MODAL VERBS Modal verbs are special verbs which have irregular aspects. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They are used to give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a lot of communicative functions to express things like: Permission Ability Obligation Prohibition 5. Lack of necessity 6. Advice 7. Possibility 8. Probability Remember: Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to" 1) can ability to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be able to) permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be allowed to) request offer suggestion possibility I can speak English. Can I go to the cinema? Can you wait a moment, please? I can lend you my car till tomorrow. Can we visit Grandma at the weekend? It can get very hot in Arizona. 2) could ability to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to be able to) permission to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to be allowed to) polite question * polite request * polite offer * polite suggestion * possibility * I could speak English. I could go to the cinema. Could I go to the cinema, please? Could you wait a moment, please? I could lend you my car till tomorrow. Could we visit Grandma at the weekend? It could get very hot in Madrid. 3) may 1
possibility permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be allowed to) polite suggestion It may rain today. May I go to the cinema? May I help you? 4) might possibility (less possible than may) * hesitant offer * It might rain today. Might I help you? 5) must force, necessity possibility/deduction advice, recommendation I must go to the supermarket today. You must be tired. You must see the new film with Brad Pitt. 6) must not/may not prohibition You mustn't work on dad's computer. You may not work on dad's computer. 7) need not not necessary (don t have to) I needn't go to the supermarket, we're going to the restaurant tonight. 8) ought to advice obligation You ought to drive carefully in bad weather. You ought to switch off the light when you leave the room. 9) shall (instead of will in the 1st person) suggestion Shall I/we phone the restaurant? 2
10) should advice obligation You should drive carefully in bad weather. You should switch off the light when you leave the room. 11) will wish, request, demand, order (less polite than would) prediction, assumption promise spontaneous decision habits Will you please shut the door? I think it will rain on Friday. I will stop smoking. Can somebody drive me to the station? - I will. She's strange; she'll sit for hours without talking. 12) would wish, request (more polite than will) habits in the past Would you shut the door, please? Sometimes he would bring me some flowers. * no past forms - future forms GAMES AND EXERCISES ABILITY BINGO 3
Walk around the classroom and ask your classmates if they can do the things on the Bingo Card. Ask yes/no questions using can, e.g. Can you wiggle your ears? For boxes with can, find a classmate who answers Yes, I can. Write that student s name in the appropriate box and if possible ask them to demonstrate their ability. For boxes with can t, find a classmate who answers No, I can t. Write that student s name in the appropriate box. The first student to have five names in a row, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally wins. Can wiggle Can speak Can play Can whistle Can name 3 his /her ears 3 languages chess the Happy countries Birthday song in Africa Can play a Can bake Can name 3 Can run 100 Can play stringed a cake countries in metres in 15 a wind instrument South America seconds instrument Can't say a Can tell a joke Can make an Can stand on Can play tongue twister in English origami bird his / her head golf Can eat with Can swim Can ride a Can spell the Can say the chopsticks motorbike capital of alphabet Vietnam backwards Can spell the Can hold his / Can hop Can ice skate Can ride a teacher's her breath for backwards on Skateboard last name 25 seconds one foot Can and Could Can: Can is used to express ability, willingness, permission, or possibility. The negative of can is cannot or the contraction can t. 4
Example: I can cook dinner. In this example can expresses the ability to cook dinner. Example: Can you pass me the ketchup? In this example Can expresses the willingness pass me the ketchup. Example: Can I use your pencil? In this example Can expresses the permission to use your pencil. Example: Intense light can hurt your eyes. In this example can expresses the possibility of intense light to hurt your eyes. Directions: Say how can is used in each sentence. Circle A if it is used to express ability, W if it is used to express willingness, Per if it is used to express permission and Pos if it is used to Express possibility. 1) I can tie my shoes. A W Per Pos 2) Can I have a piece of gum? A W Per Pos 3) If you ride a motorcycle, you can fall. A W Per Pos 4) Can you get me a drink of water? A W Per Pos 5) I can speak English well. A W Per Pos6) He can use my basketball if he wants to. A W Per Pos 7) Can they clean my car while I am at work? A W Per Pos 8) Can squirrels fly? A W Per Pos 9) It can snow if it gets very cold. A W Per Pos 10) I can help you with your homework if you like. A W Per Pos Directions: Now make your own sentences using can. 1) 2) Could: Could has at least three functions. First, it can replace can and give the phrase a more conditional tone. Second, it can function as a the past tense of can. Third, it can function in the same way as might or may, suggesting that something is a possibility. The negative of can is could not or the contraction couldn t. 5
Example: You could have been an astronaut if you wanted to. In this example could expresses the conditional ability to be an astronaut in the past. Example: He couldn t let me have his pencil because he needed it. In this example couldn t expresses the lack of permission to have his pencil in the past. Example: Jane could be at the store right now. In this example could expresses the possibility that Jane is at the store in the present. Could functions the same way as might or may in this sentence. Directions: Circle the correct auxiliary modal verb in each sentence. 1) I (could, can) help you with your homework now. 2) Five years ago, I (cannot, couldn t) play the piano. 3) I (can, could) get an A on the test. 4) I (can, could) run ten miles if I train hard enough. 5) We (can, could) speak English well. 6) Matt (could, can) be sick today. 7) The volleyball team (can, could) go to the Olympics this year if they are lucky. 8) I think I (can, could) help you learn math if you promise to study hard. 9) (Can, Could) we go to the zoo tomorrow? 10) I (cannot, couldn t) run that fast when I was six years old. Directions: Now make your own sentences using could. 1) 2) FUN ABILITY GAME NAME CAN CAN'T Spin around ten times and then walk in a straight line 6
Pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time Wiggle your ears Stand up and then touch your toes Draw a square and a circle at the same time Close their eyes and describe what another person in the class is wearing Click your fingers Say the months of the year backwards in English without making a mistake Count to 20 in English in 10 seconds Say the English alphabet in 10 seconds FUN ABILITY GAME INSTRUCTIONS: Divide the class into groups of three or four and give each group one copy of the worksheet. Ask the members of each group to write their names next to the first challenge on the worksheet. In their groups, the students take it in turns to try out the challenge and then tick the 'can or can t column next to their name according to whether they completed the task successfully or not. 7
The students repeat the procedure for all challenges in their groups and complete the chart. When the groups have completed all the challenges, ask the students to write a summary of what they could and couldn t do. After they have completed the summary, have the students take it in turns to tell the class one thing they could do and one thing they couldn t do. ############################################################ What's that noise? MAY/MIGHT/COULD/MUST In this teaching activity, students learn how to use modal verbs of possibility and certainty in a real situation. For this activity, you will need some kind of screen and some everyday objects that make a recognizable sound when you use them. Procedure Put the objects behind the screen without the class seeing them. Next, ask one student to volunteer to operate the various objects behind the screen. Divide the class into two teams. The volunteer operates one of the objects. The teams take it in turns to guess what they think the object could be. Each time a team makes a guess, they use a modal verb of possibility by saying "It could/may/might be a..." If a team is very certain what the object is, the team uses a modal verb of certainty by saying "It must be a..." Teams are only allowed one guess for each turn. Score the game: One point for a correct guess with "It could/may/might be a..." Two points for a correct guess with "It must be a..." Minus two points for an incorrect guess with "It must be a..." You can also play a variation of this game with smells by using things like lavender, mint, garlic, coffee, etc. You could also play this game with touch by using various fabrics. In both of these variants, the player in the guessing role would have to be blindfolded. Possibility and probability Aims: to review the use of may, might, could, must and can t to express possibility and probability; to review the use of may, might and could when talking about possibility and probability in the future; to extend vocabulary for expressing probability Grammar Review: 8
Write the following phrases on the board: wears a wedding ring / be married// don t know where Dad is / be in the garden// sky looks cloudy / rain// Anna s too far behind / win the race// bought a lottery ticket / be a millionaire Say aloud: She wears a wedding ring. ~ She must be married. I don t know where Dad is. ~ He may be in the garden. The sky looks cloudy. ~ It might rain. Anna s too far behind. ~ She can t win the race. I ve bought a lottery ticket. ~ You could be a millionaire! Ask students to repeat the phrases after you. Then say aloud the first part only and ask students to complete the phrases aloud as a class in response. Write the complete phrase with the modal verbs in place on the board. Tell the class that these phrases are all about possibility and probability. For each phrase, ask whether the speaker feels sure about what they are saying, or whether they think what they are saying is possible, but they aren t sure. Draw this diagram on the board underneath the example sentences, but don t include the modal verbs. Tell students that the line represents how sure we are about something. Ask students to put may, might, could, must and can t in the correct place. - isn t can t be could be may/might be must be is + Looking again at the example sentences, ask: Are these sentences about now or the future? *She must be married. now; He may/might be in the garden. now; It may/might rain. - future She can t win the race. now; You could become a millionaire. - future.] 9
Modal Verbs For each sentence, choose the best word or phrase to complete the gap from the choices below. Are you going swimming? I come with you, please? A Should B Can C Must D Will I'm not going to pay five pounds for a coffee. You be joking! A can B might C must D should This is a hospital. People are resting, so you be quiet. A will B ought C should D can It rain, so take an umbrella. A might B must C should D can 5. I have a quick word with you? Something important has happened. A Must B Could C Would D Should 6. You smoke here. It's a no-smoking area. A couldn't B wouldn't C mightn't D mustn't 7. You come and visit us when you are next in London. A could B might C would D must 8. I'm sure you love this film. It's brilliant. A could B can C might D would 9. I imagine why she married him. He's so stupid! A can't B mightn't C mustn't D shouldn't 10. What you do in my situation? I need your advice. A would B must C could D should 10
1 This is the most important thing - you forget to take the food out of the oven at seven o'clock. A wouldn't B can't C mustn't D couldn't 1 They left London at three o'clock so they be here by now. A could B should C would D can MODAL VERBS CAN/CAN T/MUST/MUSTN T/MAY/MAY NOT/MIGHT/MIGHT NOT/SHOULD/SHOULDN T/OUGHT TO/OUGHTN T TO/HAVE TO/DON T HAVE TO/NEED/DON T NEED. There may be more than one correct answer. He go skating because he broke his leg. Many children in Britain wear school uniforms. I'm not sure but Jane come to visit me this afternoon. Didn't you see the sign? You drive more than 30 miles. 5. He speaks a lot of languages but he speak Chinese. 6. It snow. It feels very cold today. 7. You drive on the right in Britain. It s the law. 8. He is a good boxer. You be careful. 9. You to drink coffee in the office because the boss doesn t like it. 10. This test will be very difficult. So you learn a lot. 1 You eat more vegetables because they are healthy. 1 I don't the car. You can take it. 1 He does everything himself. He any help. 1 It's going to rain. You shut the window. 15. You start a fire in the forest if you smoke a cigarette there. 11
12