Modals Verbs of Advice

 Start the class by saying, ‘I’ve got a problem.’ Think of a real problem you have.
e.g. I gained more weight day by day.
 Elicit advices statements from the students and underline the modals.
 Give more examples of the modals and their differences.

Modals of Advice: Should, Ought to, Had better

English speakers use the modal verbs “should,” “ought to” and “had better” to express
that they think something is a good (or a bad) idea. “Should” is the most common way
to give advice.

Look at these examples:

should and ought to are basically synonyms although ought to is generally more formal. had
better has a slightly different meaning; it implies that if the advice is not followed something
bad could happen.
Exercise 1

 Write down the problem on the board and ask the students to use each modal to give
advice.

1. I have a friend who is really tight-fisted. Every time that we go out for a
drink or a meal he says he hasn’t got any money or he mysteriously
disappears to the toilet when the bill arrives. At first we thought “poor
John he never has any money”, but he works 6 days a week so he must
have some money. What should we do?
2. I share a flat with a friend and she keeps borrowing my things without
asking. At first it was just little things like books and DVDs but now she’s
started borrowing my clothes and when I want to wear my favourite
dress for example, I find it on her bedroom floor unwashed! What should
I do?

Exercise 2

 In group of 4, ask students to write down their real problem in a piece of paper. When
all members finish, each of them should to pass their own paper to the one sitting next
to them. They will get their 4 different problem stated on the paper and they have to
write one solution for each problem. It is finished until they get their paper back.