A DETAILED LESSON PLAN IN ENGLISH – Grade 9

I. Objectives:
A. Analyze the proper usage of modals expressing ability
B. Show how to use modals of ability in the sentence
C. Compose sentences using modals of ability

II. Subject Matter

Topic: Modals of ability
Reference: English of the New Generation
Materials: PowerPoint Presentation, Visual aid Presentation white board and marker

III. Procedure
Teacher’s Activity Students’ activity
A. Preliminary Activities
1. Prayer
- Before we start our lesson, may I request Allyssa: Classmates let us all stand and pray.
Allyssa to lead us in prayer.
(end of prayer)
- You may now be seated.

2. Greetings
- Good morning class! Good morning Sir Cedrick!

- Kindly pick up the pieces of paper under your

chair.

3. Checking the attendance

- Secretary, Is there any absent today?
Secretary: No one is absent today Sir.
4. Review
- Okay class, what was our topic last meeting?
(Adriel raise his hand)
Yes Adriel!
Adriel: Sir, our topic last meeting was about
Gerund.

Very good!

So, can you give the meaning of Gerund?

(Joan raised her hand)
Yes Joan!
Joan: Sir, A gerund is a noun formed with a
verb ending in “ing”. Words like swimming,
typing, dreaming, eating, fishing, and
drinking can all be used as gerunds.
 Very well said Joan!

- Are you ready to learn another valuable

Lesson?
Yes Sir!

- Let us begin with our new topic.

B. Lesson proper
1. Motivation
- Okay Class, let’s look at these pictures. You can
see here a variety of objects and I want you to
choose at least 2 objects that you know how to
use, play or do. Also, you need to choose 1
object that you don’t know how to use, play or
do. In doing this, I want you to use the word
“can/can’t” in your sentences.

o E.g. I chose microphone, guitar and

goggles. Microphone because I can
sing while playing guitar. Goggles
because I can’t swim.

- Anyone?

Yes Jhen!
(Jhen raised her hand)

Jhen: Sir, I chose ball pen and paper because I

- Very good Jhen! can write a poem. But I also chose guitar
because I can’t’ play guitar.

- The reason why I want you to use “can, can’t, is

 because these are some of the types of modals
expressing ability.

2. Presentation
- Class, our topic for today is about
“Modals of ability.
( the teacher will present the meaning of
Modals)
- Let us first define the meaning of modals
a) What is Modals?
- Please read Joan.

Joan: Modals (also called modal verbs, modal

auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special
verbs which behave irregularly in English. 
- Thank you Joan.
- Yes. Also, they give additional information
about the function of the main verb that
follows it.
- Please read Adriel the second meaning.

Adriel: It is used to express: ability,

permission, prohibition, obligation or no
- Thank you Adriel obligation.
- But we will focus only on modals of ability
- At this lesson, we will analyze the proper usage
of modals expressing ability.

b) What is the meaning of ability?

- Christie please read.
Christie: Possession of the means or skill to
- Thank you. Now, in your own words what is do something.
Ability?
Yes Joan ( Joan raised her hand)

Joan: Sir, it something to do with a skill, talent

Very god! or capability of a person.
It’s about
the physical or mental power or skill needed to
do something.

- We have Three modal verbs expressing ability

in English:
- Can
- Could
- Be able to
Let’s start with expressing ability! We use can, be able
to and could to show that someone has (or doesn’t
have) an ability to do something.

1. Can/Can’t
- Please read Alyssa the form and usage of
“Can/Can’t”.

Alyssa: Form: Subject + auxiliary verb

(Can/Can’t) + simple verb
Usage: This form may be used in positive or
negative.
We use can and can't to talk about
- Thank you Alyssa someone's skill.
- Now, I will give the examples of Can/Can’t in
the sentence for present and future form.

“CAN” present form

E.g. Alan  can  swim well.
- This shows that Alan has the ability to swim.
- A modal verb “can” is use as a positive form.
- Where are the subject, auxiliary verb and simple
verb in the sentence?

Yes Leo. ( Leo Raised his hand)

Leo: the subject in the sentence is Alan, the

auxiliary verb is can and the simple verb is
- Very good Leo. swim.
- Give other examples of using “Can” in a present
form.

Yes Delia. (All students raised their hands)

Very good. Anyone? Delia: I  can  play the guitar.

Yes Genalyn.

Genalyn: She can sing beautifully.

“ CAN’T’
 E.g. Julius can’t swim.
- This shows that Julius has lack of ability to sing.
- A modal verb “can’t” is use as a negative form.
- Give other examples of using “Can’t” in a
present form.

(All students raised their hands)

Yes Edelyn.
 Edelyn: I can’t dance well.
Very good. Anyone?
Yes Sheena.

Very good. Sheena: Lisa can’t speak French.

- Now let us talk about in future form

 E.g. “Can/Can’t
I can help you with that next week.

I  can’t see  you.

- Give Another examples

Yes flor
(All students raised their hands)

- Very good.
flor: I can text you tomorrow morning.
2. Could/Couldn’t
- Please read Gemmalyn the form and usage of
“Could/couldn’t”.

- Thank you Gemmalyn
- Now, I will give the examples of Could/couldn’t
in the sentence in the past form.
Gemmalyn: Form:
Subject + auxiliary verb(Could/Couldn’t) +
simple verb
Usage: We use  could  and couldn't to talk
about the past.
This form may be used in positive or negative.

Could
 E.g. she could  sing when she was six.
- This shows that she has the ability to sing when
she was six years.
-  It is used to express that someone is able to do
something in the past.
- A modal verb “could” is use as a positive form.
- Joan, Where are the subject, auxiliary verb and
simple verb in the sentence?

Joan: the subject in the sentence is She, the

auxiliary verb is could and the simple verb is
Very good. swim.
 Couldn’t
 E.g. Alan couldn’t swim when he was six.
- This shows that Alan has lack of the ability to
swim when he was six.
- A modal verb “could” is use as a negative form.
- Give other examples using could/couldn’t in a
past form.

- Alyssa, Nica and Jackie. (All students raised their hands)

Alyssa: I couldn’t read when I was four.

Jackie: my grandfather couldn’t swim

Nica: She Couldn’t open the door.

Very good students!

3. be able to
- Please read Princess the form and usage of
“be able to”.

Princess: Form: Subject + Auxiliary verb

(is/am/are (not) able to) + simple verb.
Usage: This form may be used in positive or
negative.
- Thank you Princess.
- Now, I will give the examples of “is/am/are
(not) able to” in the sentence for in the present
form.

A. Is/isn’t able to
 E.g. Cedrick is/isn’t able to read a book.
- If we say "Cedrick  is/isn’t able to swim", it
is like saying "Cedrick can/can’t swim".

- Who wants to explain more?

- Yes Jennifer.
(Jennifer raised her hand)

Jennifer: This sentence has singular subject so

the verb must be in singular. Also, It is
- Very good. positive and negative form
B. am (not) able to
 E.g. I am (not) able to read a book.
- This sentence is positive and negative form
C. are/aren’t able to
 E.g. Jinni and Aladdin are/aren’t able to read a
book.
- Who wants to explain this sentence?

- Yes Adriel. (Adriel raised his hand)

Adriel: In this sentence, we have two subjects

here so that our verb must be in plural. Also,
it is positive and negative form.
Very good.

- Now, let us go to in the past form.

- Please read Leo the form and usage of “be able
to” in the past form.

Leo : Form: Subject + was/were(not) able to +

simple verb
Usage: To talk about things that we managed
to do on specific occasions in the past, we
cannot use could. Instead, we use was/were
able to. 
 E.g.
1. I was very tired but I  was able to  stay awake all
night.

2. After climbing for several hours, we  were able

to get  to the top of the mountain.

Give some examples Annalisa and Nica pearl.

Annalisa: When the computer crashed
yesterday, I was able to fix it.

Nica pearl: In spite of climbing for hours,

we  weren’t able to  get to the top of the
mountain.
- Very good!
- Lastly, the future form.
Please read Kristie.

Kristie: Form: Subject + Will/won’t able to +

simple verb
Usage: This form is may be used in positive
 E.g. and negative.
1) When I finish the advanced level English class
I  will be able to  speak like a native speaker.
2) He won't be able to speak Japanese in a week!
It will take months.
 - Give another example Marifel.

Marifel:At the end of the course, you will be

- Very good. able to make your own website.
- (the teacher will show a table and let the
student put into the correct column)

 What is the important of studying modals of

ability?
The importance of studying the modals of
ability is that we can distinguish the appropriate
uses of verbs which expressing ability and to
avoid incorrect grammar.

3. Activity
- This activity is a group work.

- Okay class, group yourselves into two.

- In this activity, I will give sentences with missing
modal verbs via PowerPoint. You have to
complete the sentence by filling up the blanks
with the correct modal verbs.

- I will provide a pen and a small whiteboard

each group so you can write your answer and
raise it as quick as you can. Each correct answer
will get 1 point plus the group who will raise
their answer first will get another 1 point for a
total of 2 points each question.

4. Generalization
- We can now express our ability either in
speaking or writing with the proper usage of
modals. With this, we can differentiate the
proper use of modals not only in the sentence
paragraph but also in our daily lives.

IV. Evaluation

 Choose the best modal for each sentence.

1. Peter ____________ swim when he was a
child, but now he ____________. In fact, he
swims every day!
 a) could / can't
b) couldn't / can't
c) couldn't / can

2. When Vera was young, she ____________

type quickly. She took a typing class and
now she ____________ type very quickly!
a) could not / can
b)  could not / can to
c) can / could

3. Kevin was disappointed because he

____________ get tickets for the football
game.
a) weren't able to
b) wasn't able to
c) isn’t able to

4. George is absent from class today. He

____________ be sick.
a) is able to
b) can
c) could

5. She ____________ understand Korean very

well, but she ____________ speak it perfectly.
a) be able to / cannot
b) is able to / is able to 
c) is able to / cannot

V. Assignment
 We will have an exam tomorrow, so review the
lessons we have discussed today.

Prepared by: Cedrick DC Abad