Speculations and Predictions

Hypernet C Lesson 4
Today we’re going
to learn about:
Speculating & Making
predictions

2 Modal Verbs
Guess the pictures!
Look at the photos. Which are real / photoshopped /
real but staged ?
Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Guess the photo

Real

Photoshopped

Real but staged

Modal Auxiliary Verbs
and degrees of certainty
Do you know the difference
between speculations and
predictions?
 Speculation is an attempt to guess any future events
without any past knowledge or factual basis. Speculation
is subjective.

Prediction is an act of foretelling future events based on

facts or an idea. Prediction is objective.
can may We can use modal verbs for speculating
or predicting something.
must might
The modal verb we choose shows how
could certain we are about the possibility.

Most certain Least certain

must may might could can

 may might could

We can use could/might/may + infinitive to say that it’s

possible that something is true (but we are not sure).

● I can’t get hold of him on the phone. He

could/might/may be away.
● We didn’t do anything when we could and now it
might be too late.
 must can’t

For speculations, we use can’t instead of musn’t as the

negative form of must

● He must be experienced in Sales.

(= I am sure he is experienced in that department.)
● He mustn't be late to the meeting, he was there when I arrived!
● He can't be late to the meeting, he was there when I arrived!
(= He arrived before me, so I’m sure he is not late to the meeting.)
Practice
 Complete the sentences using
modal verbs in this lesson!
1. He ________ be leaving for London for a business trip - I saw his UK visa!
2. It will be a miracle if we get to the airport on time, but we _______________
just make it.
3. There________ be huge traffic jams on this road some days, but often it's fine.
4. It ___________________ rain later. The forecast said there was a 50%
chance.
5 Janice ___________ be upset she has been laid off - she was going to leave
anyway.
6. You _______________ check the originality of your new Macbook - there are
some very good fakes around.
 Make your own speculation
from this picture. Be creative.

The woman in fur coat

must be a customer. She
could be looking for a
present for her husband.
 Read Our Minds!
Draw and speculate other teams’ story
★ In groups, create a simple story using 3-5 pictures, no
words. You may use memes, gifs, etc. Safe for work
pictures only.
★ Use pictures that could demonstrate your story.
★ Once finished, another group will have to make
speculations based on the pictures/drawings that you
provided.
★ You have 7 minutes to put the pictures together..
★ Di dalam group, buatlah sebuah cerita menggunakan
gambar, tanpa kalimat.
★ Silahkan copy / paste 3-5 gambar, bebas mau apa
saja (meme, gif, etc) untuk mendemonstrasikan cerita
kelompok Anda.
★ Setelah selesai, nanti kelompok lain yang akan
menspekulasi cerita kelompok Anda.
★ Anda punya 7 minutes untuk menata gambar yang
Anda inginkan.
What can you speculate from these
pictures?
What have we
learned so far?

Speculating & Making

predictions

2 Modal Verbs