Question

Correct the underlined modal verb if required:
It's been a cloudy morning. It can rain today.

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. might
• C. may
• D. could

Answer 1

The correct option is C may

Modal verbs are used to form certain moods or conceptions of the mind, in a sentence, like a possibility, obligation, ability and so on. In the given sentence, the modal verb 'can' indicates possibility. 'Can' indicates theoretical possibility, which means 'something that may happen but is unlikely to', whereas 'may' refers to a factual possibility, 'something that may happen due to a fact', that fact being that "It's been a cloudy morning". Hence 'can' is incorrect here and 'may' is the correct modal verb; option A is wrong, C is right. 'Might' is usually used as the past tense of 'may' in indirect speech, but here the sentence is in direct speech. Hence option B is incorrect. Similarly, 'could' is used as the past tense of 'can' in indirect speech. The sentence neither refers to a theoretical possibility nor is it in indirect speech, hence option D is incorrect.