Sep 1, 2008

Premonition: Past Modals – Speculation/ Impossibility Speculation – Might/Could + Have + Past Participle

I just love this movie, which was not such a great blockbuster. The story is clever and I was intrigued by the plot throughout the movie. Although a bit shocking, the scene is perfect to speculate about what happened to the characters. So I used it to practice the use of past modals for speculation.




Watch the video segment and guess what might have happened
to the characters. Check the options you believe are possible
explanations for the characters’ current situation.

 


( ) Jen took too many tranquilizers in the previous night.

( ) Her daughter had a domestic accident.

( ) Jen hurt her daughter.

( ) Jen’s daughter hurt herself.

( ) Jen’s husband, Jim, didn’t die.

( ) Jim died in a car accident.

( ) Jen hit her head on the floor and can’t remember anything.

( ) One of the children was attacked by a mad dog.

Now rewrite these sentences using past modal verbs to express
probability/ possibility/ impossibility.

Ex:
1 - Jen might have taken too many tranquilizers in the previous night.

2 - Her daughter might have had a domestic accident.
.
How to prepare your own video activity:
Grammar Goal: Past Modals – Speculation/ Impossibility

• Select a segment in which the viewer cannot predict what happened before the scene actually takes place.
• Prepare an exercise with several possible (or impossible) explanations for the puzzle.
• Ask students to rewrite the same sentences, using the grammar point – Might/ Could/ Can’t/ Must + have + past participle.


at

21 comments:

  1. Grace GómezFebruary 12, 2009 at 9:25 PM

    This a very good idea! I was just looking for some extra activities to have my students practice this structure. Thanks for sharing this material!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Claudio AzevedoFebruary 13, 2009 at 12:38 AM

    Thank you for the feedback. This segment works really well for the purpose. Thanks for visiting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 30, 2009 at 12:18 AM

    Gracias por esta creativa forma de hacer que los estudiantes practiquen muchos de los temas de gramática que incluyen nuestros cursos. Lo estaremos usando de seguro.
    UDLA, Cholula, México
    Beatriz Garcia

    ReplyDelete
  4. Claudio AzevedoMarch 30, 2009 at 9:12 AM

    Thank you, Breatriz. I'm glad they are useful.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ana AlbiApril 17, 2009 at 10:32 PM

    I love using this segment. I've used several times, and I always have great results with or without the worksheet. My favorite part is how curious they get to know what really happened, so I tell them to rent the movie, hehe! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Claudio AzevedoApril 20, 2009 at 12:52 AM

    I agree. They want to kill us, teachers, when they realize we are not revealing the truth. Thanks for the feedback.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 8, 2009 at 12:40 PM

    Thanks very much for the clip and idae I will use it tommorow, however the worksheet does not download.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Claudio AzevedoJune 8, 2009 at 2:18 PM

    Thank you, Jonathan. It is weird that you couln't download it. I have just opened it now. Try it at http://www.scribd.com/doc/14696286/14-Premonition-Modals-for-Speculation
    This is the scribd page you can find the uploaded document. I hope it works now. Claudio

    ReplyDelete
  9. Claudio AzevedoJune 8, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousNovember 1, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    I have just seen this. I am going to use it in my class tomorrow. I will let you know how it works.
    Great idea.
    Orla

    ReplyDelete
  11. Claudio AzevedoNovember 1, 2011 at 3:54 PM

    Great. Let me know if it worked. See you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Clare JonesJanuary 4, 2012 at 3:24 AM

    Help please!! I can't download the movie clip and can't find the precise scene on youtube - where does the scene appear in the movie? I'd be grateful for your help! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Claudio AzevedoJanuary 4, 2012 at 4:52 PM

    Check this post out. It is probably your intenet browser version. It is very simple with real player. Let me know if you managed. This video is not in youtube, just here.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Claudio AzevedoJanuary 4, 2012 at 4:55 PM

    http://moviesegmentstoassessgrammargoals.blogspot.com/2008/11/downloading-movie-segments.html

    ReplyDelete
  15. encarniApril 7, 2014 at 4:48 AM

    Dear Claudio, thanks a lot for your blogs they have improved my lessons enormously, so. thanks a lot for your good work and your great ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  16. encarniApril 7, 2014 at 4:51 AM

    Thanks a lot for your blogs, they have impreoved my lessons enormously, so, thanks a lot for your work and your great ideas

    ReplyDelete
  17. UnknownFebruary 2, 2016 at 6:22 AM

    this is just wonderful idea !
    I wanted to ask.is it possible ti use "will" instead of "must" to express high probability? I'd appreciate your answer :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. UnknownFebruary 2, 2016 at 6:24 AM

    that's really helpful !
    but I wanted to ask if we could use the modal verb "will" instead of "must" to express high probability?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Claudio AzevedoFebruary 2, 2016 at 9:43 PM

    Yes, both are possible!

    ReplyDelete
  20. UnknownSeptember 12, 2017 at 5:41 PM

    Hi, I want to say thanks for the great material in this blog. You and your guests make our job that much easier and engaging for the students. I can't get to the segment of this movie, Premonition, but I happen to have it at home. Could you describe the segment so I can use the material? Once again, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Claudio AzevedoSeptember 12, 2017 at 9:17 PM

    It has been fixed. Check it out.

    ReplyDelete