Use must, mustn't, could, might accurately in context
Read and discuss a topic-specific article at A2 level
Practise speaking fluently on can, could, might, must
Complete written exercises with vocabulary in context
Teaching Notes
Warm-up: allow 8-10 min, let personal answers develop
Article: read together or have students read silently first
Vocabulary match: good for pair work
Speaking: encourage full sentences, not one-word answers
Exit questions: 5-min closer, no prep needed
Timing Guide
Warm-up: 8 min
Article + comprehension: 12 min
Vocabulary + match: 10 min
Exercises: 10 min
Speaking + discussion: 15 min
Exit + recap: 5 min
Teacher Question Bank
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A2 · Lesson 18 · Can, Could, Might, Must
Modal Verbs
Can, Could, Might, Mustmustmustn'tcould
Getting started
Warm-Up Questions
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Read & Understand
Article
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are essential in professional English. They help you express yourself politely and precisely. 'Can' and 'could' express ability or make requests: 'Could you send me the file?' is more polite than 'Send me the file!' 'Must' expresses obligation: 'All staff must complete the fire safety training.' 'Might' expresses possibility: 'The client might visit next week.' 'Would' is used for polite offers and requests: 'Would you like me to reschedule?' Learning modal verbs will make your English sound much more professional.
💡 Did you know? English has no future tense verb — we use modal verbs like 'will' and 'shall' to talk about the future. This makes English unusual compared to many European languages.
Topic: Can, Could, Might, Must
Key words
Vocabulary
01
must
used to say something is necessary or obligatory
02
mustn't
used to say something is prohibited
03
could
used for past ability or polite requests
04
might
used for possibility — less certain than will
05
should
used for advice or recommendation
06
would
used for polite requests or hypothetical situations
07
ability
the skill or power to do something
08
permission
the right to do something, given by someone in authority
09
obligation
something you must do
010
possibility
something that might happen or be true
Match the Words
Click a word on the left, then click its definition on the right.
must
mustn't
could
might
should
would
ability
permission
obligation
possibility
the right to do something, given by someone in authority
used for possibility — less certain than will
used for past ability or polite requests
something you must do
used for polite requests or hypothetical situations
the skill or power to do something
something that might happen or be true
used for advice or recommendation
used to say something is necessary or obligatory
used to say something is prohibited
Say it right
Pronunciation
must
MUST
mustn't
MUS-tn't
could
CO-uld
might
MI-ght
should
SHO-uld
would
WO-uld
Read & Discuss
Short Dialogue
A:
Hi! Can I ask you about must?
B:
Of course! I think must is very important.
A:
What about mustn't? Do you use it often?
B:
Yes, I do. Mustn't helps me a lot at work.
A:
And could? Is that difficult for you?
B:
Sometimes. But I practise every day.
A:
That is great. What is your advice?
B:
Just be consistent. Small steps every day!
Comprehension
What does person A ask about first?
How does person B feel about mustn't?
What is person B's advice at the end?
Practice
Exercises
Gap Fill
Complete each sentence using vocabulary from today's lesson.
1. You wear a badge in the building.
2. You share your password.
3. you send me the report?
4. I be late today.
5. You back up your files.
Error Correction
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence.
She is know a lot about must.
We was discussing mustn't yesterday.
He don't have enough could.
They have spoke about might before.
Speaking practice
Speaking Prompts
Discuss with your partner
What must you do at your job every day? What mustn't you do?
Make three polite requests using could or would.
What might you do differently at work next week?
Summarise today's topic in 3 sentences using vocabulary from this lesson.
Grammar focus: Modal verbs do NOT change form: he must (NOT he musts). They are followed by a b... — can you give an example?
Open discussion
Discussion Generator
More Questions
Use with pairs or whole class · Encourage full answers
