Select the most appropriate Modal from the options given below to complete the blank in the given sentence:
Parents always advise their children that they ____ mix with those who have bad habits.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Must not
Complete sentence: Parents always advise their children that they must not mix with those who have bad habits. Parents warn their children to keep away from people with bad habits, so the advice is a prohibition: they must not mix with them.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Can | "Can" gives ability or permission. Parents would not advise that children can mix with such people. | – |
| (2) Must | "Must" makes mixing with them an obligation, the opposite of the advice. | – |
| (3) Cannot | "Cannot" mainly states inability or impossibility. It reports a fact rather than giving advice. | – |
| (4) Must not (answer) | Must not expresses a strong prohibition: something is not to be done. | You must not use your phone while driving. |