601 FREE Modal Verbs Worksheets & Exercises
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FREE Modal Verbs Worksheets

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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Animals Can...

Animals Can...

This worksheet can be useful to practise the modal Can, vocabulary of animals and verbs. They use the modal Can and the verbs that are related with animal activitiesI use this worksheet for my gro ...
16 Views 21,832 Beg
Have to Worksheet (Obligation, Necessity, Duty)

Have to Worksheet (Obligation, Necessity, Duty)

This worksheet can be helpful if: - you don't know how to teach have to or it seems challenging for you. - you want to use an indirect approach to teach. - you have already taught it and now you w ...
24 Views 29,489 Elem
Giving Advice

Giving Advice

Patterns to be used for giving advice with some sentences provided as practice. Suitable for pre-intermediate and intermediate levels. After having worked with the sentences given, students might ...
12 Views 45,168 Pre-IntInt
Endangered Species Discussion

Endangered Species Discussion

Here is a worksheet for the sts to discuss about endangered species. Later,they are asked to search the Internet and find information on the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Follow up ...
10 Views 65,015 Pre-IntInt
Language Test for Intermediate EFL Students

Language Test for Intermediate EFL Students

the worksheet includes exercises to test/practice word formation, collocations, functions, modals, and gerund/infinitive. The exercises can be used either as a test or for revision. Once the exer ...
4 Views 17,230 Int
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Can or May; May or Might

Can or May; May or Might

Grammar Year 7-9 (Australian English) SECTION 1 (6 questions): CAN is used when we mean we are capable of doing what we want to do. MAY must first of all obtain permission. E.g. I can play footbal ...
7 Views 21,518 IntAdv
Writing with Modal Verbs

Writing with Modal Verbs

This is a writing aimed at pre-intermediate and intermediate level students. They have to describe life in the year 3012, using modal verbs to talk about different things like: education, jobs, ci ...
9 Views 58,460 Pre-IntInt
Video Session: The Hunger Games

Video Session: The Hunger Games

This is a video session worksheet to use while watching The Hunger Games. They are mainly comprehension activities and some speculation. The film is interesting, action-packed and there is a love ...
14 Views 30,265 IntAdvExam
Speaking Out

Speaking Out

This worksheet has 10 situations for discussion. Students should be divided into two teams. The captain of one team gives the situation to the member of the opponent team. He has to listen careful ...
12 Views 13,063 Pre-IntInt
A New World

A New World

This is designed to be a speaking activity for upper - intermediate students. It has a frame work so that the teacher can intervien when necessary but allows students to openly express opinions. ...
12 Views 12,502 Adv
From the End of Slavery to the Civil Rights Movement

From the End of Slavery to the Civil Rights Movement

From the end of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement. This webquest allows pupils to become conscious of the evolution of the racial issues faced by the African Americans over the last hundred a ...
17 Views 16,649 Int
Video Worksheet: Angry and the Beanstalk

Video Worksheet: Angry and the Beanstalk

I have just finished reading Jack and the Beanstalk with a group of children.They enjoyed the story and they love Angry birds. This is a worksheet to use with the Angry birds version of Jack and t ...
14 Views 12,253 Beg
Feeling the Music

Feeling the Music

Are there stereotypes when listening to music? What is more important - to know the backgound of a band or to feel the music? At this lesson SS practice speaking about the music which is unfamilia ...
14 Views 22,253 Pre-IntInt
Towards Zero Waste

Towards Zero Waste

Lesson plan on topic of Ecology. Practice speaking and listening. You need to have an Internet accsess in class to watch youtube-videos, or somehow download them. Download the presentation https ...
7 Views 7,660 Pre-IntInt
Can & Can't

Can & Can't

It's a simple worksheet to practice CAN & CAN'T. First, students have to look at some pictures and tick or cross according to what they see. them they have to write sentences taking into accou ...
20 Views 19,667 Elem
Speaking Activity: Modal/ Auxiliary Verbs

Speaking Activity: Modal/ Auxiliary Verbs

This power point was designed to practice students' speaking on Modals or Auxiliary Verbs, as well as to help them differentiating the function of modal verb. There are 20 questions slides for you ...
30 Views 97,006 ElemPre-IntInt
Modal Verb Practice

Modal Verb Practice

Modal verb practice where students fill in the blanks using modal verbs in the word bank. More than one modal verb may be used which requires the students to think before completing the sentences. ...
23 Views 32,449 Pre-IntInt
The Story of Chicken Licken

The Story of Chicken Licken

Slovak ppt about fairy tale about Chicken Licken and her friends. It can be used for practicising must. It includes crossword, wordsearch and talking about pictures. There are animated pictures. I ...
12 Views 22,360 BegElem
Conclusions Worksheet: That Must Be, Have to, Don't Have to

Conclusions Worksheet: That Must Be, Have to, Don't Have to

Intermediate Level. To practice coming to conclusions: "must be" and using "have to, don't have to" in the context of jobs. 1. Cut up the jobs and the adjectives and put them in separate columns ...
11 Views 14,160 Int
Song Worksheet: Irreplaceable by Beyonce

Song Worksheet: Irreplaceable by Beyonce

This is Beyonce's song Irreplaceable, which is great to use for teaching MUST for Logical Conclusions. After you listen to the song you can do the last exercise where students have to imagine what ...
4 Views 11,731 IntAdv
Give Your Advice

Give Your Advice

Students get questions on stripes of paper, and have to offer their vision of solving the problem. Questions are developed for 12-15 year-old students. You may foster class discussion, or ask some ...
9 Views 14,723 Pre-IntInt
Children for Whom School Means Nothing

Children for Whom School Means Nothing

Good reading activity with comprehnsion questions. Teachers can use as a wram for further discussion of truancy as a school problem. I used this as a reading activity with my students and they enj ...
12 Views 15,993 Pre-Int
Giving Advice - Problem Cards

Giving Advice - Problem Cards

This is a pair activity for practising giving advice. There are ten problem cards. Choose ten students who will tell their partner about his/her problem. Then the partner will give them advice. I ...
37 Views 107,628 Pre-Int
Social Media

Social Media

This is not an in- depth look although with more time it could be used to help write a letter to Facebook for instance or together with a look at the film the Social Network. This tries to look at ...
6 Views 19,560 Pre-IntInt
Can and Can't: Presentation

Can and Can't: Presentation

a power point presentation to introduce can / can't. This ppt guides students how to use can and can't to express ability in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences, and enables students ...
15 Views 29,751 BegElem

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