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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This is a simple worksheet for teaching can / can't for ability. There are two pages with activities in which students are asked to look at the picture and complete the sentences, fill in the bla ...
This is a simple worksheet for revising modal verbs: mustn't, can’t, should, would, might, could and must. Students are asked to rewrite the sentences substituting the underlined words by ...
Three real situations were written to Dear Deidre, a famous "Heart Doctor" in England. Split your students in groups and make them read one of situations. They will give some advices using the mod ...
Modals Test: Must/Have to (obligation), Don't Have to (absence of necessity), Can't/Mustn't (prohibition), Can (permission), Be Able to (ability).
his worksheet was originally created for a middl ...
A worksheet for teaching modal verbs: can for ability. Students are asked to write sentences using the verbs given, make questions and write short answers and write affirmative and negative sente ...
This is a brief grammar guide to modal verbs. You can easily use it in classroom, before the exercises or after the lesson. Students can refresh their memories by checking this guide. It includes ...
This is a worksheet for practising should have/shouldn't have. The verbs are given and there are picture prompts as well to help the students complete the sentences. The key is included. Who says ...
This worksheet is good for modal verb explanations for the students. They are just notes of the three concepts of modals. I use it for P.E.T. level these students are preparing for the Cambridge ...
This is a worksheet for revising modal verbs: must, can, should, would, might, could and must. Students are asked to rewrite different sentences substituting the underlined words by a modal verb. ...
This sheet gives students vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking practice relevant to 'beauty' and looks. It also introduces the grammar using ought to/should and shouldn't. It would suit a pr ...
This is a sheet with exercises in word on modal verbs. An extra document in word to parctise modals.You can use them with pupils studying the first or the second year of Bachillerato as you like ...
Third part of the ppt on modal verbs. There is a third one and an extra document in word to parctise modals. You can use them with pupils studying the first or the second year of Bachillerato. Th ...
Second part of the ppt on modal verbs. There is a 2nd one in the series. You can use them with pupils studying the first or the second year of Bachillerato. They can be very useful both for teach ...
This is a useful ppt for teaching modal and semi-modals. This is the first part of three power points aimed at upper intermediate pupils studing second year Bachillerato in Spain. I´m also a ...
A simple exercise to ask different people what can or can't do. You must ask to 5 different people about the activities shown and complete the chart: "Can you speak German? Yes, I can. No, I can't ...
This is a 20 sentence worksheet for elementary students to test their understanding of the modals can (can't), have to (don't have to) in the context of sports. It has two simple exercises (10 sen ...
Students, divided into two teams, are supposed to choose a square, mark it with a cross or a nought, depending on their team, and make a sentence using the past modals and the verb given in order ...
Cut these into stripes and give to different students/groups of students. Let them discuss where James is and what he is doing based on the information given. Students should use the following ph ...
I used this worksheet with 10 year-old children and they loved it. You can work the use of can/can't, extensive and intensive listening, and descriptions. The characters, song and the movie are we ...
It is a worksheet of 4 exercises. the two first are connected because in the first students have to find some words in a word search and then fill in the gaps with those words in the exercise numb ...
I have used various resources to create this "To Be Verb" worksheet. I have included the basic rules at the beginning of the worksheet along with some exercises that students can complete. Exerci ...
A speaking activity for upper-intermediate students inspired by the Desperate Housewives tv series which students may be familiar with. Not a role play, but a simulation activity where students p ...
This worksheet consists of 20 pictures and 20 sentences with gaps. The students have to complete the sentences with the affirmative, interrogative form to express obligation and the negative (don' ...
This worksheet is for pair work. It is used to practise modals by paraphrasing sentences. 1. Divide the class into pairs and give each pair an appropriate set of cards. 2. Explain to the student ...
This worksheet is used to practise past forms of some modal verbs and their equivalents (can/can't/could, may/might, must/mustn't, should/shouldn't, be able to). It also focuses on different meani ...
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