Course: Legal

Technician English
TEACHER: MAG. KAREN Y. ESCALERA VICENTE
 UNIT: Being a lawyer

Lesson 07: Abilities of a Lawyer

RIDDLE

I don´t speak, can´t

hear or listen
anything, but I will
always tell the truth.
What am I?
Star light, star bright the first star I see
tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Modal Verbs
A modal verb is also known as a helping verb. It gives additional
information about the main verb that follows it. A modal verb
helps the main verb to express mood of the subject and at the
same time it can indicate possibility, persuasión, ability, etc.

Can may must

Could might should
How do we use modals?

Modal
subject verb
verb

Mary can play the piano.

Can may must
Could might should
• They go out (Simple Present)
• They must go out. (Must: obligation)
• They should go out. (Should: advice)
• They can go out. (Can: permission)
• They may go out. (May: possibility)
Don’t use
• There is no “s” in singular. It’s the same for all subjects.
• There is no “do / does” in the question.
• There is no “don’t / doesn’t” in the negative.

• He can ski.
• He cans ski or He can skis.
• Would you like to come with me?
• Do you would like to come with me?
• They can’t be serious.
• They don’t can be serious.
can / can't
might / mightn’t
could / couldn't
would / wouldn't
may / may not
must / mustn’t
should / shouldn't

Remember:
•Mustn´t prohibition
•May and might express
possibility
•Can and could ability
•Would hypothetical advice
•Must obligation
•Should advice
Type Modal Examples
verbs
ability Can, could David can speak three languages.
He could speak French when he was 5
years old.
Permission Can, could, Can I sit in that chair, please?
may Could I open the window?
May I borrow your dictionary?
Advice Should You should visit your dentist.
Obligation Must I must memorize these rules.
Possibility Might, Richard may be coming to see us
may, could, tomorrow.
can
 Can Could
(present) (past, probability 40%)

I can speak English.

He could run very fast.

May Might
(present in ?, (future, more polite,
polite, posibility probability 35% or
less)
50%)
I may watch a movie tonight.
It might rain later.
 Must Should
(present, obligation,
(future, advice)
probability 100%)

We must do the homework.

You should pay attention.

Shall
Would (future,
(future, question,
posibility) suggestions and
offers, I-we)
I would like to watch a movie.
Shall I open the window?
 BE ABLE TO (ser capaz de/poder)
We use be able to for ability and possibility. Use
with general o specific ability.

"Be able to" can be used in all times.

• Max is able to swim. (isn´t common)
• Max was able to sing.
• Max will be able to sing.
• I will be able to run.

Be able Verb
(infinitive
to form)
How do I use?

ABILITY

Present ability Past ability

Future ability
• Can • Could
• Be able to
• Be able to • Be able to
 Must- mustn´t

Must Mustn´t
• Obligation and necessity. • Prohibition

subject + mustn´t + verb +

subject + must + verb + c
• It´s too late. You must go to bed.
• She must brush her teeth.
• We must clean our room.
c
• You mustn´t smoke here.
• You mustn´t be late for
university.
• You mustn´t be rude.
 I know lots of sports. I can
swim and I can play
football. I can play
basketball too because we
are learning at school! But I
can’t play baseball. We
don’t have baseball lessons
at my school. What else can
I do? Well, I can’t speak
German or French but I can
speak English of course!
Structure of the sentence

S + Modal verb + V + C

S + Modal verb+ Not + V + C

Modal verb + S + V + C +?
What is the ability of the famous person?
What is the ability of the famous person?
•Ability
• I can speak four
languages.
•Possibility
• Smoking can cause
canser
•Permission
• Can I use your book,
please?
•Request
• Can you make me tea?
•Offer
• Can I help you?
Conversation
Conversation 1:
• Tom: Hi Mary. How are
you?
• Mary: I’m fine. A bit
hungry, actually.
• Tom: Oh yeah. Can you
cook?
• Mary: No, I can’t. Can Conversation 2:
you?
• Interviewer: Can you cook?
• Tom: Yeah, of course I
can. I love cooking. • Daina: Yes, I can cook.
• Interviewer: What's your
best dish?
• Daina: Pasta.
What is this?

What furnitures are there?

Vocabulary: Living
Vocabulary: Living
room
• A: Are there any apples in the
refrigerator?
• B: No, there aren´t any, but
there´s a pineapple.
• A: there´s also a big melón on
the table.
• B: Yes, but we need to buy some
more fruit at the market.
• A: That´s right, we need them to
make a juice for breakfast.
Conversation 1
Man: Excuse me, is there a gym
in the hotel?
Woman: Yes, there’s one on the
first floor.
Man: Great! And is there a pool?
Woman: Yes, there’s a pool on
the roof.
Man: Is there a changing room
up there?
Woman: No, there isn’t, but
there’s a restroom.
Man: OK, thanks.
 THERE IS & THERE ARE

THERE IS
THERE ARE
 How to Choose?
To say that something exists or doesn´t exist. Differences
between singular and plural. We use there is and there
are when we first refer to the existence of someone or
something.

Use there is when the Use there are when the

noun is singular noun is plural
 There is – there are
AFFIRMATIVE

There is + singular • There is a book on the

noun desk.
• There are books on the
There are + plural noun desk.
There is + uncountable • There is some milk in the
fridge
noun
NEGATIVE

There isn´t + singular

• There isn´t a pen on the
noun table.
There aren´t + plural • There aren´t any pens
noun here.
• There isn´t any juice in
There isn´t + the fridge
uncountable noun
 QUESTION

There is a cat on the chair. There are cats on the chair.

Is there a cat on the chair? Are there cats on the chair?

• How many students are there in

How many + plural noun+ are your class?
there…? • How many days are there in
February?

Contractions:
There is = There is
There is not = There´s not
There is not= there isn´t
There are not= there aren´t
 There is/are + a/an, SOME, ANY
• We use SOME and ANY with plural nouns and uncountable nouns.

There are five people in the office. (We can see five people
exactly)

SOME
There are some people in the office. (We don’t know
exactly how many people)

With uncountable nouns we also use “some”.

“There’s some milk in the fridge,” (I don’t know the exact
quantity.)
 (c)Algunos, algunas (c)Algún, alguna (c)Ningún, ninguna
(u) Algo de, un poco de (u) Algo de (u) Nada de

SOME ANY
Use: with countables an uncountables Use: with countables and uncountables in
in affirmative sentences. negative and interrogative sentences.
• There is some sugar. • There isn´t any sugar.
• There are some apples. • There aren´t any apples
• Is there any sugar?
• Are there any apples?
Find the differences
 Find the differences
• There is a chair.
• There is a
table.
• There are
flowers.
• There is a rug.
• There…
Exercises

Complete using IS- ARE:

• There _________ a dress.
• There ______ two cats.
• There ______ three pencils.
• There ______ an orange.
• There ______ five boys.
• There ______ five birds.
• There ______ a car.
ARE THERE OR IS THERE…?
How should you become a lawyer?
Mentions the ability of a lawyer

Solve problem
Research and reading
skills
Good speaker
Help others

Analytical skills write accurately

people skills
Oral expression

perseverance
comprehensible
creativity

knowledge of law
write clearly, persuasively and Communication skills
concisely