TEACHER'S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES When could you first do this?

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, writing, In this insightful modal verbs of ability activity, students ask and
listening and speaking answer questions about present and past abilities.
activity, pairwork
Procedure
Language Focus Divide the students into pairs (A and B).
Past and present modal
Give each student a corresponding A or B worksheet.
verbs of ability
Students then take it in turns to ask their partner a 'Can you...?'
question from their worksheet, e.g. 'Can you swim?'
Aim
To ask and answer If their partner replies 'Yes, I can', the student finds out when
questions about present they were first able to do the ability by asking 'When could you
and past abilities. first do this?'

Their partner replies and the student asks suitable follow-

Preparation up questions from the bottom of the worksheet to gain extra
information, e.g. 'Where did you learn to swim?'
Make one copy of the two
worksheets for each pair
The students write all their partner's answers in the appropriate
of students.
columns on their worksheet.

Level If their partner replies 'No, I can't' to the first question, the student
asks 'Would you like to learn to (swim)?' 'Why/Why not?' and
Low intermediate notes down their partner's answer in the last column.

Students continue taking it in turns to ask and answer questions

Time until both worksheets have been completed.
30 minutes
Afterwards, the students give feedback to the class on what they
found out about their partner, e.g. 'Jack can swim. He could first
do this when he was 5 years old. He learnt to swim at school, etc.'

As a variation, you can have the students write about their findings
first before giving feedback to the class about their partner's
abilities.

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 MODAL VERBS OF ABILITY

ESL / EFL RESOURCES When could you first do this?

Student A

Take it in turns to ask and answer 'Can you...?' and 'When could you first do this?' questions
with Student B. Ask follow-up questions to gain extra information and write all your partner's
answers in the corresponding columns below.

When could
Can you...? Yes/No he/she first do Extra information
this?

swim

ride a motorbike

use a sewing machine

speak two languages

use Photoshop

look after a baby

whistle

play football

juggle

wiggle your ears

Follow-up questions

Where did you learn to...? Would you like to learn to...?
OR
Why did you learn to...? Why/Why not?

How did you learn to...?

Who taught you to...?

How well can you...?

Teach-This.com © 2019 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

 MODAL VERBS OF ABILITY

ESL / EFL RESOURCES When could you first do this?

Student B

Take it in turns to ask and answer 'Can you...?' and 'When could you first do this?' questions
with Student A. Ask follow-up questions to gain extra information and write all your partner's
answers in the corresponding columns below.

When could
Can you...? Yes/No he/she first do Extra information
this?

run 5 kilometers

ski

ride a bicycle

eat with chopsticks

make a cake

cook

play a musical
instrument

dance

do 30 push-ups

play chess

Follow-up questions

Where did you learn to...? Would you like to learn to...?
OR
Why did you learn to...? Why/Why not?

How did you learn to...?

Who taught you to...?

How well can you...?

Teach-This.com © 2019 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.