🇵🇷 PAASemana 10 · 20 preguntas

Modal Verbs Ability Permission

Bundle W10 de Inglés para Grado 11 en Puerto Rico (Curriculo de Ingles): 20 preguntas con explicación pedagógica.

Alineación: Curriculo de Ingles

PR-ING-11-2026-W10-modal-verbs-ability-permission-001-MASTERY-bundle

Pregunta 1

Bloom: Analyze

Modal verbs for ability, San Juan, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence uses 'can' for ability correctly?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) She can speak three languages.

  • A) She can speak three languages.Correct. 'Can' expresses ability and is followed directly by the base form of the verb, with no ending.
  • B) She cans speak three languages.Incorrect. The modal 'can' never takes -s, because it is not a main verb with its own subject.
  • C) She can speaking three languages.Incorrect. After a modal, the base form is required; the gerund is used with 'to be' in the indicative.
  • D) She can speaks three languages.Incorrect. After 'can', the verb takes the base form 'speak', not the third-person form 'speaks'.

💡 Explicación

Los verbos modales no cambian de forma: no llevan -s, ni terminacion de pasado, ni infinitivo. Siempre van seguidos de la forma base del verbo principal y forman el mismo esquema con cualquier sujeto.

Pregunta 2

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs with to be able to, Ponce, grado 11, W10.

Complete the sentence: 'He ____ (not / be) able to come to the rehearsal.'

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) isn't able to

  • A) don't able toIncorrect. 'Do' does not combine with 'to be', and the long form of 'can' requires 'to be' plus 'able'.
  • B) isn't ableIncorrect. 'to' is missing before 'able' and before the infinitive, and this structure requires it.
  • C) isn't able toCorrect. 'Be able to' is the long form of 'can', and it is made negative by putting 'not' after 'to be'.
  • D) not is able toIncorrect. The correct order is 'to be' plus 'not' plus 'able to', not 'not' before the verb 'to be'.

💡 Explicación

'Can' y 'be able to' significan lo mismo, pero la forma larga es mas formal y admite tiempos que 'can' no tiene. En negacion y en preguntas la estructura es 'to be' mas 'not' mas 'able to' mas infinitivo.

Pregunta 3

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission, Carolina, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence asks for permission correctly?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) May I come in?

  • A) May I coming in?Incorrect. A modal must be followed by the base form, so the gerund 'coming' is wrong.
  • B) May I come in?Correct. 'May I' is the most formal and polite way to ask permission to come in or sit down.
  • C) May I comes in?Incorrect. The main verb stays in the base form 'come', not the third-person form 'comes'.
  • D) I may to come in?Incorrect. The sentence structure is inverted, with the modal before the subject and no 'to' after it.

💡 Explicación

'May' es el modal mas formal para pedir permiso y se usa casi siempre con I o we. 'Can' tambien pide permiso, pero con un tono menos formal, y esa distincion aparece a menudo en los examenes de la unidad.

Pregunta 4

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission, Bayamon, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence gives permission?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) You can leave early today.

  • A) You cans leave early today.Incorrect. Modal verbs do not take -s, because they are not marked for grammatical person.
  • B) You can leaving early today.Incorrect. After 'can', only the base form of the verb is possible, not the gerund.
  • C) You can leaves early today.Incorrect. After any modal, the base form 'leave' is used instead of 'leaves'.
  • D) You can leave early today.Correct. Affirmative 'can' grants permission and is the natural choice in the classroom.

💡 Explicación

Los verbos modales son invariables en todas las formas: can, may, must, should y shall no cambian segun el sujeto ni el tiempo. Ese rasgo es la diferencia mas visible entre un modal y un verbo auxiliar como 'do' o 'have'.

Pregunta 5

Bloom: Analyze

Modal verbs for requests, Arecibo, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence is the most polite request?

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) Could you open the window, please?

  • A) Open the window.Incorrect. It is a direct command, not a polite request.
  • B) You open the window.Incorrect. The word order is not that of a request, so it sounds like a statement about the listener.
  • C) Can you opening the window?Incorrect. After 'can', the verb takes the base form 'open', not the gerund 'opening'.
  • D) Could you open the window, please?Correct. 'Could' is the most polite way to make a request in English, and 'please' adds to the politeness.

💡 Explicación

Para pedir con cortesia se usa 'could', 'would you' o 'can you' seguido de un verbo principal infinitivo. La adicion de 'please' aumenta la cortesia, y el gerundio despues de un modal es siempre un error de esta unidad.

Pregunta 6

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs with to have to, Humacao, grado 11, W10.

Complete the sentence: 'You ____ wear a uniform at the school; it is a rule.'

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) have to

  • A) must toIncorrect. The modal 'must' is not followed by 'to', because a modal is followed directly by the base form.
  • B) have toCorrect. 'Have to' expresses an external obligation that comes from a rule or regulation, not from the speaker.
  • C) should toIncorrect. 'Should' expresses a recommendation, and it cannot take 'to' between the modal and the main verb.
  • D) can toIncorrect. 'Can' expresses ability or permission, not obligation, and it cannot be followed by 'to' either.

💡 Explicación

La diferencia entre 'must' y 'have to' es un punto fino que los examenes suelen explorar. 'Must' expresa obligacion del hablante, mientras que 'have to' expresa una obligacion impuesta por una regla externa, como el reglamento de un centro.

Pregunta 7

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for ability with different forms, Aguadilla, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence expresses past ability?

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) She could swim when she was five.

  • A) She could swim when she was five.Correct. 'Could' is the past form of 'can' and expresses an ability someone had in the past.
  • B) She can swim when she was five.Incorrect. 'Can' describes a present ability and does not fit with 'when she was five'.
  • C) She can swimming when she was five.Incorrect. A modal is never followed by a gerund, whatever the tense.
  • D) She could swim when she is five.Incorrect. 'Is' describes the present and contradicts the time marker 'was' in the sentence.

💡 Explicación

'Can' tiene una sola forma pasada, 'could', que no expresa una capacidad perdida sino una que se tenia. Esa caracteristica lo diferencia de otros modales, donde el pasado suele implicar cambio de estado.

Pregunta 8

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission with can, Guayanilla, grado 11, W10.

Choose the correct question: '____ I use your dictionary?'

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) May

  • A) DoIncorrect. 'Do' is a present simple auxiliary and does not express a request for permission.
  • B) MustIncorrect. 'Must' expresses obligation, so the sentence would impose something instead of making a request.
  • C) MayCorrect. 'May I' is the formal structure for asking permission to use something that belongs to someone else.
  • D) AmIncorrect. 'Am' is the first-person form of 'to be' and is not used to ask permission.

💡 Explicación

Las dos estructuras para pedir permiso son 'may I' y 'can I'. La primera es la mas cuidada y aparece en situaciones formales, y la segunda es la habitual en el dia a dia entre compañeros de clase.

Pregunta 9

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for ability questions, Trujillo Alto, grado 11, W10.

Which question is correct?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) Can she play the saxophone?

  • A) Can she plays the saxophone?Incorrect. After 'can', the third person does not take -s, so the correct form is 'play'.
  • B) Does she can play the saxophone?Incorrect. 'Can' is already a modal, so it cannot have the auxiliary 'does' before it.
  • C) Can she play the saxophone?Correct. 'Can' opens the question and the main verb stays in the base form 'play'.
  • D) Is she can play the saxophone?Incorrect. A modal cannot be combined with 'to be' as an auxiliary in the same sentence.

💡 Explicación

Una pregunta con modal no lleva ningun auxiliar adicional. El propio 'can', 'may', 'must' o 'should' abre la frase y el verbo principal va en forma base. Anadir 'do', 'does' o 'to be' produce siempre una estructura incorrecta.

Pregunta 10

Bloom: Analyze

Modal verbs for obligation, Barceloneta, grado 11, W10.

What is the difference between 'must' and 'have to'?

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Respuesta correcta: A) 'Must' shows the speaker's obligation and 'have to' an external rule.

  • A) 'Must' shows the speaker's obligation and 'have to' an external rule.Correct. Both express obligation, but 'must' comes from the speaker and 'have to' from an external rule.
  • B) 'Must' is past and 'have to' is present.Incorrect. Both are present forms; the past of 'must' is 'had to', and the past of 'have to' is also 'had to'.
  • C) 'Must' is more polite than 'have to'.Incorrect. The politeness relationship is the reverse: 'have to' sounds softer because the obligation does not come from the speaker.
  • D) 'Must' can be negated with 'not' in every context.Incorrect. In the sense of strong obligation, 'must not' does not allow negation, and in the sense of prohibition it means precisely 'prohibido'.

💡 Explicación

La obligacion tiene dos fuentes: la propia y la externa. 'Must' expresa la primera y 'have to' la segunda. Esa distincion tambien explica por que 'must not' significa 'prohibido' mientras que 'don't have to' significa 'no hace falta'.

Pregunta 11

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission, Maunabo, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence offers permission correctly?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) You may use my car this weekend.

  • A) You may using my car this weekend.Incorrect. After 'may' the verb goes in the base form 'use', not the gerund 'using'.
  • B) You may uses my car this weekend.Incorrect. The modal 'may' does not change with the subject, and the main verb stays in the base form.
  • C) You may to use my car this weekend.Incorrect. No 'to' is added between the modal and the main verb, because the modal already marks the infinitive.
  • D) You may use my car this weekend.Correct. Affirmative 'May' grants permission in a formal and courteous way.

💡 Explicación

El modal ya contiene la idea de infinitivo, de modo que el verbo principal va directamente en forma base sin 'to'. Anadir 'to' entre el modal y el verbo es uno de los errores mas frecuentes de esta unidad entre estudiantes hispanohablantes.

Pregunta 12

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for requests, Yauco, grado 11, W10.

Complete the sentence: 'Would you mind ____ the window? The room is hot.'

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) opening

  • A) to openIncorrect. The prompt asks for a single form, and the gerund structure is the one used to request an action.
  • B) openingCorrect. With 'would you mind' followed by a gerund, you ask permission for an action, and here the action is opening the window.
  • C) openIncorrect. The gerund and the infinitive are the only two forms allowed after 'would you mind'.
  • D) openedIncorrect. The participle does not appear in either of the two 'would you mind' structures.

💡 Explicación

'Would you mind' admite gerundio para pedir permiso sobre una accion e infinitivo para una peticion de estilo mas formal. Ambas formas son aceptables, pero el ejercicio pide una unica respuesta.

Pregunta 13

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for ability in the negative, Cayey, grado 11, W10.

Choose the correct negative: 'He ____ (not / be) able to drive yet; he is only sixteen.'

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) can't

  • A) don'tIncorrect. 'Don't' is the present simple auxiliary and does not negate ability.
  • B) can'tCorrect. 'Can't' is the contracted form of 'cannot' and is the most natural negation for ability.
  • C) doesn't canIncorrect. 'Can' is a modal and does not take auxiliaries like 'does' in front of it.
  • D) isn't ableIncorrect. The 'to' before the infinitive is missing, and it is mandatory in 'be able to'.

💡 Explicación

'Cannot' se contracted como 'can't' en la lengua escrita y hablada. Es la unica negacion posible para la capacidad con 'can', y por eso cualquier auxiliar adicional convierte la frase en incorrecta.

Pregunta 14

Bloom: Analyze

Modal verbs for obligation and prohibition, San Sebastian, grado 11, W10.

What does 'You must not use the phone during the exam' mean?

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) It is prohibited.

  • A) It is not necessary.Incorrect. To express that something is not necessary, use 'don't have to', not 'must not'.
  • B) It is optional.Incorrect. An optional action is expressed with 'can' or 'may', never with 'must not'.
  • C) It is not possible.Incorrect. 'Must not' is about permission and obligation, whereas impossibility is expressed with 'cannot'.
  • D) It is prohibited.Correct. 'Must not' expresses prohibition and means the action is not allowed under any circumstances.

💡 Explicación

La diferencia entre 'must not' y 'don't have to' es de las mas importantes de la unidad. 'Must not' prohibe de forma absoluta, mientras que 'don't have to' indica que algo no es obligatorio y por tanto queda libre.

Pregunta 15

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission in short answers, Camuy, grado 11, W10.

Question: 'May I sit here?' Answer: '____'

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) Yes, you may.

  • A) Yes, you can.Incorrect. 'Can' also grants permission, but the answer to a question with 'may' is formed with 'may'.
  • B) Yes, you must.Incorrect. 'Must' expresses obligation and is not the answer to a permission question.
  • C) Yes, you may.Correct. The short answer repeats the modal 'may' from the question, which is the expected form.
  • D) Yes, you do.Incorrect. 'Do' is the present simple auxiliary and does not fit a question with a modal.

💡 Explicación

En una respuesta corta se repite el mismo modal que aparece en la pregunta. Si la pregunta usa 'may', la respuesta usa 'may', y si usa 'can', la respuesta usa 'can'. Los modales no se sustituyen entre si.

Pregunta 16

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for ability with be able to, Luquillo, grado 11, W10.

Complete the sentence: 'She has ____ swim since she was a child.'

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) been able to

  • A) been able toCorrect. 'Has been able to' is the present perfect structure with 'be able to', and it expresses an ability that is still retained.
  • B) be able toIncorrect. 'Has' requires the participle 'been' before 'able to' to work as present perfect.
  • C) canIncorrect. 'Can' has no present perfect form, so it cannot be combined with 'has' or 'since'.
  • D) being able toIncorrect. The gerund does not form the present perfect with 'has', which always requires the past participle.

💡 Explicación

'Be able to' tiene la ventaja de que se conjuga en todos los tiempos, incluido el presente perfecto. 'Can' solo tiene presente y pasado, de modo que para expressing una capacidad que se mantiene desde el pasado se necesita la forma larga.

Pregunta 17

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for requests, Toa Baja, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence is the most formal request?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) Would you be so kind as to open the door?

  • A) Would you be so kind as to open the door?Correct. It is the most formal request structure in English, with 'would' and an elaborate politeness formula.
  • B) Open the door, please.Incorrect. It is correct and polite in everyday use, but it is not the most formal of the options given.
  • C) Can you open the door?Incorrect. It is a normal polite request between peers, not the most formal option.
  • D) You open the door now.Incorrect. It is an order, not a request, so it does not fit this exercise.

💡 Explicación

El grado de cortesia se construye con 'would' mas la estructura 'be so kind as to'. Es la formula mas formal disponible y aparece con frecuencia en situaciones de servicio o en la correspondencia oficial.

Pregunta 18

Bloom: Analyze

Modal verbs for ability and permission, Naguabo, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence is NOT correct?

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Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) He cans play the guitar very well.

  • A) He can play the guitar very well.This sentence is correct, because 'can' expresses ability with the base form of the verb.
  • B) He is able to play the guitar very well.This sentence is correct, because 'be able to' is the long form of that same ability.
  • C) He could play the guitar when he was a child.This sentence is correct, because 'could' expresses the ability someone had in the past.
  • D) He cans play the guitar very well.Correct. This is the incorrect sentence: modals do not take -s, so the form 'cans' cannot exist.

💡 Explicación

Los verbos modales son la unica clase de verbos del ingles que no tienen forma de tercera persona singular. Esa caracteristica es tan marcada que anadir una -s a 'can' es siempre un error, sin excepcion.

Pregunta 19

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for permission with nouns, Hatillo, grado 11, W10.

Which sentence asks for permission in a polite and correct way?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) Do you mind if I open the window?

  • A) Do you mind if I opening the window?Incorrect. After 'if' the clause goes in the present simple, not the gerund.
  • B) Do you mind if I open the window?Correct. 'Do you mind if' followed by the present simple is one of the most common structures for asking permission.
  • C) Do you mind if I opened the window?Incorrect. With 'if' the present simple is used, because the condition is presented as something possible, not past.
  • D) Do you mind me open the window?Incorrect. The structure takes 'if' plus a full clause, not a bare infinitive after 'me'.

💡 Explicación

'Do you mind if' se construye con presente simple en la clausula de if, porque se trata de una condicion posible en el presente o en el futuro inmediato. El gerundio y el pasado simple producen estructuras incorrectas.

Pregunta 20

Bloom: Apply

Modal verbs for ability with questions, Yabucoa, grado 11, W10.

Complete the sentence: '____ you able to help me with this project?'

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) Are

  • A) DoIncorrect. 'Do' does not combine with 'to be' plus 'able', because that form is built on the verb 'to be', not an action verb.
  • B) Can'Can' does not fit in this sentence, because the word 'able' already appears in the prompt and cannot be duplicated.
  • C) AreCorrect. 'Are you able to' is the question form of 'be able to', and the infinitive 'to help' completes the structure.
  • D) Are you able helping me with this project?Incorrect. After 'able' you need the preposition 'to' before the infinitive 'help'.

💡 Explicación

En una pregunta, 'can you' y 'are you able to' significan lo mismo, pero no pueden aparecer juntas porque la palabra 'able' ya esta incluida en una de las dos. Elegir una u otra depende de la estructura que se da en el enunciado.

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