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modals in the past

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Very few people spoke English so it was difficult to communicate. I __________ some Spanish. 
a)
could learn
b)
had to learn
c)
 didn't have to learn
d)
 should have learned
2.

You ________________ shouted at him. He'll never forgive you.

a)

can have

b)

must have

c)

should have

d)

shouldn't have

3.

He ___________________ arrived by now. It's only a 20 mins journey.

a)

should have

b)

can't have

c)

musn't have

d)

can have

4.

I was not afraid to come. You ________________ come with me.

a)

should have

b)

must have

c)

can't have

d)

needn't have

5.

I _______________ punished if I hadn't lied to my parents.

a)

would have

b)

wouldn't have been

c)

needn't have

d)

needn't have been

6.

Nobody answered the phone at the clinic. It _________________ closed early.

a)

couldn't have

b)

should have

c)

might have

d)

need have

7.

I called his apartment and nobody answered. He ___ gone out.

a)

must have

b)

could have

c)

can't have

d)

might have

8.

He ___ stolen the car. He was with me all the time

a)

must have

b)

should have

c)

might have

d)

can't have

9.

My bicycle is broken now. I ___ ridden it down the stairs.

a)

musn't have

b)

might have

c)

shouldn't have

d)

can't have

10.

I ________________________ (eat) so much chocolate! I feel sick!

a)

mustn´t have eaten

b)

shouldn´t have eaten

c)

shouldn´t have ate

d)

couldn´t have ate

11.

We ________________have finished the game, even if we’d wanted to. It was raining very hard and we had to stop.

a)

could

b)

couldn´t

c)

shouldn´t

d)

mustn´t

12.

Amanda ________________ (finish) the work, but she felt ill and had to go home.

a)

would have finished

b)

could have finished

c)

must have finished

d)

may have finished

13.

They ________________ (win) the football match, but John hurt his ankle.

a)

could have win

b)

could have won

c)

should have winned

d)

should have won

14.

Patty __________ gone by bus .Why did she walk ?

a)

must have

b)

might have

c)

should have

d)

could have

15.

It was so dark that ı fell down the stars.I _________ fixed the light.

a)

must have

b)

could have

c)

should have

d)

might have

16.

Your house looks great. You ________ spent a lot of time painting it.

a)

must have

b)

could have

c)

should have

d)

might have

17.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m sure she was miserable when they broke up. (MUST)

She (a)   miserable when they broke up.

18.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m sure she went rollerblading. Her rollerblades aren’t here. (MUST/GO)

She (a)   rollerblading. Her rollerblades aren’t here.

19.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


Maybe it was the dog which ate our sandwiches. (MIGHT)

The dog (a)   our sandwiches.

20.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


Perhaps I threw away your letter by accident. (MIGHT)

I (a)   away your letter by accident.

21.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m sure he has given up smoking. He has never bought a packet again. (MUST/GIVE UP)

He (a)   smoking.

22.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m sure he didn’t he didn’t study. He failed his test. (CAN't)

He (a)   , he failed his test.

23.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I don’t believe you took three hours to write this essay. It’s very short!! (CAN’T)

You (a)   three hours to write this essay. It’s very short!!

24.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m sure he didn’t write that word on the wall. He is only 2 years old. (CAN’T)

He (a)   that word on the wall. He is only 2 years old.

25.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


Perhaps they were working for the enemy. (MUST)

They (a)   for the enemy.

26.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I’m certain it has stopped raining now. (MUST)

It (a)   raining now.

27.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


I have no doubt that that boy took your i-pod from your bag. (MUST)

That boy (a)   your i-pod from your bag.

28.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


Perhaps he was asleep when we rang. (MIGHT)

He (a)   asleep when we rang.

29.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


There is a remote possibility that your brother ruined your new T-shirt. (MIGHT)

Your brother (a)   your new T-shirt.

30.

Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning. Use the words between brackets.


It is possible that Jane has already left. (MIGHT)

Jane (a)   already.

31.

It is possible that your telephone was out of order yesterday.

Your telephone ……………………………………

a)

MUST BE OUT OF ORDER

b)

MUST HAVE OUT OF ORDER

c)

MUST HAVE BEEN OUT OF ORDER

d)

MUST WAS OUT OF ORDER

32.

It’s impossible that Susan was there yesterday.

Susan ………………………………………………

a)

CAN'T HAVE THERE

b)

COULDN'T BE THERE

c)

COULDN'T HAVE THERE

d)

CAN'T BE THERE

33.

I am sure she had lost our address; otherwise she would have visited us.

She ……………………………………………………

a)

MUST HAVE LOST IT

b)

COULD LOST IT

c)

SHOULD HAVE LOSE IT

d)

LOST IT

34.

Why didn’t you help your brother with the homework?

You ……………………………………………………

a)

SHOULD HELP HIM

b)

SHOULD HAVE HELP HIM

c)

SHOULD HAVE HELPED HIM

d)

SHOULD HELP HIM

35.

It wasn’t wise of him to wander through such a big city without a map.

He ………………………………………………………

a)

CAN'T HAVE DONE IT

b)

SHOULDN'T HAVE DID IT

c)

SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT

d)

SHOULDN'T DONE IT

36.

I didn’t tell him about our plan, but it is possible that he overheard our conversation.

I didn’t tell him about our plan, but ……………………………………………………………

a)

COULDN'T HAVE OVERHEARD IT

b)

MUSTN'T OVERHEARD IT

c)

COULDN'T OVERHEARD IT

d)

DIDN'T OVERHEAR IT

37.

You came to the office unnecessarily. It was a public holiday yesterday.

You ………………………………………………………

a)

NEEDN'T COME

b)

NEEDN'T TO COME

c)

NEEDN'T COMING

d)

NEEDN'T HAVE COME

38.

On Monday Jack came to work earlier than usual. I am sure he took an earlier train.

Jack ………………………………………………………

a)

MUST TOOK

b)

MUST TAKEN

c)

MUST HAVE TAKEN

d)

MUST TAKING

39.

It’s impossible that Kate knew where her brother was.

Kate ………………………………………………………

a)

COULDN'T HAVE KNOWN

b)

COULDN'T HAVE KNEW

c)

COULDN'T HAS KNOWN

d)

COULDN'T KNOW

40.

Maybe they weren’t at London at all; maybe they stayed at home.

They ………………………………………………………

a)

MUST STAY AT HOME

b)

MUST HAD STAYED

c)

MUST STAY

d)

MUST HAVE STAYED

41.

I'm sure he ate some chocolate.

a)

He must have eaten chocolate

b)

He can't have eaten chocolate

c)

He may have eaten chocolate

d)

He might have eaten chocolate

42.

I'm sure the dog played in the mud.

a)

The dog must have played in the mud.

b)

The dog must played in the mud.

c)

The dog must have play in the mud.

d)

The dog must play in the mud.

43.

Megan Fox looks different now. Maybe she had a plastic surgery?

a)

She may have had a plastic surgery.

b)

She could have had a plastic surgery.

c)

She might have had a plastic surgery.

d)

She can't have had a plastic surgery.

44.

Rihanna is rich. I'm sure she didn't steal the necklace.

a)

She can't have stolen the necklace.

b)

She must have stolen the necklace.

c)

She may have stolen the necklace.

d)

She should have stolen the necklace.

45.

Melania Trump loves her husband. I'm sure she didn't marry him for money.

a)

She can't have married him for money.

b)

She can't married him for money.

c)

She can't have marry him for money.

d)

She can't marry him for money.

46.

Maybe somebody scratched my car in front of the supermarket.

a)

Somebody may have scratched my car in front of the supermarket.

b)

Somebody may scratched my car in front of the supermarket.

c)

Somebody may have scratch my car in front of the supermarket.

d)

Somebody may scratch my car in front of the supermarket.

47.

I'm sure he didn't do it = ?

a)

He can't have done it.

b)

He can't do it.

c)

He must have done it.

d)

He might have done it.

48.

I'm sure he did it = ?

a)

He must have done it.

b)

He can't have done it.

c)

He must do it.

d)

He should have done it.

49.

Maybe he did it = ?

a)

He may have done it.

b)

He might have done it.

c)

He could have done it.

d)

He can't have done it.

50.

Maybe it's a sculpture.

a)

It may be a sculpture.

b)

It must be a sculpture.

c)

It can't be a sculpture.

d)

It could be a sculpture.