Task 1. Study the following information.

Make sure you can comment on every

point.
General description of Modal Verbs:
1) The modal verbs are: can, could, may, might, must, ought to, will, would, shall,
should. (Some grammar books view need and dare as modal verbs too).
2) They are used to show the speaker’s attitude towards the action or state indicated by
the infinitive. E.g. He may be at home. (the modal verb ‘may’ shows that the action
expressed by the infinitive ‘be’ is probable).
3) We use modals to express: ability, advice, criticism, logical assumption, necessity,
offers, obligation/duty, permission, possibility, probability, prohibition, request/
suggestions.
4) Modal verbs can be confusing for learners because an individual verb can be used to
express a number of different meanings. For example, the modal verb ‘can’ can
express ability, possibility, logical assumption, permission, requests, prohibition. E.g.
I can read French (ability). He can win the race (possibility 90%).
5) Modal verbs do not take ‘-s’ in the third person singular.
6) All modal verbs (but ought) are followed by the infinitive without the particle ‘to’.
7) All modal verbs do not take the auxiliary do to form the negative and the interrogative
form.
8) All the modal verbs have two negative forms – a full form and a contracted one.
E.G.: should not – shouldn’t
must not – mustn’t

Task 2. Complete the following tasks

1) Advanced learners' grammar pp.174-175 - 16.1A, B "Ability". Fill in the
table below.
TIME Ways to express ability: Examples
PRESENT

A
B PAST
I
L
I
T FUTURE
y

2) Advanced learners' grammar p.178, Ex. 1,2,3 (go to the key section and
check your answers;
3) Write a paragraph about the ability (talent) you are especially proud of.
Write about how you developed the talent and how this talent will help
you in the future. Here you are expected to purposefully use ‘can’,
‘could’, ‘be able to’ to write about your abilities!!!!
Attach this task to the google classroom
4) Find some text/ story/ poem/ article etc. where modal verbs are used to
express different meanings. Underline modal verbs in the text and analyse
their meaning.
5) SALE OF GOODS ACT

6) The Headline: You might not need that five-year extended warranty after all.

7) The Scenario: Your iconic white MP3 player, the totemic centre of your life,
breaks down precisely 366 days after you bought it. The large electronics firm
that sold you the MP3 player says that because the one-year guarantee had
elapsed, there’s nothing they can do to help you. You’ll just have to buy another
one.

8) Tears drip disconsolately on to its lifeless grey screen as you ponder what to do.

9) But there’s some good news. The operative who spoke to you didn’t know what
they were talking about

10) The Truth: The Sale of Goods Act says that your MP3 player must be fit for
purpose.

11) “It must be as described. It must be of satisfactory quality, sufficiently durable,

free from any defects,” says Dr Christian Twigg-Flesner, a consumer law expert
at the University of Hull.

12) If you’ve ignored the manufacturer’s warnings and have been leaving the player
out in direct sunshine and wearing it in the bath, then you probably haven’t got
much of a case.

13) But if the player has been lovingly treated and has still conked out that suggests
something may have been wrong with it at the very beginning.

14) It works like this. For the first four-five weeks you have a “right of rejection” - if the
item you’ve bought breaks down, you can demand a refund.

15) Make a list of questions about the use of the Modal verbs that you
would like to discuss or clear up during the next session.