Choose the modal phrase that matches the evidence, degree of certainty, communicative purpose, and register in each work or society context.
Question 1
A textbook describes a general theoretical possibility, not a past event or a situation unfolding now: rigid workplace policies _____ unintended inequalities when applied without flexibility.
Options: can sometimes create, could have created, may be creating
Question 2
We do not yet know why productivity fell. Treating this as one tentative possibility rather than a general rule, the investigator says, “The decline _____ changes in commuting patterns.”
Options: can involve, could involve, will probably involve
Question 3
The leaked memo was created three months after Priya left the organisation, so she _____ it.
Options: may have written, might have written, can't have written
Question 4
Staff reports document the same recurring pattern over several years: although the director is highly competent, he _____ dismissive when junior colleagues challenge him.
Options: can be, could be, might currently be
Question 5
Rather than reject the pilot scheme immediately, if the board were willing to reconsider, we _____ a smaller trial first.
Options: can run, could run, must run
Question 6
Because the survey used a very narrow sample, its conclusions _____ to the wider population; here the meaning is “perhaps not”.
Options: must not apply, cannot apply, may not apply
Question 7
The office is locked, the lights are off, and the alarm is set. Lena _____ there now.
Options: can't be working, may be working, might be working
Question 8
The evidence remains inconclusive. In its published assessment, the policy institute writes that the proposed levy _____ small firms disproportionately.
Options: will affect, may affect, must affect
Question 9
The hearing’s written protocol requires witnesses to use the standard neutral-formal permission formula taught in this lesson: “_____ I clarify one point before we proceed?”
Options: might, may, must
Question 10
In a tentative conversational aside rather than a formal report, the analyst says, “The reform _____ help, but I am really not sure.”
Options: might, may, must
Question 11
The server logs show that the account was disabled before the message was sent, so the message _____ from that account.
Options: may have come, couldn't have come, might have come
Question 12
The draft omits two of the four quarters, and no conclusion is valid until all four are included. To soften this required correction, the reviewer writes, “You _____ check the complete dataset before drawing a conclusion.”
Options: could, must, might want to
Practise Work & Society with this interactive fill-in-the-blank exercise of 12 questions. Choose the option that correctly completes each sentence, then submit to check your answers and get instant feedback on every choice.
Practising grammar in real sentences — rather than memorising rules in isolation — is one of the most effective ways to make a structure stick. You can retry as many times as you like to build accuracy and confidence using Work & Society in everyday English.
Looking for more practice? See all exercises for this lesson.
