Here’s a 15-question quiz on modal verbs of deduction. Each question is designed to test understanding of how to express certainty, probability, or possibility using modal verbs like must, might, could, can't, should, etc.
Modal Verbs of Deduction Quiz
1. She’s wearing a winter coat, so it _______ be cold outside.
a) must
b) might
c) can't
d) should
2. I hear footsteps. It _______ be John; he said he would come later.
a) must
b) might
c) can’t
d) should
3. He _______ have forgotten to send the email, because I still haven’t received it.
a) must
b) can’t
c) should
d) might
4. She’s been working really hard lately. She _______ be exhausted by now.
a) must
b) could
c) might
d) can't
5. That report _______ be finished already, considering how much time he’s spent on it.
a) must
b) might
c) can't
d) should
6. It’s nearly 10:00 PM. They _______ still be at work.
a) must
b) might
c) can't
d) should
7. The lights are off and the door is locked. He _______ be home yet.
a) must
b) can't
c) might
d) should
8. She _______ be in a meeting; she didn’t answer the phone.
a) must
b) might
c) can't
d) should
9. They _______ have gone to the concert because all the tickets were sold out.
a) must
b) can't
c) might
d) should
10. He _______ have taken your book, but I haven’t seen him with it.
a) must
b) might
c) should
d) can’t
11. The project _______ be finished by next week if they continue at this pace.
a) must
b) can’t
c) should
d) might
12. You _______ be joking about this! It’s too serious to be a joke.
a) must
b) should
c) can't
d) might
13. They _______ have left already; the meeting was over an hour ago.
a) must
b) can't
c) might
d) should
14. I don’t know where Jane is. She _______ be at the gym.
a) must
b) should
c) might
d) can’t
15. He _______ be the one who broke the vase because he wasn’t even in the room.
a) must
b) can't
c) should
d) might
Answer Key:
- a) must
- c) can’t
- a) must
- a) must
- a) must
- b) might
- b) can’t
- b) might
- b) can't
- b) might
- c) should
- c) can't
- b) can't
- c) might
- b) can’t
