Fill in the blank with the appropriate modal:
______________ you please post this letter to the professor?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → could
Complete sentence: Could you please post this letter to the professor? The speaker politely asks the listener to post the letter.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) could (answer) | Could is used to make a polite request to another person: "Could you please ...?" | Could you please pass the salt? |
| (2) should | Should expresses duty or advice. "Should you please ...?" is not a request. | You should drink more water. |
| (3) may | May is used to ask permission for oneself (May I ...?), not to ask someone else to do something. | May I come in, sir? |
| (4) shall | In questions, shall goes with I or we to make offers or suggestions. "Shall you please ...?" is wrong. | Shall we start the meeting? |