Grammar-Quizzes.com

Modal Diagnostic

Modal Diagnostic Quiz: a tool to help you identify specific points that need review

• Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate
• Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced 

Will / Might

Will / Might: expressing degrees of certainty

• will
• may
• might
• could
• it is possible that

Polar bears will perish. (100% certain)

They might not survive in the arctic. (< 50% certainty)

Will / Would

Will / Would: expressing intent, refusal and disappointment

• will  intended action
• will   scheduled activities
• wouldn't  refusal to act
• would have disappointment

Next month, I will get a raise in salary. (I am  determined to do so.)
Next month, I will get a raise. (It's scheduled in my contract.)

My boss wouldn't give me a raise though I asked.
I would have gotten a raise, but our profits went down.

Would

Would: stating preference, request, habit or excuse

• would you rather have X or Y  (preference)
• would you like  (preference)
• would (used to)
• would you(request)
• would have(make an excuse)
• would rather have (past preference)

Would you like some coffee?
Would you rather have tea or coffee?

On Sundays, we would visit our relatives

I would have stopped smoking, but it was too difficult.
I would rather have found an easy way out, but I didn't.

Should

Should & Should have: expressing expectation, convention or advice

• should  (expectation)
• will (expectation)
• are supposed to  (social convention)
• ought to (option or advice)
• should have (expectation not met)
• would have  (excuse)

The movie should be available next week.
The movie will be available next week. (expectation)

Should we wear black pants to work? (convention)
Are we supposed to wear black pants to work?(convention)

You should try ordering your movies online.(suggestion)
She ought not to talk on her cell phone when she's with you. (advice)

Could / Should

Could / Should: offering options and advice

• could
• should

You could try using a hammer. (option, another choice)

You should be careful. (advice)

Should/ Must

Should/ Must:  expressing advisability and necessity

• advisability
• advice
• necessity
• not required

Students should be honest about downloading copyrighted music.

They must not download copyrighted music.

 They have to respect artists' rights to earn fair profits.

The Recording Industry doesn't have to price their CDs so high.

Must have

Must have: making guesses, inferences and conclusions

• might
• might have
• must
• must have

She's sad. She might miss her family or she might be disappointed.

Also, she is alone. She has nothing but a half-empty glass.

She must be depressed.

Can/ could

Can/ Could: expressing physical, mental and potential ability

• physical ability
• mental ability
• potential
• manage to

I can lift a car.

I can change a tire.

Driving drunk can cause a fatal accident.

I was able to pass my driving test. (single event)

May / Can

May/ Can: requesting permission and offering suggestions

• permission
• request
• invitation / suggestion

You may leave early.

You can leave early.

May I see your arm? (I or we) (polite)

Shall we dance?
Let's dance
Would you like to dance ?

Modal Agreement

Modals Agreement: in mixed time frames

• so that
• which
• that
• because

Apple said that it would introduce more functionality with the newer software.

Future Perfect

Future Perfect: making predictions

• present – statement of intent
• future perfect – statement of prediction

Also see "by the time" 

By 5 o'clock, we will have finished our meeting.

Modal Review

Modal Review: meanings in present and past tense

Do these modals mean the same in present and past tense?

• will – would – would have
• can – could – could have
• may – might – might have
• must – had to - must have
• and more

I can drive there.   (ability)

I could drive there.  (permission / ability / potential)

Shall we go in there?  (invitation)

Should we go in there?  (warning)

You must eat this. (necessity)

You must have eaten this. (conclusion)

Modal Practice

Modal Practice: Means the Same!

• possibility
• expectation
• advice
• permission
• necessity
• conclusion

He ____ be crazy to do that.

  may  might   could  can  must

Modal Quiz

Modal Quiz: auto-correcting quiz

Finding an apartment in San Francisco ____ be very difficult.

Modals in Context

Modals in Context: identify modals and tense use in the context of an article

• identifying modals in a paragraph
• identifying tense use

It might put Napster out of business, and if you're a devoted Napster user, this is certainly sad news. But Metallica's actions could bring the controversy closer to home. The fact that Metallica was able to obtain the screen names of these users should concern those who post and download files on Napster.

Could/Should have

Should / Could have: considering options and advice in the past

• If ...then
• past + participle
• could have, might have, should have 

Passengers could have taken other smaller trans-atlantic ships.
The captain could have chosen a more southern trans-atlantic route.

The owners should have supplied enough lifeboats for everyone .

PastUnreal2

Past Unreal Situations 2: analyzing an accident

• If ...then
• past + participle
• could have, might have, should have 

If the night watchmen had had binoculars, they would have been able to spot the iceberg earlier.
The captain could have steered directly into the iceberg causing less damage.
The Titanic should have had more lifeboats.

By the Time

Predicting that something will be completed before another event or time

• by the time vs. when

 Located in Adverb Summary

By the time I leave work, the sun will be setting. (ongoing)
By the time I leave work, the sun will have set. (completed)

Omitting-If

Omitting if: giving advice in hypothetical situations

• omitting if
• were I you
• had I been you
• should you

Should you see him again, call me immediately.