How to Use Modal Verbs in IELTS to Score Higher Bands (Exercise)

Objective:

Use modal and auxiliary verbs effectively to express possibility, necessity, obligation, advice, and ability in both IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.

🔹 Overview

✅ 1. What Are Modals?

Modals are helping verbs that express the speaker’s attitude toward the action — such as possibility, certainty, necessity, or permission.

✅ 2. Common Modal Verbs and Their Meanings

Modal	Function	Examples
Can / Could	Ability, possibility, permission	I can speak English fluently. / It could rain later.
May / Might	Possibility, polite permission	It may take longer than expected.
Must	Obligation, strong certainty	You must submit the form by Friday.
Should / Ought to	Advice, recommendation	You should plan your essay carefully.
Will / Would	Future, polite request, hypothetical	I will join the meeting. / I would recommend improving cohesion.
Shall	Formal suggestion, offer	Shall we begin the presentation?
Need to / Have to	Necessity, obligation	You need to practice writing daily.

🔹 3. Auxiliary Verbs (Be, Do, Have)

These verbs support the main verb by forming questions, negatives, or continuous/perfect tenses.

Auxiliary Verb	Usage Example
Be	She is writing her essay.
Do	Do you agree with the statement?
Have	They have completed their IELTS preparation.

🔹 4. Sentence Structure with Modals

Structure:
👉 Subject + Modal + Base Verb + Object

Examples:

You should revise your essay carefully.
Candidates must follow the examiner’s instructions.
Students might face challenges in Task 1 description.

🔹 5. IELTS-Style Examples

🧾 In Writing Task 2 (Opinion/Advice Essays):

Governments should invest more in public transport to reduce pollution.
Students must balance academic and social activities to maintain mental health.
Citizens ought to take responsibility for protecting the environment.

🎙️ In Speaking (Fluency & Expressing Opinions):

I might move abroad if I get a scholarship.
I can manage stress by staying organized.
People should be encouraged to recycle more.

🔹 Practice Activities

🧩 Activity 1: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Complete each sentence with an appropriate modal verb.

Students (should / may / might) practice speaking every day to build confidence.
It (can / must / will) be difficult to stay focused during long exams.
Parents (could / should / may) encourage children to read newspapers regularly.
You (have to / might / can) submit your essay before the deadline.
We (must / should / might) reduce energy consumption to protect the planet.

🔄 Activity 2: Match the Modal to Its Function

Modal Verbs		Funtion
1. Can		a. Advice
2. Must		b. Ability
3. Might		c. Strong necessity
4. Should		d. Possibility
5. Have to		e. External obligation

✏️ Activity 3: Correct the Mistakes

Each sentence contains an incorrect modal use. Rewrite correctly.
1. You must to take more rest before the exam.

2. He can to drive when he was 10.

3. Students should to aware of plagiarism rules.

4. We mights need more time for research.

Why We Use the Base Form After Modal Verbs

Rule: Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) are always followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive without to).
Reason: Modals are auxiliary verbs. They already carry tense and agreement information, so the main verb doesn’t change form.
Example: She can speak English well. (not speaks)
Example: You must write at least 250 words. (not wrote or writing)

👉 In other words, the modal verb does the grammatical “heavy lifting,” so the main verb stays in its simplest form.

📘 When to Use “Be” After a Modal Verb

Rule: Use be after a modal verb when the main idea requires an adjective, adverb, or participle.
Reason: “Be” acts as a linking/helping verb to connect the subject with a description or state.

With adjectives: You must be careful during the exam.
With adverbs: Candidates should be fluent when answering questions.
With passive voice: The essays must be checked by the examiner.
With continuous forms: Students should be studying regularly before the test.

👉 Without “be,” the sentence becomes grammatically incomplete or incorrect because adjectives/adverbs cannot directly follow a modal verb.

✅ Summary for IELTS learners:

After a modal → always use the base form of the verb.
Use be when the next word is an adjective, adverb, or when forming passive/continuous structures.

Each sentence contains an incorrect modal use. Rewrite correctly.

2. You should answers all the questions in the listening section carefully.

3. Students might submitting their essays without checking grammar

4. You must careful during the speaking test.

5. Candidates should fluent when they respond to the examiner.

6. You could completed the reading section in one hour.

7. Students must can manage their time in Task 2.

8. You may to leave the exam room after one hour.

9. Candidates must being quiet during the listening test.

10. You should confidence when answering questions in Part 3.

✍️ Activity 4: IELTS Writing Task 2 Mini-Practice

Write two sentences for each function below using modals:
Function
Advice
Example Prompt 'Some people believe students should learn soft skills.'
Your Sentences:

Function
Possibility
Example Prompt 'Cities may face serious pollution in the future.'
Your Sentences:

Function
Obligation
Example Prompt 'Governments must regulate online education platforms.'
Your Sentences:

Function
Ability
Example Prompt 'Individuals can improve communication by traveling abroad.'
Your Sentences:

💬 Activity 5: IELTS Speaking Practice — Expressing Opinions

Use modals to respond naturally to the following prompts.

Do you think students should be given homework every day?
➤ I think they should, but it must not be too much.
Can people be successful without higher education?
➤ Yes, they can, but education might help them achieve success faster.
Should governments control social media?
➤ They should, but they must ensure freedom of expression.

Now try responding with your own examples!

💡 IELTS Grammar Tip

Modals show control and precision in your language — two features examiners look for in Band 8+ essays.
Avoid overusing should or must; instead, vary with might, could, would, or ought to to demonstrate range and nuance.

Example Upgrade:
❌ People should recycle.
✅ People ought to recycle to reduce environmental impact.

🧠 Extension Practice (For Speaking Band 8 Fluency)

Mini Drill: Express Possibility & Advice Naturally

I might take the IELTS again if I don’t get the desired band.
You should spend more time analyzing model answers.
I could improve my fluency by recording my speaking sessions.
The government must take action to reduce noise pollution.

Now, record yourself giving short opinions using modals and listen back to check accuracy and natural tone.

🔹 Summary Chart: Quick Revision

Meaning	Common Modals	IELTS Example Sentence
Ability	can, could	Candidates can enhance coherence with linking phrases.
Possibility	may, might, could	Online education might replace traditional classes.
Obligation/Necessity	must, have to, need to	You must proofread your essay before submission.
Advice/Recommendation	should, ought to, had better	Students should manage time effectively.
Permission	can, may	May I add a point about vocabulary usage?

✨ Final IELTS Writing Insight

In Task 2 essays, modals are often used to hedge opinions — this means expressing ideas more diplomatically rather than absolutely.

Example:

❌ Governments must ban all cars.
✅ Governments should consider restricting car usage in city centers.

Using modals like should, might, or could helps you sound more academic, objective, and formal — key to achieving Band 8+ Grammar Range and Accuracy.

Learn About Common Sentence Errors in IELTS Writing Here

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Exercises for All 4 Types of Sentence Structures

Practice Conditional Sentences Here