Big Eyes: Modals for Speculations - Future and Past

Watch the movie segment. Speculate about the reasons why the main character and her daughter are leaving everything behind in such a hurry. What might have happened?

1 .............................................................. 

2 .............................................................. 

3 .............................................................

Now speculate about their future. What might happen to them?

1 .................................................................. 

2 ................................................................. 

3. ................................................................

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BIG EYES

Pay the Ghost - Modals for Speculation

This is a scary movie and this scene is perfect to speculate about what happened to the little boy. Use it with adults only, please,

Review - Modals for Speculation:

Use CAN'T - for something that is practically impossible. 

Ex: It can't have rained. The streets are dry!

MIGHT - for something that is possible, but you are not absolutely sure. 

Ex: He might have slept over. He is not in class today.

MUST - for something that you believe is the most plausible explanation for a situation. 

Ex: She must have moved from that house. It is all dirty, the plants are huge, and it looks abandoned. 

I. Work in small groups and think about three possibilities that would explain what happened to the boy: 

* CAN'T ________________________________________________________ 

* MIGHT _______________________________________________________ 

* MUST ________________________________________________________ 

II. Share your sentences with the class. Who came up with the most plausible explanations?


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PAY THE GHOST

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The Leftovers: Past Modals for Speculation

This is the second post based on a TV series. The Leftovers is an intriguing HBO dramatic series and its first scene is perfect for modals for speculation.

I. Watch the movie segment and work in small groups of three students. Number the students (1, 2 and 3).

II. Imagine you are  police officers talking about the happening to a reporter. Describe what happened and present two different possibilities for what happened during the scene. What happened to the baby? What happened to the kid's father? And what about the car accident? Then prepare a speech about your conclusions and imagine you are going to give an interview to explain the community what went on that day. Make sure you include the modal verbs you have been studying.

III. Have the students who have the same numbers sit together and share their theories to their new group.

IV. The students choose the most plausible (or creative) explanation to share with the class.

LESSON PLAN - TEACHER'S SHEET ONLY

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE LEFTOVERS

Flight Plan: Present and Past Modals for Speculation

I. Watch the movie segment. Then write down three different explanations for what happened in the segment on a piece of paper. Use your imagination.

Ex: The girl is sleeping somewhere on the plane.

1 ___________________________________

2 ___________________________________

3 ___________________________________

II. Teacher collects the sheets and redistributes them among the students. 

III. Students analyze their peers' explanations and write sentences with modal verbs for speculation. Remember that you should vary the modal verb according to what you believe really happened to the boy.

Observe if the sentences refer to the present or to the past. You will have to choose the correct verb form.

(PRESENT IDEA: MIGHT + BARE INFINITIVE)

(PAST IDEA - MIGHT + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE)

Ex: 

The girl might be sleeping somewhere on the plane. (It is possible, but you don't think that is what really happened)

The girl must be sleeping somewhere on the plane. (It is very possible. You probably agree with the idea)

The girl can't be sleeping anywhere on the plane (It is not a plausible explanation. You don't believe it happened at all)

IV. Read the sentences out loud. Explain why you chose those modal verbs. Agree and disagree with your friends' ideas.

V. What is the most plausible explanation decided by the class?

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - FLIGHT PLAN

Europa Report: Past Modal Verbs for Speculation

This movie could have been better, but it has intriguing moments. This scene, though, is wonderful for past modals for speculation because of the range of possibilities it may unravel.

I. Watch the segment and discuss the questions:

1. What is the new step for mankind the scientist mentions in the beginning of the segment?

2. What were the astronauts doing when they received their last image from the mission.

3. Dr. Samantha Unger was Europa Ventures Lead Mission Planner. She asked herself - What happened?

TASK:

Work in small groups. Speculate about what might have happened to the astronauts and present a report to Dr. Unger. You must come up with five possible/plausible explanations for the mystery. Use your imagination and creativity. 

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - EUROPA REPORT


Answer key:

1. They put men and women into deep space to explore Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, with similar atmospheric conditions as Earth. It was the first manned trip into deep space.

2. Nothing special, they were working and waiting for the following events to take place.

3. - TASK - Answers will vary.

Dark Skies: Past Modals for Speculation

 

Dark Skies is a great thriller, but the ending is a bit disappointing. The movie gave me chills, which I love while watching thrillers. I recommend it. This is an intriguing scene, perfect for modals for speculation.

I. Watch the segment, discuss the questions below, and then check the items that you believe are possible explanations for the  phenomenon in the segment.

1. Describe the phenomenon.

2. What was so peculiar about it?

3. Have you ever heard of anything similar to it? Talk about it.

4. How would you react if you lived in that house?

Which items below are possible explanations for the phenomenon? Write I if you believe it is possible, according to your own opinion. Write C if at least one of the characters believe it is possible. Write B if both characters and yourself believe they are possible explanations.

( ) The birds were contaminated.

( ) It was the start of an outbreak - a sudden beginning of a disease or something else dangerous or unpleasant.

( ) The birds were sick.

( ) It was avian flu.

( ) It happened because of environmental causes, such as hail storms or lightning.

( ) It was caused by fireworks.

II. Rewrite the sentences above, using past modals for speculation.

Ex: The birds might have been contaminated.


III. What MUST have happened, in your opinion? What is the most plausible explanation?Justify your answer.

IV. Rewrite the sentences in II, using past modals for speculation.
 

Ex: The birds might have been contaminated.

2 _______________________________________________
3 _______________________________________________
4 _______________________________________________
5 _______________________________________________
6 _______________________________________________

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - DARK SKIES

Answer Key:

Answers will vary, but all of the items in I are possible explanations, according the movie characters.

2. It might have been the start of an outbreak.

3. The birds might have been sick.

4. It might have been avian flu.

5. It might have happened because of environmental causes.

6. It might have been caused by fireworks.

 

Crazy Heart: Past Modal for Speculation and Regrets

This movie has great music and touching acting. The scene the little boy disappears is perfect for modals for speculation and regrets. I used it for a production, not controlled exercise.

A. Watch the movie segment and write sentences using past modal verbs.

I. Write down 3 sentences saying what might have happened while the boy was lost.



Ex: The boy must have hidden himself somewhere.

1. _____________________

2. _____________________

3. _____________________

II. Write down 3 sentences saying what the main character should not have done.

Ex: He shouldn't have left the boy unattended.

1. ______________________

2. _____________________

3. _____________________

III. Write down 3 sentences saying what he should have done.

Ex: He should have kept an eye on the boy all the time.

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - CRAZY HEART

Answers will vary.

The Third Miracle:Past Modals for Speculation

If you have never seen this movie, run to the next dvd store and don't hesitate renting it. I love the unexpected ending. This scene is great to practice past modals, but this time answering questions with the target grammar goal.








A. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions using past modals for speculation.





1. The little girl prayed in front of a church. What must/might she have asked for in her prayers?

.................................................................


2. What might have happened after her prayers that made her smile?

.................................................................



3. What might the soldiers have seen in the sky?

..................................................................


4. What might have happened after that scene?

..................................................................


B. Now watch the second segment, which explains what actually happened.
Check whether your guesses were right. Then discuss the questions that follow.











1. What actually happened?


2. Do you believe in miracles? Why (not)?


3. What could have been a possible explanation for the happening?


4. Do you believe this is a true story? Why (not)?


5. Have you ever heard of a miracle you believed actually happened? Tell us about it.

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE THIRD MIRACLE - PARTS 1 AND 2

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.

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PREMONITION

Saw: Past Modals Speculation – Might/Could/Can't + Have + Past Participle

This is one the scariest movies I have ever seen, but the scene isn't. It is, in fact, great to practice past modals for speculations for the main characters have no idea of how they got to that place.



Watch the video segment and guess what might have happened to the characters.


Check the options you believe are possible explanations for the characters to be in such a place.


( ) They were drugged before taken to that room.

( ) Adam was kidnapped while he was sleeping.

( ) Adam had his kidney removed.

( ) A stranger took Lawrence, the doctor, to that place.

( ) A serial killer planned a horrible death for the characters.

( ) Adam and Lawrence went there because they wanted to.

Now rewrite them, using past modal verbs to express probability/ possibility/ impossibility.

Ex:

They might have been drugged before taken to that room.

Adam can’t have had his kidney removed.

A serial killer must have planned a horrible death for the characters.

How to develop your own video acyivity:


• 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 with the grammar goal





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