Fill in the blanks using an appropriate modal auxiliary verb.

1. She said that she …………………….. come with me. (will / would)

2. ‘………………………. you help me?’ she asked. (Can / May)

3. We ……………….. win if we work harder. (will / would)

4. She ……………………… be here soon. (will / can)

5. …………………….. it be a fox? (Can / May)

6. If she receives good healthcare, she ………………………….. survive. (may / can)

7. An ant ……………………….. kill an elephant. (can / may)

8. ……………………… we survive without water? (Can / May)

9. She ……………………….. be working late. (may / can)

10. Who  …………………………… solve this puzzle? (can / may)

11. Where ……………………… they have gone? (can / could)

12. She ………………………. have won if she had tried harder. (can / could)

Answers

1. would, 2. can, 3. will, 4. will (We do not use can in affirmative sentences to talk about possibility.), 5. Can (In questions and negatives, we can use can to talk about possibility.), 6. may, 7. can, 8. Can, 9. may, 10. can, 11. could, 12. could

Notes

The auxiliaries would, could and might are the past forms of will, can and may.

When the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, use would, could or might in the subordinate clause.

• She says that she will come.
• She said that she would come. (NOT She said that she will come.)
• He asked if I could help him. (NOT He asked if I can help him.)