Fill in the blank with a suitable Modal from the options given below:
How ________ you shout at your elder sister ?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → could
Complete sentence: How could you shout at your elder sister? Shouting at an elder sister is rude, so the speaker scolds with "How could you shout at your elder sister?"
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) shall | "Shall" is used for the future or for offers and suggestions with I and we ("Shall we go?"). "How shall you shout" is not English. | Shall I open the window? |
| (2) would | "How would you ...?" asks about the way one would do something in an imagined case ("How would you solve this?"). It does not scold. | Would you like some tea? |
| (3) could (answer) | How could you + base verb is a fixed pattern used to express shock, disapproval or reproach at something already done. It is not a real question. It means "You should not have done it". | How could you forget your mother's birthday? |
| (4) must | "Must" expresses necessity. "How must you shout" makes no sense as a reproach. | We must finish the work today. |