Can you teach modal verbs? Will you be able to? Should you look for even better ways to teach them? The answers to all these modal questions are “Yes!” - and that’s why BusyTeacher.org offers 601 modal verb worksheets to bring some fresh, fun ideas to your ESL classroom.
Teaching modal verbs takes some strategy. A lot of other languages don’t have exact one-word equivalents for verbs like “should” and “would,” which means direct word-for-word translation probably isn’t an option. The next-best approach is to give examples - but it’s not always easy for students to guess the difference between, say, “can” and “could” from context alone. Some teachers start with the simplest modal verbs - “can” and “should” - and build up the list from there, using a variety of reading and speaking exercises.
However you plan to combine these approaches, BusyTeacher.org offers a wide variety of worksheets to help make sure your students can read, write, hear, and speak correctly when it comes to modal verbs. The sheer diversity of our worksheets means you’ll never find yourself repeating the same modal verb lesson twice - and the range of activities and exercises they provide will keep your students thinking about modal verbs in every kind of usage and context.
Whether you’re introducing some level-one students to modal verbs for the very first time, helping some level-two students review the modal verbs they’ve already learned, or introducing higher-level students to modal verbs in some new tenses, we’ve got worksheets tailored for your students’ ESL proficiency. With 601 modal verb worksheets to choose from, you’re sure to find some that are just right for your class.
Looking for simple fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice worksheets to use for quizzes? We’ve got ‘em right here! Interested in active games that help students learn to use modal verbs in realistic conversations? Just take a look below! BusyTeacher.org even has modal verb worksheets designed around popular song lyrics, so your students can show off their newfound understanding of those songs to their friends.
All these worksheets have been created and shared by ESL teachers around the world - teachers just like you, who want to help each other improve the learning potential of their classrooms. They’ve been generous enough to make every worksheet on this site completely free to download, share, modify, and use as you like - you don’t even have to register on our site. All we ask is that, if you have a worksheet of your own that you’d like to share, you click the “Submit a worksheet” button at the bottom of this page to contribute it to our ever-growing community.
BusyTeacher.org’s convenient thumbnail view makes it easy to browse our 601 modal verb worksheets at a glance, without having to click and download each one just to see what it looks like. You can even save time by checking out the top ten most popular modal verb worksheets on BusyTeacher.org, or use the search function at the top of the page to pinpoint exactly the worksheets you’re looking for. We’re sure that, one way or another, you’ll find the worksheet you need. And we’re sure your class will love it!
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In the English language, a modal verb is a type of auxiliary verb. The key way to identify a modal verb is by its defectiveness (they have neither participles nor infinitives). In addition, modal verbs do not take the inflection -s or -es in the third person singular, unlike other verbs. A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb, modal auxiliary) is a type of auxiliary verb that is used to indicate modality -- that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation. The use of auxiliary verbs to express modality is particularly characteristic of Germanic languages. Modal auxiliary verbs give more information about the function of the main verb that follows it. Although having a great variety of communicative functions, these functions can all be related to a scale ranging from possibility ("may") to necessity ("must"). Note that dare and need are much more commonly used as non-modal verbs, taking -s or -es in the third person singular and having an infinitive and past and present participles.
This lesson is for A2-B1 ESL students and details using the modal verb “should.” The worksheet explains the theory before presenting three detailed tasks where students can p ...
This YouTube video-based lesson contains lots of visuals for talking, telling, and retelling stories. Vocabulary building, warm-up, listening and discussion questions, fill-in-the-blanks ...
This four-page grammar guide shows the use of modal verbs ‘CAN – COULD - BE ABLE TO - BE ALLOWED TO. The chart is set out in categories (degrees of certainty, obligation, and ...
This is a worksheet to practice/review the modal verbs ‘can/can’t – could/couldn’t – be able to/was able to’ (expressing ability). There are eight exe ...
This presentation aims at practicing different modal verbs (present forms). Students complete the sentences with the necessary modals and check their answers themselves. It's thematic an ...
This worksheet includes objective-type questions about time, measurement, rounding, missing numbers, odd and even numbers, factors, and basic shape concepts. Students have to solve these ...
This reading comprehension exercise is based on an article from The Guardian newspaper. It's aimed at students preparing for a technical degree, or adults working in the field of Human R ...
This worksheet is for beginners to practice using adjectives about wild animals: their size/shape and habits (food, habitat). It includes a gap-filling exercise and using verbs such as run, ju ...
This is a game in the form of a presentation. You can choose the number of the image by drawing lots, or put the numbers in a hat and pull out one by one. The game can be displayed on the screen o ...
This worksheet is a revision of basic structures in English: be, have got, there is/are, personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and possessive adjectives. I have done it for my students and it ...
This worksheet lets students practise the form and function of the modal verbs of necessity (have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t). It focuses on letting the learner choose the right ...
This worksheet lets students practise the use of “should/shouldn’t” for giving advice. Students need to complete the sentences with “should/shouldn’t” and a ve ...
The worksheet is based on the video that discusses the problem of animal extinction and human role in preserving wildlife and includes vocabulary in Ukranian. The video puts forward controversial ...
In this quick exercise, learners will complete the gaps of a phone conversation to book a doctor's appointment with the phrases "I would like to book", "I can't make it", "That works for me", "Ca ...
In this worksheet, students will fill in the blanks of two conversations at a shop. After that, they will look into the language and vocabulary used in the conversations and analyze their meanings ...
This is an activity to fill in phrases related to dining at a restaurant. It is a series of words and phrases typically used in Restaurants. At the end students can prepare a conversation using th ...
This an easy activity which can be done in the classroom or given as homework. The students are asked to match the pictures with verbs/activities by using 'can'. Visual make it easy to understand. ...
This worksheet is based on 'Peppa Pig' cartoon episode. It was made to revise modal verb CAN. It may be used to speak about fruits and vegetables, quantity and shopping. It will take about 30 mins ...
A worksheet to be used at the beginning of the schoolyear. It may help the students about the teacher's expectations during the English lessons. A way to revise modals with an easy fill-in-the-bl ...
Discussion/warmer activity centered around superheroes and their superpowers. Students begin by watching a YouTube clip, using it identify a number of superpowers. They then design their own sup ...
A worksheet aiming at practising the use of modal verb can and can't for ability. It contains a variety of tasks such as gap filling, matching and multiple choice exercises. It can be used as supp ...
This activity will help students practise the modal verbs of ability and possibility 'can' and 'can't'. Students play a game of bingo by finding classmates who can do certain things. Each student ...
Students in turn take cards and ask for advice from the rest of the group. For example, 'I want to improve my English. What should I do?' Students could challenge each other's advice to make the a ...
This is a simple worksheet which practices the use of 'should' and 'shouldn't'. The first activity is a gap fill and the second activity asks students to write sentences according to the situation ...
This worksheet includes fill in the blanks activity with a wordcloud which is about household chores. Also, it provides a sentence level activity, in that part learners use 'have to/has to' and 'r ...
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