Which of the following sentences has a 'modal verb'?

Question

Accepted Answer

Here's the explanation for the given question:

**Explanation:**

The correct answer is **Option 4: Her mother ought to know what she is doing in Mumbai.**

**Why Option 4 is correct:**

*   A modal verb (also called a modal auxiliary verb) is a type of auxiliary verb that is used to express ability, possibility, permission, obligation, advice, or necessity. Common modal verbs include *can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, ought to, need (as a modal),* and *dare (as a modal)*.
*   In Option 4, the phrase "**ought to**" is a modal verb. It expresses a sense of obligation, duty, or strong advisability. Therefore, this sentence correctly contains a modal verb.

**Why other options are incorrect:**

*   **Option 1: His father knows me well.**
    *   The verb here is "knows". This is a main verb (lexical verb) in the simple present tense. It describes an action or state and is not an auxiliary verb, nor is it a modal verb.

*   **Option 2: Ram is an intelligent boy.**
    *   The verb here is "is". This is a form of the verb "to be". In this sentence, "is" acts as a linking verb, connecting the subject "Ram" to the predicate noun "an intelligent boy". While "to be" can function as an auxiliary verb (e.g., in continuous tenses), it is not a modal auxiliary verb.

*   **Option 3: He is flying a kite.**
    *   The verb phrase here is "is flying". In this phrase, "is" is an auxiliary verb (specifically, a form of "to be") used to form the present continuous tense. "flying" is the main verb (present participle). Although "is" is an auxiliary verb, it is not a modal auxiliary verb. Modal verbs have distinct characteristics and functions different from the auxiliary verb "to be".