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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Giving Directions

Giving Directions

In this workseet, students will have a chance to create their own convesations about giving directions in town; it can be used to guide them to create a real conversation in their own cities. Here ...
9 Views 35,045 Elem
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Mini Kamishibai

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Mini Kamishibai

I used pictures from the video made by Edewcate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujtaAQEWHTI) to create this mini kamishibai and tell the tale of Rudolph to young learners. The pictures help them u ...
5 Views 12,659 BegElemPre-Int
Movie Worksheet: Putrid Pirates - The Pirate Rulebook Worksheet

Movie Worksheet: Putrid Pirates - The Pirate Rulebook Worksheet

I've used this worksheet to practise can/could and as an additional exercise to topics about pirates and history in general. Students should reflect on the questions from the worksheet before watc ...
3 Views 9,370 Pre-IntInt
Movie Worksheet: TED: 3 Things I Learnt While My Plane Crashed

Movie Worksheet: TED: 3 Things I Learnt While My Plane Crashed

The worksheet is based on a thought-provoking TED talk by Ric Ellias "3 Things I Learnt While My Plane Crashed." I created it for an upper-intermediate group, when we reviewed past modals. It led ...
12 Views 27,694 AdvExam
Will Be Able To

Will Be Able To

This is a powerpoint about "will be able to". It starts with a couple of question for revision of "can / could". It includes some examples for presentation of grammar topic then it goes on with di ...
6 Views 21,689 ElemPre-Int
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Modal Verbs Grammar Guide and Exercises

Modal Verbs Grammar Guide and Exercises

This is a worksheet for teaching modal verbs at intermediate level. There's a complete grammar with clear and simple explanations as well as example sentences followed by a simple activity i ...
19 Views 41,806 Pre-IntInt
How to Fight Pollution

How to Fight Pollution

It is a writing task about pollution. Students have got a few prompts, questions and images.They can use their science knowledge about the danger of pollution and the modal verbs, such as can/coul ...
6 Views 22,037 ElemPre-IntInt
Modal Verbs Test

Modal Verbs Test

A test for esl secondary school students on be allowed to, must, mustn't and have to. There are 5 different activites including a short reading, a multiple choice, correct the mistakes and a short ...
8 Views 25,214 Pre-IntInt
Review 5: Modal Verbs & Conditional Clauses (+Key)

Review 5: Modal Verbs & Conditional Clauses (+Key)

A new ws suitable for advanced students to revise/reinforce grammar points. In this ws the students will revise modal verbs and conditional clauses. Thanks Phillip Martin for clipart. The key to t ...
12 Views 26,572 IntAdv
Suggestions - Going to the Drugstore (Speaking Activity)

Suggestions - Going to the Drugstore (Speaking Activity)

This worksheet contains several pictures of all kinds of medicines for you to print and cut, I usually paste them in foami or craft foam to give more resistance and strength or the material of you ...
14 Views 28,386 ElemPre-IntInt
Can/Can't

Can/Can't

This is a ESL worksheet for kids about the modal verb can. Children will learn and practice how to correctly answer a question about abilities with its short form. The pictures will capture t ...
16 Views 24,834 BegElem
Have Got/Has Got and Can

Have Got/Has Got and Can

This is a  little fun worksheet to train the use of "have got/ has got" and "can". I used it in an ESL class of complete beginners of English in Germany (children between the a ...
9 Views 14,843 Beg
Can/Can`t

Can/Can`t

Elementary level worksheet about can or can`t (ability) with funny pictures for all the newly beginners or elementary level especially designed for kids and young learners with a sample. Works ...
9 Views 23,377 Beg
Personality SWOT Analysis

Personality SWOT Analysis

Any wordlist of personality adjectives can be used for doing this activity. For me it’s the way to make ss not only memorize the words, but also apply them for themselves, think and speak. S ...
15 Views 16,543 Pre-IntIntAdvExam
Movie Worksheet: Glee - Dreams (Future Tense)

Movie Worksheet: Glee - Dreams (Future Tense)

Glee, Season 1, episode 19. Great activity to introduce, practice or explore simple future tenses (present continuous, be going to, will/might). It was originally applied to advanced levels, but i ...
8 Views 22,168 ElemPre-IntIntAdv
Song Worksheet: Show Must Go On by Queen

Song Worksheet: Show Must Go On by Queen

This worksheet can be used for practice  modal verbs and present continuous. Song is not difficult for listening and children like it. This worksheet contains 3 tasks: 1) choose the right mod ...
8 Views 29,052 ElemPre-Int
Unusual Signs

Unusual Signs

Some pictures of unusual signs. I use it with modals. I put them in groups an show them the pictures. Then I have them create sentences using the modals to explain the idea of the sign. They ...
50 Views 40,647 Pre-IntIntAdv
Could've, Should've, Would've

Could've, Should've, Would've

This slideshow is a great conversation piece for students to practice using modal verbs in the past tense. After they have been instructed on the grammar and structure of past modals, use this sl ...
23 Views 38,096 Pre-IntIntAdv
The Man with No Money

The Man with No Money

The short reading passage is for the beginners. It has simple vocabulary and the practice of 'should' . It makes up an interesting reading and helps in further discussions and usage of simple voca ...
14 Views 10,584 BegElem
Revision for Elementary Students - Numbers, Colours, Articles and the Verb Can

Revision for Elementary Students - Numbers, Colours, Articles and the Verb Can

It is a worksheet with the set of exercises ready to use for elementary students. It includes numbers, colours, articles and the use of "can". It is a perfect idea for a revision lesson or a warm ...
9 Views 13,775 BegElem
Advice to Debbie - Writing Activity

Advice to Debbie - Writing Activity

This is a simple activity for pre-intermediate and intermediate students to develop their writing skills. It is required from the teachers to pre teach students how to write a letter, what a lette ...
9 Views 15,522 Pre-IntIntAdv
Other Ways Of Expressing Future

Other Ways Of Expressing Future

This handout presents extended information on ways to express future other than tenses. These expressions with future meaning such as ‘be about/likely/due/set/ bound to’ etc. are acco ...
5 Views 15,753 IntAdv
Board Game - 'Can'

Board Game - 'Can'

It's a very short board game to practice questions with 'can'. One student throws the dice and gets to ask a question to a different classmate of their choice based on the image they got. It's an ...
14 Views 19,115 Elem
Family Matters Role-Play

Family Matters Role-Play

 The pair role-plays presented in this handout will provide students with six problematic situations that they will have to sort out by giving advice and recommendations. All of the role-play ...
29 Views 54,547 Pre-IntIntAdv
Panda

Panda

In this worksheet you practise present simple, the verb 'can', and read about animals' habitats, food they eat, body characteristics and customs. This is also about environment/nature. This is a r ...
14 Views 12,469 Pre-Int

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