Modal auxiliary verbs
Hello everyone, Dr. TEFL here with you all once again. Today we’ll be looking at modal auxiliary verbs.
It’s a cold February. We’re looking forward to the first day of March when spring arrives. soon it will be (WILL soon be) in full bloom, and I look at life with optimism because I know that things ONLY THEY CAN improve (Can only get better).
My EFL teacher friends and I love teaching one of our favorites: modal verbs. They’re fun, easy to learn, and widely used in English. Every language has its own form of modal verbs, but English ones are more colorful and fun.
YOU WOULD HAVE (you WOULD haveYou’ve heard many of these modal verbs when you listen to people speaking English.
Educational activities for modal auxiliary verbs
Resources needed: The Modal Verbs Song. (This song was created by Barbara Simpson, an EBC TEFL graduate and later an EBC teacher.) Thank you, Barb, for this excellent teaching material! EBC has provided the lyrics to this song; now you can add your own melody or use it as a poem.
English level: B1 – B2
Aim: Practice the modal auxiliary verbs Will, Would, Can, Could, in a fun and original way.
Introduction
Sometimes, traditional teaching resources, such as textbooks, can be boring or outdated.
If you have imagination and are creative, you can easily make your own language materials, and it’s always a great idea to use rather complicated language concepts in a fun and cheerful way or even in an entertaining context.
Activity 1. The song WILL, WOULD, CAN, COULD
| Will, Would, Can and Could Came to call one day I looked out, and there they were Each in their own specific way. |
Will, Would, Dog and Could They came to call someday I looked outside, and there they were. Each in their own specific way. |
| WILL was full of promises And good intentions too, His typical behavior Was to ask what you would have him do. |
WILL It was full of promises And good intentions too, Their typical behavior It was asking what you would do to him ( WILL ) do. |
| WOULD was far more formal, Stuck somewhere in the past, He said that he was ready For a polite and formal request. |
WOULD It was much more formal, Trapped somewhere in the past, He said he was ready. For a polite and formal request. |
| Now DOG was very self-assured, Such ability she had, Checking all the normal rules And making plans, you see. |
Now DOG He was very self-confident, He had such skill in testing all normal rules And making plans, you see. |
| COULD was much less definite, A little vague, I’d say, But always very, very polite, Even on a weaker day. |
COULD it was much less defined, A bit vague, I’d say. But always very, very polite, Even on a weaker day. |
| SW COULD and WOULD went on their way Polite and formal throughout the day, While WILL was sure to give commands, |
So COULD and WOULD They continued on their way Polite and formal throughout the day, While WILL He was confident in giving orders, |
| And DOG, well CAN expressed Open disbelief at the endless possibilities. |
AND DOG, well expressed Open disbelief at the infinite possibilities. |
Finally, it would help if you read the song aloud.
Activity 2. Grammar Rules!
Review the song lyrics one more time.
You must find out the grammatical rules and the meaning/use of the four modal verbs.
When you have finished, you should check your work.
Activity 3. Example sentences
Write two sentences using the four modal verbs. Write or say your sentences, and if everything went well, YOU SHOULD (you WOULD) be happy to have improved your knowledge of the modal auxiliary verb.
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