This free English Grammar practice set includes questions ranging from basic to moderate difficulty. Each question has four options, along with the correct answer and a short explanation.
1. You ___ respect your elders.
Should is used to express duty or advice.
2. ___ I come in, sir?
May is used to ask for permission politely.
3. He ___ swim across the river when he was young.
Could expresses past ability.
4. You ___ not worry about the fees; they have already been paid.
Need not expresses the absence of necessity.
5. We ___ obey the laws of the land.
Must expresses strong obligation or duty.
6. Her car is in the garage, so she ___ be at home.
Must can express a strong deduction or logical conclusion.
7. You ___ to help the poor.
Ought is followed by ‘to’ and expresses duty or moral obligation.
8. ___ you please pass me the salt?
Would is commonly used for polite requests.
9. Take an umbrella; it ___ rain later.
Might expresses possibility.
10. He ___ not go out alone at night; he is too scared.
Dare not means ‘not have the courage to’.
11. I ___ go to the gym every morning when I was in college.
use to
am used to
was use to
used to
Used to describes a past habit or repeated action.
12. ___ we go for a walk?
Shall is used to make a suggestion with ‘we’.
13. You ___ have told me earlier; I would have helped you.
Should have expresses an action that was advisable but was not done.
14. He left two days ago; he ___ have reached Delhi by now.
Must have expresses a strong deduction about a past action.
15. She is very weak; she ___ lift this heavy box.
Cannot expresses inability.
16. If I were rich, I ___ help the needy.
Would is used in the result clause of a second conditional.
17. You ___ smoke here; this is a hospital.
needn’t
mustn’t
may
would
Mustn’t expresses prohibition.
18. Work hard lest you ___ fail.
will
would
should
might not
Should is traditionally used after ‘lest’ to express a feared possibility.
19. I wish I ___ fly like a bird.
Could expresses an unreal or wished-for ability.
20. He worked hard so that he ___ pass the exam.
Might is used to express purpose or a possible result in a past context.
21. ___ you mind opening the window?
Would you mind is a polite way of making a request.
22. You ___ come to the office tomorrow; it is a holiday.
must
needn’t
ought
should to
Needn’t means there is no necessity.
23. The patient’s condition is critical; he ___ not survive the night.
May expresses possibility.
24. Candidates ___ bring their admit cards to the examination hall; otherwise they will not be allowed in.
Must expresses a compulsory requirement.
25. ___ God bless you!
May is used to express a wish or blessing.
26. How ___ you insult my friend in public?
Dare is used to express indignation or challenge.
27. I ___ rather die than beg.
Would rather expresses preference.
28. You had better ___ a doctor at once.
consult
to consult
consulting
consulted
Had better is followed by the base form of the verb.
29. He ___ be the thief; he was with me all evening.
Can’t expresses a strong negative deduction.
30. The meeting started at 9 a.m. and was only an hour long; it ___ be over by now.
needn’t
should
dare
ought
Should expresses an expected situation.
31. You ___ to have consulted a lawyer before signing the contract.
Ought to have expresses an action that should have been done in the past.
32. When we were children, we ___ sit by the fire and listen to Grandma’s stories.
Would can describe repeated actions in the past.
33. ___ I help you with your luggage?
Shall is used to offer help or make a suggestion.
34. She ___ speak three languages fluently.
Can expresses ability.
35. You ___ not have bought a new phone; the old one was working fine.
Need not have expresses an unnecessary action that was nevertheless performed.
36. The doctor advised that I ___ take rest for a week.
Should is commonly used after verbs of advice.
37. He said that he ___ come the next day.
Would is the past form of will in reported speech.
38. She said that she ___ swim well.
Could is the past form of can in reported speech.
39. Let’s go to the cinema, ___ we?
Sentences starting with Let’s use the question tag shall we? when making a suggestion.
40. You ___ better leave now or you will miss the bus.
Had better is followed by the base verb and expresses strong advice.
41. He ___ not attend the meeting yesterday as he was ill.
Could not expresses inability in the past.
42. You ___ pay the bill now; you can pay it later.
must
should
need not
ought
Need not expresses that something is not necessary.
43. We ___ to have left earlier to avoid the traffic.
Ought to have expresses an action that should have been done earlier.
44. It ___ be true; I saw it with my own eyes.
can’t
needn’t
must
mightn’t
Must expresses a strong conclusion based on evidence.
45. The news is too good; it ___ be true.
Can’t expresses strong disbelief or impossibility.
46. ___ you lend me your pen for a moment?
Could is used for a polite request.
47. Students ___ submit their assignments by Friday; late submissions will not be accepted.
Must expresses a compulsory requirement.
48. He ___ have missed the train; he is not here yet.
Must have expresses a strong deduction about a past event.
49. You ___ drive carefully on wet roads.
Should is used to give advice or recommendation.
50. I ___ finish this work before I go home.
has to
having to
had to be
have to
Have to expresses necessity or obligation with the subject ‘I’.
A strong understanding of modal verbs can help improve your performance in English grammar questions. Regular practice also helps you identify the correct modal according to the meaning and structure of a sentence.
Attempt all 50 questions and check your answers after completing the test. Pay special attention to modal expressions such as must have, should have, ought to have, need not have, and would rather, as these structures can be confusing without regular practice.
