Must, Should, and Can: Learning About Modal Verbs and Obligation

Must, Should, and Can: 

Learning About Modal Verbs and Obligation

We use modals to show if we believe something is certain, possible or impossible:

• My keys must be in the car.t 
• It might rain tomorrow.
• That can't be Peter's coat. It's too small.

Febuary 2024

Modal verbs & obligatio

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand and use modal verbs to express obligation.

Headway

Go to page 25 of your Headway workbook

Read the text. 

Fill in the table.

Watch the film clips

Find the modals!

What Are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are special verbs that express ability, possibility, necessity, or obligation. Examples include must, should, and can.

Must for Obligation

Must is used to express strong obligation. For example, 'You must wear a helmet when riding a bike.'

Should for Advice

Should is used to give advice or to express a milder form of obligation. For example, 'You should brush your teeth after every meal.'

Can for Permission

Can is used to ask for permission or to give permission. For example, 'Can I go to the restroom?'

Identifying Modal Verbs

Look for the words that express ability, possibility, necessity, or obligation in sentences. Circle the modal verbs in the following sentences:

Practicing with Modal Verbs

Complete the sentences with the appropriate modal verb: 1. You ___ clean your room before going out. 2. He ___ play outside after finishing his homework.

Creating Sentences

Work in pairs to create sentences using must, should, and can to express obligation, advice, and permission.

Modal Verb Game

Play a game where students take turns creating a sentence using a given modal verb and explaining the obligation, advice, or permission it conveys.

Review: Using Modal Verbs

Discuss as a class how we can use modal verbs to express obligation, advice, and permission in our everyday lives.

Role Play: Everyday Scenarios

In groups, act out everyday scenarios where modal verbs are used to express obligation, advice, or permission. For example, getting ready for school or playing at the park.

Reflection

Write a short reflection on a time when you felt a sense of obligation and how you expressed it using a modal verb.

Wrap-Up and Homework

Summarize the key points of the lesson and assign homework to create a short story using at least three different modal verbs to express obligation, advice, or permission.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.