Use the suitable Modal in the following sentence.
Prices _____ come down soon, considering the current inflation trends.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → may
Complete sentence: Prices may come down soon, considering the current inflation trends. Going by the inflation trends, a fall in prices is possible, not certain, so "may" fits.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) can | "Can" expresses ability or a general, theoretical possibility ("Prices can rise in winter"). For a likely event in the near future, "may" is the right modal. | He can swim across the river. |
| (2) used to | "Used to" describes a past habit or state that no longer exists. It cannot go with "soon", which points to the future. | We used to walk to school every morning. |
| (3) need | "Need" as a modal is used mainly in negatives and questions ("You needn't come"). It expresses necessity, not possibility, so "Prices need come down" is wrong. | You need not wait for me. |
| (4) may (answer) | May + base verb expresses a possibility in the present or future: something that is likely but not certain. | Take an umbrella; it may rain in the afternoon. |