Speaking:
What Happened?
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs → Whole class
15 minutes
Aim
Students will use modals for speculation to guess what happened in different situations.
Materials
• Picture prompts or short mystery scenarios (e.g., a broken window, spilled coffee on a laptop).
Preparation
• Prepare pictures or describe situations that require students to guess what happened.
Activity Breakdown
1. Show students an image or describe a situation.
2. In pairs, they discuss what might have happened using speculative modals.
3. They present their ideas to the class.
Instructions
1. Look at the picture or listen to the situation.
2. Discuss with your partner what might have happened.
3. Use modals for speculation (must have, might have, can’t have).
4. Share your theory with the class.
5. Compare ideas and decide on the most likely explanation.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Do we know what really happened?” (No).
• “Does must have mean we are sure?” (Yes, quite sure).
• “Does might have mean we are sure?” (No, just possible).
Examples
• The door is open. Someone must have forgotten to lock it.
• She looks tired. She might have stayed up late.
• The window isn’t broken. It can’t have been a break-in.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students create their own mystery for others to solve.
• Easier: Provide sentence stems for support.
Error Correction
• Teacher notes errors in modal usage and corrects them in a group review.
Writing:
Rewrite the Past
Grouping:
Time:
Individual → Peer review
20 minutes
Aim
Students will write a short account of a past event using modals for speculation and criticism.
Materials
• A list of real-life events (e.g., A friend missed an important job interview).
• A worksheet with sentence prompts.
Preparation
• Provide a sample paragraph using speculation and criticism.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students choose a real-life event.
2. They write a short paragraph using must have, should have, etc.
3. They swap paragraphs with a partner for feedback.
4. They revise their writing.
Instructions
1. Choose a past event to describe.
2. Write a short paragraph using modals for speculation and criticism.
3. Swap with a partner and check for errors.
4. Give feedback on accuracy and variety of modals.
5. Revise your writing.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Does should have talk about past mistakes?” (Yes).
• “Does must have mean we are guessing?” (Yes).
Examples
• She must have forgotten the interview date.
• He should have checked his email.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Write about a historical event.
• Easier: Provide a guided writing template.
Error Correction
• The teacher provides model sentences for improvement.
Listening:
News Speculation
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs → Class discussion
15 minutes
Aim
Students will listen to a news story and speculate on missing details.
Materials
• An audio recording of a mystery news story (e.g., A famous painting has disappeared from a museum overnight).
• A worksheet with gap-fill speculation sentences.
Preparation
• Select a news-style clip with some missing details for speculation.
Activity Breakdown
1. Play the audio of the mystery news story.
2. Students note details and discuss what might have happened.
3. They fill in gaps in a worksheet using modals for speculation.
4. They compare their ideas with another pair.
5. A whole-class discussion finalizes the best explanation.
Instructions
1. Listen carefully to the news story.
2. Note key missing details.
3. Complete the worksheet using must have, might have, can’t have.
4. Compare your answers with a partner.
5. Discuss your theories with the class.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Does must have mean we are very sure?” (Yes).
• “Does might have mean we are guessing?” (Yes).
• “Does can’t have mean it’s impossible?” (Yes).
Examples
• The painting must have been stolen by professionals.
• The alarm might have been broken.
• The security guard can’t have seen anything.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write a full news report about the mystery.
• Easier: Provide multiple-choice speculation options.
Error Correction
• The teacher highlights common errors and asks students to self-correct.
Reading:
The Blame Game
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs → Small groups
15 minutes
Aim
Students will identify modals for criticism in a text and discuss the mistakes made.
Materials
• A short text about a situation with mistakes (e.g., A student who failed an exam due to poor time management).
• A worksheet with questions about what should have been done differently.
Preparation
• Select a realistic mistake-based story.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students read the story and underline modals for criticism.
2. They discuss what could have been done differently using modals.
3. They complete a worksheet rewriting mistakes into criticism sentences.
Instructions
1. Read the story carefully.
2. Underline modals for criticism (should have, could have, ought to have).
3. Discuss the mistakes made.
4. Rewrite the mistakes using modals for criticism.
5. Compare answers with another group.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Does should have express a good decision?” (Yes, but not taken).
• “Does could have mean there were options?” (Yes).
Examples
• He should have studied harder.
• They could have arrived earlier.
• She ought to have checked her emails.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write their own story of mistakes.
• Easier: Provide sentence starters.
Error Correction
• Teacher provides example answers and discusses common mistakes.