Choose the correct option to fill in the blank with the appropriate Modal.
Mary expects that her son_____ return.
A. need
B. may
C. used to
D. dare
E. ought to
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → B only
A. need — Incorrect.
- As a modal, need is used only in negatives and questions (You need not come), so "her son need return" is wrong.
B. may — Correct.
- May + base verb expresses possibility, which suits an expectation: "Mary expects that her son may return."
C. used to — Incorrect.
- Used to speaks of a past habit (He used to play cricket).
- It cannot follow "expects", which looks to the future.
D. dare — Incorrect.
- Dare means to have the courage to do something.
- As a modal it is used mainly in negatives and questions (How dare you?), and courage is not the idea here.
E. ought to — Incorrect.
- Ought to expresses duty, what is right to do.
- Mary's expectation is about a possibility, not a duty.
Complete sentence: Mary expects that her son may return.