Grammar - Modal verbs - Unit 6

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Think of a caption using a modal verb

The ten modal verbs are:

can         could

may        might

shall         should    ought

will          would

       must  

These five verbs and expressions act in the same way:

be able to          have to           need to

had better            used to

Usage

We use modal verbs to show if we believe something is certain, probable or possible (or not). We also use modals to do things like talking about ability, asking permission making requests and offers, and so on.

TIP: READ THE GRAMMAR REFERENCE pag 175 Modal Verbs section in you Student Book for the specific uses.

This is summarised on the next slide.

 

1. ______ I have a look at that new book, please?

2. You really ______make such a fuss about being late, nobody minds!

3. I hope we ______ find the classroom easily, the new school is very big.

4. We couldn't find a cheap flight so we ______ had to drive all the way to Spain in the car.

5. We'd love to ______ afford a new car, someday.

Answers:

 1. Could, request/permission

2. Shouldn't, advice -/or could be; mustn't, negative obligation

3. Can, ability

4. had to, obligation (expressing a fact)

5. be able to, possibility

Modal: Should/Ought to

You really should visit the dentist.

Usage: Advice

Modal: Should/Ought to.              Usage: Advice

Write a personal problem (keep it clean!) on a slip of paper. Do not write your name on the paper so the problems remain anonymous. Put them into a hat and mix them up. Each student then chooses a problem and must write a piece of advice in response. Then they read out the problem and the answer.

Use modals which offer advice: Should and Ought

Modal: Might/May/Could.            Usage: Possibility

In Pairs – one is a journalist and the other a famous actor’s manager. Both of you have diaries and the journalist needs to try to schedule an interview that will take about 2 hours. 

The manager needs to be cagey about the actor’s free time. The journalist should try to make an appointment during the week and the manager should rebuff him/her with phrases such as: “You could come on Friday morning, but only for 15 minutes”, or “He might have time Monday at 3 pm, but only for an hour”. Finally, there should be a 2 hour slot in the diary and only when the journalist guesses it can the appointment be made.

Have a discussion in your group - Use the modals to express: 

Ability: can/ could/ able to

Permission: can/could

Possibility: might/may

Necessity: need (to)

Obligation: must/have to

Advice and recommendations: should/ ought to

Assumptions/Deductions: must be/can't be, must have/can't have

Write down some of the sentences you used.

Examples

Mamoudo Gassama was able to scale the building by pulling himself from one balcony to the next. If he hadn't have helped the child might have fallen. 

Use "was able to"tofor one particular action concerning ability in the past

Use might or may to express possibility

Have you done the exercises on page 72 and 73

Check the answers with a partner

HOMEWORK!!!!!!