Compact Advanced Training Part 2: 9.2.- Grammar: Modal and semi-modal verbs

Think about an academic event you have ever taken part in including what it was about, what you did and learnt in order to share that information with the class.

A past academic event analysis: 'My experience at the CELTA course in London'

What was it permitted?	What were you able to do?	Obligations	Restrictions
I could miss two lessons. I could... I was able to use the photocopier. I was able to...	I could give a full lesson in English. I was able to learn British slang. I could...	I had to stay at school after having done my teaching practice to get my feedback. I had to...	I could not speak in English with Spanish speakers. I could not...
Non-obligations	Advice	Possibility	Necessity
I did not have to wear a uniform. I did not have to...	They should have been more patient with non-Europeans. Subject + should have...	I could have worked harder. I could have...	I needed to carefully plan my lessons for my teaching practice. I needed to...

What type of message is expressed in the sentences with modal verbs in the song extracts?

Video about Modal Verbs in some Song Extracts

Modal and semi-modal verbs

Modal and semi-modal verbs are used to express following functions:
Permission or request: can, could and may, e.g., May I go to the loo?
Ability: can, could, be able to and be capable of, e.g., I could rollerskate when I was 12.
Obligation: must and have to, e.g., You must listen to me.
Prohibition: mustn't and can't, e.g., You can't smoke indoors.
Lack of necessity or obligation: don't have to, didn't have to, needn't, didn't need to, and don't need to, e.g., You don't need to wear a uniform in college.
Advice: should, ought to, must, need to and could, e.g., If you have a headache, you should take an aspirin.
Possibility and probability or speculation or deduction: can, may. might, could, must, can't and mustn't, e.g., Nobody's at home, so Susan must be out.
Necessity: must, need to, and have to, e.g., You need to save some money if you want to buy a car.

Past modals
1.- Simple modals: could, was/were able to, had to, didn't need to and didn't have to., e.g.,We could run fast when we were younger.

2.- Perfect modal: might have + Past Participle, could
have + Past Participle, can't have + Past Participle, should have + Past Participle, ought to have + Past Participle, need have + Past Participle and needn't have + Past Participle, e.g.,You should have studied for the final exam.

Here is a list of most of fhe modals verbs with examples:

Collaborative exercise 2 on page 73

Collaborative Online Exercise about Modal Verbs

https://www.myenglishpages.com/english/grammar-exercise-modals.php

Individual Online Exercise about Modal Verbs

https://www.english-4u.de/en/grammar-exercises/modal-verbs3.htm

Cindy: The English Teacher who has hated Chemistry since Secondary

Have you ever considered studying Chemistry as a degree? Why or why not?

This is the story of my friend Cindy who decided to become an English teacher as she used to hate Chemistry in secondary.

In those days, she had to go to the lab to do experiments. Unfortunately, she used to be really clumsy since she couldn't properly handle the equipment but she could speak English pretty well.

When she graduated from the faculty of Languages, she was offered to work for a bilingual well-known college (high school) in her town. Coincidentally, it was for teaching Chemistry in English, so she refused it.

She could have accepted on condition that she must have taken a Chemistry course focused on lab experiments. However, she didn't do it because she thought that she might have broken some equipment during the training that could have been charged to her.

Personally speaking, I honestly think she should have accepted to be part of the staff at that prestigious school for later making a career move to another subject she could like.

Past Modals

Past Simple Modals