Do your pupils have a firm grasp of modal verbs?
This Year 6 teaching sequence has been designed to help children revisit and recall modal verbs in KS2. An interesting and engaging image is provided as a story starters prompt to stimulate discussion and inspire creative writing.
Pupils will revisit the grammar focus, in this case hyphens, before completing the short writing task, applying what they have learnt.
Activities to practise the use of modal verbs when writing are included, before pupils complete a short writing task to apply this area of grammar in their writing.
What is included in this modal verb resource pack?
- Modal verbs image prompt
Use the image provided to think about what’s just happened, and how you would feel if you were the sailor who had just escaped a sinking ship
- Grammar challenge
Rewrite the sentences about the image using modal verbs to make the statements more likely to happen
- Writing challenge
Write a story from the sailor’s point of view. Include what led you to have the accident and continue the story up to the point in the picture and beyond. Make sure to include modal verbs to show how the sailor feels at different points in the narrative
- Teacher’s notes
What is a modal verb?
A modal verb modifies a verb in a sentence. They are used to show possibility or likelihood, necessity or the future. Modal verbs are: will, would, can, could, may, might, shall, should, must, ought.
The word ‘not’ can also be placed after the modal verb to create a negative sentence.
Modal verb examples
- You must attend the meeting.
- Mike can come to the party.
- Mum says I should eat more vegetables.
- Mr Williams would not listen to the advice.
National Curriculum English programme of study links
- Pupils should be taught to develop their understanding of the concepts set out in English Appendix 2 by using modal verbs or adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility
- Pupils should be taught to use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately when discussing their writing.