (iv) spread widely