Modal verbs

Look at the sentences 1 - 6:

1
2
3
4
5
6

You have to work this Saturday.

You can take the next Saturday off.
You mustnt wear jeans to work.
You dont have to wear a jacket and tie.
You cant send personal messages with this computer.
You must arrive on time.

Now complete the rules a - d below.

a) We use have to and must to talk about rules and things that are necessary.
b) We use __________ and ___________ to say when something is not allowed.
c) We use __________ to say that something is not necessary.
d) We use __________ to say that something is possible or allowed.

Language Note: Modal verbs are followed by and infinitive without to.

Complete the texts with words in the boxes. Use each word only once.
can

dont have to

must

Dress-down Friday
In many financial companies in Britain employees _____________ wear a suit or
other formal clothes. Some workplaces have a dress-down day, usually on a
Friday. On this day, people _________ dress so formally. They _________ can wear
whatever they like.

can

cant

must

Work computers
According to a 2006 survey by the American Management Institute, 78% of
American companies have rules about email, instant messenger and blog use.
Workers __________ use their computers for work, but they _________ send
personal email messages or instant messages. Also, they _________ download
programs onto their computers.

can

dont have to

have to

Flexitime
A study of the 68 biggest Australian companies found that 93% offered flexitime
hours to their employees. Under flexitime, workers ________ work a fixed number
of hours in a week, but they _________ start and finish at the same time everyday.
If they come to work earlier, they __________ leave earlier.