BusyTeacher Home » » Modal Verbs

222 FREE Modal Verbs Worksheets

 
Explore Modal Verbs:

Got a great worksheet on Modal Verbs? Tell us about it and become a BusyTeacher contributor!

Submit a Worksheet
 
 
Modal verbs are another very popular topic in ESL classrooms so busy teachers have submitted 222 related worksheets. With so many to choose from and more being added regularly, you should take a look at the variety of worksheets available and consider using one of them with your students. Let’s take a look at some of these brilliant worksheets. This is a simple modal verbs survey activity for elementary learners; the exercise is to help them practice asking and answers questions about what they can do. Another worksheet focuses on using the phrase “must not” and includes all the instructions for a card game. You can find that right here; your lower level learners will certainly enjoy it. There is also an article with some advice for teaching modal verbs so take a look at that before introducing the topic in your classes.
Modal verbs are used in so many different situations that you should include them throughout your ESL course especially when working with intermediate learners. Modals are used for talking about ability and necessity as well as many other things. Make sure students have a clear understanding of certain modal verbs before having a lesson on giving advice or making suggestions. These words are imperative for this type of lesson. You will certainly find a number of occasions to have students practice using modals so make sure you have a good, memorable introduction to get them started.
... More About Modal Verbs worksheets ... Less About Modal Verbs worksheets

GRAMMAR TIP: What Are Modal Verbs?
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.
Freebase CC-BY
Source: English Modal Verb on Freebase, licensed under CC-BY

Recently added worksheets in Modal Verbs:

Sort by: Date | Rating | Views | Comments | ABC
 
Expressing Ability Worksheet Expressing Ability WorksheetThis is a worksheet for teaching modal verbs: can and be able to.There is a brief explanation at the top of the page followed by a simple activity in which students are asked to fill in the gaps u ...
  • 108
rated by 2 teachers

Pre-Intermediate Intermediate
 
Abilities Worksheet: Let's Talk About Animals Abilities Worksheet: Let's Talk About AnimalsGrammar - controlled practiceStudents will be practicing the modal verb can (abilities) associated with the vocabulary of animals to talk about the things animals can or can't do. Afterwards they' ...
  • 135
rated by 3 teachers

Elementary
 
Song Worksheet: That's All by Nat King Cole [Cloze Listening Activity] Song Worksheet: That's All by Nat King Cole [Cloze Listening Activity]Students read and listen along with "That's All" by Nat King Cole, and fill in the missing lyrics. After listening through the song verse by verse, and then in its entirety, work together as a cl ...
  • 135
rated by 2 teachers

Pre-Intermediate Intermediate Upper Intermediate and Advanced
 
Abilities & Requests [CAN] Abilities & Requests [CAN]The use of the modal CAN for abilities and requests. Some examples in questions and answers and a lot of interrogative sentences for the students to practice and they can answer the questions. Thi ...
  • 108
rated by 5 teachers

Elementary Pre-Intermediate
 
Can and Can't for Kids Can and Can't for KidsLearners can practice how to express abilities with can and can't. The first exercise includes animals. The learners' task is to write sentrences about them. In the second and the third exercise t ...
  • 135
rated by 3 teachers

Elementary
 
I Can I CanThe modal verb CAN for Young ESL learners.This worksheet contains a: - listening and repeating activity;- writing exercise (speech bubble).- set of keywords for a speaking activity with I CAN and ...
  • 135
rated by 4 teachers

Elementary
 
Modals and Traffic Signs Modals and Traffic SignsTraffic signs and their description is given. Students have to fill in the gaps in the descriptions with an appropriate modal verb and match it to the traffic sign it describes. They learn modals ...
  • 108
rated by 4 teachers

Intermediate Upper Intermediate and Advanced
 
Limits LimitsIt's about the use of CAN/BE ABLE TO, including reading, writing and oral skills. Teachers can use it for presenting this grammar tip adn explore Sts speaking using their own experience. There is ...
  • 108
rated by 4 teachers

Elementary Pre-Intermediate Intermediate
 
MIGHT/MIGHT NOT worksheet MIGHT/MIGHT NOT worksheetThe worksheet focuses on "might/ might not" & contains information about when to use/rules of formation + example sentences + exercises: Look at the pictures (affirmative and negative) and wri ...
  • 135
rated by 6 teachers

Pre-Intermediate
 
Garfield Friends the Great Gateway Garfield Friends the Great GatewayIn this worksheet you can work with all the skills and besides you will reinforce students' knowledge about MUST and HAVE TO. On the one hand you will work on students' comprehension while watchin ...
  • 81
rated by 4 teachers

Pre-Intermediate Intermediate
 
Video Games: A Boon or Bane? Video Games: A Boon or Bane?An interesting reading passage dealing with the possible risks posed by video games on children's health and life in general. The worksheets also include reading questions ranging from comprehensi ...
  • 108
rated by 7 teachers

Upper Intermediate and Advanced
 
Modal Verbs Flashcards Modal Verbs FlashcardsThese are simple word flashcards, with a symbol in each one, to represent ability, advice and order. I printed the affirmative ones in green paper and the negative in red paper. On the board, I dr ...
  • 108
rated by 6 teachers

Complete Beginner Elementary
 
Auxiliary Verb Can Auxiliary Verb CanExercises to make sentences and answer questions using the auxiliary verb can. Students will be able to understand and make sentences using common action verbs and talk about their own abilit ...
  • 108
rated by 5 teachers

Elementary
subscribe to busyteacher.org
Recommend on Google
Receive instant updates when new worksheets for busy teachers get published. Recommend us on Google, subscribe to RSS or follow BusyTeacher.org on Twitter!
BusyTeacher's Books
  • 300 Creative Writing Prompts to Turbocharge Your Lessons!
  • Amazing Lessons You Can Teach With Things Around You
  • ESL Cheat Sheets: Back To School Edition
  • 34 ESL Cheat Sheets: Classroom Management Edition
  • Busy Teacher's 670 ESL Flashcards
  • Busy Teacher's ESL Survival Guide
  • Busy Teacher's ESL Cheat Sheets: Holidays Edition
  • Busy Teacher's ESL Cheat Sheets: Grammar Edition



esl essentials for busy teachers

Friends' Recent Activity

Busy English Teacher's Glossary
find worksheets