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What do Bob Marley, The Clash and Mary J. Blige have in common?

When Bob Marley sang "Could you be loved?" he was using modal verbs.

The Clash did the same with the immortal line, "Should I stay or should I go?"

Mary J. Blige gave modals a more informal spin on her song titled, "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda."

Modal verbs aren't just in some of our favorite songs. They're all around us. That means there's lots of inspiration for you to teach them. Instead of sticking to boring old grammar drills, you can take real-life scenarios to teach modal verbs the fun way.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

The Many Uses of Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are incredibly versatile and are used for several different functions in the English language. This is why they're absolutely essential for your students. Here are just some of the things they're used for:

Permission: Modal verbs like "can," "could" and "may" are all used for giving or asking for permission. You can use these to teach your students how to construct polite questions.

Prohibition: They can be used in the opposite way too. Students can use words like "can't" and "mustn't" to set rules and boundaries or give orders.

Advice: Modal verbs don't always have to make such strong sentences. They can be used in softer ways as well. "Should," "ought to" and "had better" are all good ways for giving advice.

Obligation: If you tell your students that they "need to do their homework" and "must come to class on time," they'll understand that these are obligations, and things they have no choice in.

No obligation: Modal verbs can be used to express lack of obligation too. For example, you don't have to come up with your own activities when FluentU has them all for you!

Grammar lessons don't have to be boring or tedious. With these ESL activities, you can make them fun! That way, students will pick up modal verbs more easily. Here are five activities so fun that students will forget they're even learning!

1. Give Me a Sign

This exercise is great for teaching how to use modal verbs for prohibition and obligation. It uses real-life examples that students see around them every day, so they should have no problem picking up the grammar and putting it into context.

Start by showing or drawing a picture of a no smoking sign to your class and asking them what it means. If they say "no smoking," ask them to elaborate with a full sentence. This should elicit "you can't smoke," or something to that effect.

Then, ask your students how they could make the sentence stronger. This should prompt them to give you "you must not smoke."

From here, you can teach a selection of modal verbs, such as "have to," "must" and "mustn't."

Create a worksheet or PowerPoint presentation which provides a selection of signs. These could be road signs, safety signs or signs you might find in the classroom. Keep them simple and easy to understand. Remember, these should be signs that they're familiar with already, they just need to put their meanings into English. They can use the given modal verbs to write sentences for each one.

To finish up the class, move onto something more fun and more challenging. Give out a selection of weird and wacky signs, such as this one from the Travel Channel. Students will have to get creative with their modal verbs to decide what they mean, and can work in pairs to write their own ideas. At the end, you can go over their answers together, and correct their grammar as you go along.

And if your students enjoy that, bring even more reality into the classroom by teaching with FluentU.
Instead of going over the same workbook exercises, vocabulary drills and grammar problems, students learn English through video clips of popular movies and TV shows, pop songs, comic books, news articles and more.
Teaching with FluentU doesn't just make your English lessons more fun, it also creates a culturally immersive learning environment. Students don't just memorize English words, they learn the context in which they're used, helping them speak more naturally as a result.

Visit the FluentU website today to sign up for a free trial and see firsthand how engaged your students will become.

2. Agony Aunts

In order to practice using modal verbs for advice, your students can try their hands at being agony aunts.

To open up the topic, tell your students that you have a problem you want them to help you with. This can be something as simple as "I'm hungry" or "I don't know what to do this weekend." Ask them to give you some advice. Once they do, work with them to flesh it out into a full sentence. You can do this by writing a gap fill on the board, such as "You ____ go to a restaurant."

Use this to elicit the following responses:

Ought to

Should

Had better

Then, students can practice giving advice with these words. You can either give them example problems to answer or have them write some of their own. The best choice for you will depend on the skill level of your class, as well as the amount of time you have. This could be a writing or conversation lesson, depending on how you structure it.

3. Fortune Tellers

Students can try predicting the future by role playing as fortune tellers. This is a great way to practice using "will," "may" and "might."

There are two ways you can approach this topic. The first is to use palm reading. Busy Teacher has a great palm reading lesson plan. Combine this with One Stop English's palm reading worksheet, and your students can learn what the lines on their hands mean. Then, they can use this knowledge to pair up, read their partner's palm and use modal verbs to make predictions about their future.

Here are some examples of sentences they could use:

"Your 'life line' is long, so you will have a long and healthy life."

"Your 'love line' is curved, so you will have a successful love life."

The second way to do it is by using tarot cards. Print out ISL Collective's tarot cards for ESL classes, cut them up and give them out to students in pairs. Once your students have learned how to use the modal verbs, they can draw three cards at a time and use them to make predictions about their partners.

4. Guess the Job

Kick off this activity by having students brainstorm a list of jobs. Once they've done that, ask them to tell you the responsibilities of a teacher. You can use their answers to teach them how to use the following modal verbs:

Have to

Don't have to

Needn't

Mustn't

They can construct sentences like "you must take care of students," "you don't have to wear a uniform" and "you mustn't be late for class." After that, direct them back to the lists they made earlier and have them write similar sentences for the jobs they wrote down. In pairs, students can then discuss their own jobs using modal verbs.

To wrap up, turn it into a guessing game. Ask each student to choose a job without telling their partner what it is. They can use modal verbs to describe the job and their partner can guess the job.

5. Shall We?

Suggestions are another function that modal verbs are used for. This simple activity will get your students comfortable with making them on their own. It's great for lower levels because the language is basic, there's only one modal verb to focus on and the activity has a rigid structure.

Start the class by asking students to talk in pairs about what their hobbies are. This should be easy for most students. After a few minutes of discussion, pick one example from the class. Then, ask how they would invite someone to join them in that activity.

For example, if the activity is football, they might say "Do you want to play football with me?"

Use this to elicit a simpler way to give suggestions, "Shall we...?" Then, show the students how to give some short responses.

Give out cards with different scenarios on each one. Every time a student picks one, they have to use it to make a sentence with "shall we" or "shall I." For example, if their card says "it's hot in here," a student can answer with "Shall I open a window?"

If your students find this too easy, you can then do away with the cards and have them come up with prompts on their own.

Make Your Modal Lessons Fun

Ask any student what the most difficult thing about learning English is and they're bound to say "grammar." Teaching English made me realize just how hard it is to learn, with so many tenses and grammar structures that I'd never considered before. Learning these aspects of the language can be tedious, but it doesn't have to be. Make it entertaining and students will pick up the material much more easily. Use these activities to keep your classes fresh and interesting.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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5 Must-use Exercises for Teaching ESL Modal Verbs

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What do Bob Marley, The Clash and Mary J. Blige have in common? When Bob Marley sang "Could you be loved?" he was using modal verbs. The Clash did the same with the immortal line, "Should I stay or should I go?" Mary J.

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A cause and effect essay looks at the reasons (or causes) for something, then discusses the results (or effects).
- You need to choose whether to write on cause or effects

Exercise:
1.  How have smartphones affected business practices?
2.  What causes social media sites to lose popularity?

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1. Contrast - examining of ways in which two or more persons, places or things are different.
2. Compare - examining of ways in which two or more persons, places or things are similar.

There are two ways of organizing your points:
a) divided pattern
b) alternating pattern

Exercise:
1. Compare two computer games
2. Childhood vs Adulthood
3. Online vs Real Dating

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Paraphrasing is the most important tool for sharing the research of others as relevant to your own study.  When you paraphrase, you state someone else’s idea in your own words.

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3. Combine sentences Put together words, phrases, or clauses from more than one sentence. ORIGINAL: College physical education instructors tend to be former athletes. PARAPHRASE: University gym teachers are often ex-athletes. Although Madonna became famous as a singer, she earns

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1. Use synonyms
EXAMPLE:
Some people think that parents should teach their children how to be good members of society.

S ome individuals believe that parents should teach their children how to be a positive part of their community.

EXERCISE:
REPLACE THE HIGHLIGHTED WORDS  WITH AN APPROPRIATE SYNONYM.
a) The knowledge we have about the study is obtained from the experiments being conducted.
b) The state government initiated a free food service for the needy by providing free food placed in refrigerators that are accessible to the public.
c) The visitors were impressed with the academic performance of the students.
d) The city council decided to construct tiny homes for the homeless as its temporary solution.

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This involves changing vocabulary from nouns to verbs, adjectives to adverbs, and so on.

EXAMPLE :
The level of crime has increased noticeably in different ways.

The increase in the level of crime has been noticeable in different ways.

EXERCISE:
a)  Many people find watching tennis interesting.
b)  Some people think Facebook is an invasion of privacy.

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In academic writing, passive voice is often used as the focus is on the ACTION, not so much on the DOER.
EXERCISE:
a) The city constructs tiny homes for the homeless.
b) The whistle-blower exposes illegal or dishonest activities in the organisation.
c) Effective leaders constantly monitor the work progress of new workers.
d) You must put on your oxygen mask in an emergency.
e) Captain Sully successfully landed the plane in the Hudson River to save its 155 passengers.

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Revising the order of ideas in a text/sentence.
EXAMPLE
Overuse of ground water would cause widespread dryness.

Widespread dryness would be a result of overuse of ground water.

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WHY use the passive voice in academic writing?

1. Often in academic writing, we don't want to focus on who is doing an action, but on who is receiving or experiencing the action. The passive voice is thus extremely useful in academic writing because it allows writers to highlight the most important participants or events within sentences by placing them at the beginning of the sentence.

Examples
In the following sentences, the passive construction is preferable because you want readers to focus on the result of an action rather than the person doing the action.

Active: Scientists classify glass as a solid.
Passive: Glass is classified as a solid.
The passive sentence focuses on how glass is classified, rather than on who classifies glass.
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passive voice

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Resources page for passive voice

Notes on passive voice

Quizzes - multiple choice / short answer

Passives multiple choice quiz 1
Mulitple-choice quiz illustrating the difference between passive and active forms.

Passive or active? Wine making
Fifteen sentences describing the process of wine making. The user must choose either an active or passive form.

Use and forms of the passive voice
Ten-question multiple-choice quiz with feedback

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Advanced level passive voice quiz focusing on style, the position of new and given information in sentences and the choice of active or passive verbs.

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Should I Use Active or Passive Voice in a Research Paper?

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Modal identify
Muhammad danial haikal bin azmil

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1.possibility
2. Obligations
3. Possibility
4. Ability
5. Ability
6. Possibility
7.possibility
8. Possibility
9.ability
10. Future action

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Modal Exercise (abby, ameera, danial and isa)

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Modal Exercise (abby, ameera, danial and isa)

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Modals
Identify the types of modals in the following sentences.

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Modals
Identify the types of modals in the following sentences.

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1.     You could ride your bike across the country, but I advise against it.

2.     Since all dogs are mammals, this golden retriever must be a mammal.

3.     You might consider finishing your degree.

4.     I will finish my essay tonight even if I have to forgo sleep.

5.     The puppy can sit on command.

6.     I would eat cereal every day as a child.

7.     You may encounter some difficult patrons on occasion.

8.     The train should arrive in a few minutes.

9.     The situation would not be so bad if we all remained calm.

10. I will have earned my graduate degree next spring.

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1. Form
Subject + Modals + Main Verb
Sheila can improve her skills.
She must pay RM 100 to get her car.
2. Here is a table to help you understand the differences in modals

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–We use modal verbs to express something that can probably, certainly, or possibly happen.
Modal verbs help when speaking about ability, making requests and offers, asking permission, and more.

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No more mistakes with MODALS! 3 Easy Rules

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Inference Exercise Part 2 (abby, ezz, ameera, danial and adlin)

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Inference Exercise Part 2 (abby, ezz, ameera, danial and adlin)

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1) The person is warn his friend about eating messy food.
Clue: Two-year-old-food

2) The person is wasn't impress with his neighbour effort on writing a poem to his wife on Valentine's day.
Clue: Two second to write a poem

3) This man is late for his work.
Clue: Ran after a retreating bus and waving his briefcase

4) That person didn't get along with her.
Clue: Wouldn't go to her funeral

5) Jake feel embarrassment after hearing weather broadcast on the radio
Clue: Grabbed an umbrella on a sunny morning

6) Principle is questioning about the missing money for the construction.
Clue: Money taken from the taxpayer

7) The person pants has a problem.
Clue: Everyone laugh at his lower region on the waist

8) This wife remind his husband don't spent his money on her birthday due their lower money.
Clue: Don't want him to spend a lot of money on her birthday

9) The woman is on her labour
Clue: Hospital, clutching her abdomen

10) The person drive reckles by driving car faster
Clue: Listening to the radio

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1) - Do not eat after the baby because they eat really messy.
Evidence - 2 year old (baby)

2) - His neighbour did not prepare anything special for his wife.
Evidence - Sheesh (sarcasm), 2 second

3) - The man missed the bus
Evidence - ran, waving his briefing frantically

4) - She is her enemy
Evidence - wont go to her funeral

5) - The weather forecast predict that it will rain eventhough it is a sunny
Evidence - Jake felt silly carrying an umbrella

6) - The money was misused
Evidence - The money was flushed down (it was useless)

7) - The person did not zipped his pants
Evidence - People are laughing below his waist

8) - she was giving a hint to her husband to buy a new car with sarcasm.
Evidence - Does not need a present and use an old car

9) - The woman is about to give birth
Evidence - She was cluthing her abdomen and her husband was carrying a large bag

10) - She exceeded the speed limit
Evidence - a police officer pulls her over

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Kids taking turn to climb the wall to jump from the building towards the mattress on the ground in order to build up their confidence.

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A man that is inside the drain hole is doing his job because his face expression looks like he knows what he is doing and there is pipe infront of the car, plus there is a caution tape. The setting is somewhere in American Latin town, in vehicular street. The policeman is looking at him with curiosity.

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Inference 1( dharshan raj , sateshwaran, hariz)

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Inference 1( dharshan raj , sateshwaran, hariz)

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A) the boy is about to dive into the dam from the shore.
B) because the boy is in a diving position , due to the water colour ,the water looks like sands.
C) the dam's bridge , the dam's doors are closed and there are some flowers at the shore

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a) refugees (family) finding a safe place from war
b) (1) stressful expression (2) carry bags (3) bare footed (4) syrian (5) winter (wearing jackets

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Inference 6 (Abby, Adlin, Ameera, and Isa)

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Inference 6 (Abby, Adlin, Ameera, and Isa)

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a) The public might helping hippopotamus getting out from mud
b) There is a road, flood, lorry, and cars
c) The hippopotamus has been shot by tranquilliser

Our inference is the hippopotamus escaped itself from a zoo and ruined the public facilities. Therefore, it should be shot with tranqulliser before more damaged is being done.

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Each group select one picture and answer the questions given.

Inference 1

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Inference is a "foundational skill" — a prerequisite for higher-order thinking and 21st century skills (Marzano, 2010)
Inference can be defined as the process of drawing of a conclusion based on the available evidence plus previous knowledge and experience.

Activity
a) What is going on in this picture?
b) What do you see that makes you say that?
c) What more can you find?

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Effective Word Choices (Abby, Ameera and Danial)

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Effective Word Choices (Abby, Ameera and Danial)

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1. Cliches
2. Pretentious words - culinary utensils
Cliche - excess food
3. Slang
4. Slang
5. Slang - all fired up
Pretentious words - peeled out
6. Cliche
7. Cliche - laid guilt trip
Slang - kid
8. Pretentious words
9. Cliche
10. Pretentious words

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Effective work choice ( Dharshan Raj and satheshwaran)

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Effective work choice ( Dharshan Raj and satheshwaran)

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1) cliches
2) pretentious words
3) slang
4) slang
5) cliches
6) pretentious words
7) slang
8) cliches
9) slang
10) prententious

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Effective Word Choice (Syabil, Aiman and Hariz)

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Effective Word Choice (Syabil, Aiman and Hariz)

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1) Cliche

2) Pretentious words

3) Slang

4) Slang

5) Cliche

6) Pretentious words

7) Slang

8) Cliche

9) Slang

10) Pretentious words

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1. Cliches
2. Pretentious
3. Slang
4. Pretentious
5. Cliches
6. Cliches
7. Slang
8. Prententious
9. Slang
10. Prententious

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In improving the way we write, a writer needs to select words which are precise and appropriate for his/her purpose. This handout may give you some ideas on words to avoid when writing.

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What is the most important characteristics off effective academic writing..?

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What is the most important characteristics off effective academic writing..?

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- To improve the grammar and spelling.
- Reader can understand the writing.
- Writing is clear lay out
-

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing ? (ain)

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing ? (ain)

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The central principles of effective academic writing are the following that important to make our sentences looks good.
Examples : A reader-centred approach, Outlining and drafting, Clear lay out, Logical presentation of keypoints and Parallel structure

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing? 

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing? 

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-must have purpose
-it makes definite points
-supports points with the specific information
-information is connected with the title
-words are appropriate and
-aidil safuan-

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing? (Syab

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing? (Syab

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In order to make a better academic writing, it need to improve its structure before it can proceed the writing. One of the thing need to remember is that it need to be formal. Unlike typing in social media, the academic writing need to be formal without using and modern slang which didn't find at dictionary and plus, by formal, it mean for education purpose such as making a research or thesis, biography, political manifesto and many more. In addition, it must be details since academics writing is study focus and elaborate it's purpose of the study

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing?

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing?

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Academic writing is a precise and detailed writing that gives out the maximum input on an information to the content that are being written. In academic writing, it is important to use the correct granmer and formal words in term of complete spelling with no short form in the spelling of the words that are being used.

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing?

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing?

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1. Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation
2. Correct content
3. Attached good reference
4. Understandable by readers

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WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF EFFECTIVE ACADEMIC WRITING

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WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF EFFECTIVE ACADEMIC WRITING

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• Good writing must have a clearly defined purpose
• use an appropriate words, and sentences are consice
• Information need to be connected to one another and arrangeable.
• it makes a definite point.

nadia syuhada

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing? (YAASH)

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What is the most important characteristics of effective academic writing? (YAASH)

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- Must clearly defined the purpose
- Must have good grammar, spelling and punctuation
- All statement can be supported by evidence
- It is a formal writing
- It is a precise details and information
- Vocabulary, facts and figures are used accurately and consistent

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing

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1. Correct grammar, spelling and pucntuation
2. Correct content
3. Good references
4. A reader-centred approach

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing?

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What is the most important characteristic of effective academic writing?

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Academic writing in English is linear, which means it has one central point or theme with every part contributing to the main line of argument, without digressions or repetitions. Its objective is to inform rather than entertain. In good writing everything make sense and readers.
Characteristics of effective writing:
1- Good writing have a clearly defined purpose
2- It makes a definite point and support that points in specific information.
3- The information is clearly connected and arranged.
4- The words are appropriate and the sentence and concise and emphatic and correct.

Daina Iswarya