Worksheet

Checkup Day at Bright Smile Dental: Helping Verbs

Grade 4 modal auxiliaries practice at a dental office: find can, may, might and must, tell what they show and pick the right one.

Grade 4ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toL.4.1.c

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What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
11 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 4
Subject: ELA
Question types: Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students identify the modal auxiliary in a sentence.
Students explain whether can, may, might, must or should shows ability, permission, possibility, a rule or advice.
Students choose the modal auxiliary that shows a given condition.

How to use

Review the meanings of can, may, might, must and should, then have students work through the sheet alone or with a partner and share their waiting-room signs.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

L.4.1.c

Use modal auxiliaries, such as can, may, and must, to show different conditions.

Preview

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Name Date

Checkup Day at Bright Smile Dental: Helping Verbs

Find and choose helping verbs that show rules, permission, ability and possibility.

Find the helping verb

Lena and her brother Omar are at the dentist for a checkup. Read each sign or sentence. Then answer the questions.

Underline the helping verb in the sign at the front desk.

Patientsmustsigninatthefrontdesk.

Underline the helping verb in what the dental helper says to Omar.

Yourteethmightfeelcoldduringthecleaning.

Underline the helping verb in the sign by the toy box.

Afteryourcheckup,youmaychooseonesticker.

Look at the sign in question 1. What does must show?

A. Patients are allowed to sign in.
B. Patients are able to sign in.
C. Patients have to sign in.
D. Patients might sign in later.

Look at the sign in question 3. What does may show?

A. Taking a sticker is allowed.
B. Taking a sticker is a rule.
C. Taking a sticker is a skill.
D. Taking a sticker is a good idea.

Read this sentence.
"Omar can floss his teeth without any help now."
What does can show?

A. Omar has to floss.
B. Omar might floss someday.
C. Omar is allowed to floss.
D. Omar is able to floss.

Pick the right helping verb

Choose the sentence that says what each person means.

Dr. Patel wants to say that brushing after lunch is a good idea, but not a rule. Which sentence says this?

A. You must brush after lunch.
B. You should brush after lunch.
C. You might brush after lunch.
D. You can brush after lunch.

The dental helper tells Lena that it is OK for her to pick the toothpaste flavor. Which sentence says this?

A. You must pick the flavor.
B. You might pick the flavor.
C. You may pick the flavor.
D. You should pick the flavor.

Lena's front tooth is loose. Dr. Patel is not sure if it will fall out this week. Which sentence says this?

A. It might fall out this week.
B. It must fall out this week.
C. It should fall out this week.
D. It will fall out this week.

10.

What does the helping verb in each sentence show? Sort the sentences.

Your gums might feel a little sore tonight.Patients must turn off their phones in the exam room.Dr. Patel can count your teeth in a few seconds.Dr. Patel says kids may bring a stuffed animal.Everyone must wash their hands before the checkup.The waiting room might be busy on Monday morning.The sign says parents may sit next to the chair.The little mirror can show the backs of your teeth.