Modal Verb Functions Examples

can to show ability · I can drive.

to ask for or give permission · Can I borrow your pen?

to show possibility · Mountain climbing can be

dangerous.

could to show ability in the past · Mr. Keith could walk five miles a day
when he was young.

· Could I borrow your book?

to ask politely
· He could have done it.
to show possibility

may to request or give permission · May I go out tonight?

Yes, you may.

to show possibility · It may rain this afternoon.

might to ask for or give permission · Might I borrow your book?

to show possibility · He might have missed the bus.

shall to express the future · We shall leave tonight.

to suggest · Shall we go for a walk?

should to advise · You should obey your parents.

to express probability · He should have arrived by now.

will to express the future · The doctor will see you soon.

to request · Will you help me?

to promise · I will help you finish the job.

to predict or express general · You will fall if you climb any higher.
truth

would to request (formal) · Would you close the window?

to express probability · I would have gone if I had known.

must to show necessity · You must be on time.

to show certainty · He must have lost his way.

ought to to advise · You ought to help your mother.

to show obligation · I ought to study harder.

Prefixes - added to the beginning of a root word.

1. dis - not, opposite of

disrespect, dishonest, disagree, disconnect
2. un - not, reverse action, deprive of, release from
unable, undo, unhappy
3. mis - wrong
misrepresent, misdirect
4. il - not, opposite of
illegal
5. im - not, opposite of
impatient, impolite, impossible
6. in - not, opposite of
incorrect, incomplete
7. ir- not, opposite of
irregular, irrelevant
8. re- do again
rewrite, reorganize
9. non - not connected with
non-programmable, non-Muslim
10. sub- under
subschema, subcontract
Suffixes - added to the end of a root word.

1. -en to make or become, to cause or come to have,

made of
harden, widen
2. -ful, full of or characterized by, tending to or able to
helpful, careful
3. -tion being the act or state of being
conversion, attention, compilation
4. -less without, not able to
careless, helpless
5. -ness quality or state, condition of
readiness
6. -ly in the manner of
happily, logically, helpfully
7. -ship condition or state
relationship, partnership
8. -able, -ible capable of being
comparable, divisible
9. -ous like, full of
dangerous, disastrous
10. -ish like
yellowish, childish
Error Correction 01

Read the text below. There are grammatical errors in the text. The errors have been
underlined for you.

Write one word to correct the error in the space provided. An example has been given. The
correct word must not change the meaning of the sentence.

A hurricane is a swirling mass of clouds that moves

around a calm and clear centre calls an eye. Hurricanes
are the large and most powerful storms in the world. The
word “hurricane” comes from “Huracan”, a word given to
the West Indian God of Storms. The Earth is wrap in a
blanket of gases called the atmosphere who is like an
enormous weather machine. A sun is like a giant engine
driving the weather machine. Its energy drive air and
water around our planet as it warm the earth creating the
clouds but the wind. In warmer places, the weather
machine can be very powerful because there were more
energy from the sun to drive it.

Answer:

(a) _________________
(b) _________________
(c) _________________
(d) _________________
(e) _________________
(f) _________________
(g) _________________
(h) _________________
(i) _________________
(j) _________________
Error Correction 02
Read the text below. There are grammatical errors in the text. The errors have been
underlined for you.

Write one word to correct the error in the space provided. The correct word must not
change the meaning of the sentence.

Answers:
(a) _________________
(b) _________________
(c) _________________
(d) _________________
(e) _________________
(f) _________________
(g) _________________
(h) _________________
(i) _________________
(j) _________________
Error Correction 03

Read the text below. There are grammatical errors in the text. The errors have been
underlined for you.

Write one word to correct the error in the space provided. An example has been given. The
correct word must not change the meaning of the sentence.

I was looking forward to visit the Thai Elephant

Reserve for a long time and my wish finally come true
recently. My family, several cousin and I first flew to
Bangkok. Then, we travel by jeep to the reserve which is
locates in the forests in northern Thailand. When we got to
the reserve, we are met by an officer. He told us about the
reserve and its facilities. He then introducing us to the
elephants. They were massive and a little intimidating by first.
However, after half an hour with they, I realised how
gentle and intelligent they were. One elephant lift its trunk
so I touched it’s hard and tough skin gingerly. Later, when
we were less afraid, the officer invited us to bathe the elephants.

Answer:

(a) _________________
(b) _________________
(c) _________________
(d) _________________
(e) _________________
(f) _________________
(g) _________________
(h) _________________
(i) _________________
(j) _________________