Here's a different kind of quiz.

Britain and the US: two countries separated by a common language. We easily spot the variations in our vocabulary: lift vs elevator, lorry vs truck, biscuit vs cookie. The list goes on. But it's the subtler differences that give us pause. Sometimes, we even get annoyed at each other because of our casual use of phrasing . What seems perfectly friendly to one group may come across as a near-deadly insult to another.

Such are the modal verbs. Modal verbs, in case you didn't grow up with grammarians, are 'helping' verbs like can, ought, must, etc. Sometimes, however, these verbs are more of a hindrance than a help. Check it out. Tell us how you use these verbs, and we'll tell you where you're from.

Of course, we realise that English comes in way more flavours than Brit/Not-Brit. There are Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans… There are also US Southerners, Caribbean Islanders, Valley Girls, Newfies, Belfast Researchers, and so on, round the world. If you've got a different take on the 'correct' use of these modal verbs – or you'd like to tell us what they mean to you – we'd love to hear it. That's what the bottom of the page is for, so you can share.

In the meantime, pick your meaning.

1. 'You need to fill out this form.'
   
   Do you find this sentence…
   
   a. Neutral?
   
   b. Offensive?
   
   c. Unecessarily bossy?
2. 'I couldn't say.'
   
   Do you find this sentence…
   
   a. Quite correct?
   
   b. Snobbish?
   
   c. Suspiciously evasive?
3. 'We might could do that.'
   
   Do you find this sentence…
   
   a. Incomprehensible?
   
   b. Ignorant?
   
   c. Quite reasonable?
4. 'Can I have another piece of cake?'
   
   How do you respond?
   
   a. You can, but you may not.
   
   b. Sure, go ahead.
   
   c. If you say please first.
5. 'You may go now.'
   
   How do you respond?
   
   a. Thank you..
   
   b. Just who do you think you are?
   
   c. Didn't your mother teach you better manners?
6. 'I shall be there.'
   
   How do you respond?
   
   a. I'm looking forward to seeing you..
   
   b. Is it inevitable?
   
   c. You nod, but think, 'Is this person older than he/she looks?'
7. 'I had to do that.'
   
   Do you find this statement…
   
   a. Factual?
   
   b. Cause for a psychological evaluation?
   
   c. Merely an expression of intense desire?

What do you think? Do modals tell you anything about your language choices? Click on the ogham bar to get our take on the results.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

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