Question

James _____ swim across the river when he was young.
( Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from those given in the options.)
a. could
b. should
c. might
d. can

Answer 1

Hint:Understand the meaning of the given sentence, and then go through the given options. Make sure it is grammatically correct. Then, choose the correct option. Look for a modal auxiliary i.e. a word that is usually used as a helping verb.

Complete answer: Verbs are action words that show action (sing),
occurrence (develop), or state of being (exist), usually of a noun. Every sentence requires a verb. The basic form of a verb is known as an infinitive. A modal auxiliary is a type of verb that is used to indicate modality – that is: likelihood, ability, permission, request, capacity, suggestions, order, obligation, or advice. Modal verbs always accompany the base form of another verb having relevant linguistic content.

In the given sentence, the speaker wants to talk about the subject, James’ ability to swim. This means that we need a modal auxiliary which indicates ‘ability’. We also need it to be in the past tense as the sentence talks about when the subject was young.
Now, we know what we are looking for. Let’s look at the given options:
a. could - The word ‘could’ is a modal auxiliary which refers to ability. It is also in the past tense. This fits perfectly into the sentence. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
b. should - The word ‘should’ is a modal auxiliary which refers to giving advice or recommendations. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
c. might - The word ‘might’ is a modal auxiliary which refers to possibility. This word is in the past tense, but it does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d. can - The word ‘can’ is a modal auxiliary which refers to ability. However, it is not in the past tense. This does not fit into the given sentence. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
Therefore, option a is correct.

Note: Look for pointers suggesting which modal auxiliary to use. The sentence simply states a fact about a person’s ability to swim. These pointers are indicators of certain
situations.