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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Modal Verbs: Worksheet II

Modal Verbs: Worksheet II

» Modal Verbs
This is a worksheet for teaching modal verbs. It includes a grammar guide followed by 2 activities in which students are asked to complete the sentences with: may, could, would, can and shall. Th ...
30 Views 96,904 Pre-IntInt
Song Worksheet: If I Had Eyes by Jack Johnson

Song Worksheet: If I Had Eyes by Jack Johnson

I used this Jack Johnson's song during English Grammar teaching. Listening to the song was useful to revise some expressions, and to see the structure of Conditionals. We listened to the song befo ...
7 Views 12,280 Pre-Int
Must or Must Be? Worksheet

Must or Must Be? Worksheet

» Modal Verbs
This is a worksheet for teaching the differences between must and must be. Students are asked to use either must or must be complete the sentences. The worksheet is available in both colour and b ...
10 Views 18,302 Pre-IntInt
Modals for Opinions and Degrees of Certainty

Modals for Opinions and Degrees of Certainty

» Modal Verbs
This worksheet can be used to practice modals to express degrees of certainty (Present or past). Example: The lights could have been caused by a storm or Aliens might try to communicate with us. I ...
13 Views 23,330 Pre-IntInt
May and Might Worksheet

May and Might Worksheet

This is a very simple worksheet for teaching may and might. The worksheet is suitable for elementary students who are asked to rewrite the sentences with may and use the words in brackets to make ...
17 Views 26,080 Elem
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Body Language: Gestures Worksheet

Body Language: Gestures Worksheet

This is a worksheet that can be used in order to enhance students' writing skills about body language and gestures in different cultures. It encourages both students and teachers to visit the inte ...
8 Views 29,102 Int
Animals and Modal Verbs Worksheet

Animals and Modal Verbs Worksheet

Modal Verbs,
This is a 2-page worksheet for teaching animals related vocabulary and modal verbs. Students are asked to match the animals with the pictures, write sentences using the words in the box, read the ...
17 Views 36,941 ElemPre-Int
Modal Verbs: Multiple Choice Activity

Modal Verbs: Multiple Choice Activity

» Modal Verbs
A worksheet for teaching modal verbs: can, should, may and might. Students are asked to fill in the gaps by choosing the most suitable modal verb. The worksheet is available in both colour and bl ...
13 Views 34,588 ElemPre-Int
Can And Can't PowerPoint Slide Show

Can And Can't PowerPoint Slide Show

This worksheet is useful when you try to teach your students the use of the modal verb can, I based it on some signs we can find everywhere, on the roads, in pubs, restaurants or the library, etc. ...
18 Views 32,370 Elem
Avoiding Repetition By Missing Words Out

Avoiding Repetition By Missing Words Out

, Modal Verbs
This is an exercise I made for my advanced adult class, to improve their conversation and consolidate identifying and using the correct tense when continuing or replying to a phrase. For example, ...
12 Views 41,866 Adv
CAN or CAN'T? - Primary Worksheet

CAN or CAN'T? - Primary Worksheet

Get students to make sentences using can or can't for ability, when finished ask them to write about themselves or about a classmate, without saying who he/she is! Great content!
12 Views 20,517 BegElem
Rephrasing Modal Verbs Worksheet

Rephrasing Modal Verbs Worksheet

» Modal Verbs
Useful worksheet. Practise modal verbs by rephrasing 20 sentences. (can, could, be able to, have to, don't have to, needn't have done, must, mustn't, should, ought to, had better, be supposed to, ...
19 Views 51,578 AdvExam
Modal Verbs for FCE (exercises)

Modal Verbs for FCE (exercises)

, Modal Verbs
Modal exercises. Multiple choices, correcting mistakes, complete sentences. Exercises for adult students for First Certificate Examination. Hope you'll find it useful. Rate and comment info@tuclas ...
22 Views 58,650 Exam
Modals for FCE (without exercises)

Modals for FCE (without exercises)

» Modal Verbs
Explanation for the modal verbs (obligation, permission, request, possibility, prohibition, ability). Usage and examples for FCE students and teachers. Hope you'll find it useful, rate and comment ...
16 Views 23,630 Exam
Should - Giving Advice

Should - Giving Advice

I use fictitious problems to get students to give each other advice. Give each student a problem ( preferably one that you are sure they don't have ) and get the other students to give advice usin ...
18 Views 41,127 Elem
Must / Mustn't Worksheet

Must / Mustn't Worksheet

Modal Verbs,
This is a very simple worksheet, suitable for elementary students, for teaching must and must not. There is a brief explanation at the top of the page followed by an activity in which students ar ...
26 Views 36,592 Elem
Modal Verbs Activity

Modal Verbs Activity

» Modal Verbs
This activity was made for the students who have a hard time when learning modal verbs. It's a gap filling acivity in wich sudents must choose the correct modal for the sentences and, better, unde ...
4 Views 12,568 All
Must: Modal Verbs Handout

Must: Modal Verbs Handout

Students will fill in the blanks with must or must not to complete the sentences. It can be given before exams or for a revision. It is suitable for 4th, 5th and 6th grades. It is in word format s ...
10 Views 11,399 Elem
Neighbor Problems Role Play

Neighbor Problems Role Play

Role cards for a group of 8 students. Two cards are given to a pair of students, they have instructions regarding a problem they need to talk out with their neighbor, you can always add similar c ...
67 Views 170,611 IntAdv
Modal verbs: Can for Ability

Modal verbs: Can for Ability

A simple and useful task. Students have to look at the images and write a sentences describing the character's abilities. It can be used with elementary students. The worksheet includes activiti ...
14 Views 26,493 Elem
Modal Verbs Worksheet

Modal Verbs Worksheet

Here's a useful attractive 2 page grammar worksheet on modal verbs (can, could, may, must should) with explanations, examples sentences and 3 different activities to go with it, where students ar ...
57 Views 124,173 Pre-IntInt
You're Not Supposed To

You're Not Supposed To

» Modal Verbs
Originally created for a middle school ESL class in South Korea, but the worksheet can also be used for an elementary classroom. The students should look at the pictures of Lilo and Stitch and wri ...
3 Views 10,699 ElemPre-IntInt
Dinosaur Quiz

Dinosaur Quiz

This is a general knowledge activity for kids to practice different question forms about the past in a fun way. It includes "wh-" questions (which, what), the past of "can" (could), "how long" and ...
20 Views 17,107 Pre-IntInt
Emergency Worksheet

Emergency Worksheet

This is a very useful worksheet to work with children when teaching the use of Should and vocabulary related to illnesses. It has a variety of questions which can demand a great deal of production ...
17 Views 53,491 ElemPre-Int
Test on Modals and Intensifiers [FOR SPANISH LEARNERS]

Test on Modals and Intensifiers [FOR SPANISH LEARNERS]

Here you have a test that I designed for my students from 4th year of highschool, it is based on the classbook, that the goverment provides (chilean). hope it is useful. The test has several parts ...
7 Views 12,165 Pre-Int

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