Year 6 SATs SPaG worksheet on modal verbs: 18 questions in the style of the SATs, with answers. Free PDF.

3-page A4 PDF from the Tiger Shark Education question bank (Verbs and tense): two pages of questions (circle or underline, tick one) and an answer page. Example questions: Which sentence does NOT contain a modal verb? Tick one. / Which sentence contains a modal verb? Tick one.

What is a modal verb? Modal verbs are helping verbs that show possibility, certainty, ability, permission or obligation: can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must and ought to. They come before the main verb and do not change form: She might come. You must stop. In the SATs, children identify modal verbs and judge the degree of certainty they express.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often confuse modal verbs with other helping verbs such as is or has, or with adverbs of possibility (perhaps, possibly). Ranking modals on a line from ‘certain’ (will, must) to ‘possible’ (might, could) helps with the common test question about certainty. Errors such as ‘could of’ for ‘could have’ are also worth correcting.

Quick example to try: write ‘It ___ rain later’ and ask pupils to try will, might, could and must in the gap. Then order the sentences on a line from most certain to least certain, which is exactly the kind of judgement the SATs ask for.

Questions on this topic appear often in the SATs. The skill also counts in teacher assessment of writing at the end of Year 6, so children benefit from both practice in test style and from using it in their own writing.

Ways to use this worksheet: as a lesson starter or plenary, as a quick assessment before teaching a topic, for intervention groups, or as SATs revision homework. The answer page lets children self-mark. After marking, ask pupils to write two of their own sentences using the skill, so they apply it rather than just recognise it.

Using the correct terminology: the SATs use the terms in the National Curriculum glossary, and children need to recognise them quickly. Display the key term for this topic with a clear definition and an example, and use it consistently in lessons and feedback. When children explain their answers, encourage them to use the term in a full sentence. Short, regular retrieval practice, such as a two-minute quiz on terms from previous weeks, keeps knowledge fresh across the year. Because grammar topics build on one another, gaps from earlier years cause difficulties later, so this sheet is also useful for checking that Year 6 pupils have secure foundations from Years 3 to 5.