Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
DIVISION OF BOHOL

Learning Activity in English

GRADE 9

Quarter : 1 Week : 2 Day : 1-2 Activity No. : 3

Competency : Express permission, obligation, and prohibition using modals (EN9G-lle-20)
Objective : Identify the Uses of Modals
Topic : Types and Uses of Modal Verbs
Materials : Laptop, Bondpaper, Pens / Activity Sheets
Reference : [ CITATION Eng4 \l 1033 ]
n.d. A Journey Through Anglo-American Literature, pp. 495-496.
n.d. English_HS.com 1V.

Copyrights : For Classroom Use Only

Concept Notes:

The Modals

Modal auxiliaries are helping verbs which are used with the principal verb to express certain moods
like ability, inability, permission, obligation, willingness, and conjecture.( an opinion or idea formed
without proof or sufficient evidence) .Modals do no change for person or number as other auxiliaries do.
The meanings of modal auxiliaries should be understood clearly in order to use them properly.

Uses of Modal

 For permission use may or can.

 To suggest obligation,advice or suggestion, use should, ought to, and had better.
 For desire, probability, and determination use will
 To suggest necessity,requirement or the imperatives used must or have to.
 To suggest ability use can (present ability), and could (past ability)
 For inability(negative),use can’t and couldn’t.

To suggest possibility use may, might, could.

ACTIVITY 1:
Directions: Identify the idea expressed in each underlined modal. Circle your answer from the words in
parenthesis.

1. In the past, the bodies of water can naturally clean themselves. Nowadays, with the increasing
pollutants, they can’t do it anymore. (ability, inability, possibility)
2. Two decades ago, people could swim in clean and safe rivers and seas. (ability, inability,
possibility)
3. Too much exploitation may force people to set up reform programs to avert further abuse.
( possibility, suggestion, preference)
4. People would rather pay attention to cleaning and protecting our forest than abusing it. (ability,
suggestion, preference)
5. The animals may become extinct once all the trees are gone. (permission, preference, possibility)
6. Beach goers ought to leave the beach without disposing their trash properly (obligation,
possibility, preference).
7. We can protect our Mother Nature by recycling and reducing. (permission, obligation, ability)
8. They could die of extreme heat and pollution. ( obligation, suggestion, possibility)
9. Focus and we will win this battle. ( ability, possibility, probability)
10. The shopping center might be busy (suggestion, preference, possibility).
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
DIVISION OF BOHOL

Learning Activity in English

GRADE 9

Quarter : 1 Week : 2 Day : 3-4 Activity No. : 4

Competency : Express permission, obligation, and prohibition using modals (EN9G-lle-20)
Objectives : 1.Identify modals and their functions.
2. Construct sentences expressing permission, obligation and prohibition using
modals.
Topic : Modals
Materials : Internet, Bondpapers, Laptop, Ballpens / Activity Sheets
Reference : [ CITATION AJo1 \l 1033 ]
n.d. A Journey Through Anglo-American Literature, pp. 495-496.

http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/modal.htm)
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs.html
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-
18805.php
Copyrights : For Classroom Use Only
Concept Notes:
Modals are special kind of auxiliary or helping verbs. It is a verb that cannot work without another
verb. These include can, will, must, ought to, may, might, would, could, should and shall.

USES OF MODALS

A.May, can and couldare used in polite expressions that request permission. In polite request, could
may have a present or future meaning, not past. Can is used in informal conversation. Can also
expresses ability or capability while may and could expresses possibility.

Examples: Responses:

1. May I borrow your pencil? 1. Yes, you may. / Certainly.

2. Could I borrow your pencil? 2. Of course.
3. Can I borrow your pencil? 3. Sure. (Informal)

B. Must, have to and have got to are used to express stronger necessity. The expression havegot to is
Informal English.

Examples:

1. If you want to study in college, you must take the college admission test.
2. If you want to study in college, you must take the college admission test.
3. If you want to study in college, you have got to take a college admission test.

C. Don’t have to and need not express lack of necessity. Must not expresses prohibition.
 Examples:
1. Next Saturday is a Clean-up Day. We don’t have to bring books for our make-up class.
2. You need not worry about the exam. It is very easy.
3. We must not waste time during make-up classes.

D. Should, should not, ought and ought not express a range of advisability form mere suggestions to
a statement of responsibility or obligation.

Examples:
1. You should save more for the rainy days.
2. You should not eat much before going to bed.
3. You ought to respect your parents.
4. You ought not disrespect your teachers.

ACTIVITY 1:
Directions: Read each question in each number and choose the best answer. Circle the letter of your
choice.
1. Which of the two sentences express ability?
a. Can I lift that for you? b. I can lift that easily.
2. Which expresses an obligation?
a. I should go to the dentist. b. She may go to the office for some clarifications.
3. Which expresses a polite request?
a. Could you watch over my things for a while? b. She can be the next Miss Universe.
4. Which of the two expresses request for permission?
a. She can do the tricks. b. May I come in.
5. Which expresses prohibition?
a. We must go out for a drink. b. You must not cross the river.

ACTIVITY 2:
Directions: Match the beginning statements in column A by choosing the appropriate ending statements
found in the box.

She should be able to help. You must be frozen.

She may be right They could have been stuck in the snow.
.I may be late. It may have been cancelled.
That can’t be healthy. He must have been terrified.
It can be very difficult at first. They should have landed by now.
 COLUMN A
1. I’ve got another meeting at 11am.
2. It’s 15 degree outside.
3. Talk to Miriam in Human Resources.
4. There were no delays.
5. The roads were very bad this evening.
6. He works every weekend, you know.
7. It was a pretty vicious dog.
8. Mark’s starting a new school on
Monday.
9. I can’t see your train on the board.
10. I am thinking again about what Alison
said.
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ACTIVITY 3:
Directions: Construct 2 sentences for each situation given below that express permission, obligation or
prohibition using modals. Underline the modals in your sentences and tell its function.
1. You want to leave class early. You are speaking to your teacher.
2. You call your cousin. Someone else answers the phone.
3. You want your brother to answer a phone call from your office while you are away.
4. It is getting late, but you are still at your friend’s house. You want to use the phone to inform
your mother.
5. It is Sunday. It rains hard. You and your friends are having fun swimming in the river.