English Grammar Exercises – Past modals

I can’t get this tablet to work; I …….. read the instructions properly.

I ordered the DVD a week ago so it …….. arrived here by now.

I can’t find my phone anywhere. I …….. left in at school

Julie’s not at home. She …….. decided to go out after all.

You …….. promised to help Ed if you didn’t have time.

You …….. told me you’d eaten all the biscuits! I’d have got some more.

Someone ………………………… (might / told / me) there was a hole in my jumper!

Sandra ………………………… (supposed / be / here) by now. I wonder where she is.

You ………………………… (ought / have / gone) swimming if you have a cold.

Wendy didn’t look very happy when I saw her; she ………………………… (could / worried / about) going to the dentist.

The fridge is empty; Mum ………………………… (can’t / been / the) shops yet.

Last night ………………………… (must / been / cold) – the lake’s frozen.

Complete the email with the correct form of the modal verbs.

To: artur@email.com

Hi Artur

Well, we’re still enjoying our trip to England. We’re staying in a great city – but someone 1            told us that there was going to be a festival here yesterday! Perhaps we 2             realised something was happening, because a lot of the hotels were full. The festival was great! According to the local paper, this 3          been the biggest crowd they’d ever had. The streets were packed. I reckon there 4           been about 30,000 people there. There was a fancy dress parade, too; if we’d known, we 5            got dressed up. Mind you, some of the people 6            been very comfortable as some of the costumes looked really hot! I bought you a souvenir. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.

Lena

I managed to mend my sunglasses so luckily I ……………………….. (get) a new pair.

It was sunny so we ……………………….. (take) an umbrella.

We ……………………….. (catch) a cab as my mum gave us a lift.

Alison ……………………….. (buy) a ticket – I had a spare one.

I ……………………….. (worry) about the test – when I saw the paper I realised I knew all the answers.

You ……………………….. (walk) the dog; we walked it this morning.

Complete the sentences with the words:

could didn’t need to needn’t ought not to was supposed to

Complete the sentences with must have, might (not) have, can’t have, should have, or shouldn’t have and the verbs in brackets.

1 I’m not sure where Jess is, but she                 home. She wasn’t feeling well earlier on. (go)

2 You                 Dave at the football match. He’s away on holiday. (see)

3 On, no! Tanya knows about the surprise party. Some one                her. (tell)

4 I’ve missed my train. I                 a taxi to the station instead of walking. (get)

5 It’s been really hard to concentrate today. I                       (stay) up late last night.

6 She should definitely be here by now. Her plane                        . (delay)

7 I’m not sure why they didn’t come. The postal service isn’t very reliable so they                         the invitation. (not receive)

8 There’s no money in my bank account. I                      so much on clothes last weekend. (spend)