Modals
B1 level
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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By the end of the lesson, students will be able to accurately use modal verbs (e.g., must, have to, should, can, might) in controlled and semi-controlled speaking and writing activities.
Subsidiary Aims
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To reinforce modal verb forms and meanings so that students can use them accurately in oral and written practice.
Procedure (40-45 minutes)
Students receive prompts: 1) Find someone who can cook well. 2) Find someone who must wake up early. 3) Find someone who should exercise more. 4) Find someone who might travel this year. They walk around asking: “Can you cook well?” “Do you have to wake up early?” Quick whole-class feedback: “Who must wake up early?” “Who might travel?”
1) Students work in pairs to recall modal verbs they have learned in previous classes (must, have to, should, can, might). Teacher monitors, writes correct modals on the board, and corrects errors if necessary. Highlight: “Remember, have to is modal in meaning, but behaves like a normal verb in form.” 2) Teacher briefly reminds students of the main functions: Obligation → must / have to Recommendation / Advice → should Prohibition → mustn’t / can’t Ability / Capability → can Quick whole-class elicitation: ask students for one example sentence per function. Teacher writes and models correct sentences on the board. 3) Teacher demonstrates the negative and question forms of each modal: She must study → She mustn’t forget → Must she study? I should exercise → I shouldn’t eat too much → Should I exercise? Students repeat chorally and individually for pronunciation and intonation. Teacher reinforces that questions with must are less common at this level; use softening: “Do you have to …?” “Do you think you should …?” 4) Students produce 1–2 short sentences orally using a modal of their choice, based on prompts: “Your friend is late for school.” “Your classmate wants to lose weight.” Teacher elicits a few sentences, writing correct examples on the board.
Students each draw a small paper from teacher's bag. On papers are written obligation, recommendation, prohibition, or capability. Teacher than elicits which modal verb would be used with each category, being sure to emphasize the negative forms as possibilities. Students are discourages from using "must" in the question form. Encourage students to add "Do you think" before "should you." **Do you have to wear a uniform? **Do you think you should buy a car?
Have students take out their phones and form pairs as needed, as there's an 11-student limit on my Kahoot. Play the Kahoot while discussing any incorrect answers and/or why a specific answer is correct in that case. Point out the use of negative forms and how they change meaning.
Teacher notes common mistakes from the Kahoot or productive tasks. Write anonymized sentences on the board, e.g.: She must to study. You should goes home. Can you drives? Students work in pairs to correct them. Teacher elicits answers, explains corrections, and highlights good examples.
