Modal Verbs of Possibility and Deduction

October 26, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Sometimes we don’t know the facts, but we can make guesses or deductions about what’s true.
In English, we use modal verbs like may, might, could, must, and can’t to do this.
They help us show how sure or unsure we are about something.

Talking About Possibility

When we aren’t sure, but we think something is possible, we use may, might, or could + base form (the base form of the verb, without to).

These modals all mean “maybe”. They show that we’re guessing, not stating a fact.

💭 Examples of Possibility

💬 Sentence	💡 Meaning
She may be ill.	Maybe/ It’s possible she’s ill.
She might be lost.	Maybe/ It’s possible she’s lost.
She could be from another country.	Maybe/ It’s possible she’s is from another country.
She might not be here tomorrow.	Maybe/ It’s possible she won’t come tomorrow.

🎯 Quick Notes

may, might, and could all express the same level of possibility.
To make a negative, add not: might not / may not.

Example: He might not come to class today.

They’re followed by a base form verb

✅ She might be late. ✖️ She might to be late.

🌦 Think of it like this:

Modal	How sure are you?	Example
may / might / could	🤔 Maybe yes, maybe no	It might rain later.

They’re your “maybe modals”

These modals are perfect when you’re not 100% sure, but something is possible!

Talking About Strong Possibility

Sometimes things look or sound true, even if we aren’t completely certain.
In this case, we use seem + to + verb to show a strong possibility or something that appears or feels true.

Think of it as saying:

“It looks like…” or “It sounds like…”

💭 Examples of Strong Possibility

💬 Sentence	💡 Meaning
She seems to be very cold.	It looks like she’s cold.
They seem to know each other well.	It appears they know each other.
This café seems to be popular.	It looks busy — probably true.
He seems to be tired.	It looks that way — I’m quite sure.

🧩 Grammar Pattern

seem + to + verb (base form)

✅ She seems to be tired.
✅ It seems to work well.

🌟 Remember

“Seem” is stronger than may, might, or could.
You use it when something looks or feels true, but you don’t have proof.
It’s a polite, soft way to make an observation.

🎯 Compare

Expression	Meaning	Example
may / might / could	possible, not sure	She might be cold.
seem (to)	strong possibility	She seems to be cold.

Talking About Certainty

When you feel quite certain about something or you have good evidence or a strong reason, use must + verb.

It means you are almost 100% sure something is true.

💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Certainty)

💬 Sentence	💡 Meaning
She must work at McDonald’s.	I’m almost sure. She is wearing a uniform.
He must be tired after the trip.	I’m almost sure. He traveled all night.
You must know her.	I’m sure it’s true. You work in the same office!
That must be our bus.	I’m certain — it’s the right number.

🧩 Grammar Pattern

must + verb (base form)

✅ She must be at work.
✅ He must live nearby.

🧠 Remember

Use must when you see evidence or know facts that make something very likely.
It’s much stronger than may, might, or could.
Don’t use it for the past. This form talks about the present.

🎯 Compare

Expression	Meaning	Example
may / might / could	possible	He might be tired.
seem (to)	strong possibility	He seems to be tired.
must	sure, strong evidence	He must be tired.

Talking About Something is Impossible

When you are certain something is impossible, use can’t + verb.
It shows you are sure that your guess or idea is not true.

Think of it like saying:

“That’s impossible!” or “No way!”

💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Negation)

💬 Sentence	💡 Meaning
She can’t be at work	I’m sure she isn’t. Her car is still here.
That can’t be his house.	Impossible. It’s too big!
He can’t know the answer	I’m certain he doesn’t. He didn’t come to class.
You can’t be serious!	I don’t believe it. It’s not true.

🧩 Grammar Pattern

can’t + verb (base form)

✅ He can’t be at school — it’s Sunday.
✅ That can’t be real!

🧠 Remember

Use can’t when you are sure something isn’t true.
It’s the opposite of must.
Both talk about deduction in the present — what we think now.

⚖️ Compare

Expression	Meaning	Example
must	sure it’s true	She must be tired. (I’m almost sure she is tired)
can’t	sure it’s not true. It’s impossible	She can’t be tired. She just woke up! (It’s impossible she is tired)

🧠 Grammar Focus

Here’s a complete overview of the modals and expressions we use to talk about possibility, certainty, and impossibility:

Expression	Form	Example	Meaning
may	may + verb	She may be ill.	It’s possible.
might	might + verb	She might be lost.	It’s possible.
could	could + verb	He could be from another country.	It’s possible.
seem	seem + to + verb	She seems to know the answer.	It appears to be true.
must	must + verb	He must be tired after the long trip.	I’m almost certain this is true.
can’t	can’t + verb	That can’t be true!	I’m certain this is impossible.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Modals of Obligation and Possibility

October 24, 2025 teacherjulieta2 Comments

Obligation

An obligation is something you must do because it is necessary or important.
It can be a rule, a law, or just something that is needed in a situation.

We use have to (or has to) to talk about obligation.

Examples:

I have to wear a uniform at school. (It’s a rule.)
She has to do her homework before dinner. (It’s necessary.)
We don’t have to work on Sunday. (It’s not necessary.)

Structure:

🧠 Structure: Have to / Has to

Sentence Type	Structure	Example
✅ Affirmative	Subject + have to / has to + base verb	You have to wear a helmet.
❌ Negative	Subject + don’t / doesn’t have to + base verb	He doesn’t have to go to school today.
❓ Question	Do / Does + subject + have to + base verb?	Do we have to bring our books?

Remember:

Use has to with he / she / it.
Use have to with I / you / we / they.

Possibility

A possibility means something that you can do.

We use can to talk about possibility, ability, or permission.

Examples:

We can go to the beach tomorrow. (It’s possible.)
We can visit the museum tomorrow. (It’s possible.)
You can’t fly. (It’s impossible)
She can’t run that fast. She’s not a superhero! (It’s impossible)

🧠 Structure: Can / Can’t

Sentence Type	Structure	Example
✅ Affirmative	Subject + can + base verb	She can travel to New York every month.
❌ Negative	Subject + can’t + base verb	People can’t fly.
❓ Question	Can + subject + base verb?	Can you buy a new computer?

🧠 Grammar Focus

Meaning	Verb	Structure	Example
Obligation (something you must do)	have to / has to	Subject + have/has to + verb	I have to do my homework.
Possibility / impossibility	can / can’t	Subject + can/can’t + verb	We can play outside. / You can’t live in the moon.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Defining Relative Clauses

October 23, 2025October 24, 2025 teacherjulieta1 Comment

When we speak or write in English, we often need to give extra information about a person, a place, or a thing.
For example:

I met a woman. She works at the museum.
→ I met a woman who works at the museum.

We combine the two sentences using a relative clause.

Defining relative clauses help us identify exactly who or what we are talking about — they define the noun. Without this information, the sentence would be unclear.

What Is a Defining Relative Clause?

A defining relative clause gives essential information about a noun.
It tells us which person, thing, or place we mean.

Without relative clause	With defining relative clause
The man is my teacher.	The man who is wearing a blue jacket is my teacher.
I read the book.	I read the book that you recommended.
The café is closed.	The café where we had breakfast is closed.

🟢 The information in the relative clause is necessary to understand the sentence.
If we remove it, the meaning changes.

Relative Pronouns

We use relative pronouns to connect the main clause and the relative clause.

Relative Pronoun	Refers to	Example
who	people	She’s the student who won* the prize.*
that	people / things	This is the song that I like.
which	things	That’s the laptop which I bought yesterday.
where	places	This is the park where I go running.
whose	possession/ relationship	I met a man whose car* was stolen.* I met a woman whose husband* is an actor.*
when	time	Do you remember the day when we met?

🟡 Tip: In defining relative clauses, we don’t use commas because the information is essential.

When Can We Omit the Relative Pronoun?

We can leave out “who,” “which,” or “that” when it’s the object of the clause (not the subject).

✅ The book that I read was interesting. → The book I read was interesting.
❌ The teacher teaches English is great. → (cannot omit — “who” is the subject)

We can omit	We cannot omit
The film (that I watched) was amazing.	The film that won the award was amazing.
The man (who I met) is from Spain.	The man who lives next door is from Spain.

Examples in Context

She’s the woman who teaches our English class.
That’s the shop where I bought my shoes.
He’s the actor whose movies are very popular in Asia.
This is the place where we met for the first time.

Each clause gives key information that helps the listener understand exactly who or what we’re talking about.

Introduction to Relative clauses

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Practice 1

Practice 2

Introduction to Relative Clauses

October 23, 2025October 23, 2025 teacherjulieta1 Comment

who, which, that, where

A relative clause gives extra information about a noun (a person, thing, or place).
It tells us which person, which thing, or which place we are talking about.

💬 Example:

That’s the man who teaches English.
→ “who teaches English” tells us which man.

So, instead of two sentences:

That man is my teacher. He teaches English.
You can join them:
That’s the man who teaches English.

Relative Pronouns

Relative Pronoun	Used for	Example	Meaning
who	people 👩‍🏫	She’s the woman who works in the office.	→ “who” = the woman
which	things 🧁	This is the cake which I made yesterday.	→ “which” = the cake
that	people and things 🙋‍♂️📱	He’s the man that lives next door. It’s the phone that I bought.	→ “that” = who / which
where	places 🏫	That’s the school where I studied.	→ “where” = in that place

💡 Note:
In speaking, we often use that instead of who or which — it’s more common and informal.

How to Form a Relative Clause

Step	Example
1️⃣ Start with two simple sentences.	This is the girl. She lives next door.
2️⃣ Replace the repeated word (she → who).	This is the girl who lives next door.

✅ Final sentence:

This is the girl who lives next door.

Examples

💡Remember

Don’t use a subject after who, which, or that.
❌ This is the woman who she works here.
✅ This is the woman who works here.
That can often replace who or which, especially in speech:
✅ It’s the restaurant that I like best.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Practice 1

Practice 2

Superlatives + present perfect

October 23, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

A superlative adjective is used to show that something is number one: the most, least, biggest, best, etc.

We use superlatives to compare three or more things or experiences.

Form

Type of adjective	Rule	Example
Short adjectives (1 syllable)	the + adjective + -est	Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
Adjectives ending in -y	Change y → i + -est	That’s the funniest movie I’ve ever seen.
Long adjectives (2+ syllables)	the most / the least + adjective	It’s the most beautiful beach I’ve ever visited.
Irregular adjectives	Different form	That was the best concert I’ve ever been to!

Superlatives

Common Expressions with Superlatives

When we use superlatives, we often add a group to say where or in what situation we are comparing things.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
in the world	comparing everything everywhere	It’s the most famous painting in the world.
in my country	comparing things in your country	This is the tallest building in my country.
in my class	comparing with your classmates	She’s the best student in my class.
in my life	comparing all your experiences	It’s the most delicious meal I’ve ever had in my life.

💡 These phrases help make your superlatives more specific and natural.

Superlatives + Present Perfect

When we talk about life experiences, we often combine superlatives and present perfect:

👉 It’s the + superlative adjective + noun + I’ve ever + past participle.

Example	Meaning
It’s the best movie I’ve ever seen.	Of all the movies I’ve seen in my life, this one is number one.
It’s the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in.	I’ve never stayed in a worse hotel.
That was the most exciting trip I’ve ever had.	It’s number one on my list of experiences.

Present Perfect + ever/ never

Grammar Summary

Function	Structure	Example
Superlative	the + adj + -est / the most + adj	It’s the most delicious food in the world.
Present perfect with ever	have / has + past participle	Have you ever been to Japan?
Combined form	It’s the + superlative + noun + I’ve ever + past participle	It’s the best restaurant I’ve ever tried.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Practice 1

Practice 2

Decisions and Offers

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Will / Won’t for Decisions and Offers

We use will and won’t to talk about the future when we:

make a decision now (at the moment of speaking)
make an offer to help someone
make a promise

🧠 We do NOT use “will” for plans we made before. Those use “going to”

Form

Positive	Negative	Question
I will call you later.	I will not (won’t) call you.	Will you call me later?
She will help us.	She won’t help us.	Will she help us?

👉 Short forms (contractions) are very common in speaking:

I’ll = I will

He’ll = He will

Won’t = will not

✅ Example sentences:

I’ll help you with your bag.

He’ll call you later.

I won’t forget your birthday.

When do we use will?

💡A. To make a quick decision

We use will when we decide something right now, not before.

Situation	Example
You see the phone ringing	“I’ll answer it!”
You’re in a restaurant, choosing food	“I’ll have the pizza.”
Your friend says it’s cold	“I’ll close the window.”

🧠 You didn’t plan this before. You decided now.

💡B. To make an offer

We use will when we want to help someone or say we will do something for them.

Situation	Example
Your friend needs help	“I’ll help you with your homework.”
Someone’s carrying heavy bags	“I’ll carry that for you.”
Your classmate forgot a pen	“I’ll lend you mine.”

👉 We often use I’ll when we want to be polite or kind.

💡C. To make a promise

We also use will to promise to do (or not do) something.

Situation	Example
You want to reassure someone	“Don’t worry, I’ll call you.”
You promise to study	“I’ll do my homework tonight.”
You promise NOT to forget	“I won’t forget your birthday.”

When do we use won’t?

We use won’t to say:

you decide not to do something
or to refuse to do something

Meaning	Example
You decide not to go	“I won’t go to the party.”
You refuse to do something	“He won’t clean his room.”
You make a negative promise	“I won’t tell anyone.”

🧠 Won’t is just the short form of will not.

Will vs. Be Going To

Use	Example with will	Example with be going to
You decide now	I’ll have the salad.	❌
You decided before	❌	I’m going to have the salad.
Offer / promise	I’ll help you.	❌

🧠 “Will” = new decision, offer, or promise
🧠 “Be going to” = plan made before

Summary

Function	Example Sentence	Meaning
Quick decision	I’ll open the door.	You decide now.
Offer	I’ll carry your bag.	You offer to help.
Promise	I’ll study tonight.	You promise something.
Refusal / decision not to	I won’t go out.	You decide not to do it.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Speaking

Practice 1

Practice 2

Read the situation and make a decision

Comparing people, things and places

October 22, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

When we describe the world around us, we often talk about how things are similar or different.
We compare people, places, animals, objects, and even situations, sometimes without thinking about it!

In English, there are several ways to make comparisons.
You might already know the basic forms:

Comparatives show differences.
Equatives show similarities.
Non-equatives show small or polite differences.

Here you can find more details:

Comparatives, Non-equatives and Equatives

But English allows us to go further. We can make stronger comparisons to emphasize big differences, and we can use adverbs to compare actions. For example, how people speak, drive, or work.

Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs

A. Short adjectives and adverbs

Add -er / -ier to short adjectives or adverbs.
Use than to compare.

Type	Form	Example
Short adjectives (1 syllable)	adjective + -er + than	“Millennials cook more at home, their food is healthier than before.”
Adjectives ending in -y	change -y → -ier	“Fresh food is tastier than fast food.”
Short adverbs	adverb + -er + than	“He runs faster than his brother.”

B. Long adjectives and adverbs

Use more / less + adjective/adverb + than for longer words.

Type	Form	Example
Long adjectives (2+ syllables)	more + adjective + than	“This café is more comfortable than that one.”
Adverbs ending in -ly	more + adverb + than	“Millennials exercise more regularly than older generations.”
Opposite idea	less + adjective/adverb + than	“Fresh food is less fattening than fast food.”

Stronger Comparisons

We can make comparisons stronger using words like much, far, or a lot before the adjective.

Form	Example
much / far / a lot + comparative	“This city is much bigger than my hometown.”
much / far + more + adjective	“Electric cars are far more expensive than gas cars.”

🟢 Tip: These words make the difference sound stronger or more surprising.

Irregular Comparatives

Some adjectives and adverbs don’t follow normal rules.

Adjective/Adverb	Comparative	Example
good / well	better	“She cooks better than her brother.”
bad / badly	worse	“Their diet is worse than before.”

Non-Equatives and Equatives

Non-Equatives
→ Use not as + adjective/adverb + as to show difference (in a polite or softer way).

“Millennials are not as hard-working as their parents.”
“This café isn’t as quiet as the one downtown.”

Equatives
→ Use as + adjective/adverb + as to show equality.

“My town is as peaceful as yours.”
→ Add emphasis with just as or almost as.
“This park is just as beautiful as the beach.”
“This phone is almost as fast as my laptop.”

Comparing Nouns

We can also compare how many or how much people or things there are.

Form	Example
more + noun	“More millennials are happy to pay a higher price for eco products.”
fewer + plural noun (countable)	“Fewer adults own their homes today.”
less + uncountable noun	“Millennials earn less money than their parents.”

🧠 Grammar Focus

Type	Form	Example
Short adjectives	adjective + -er + than	“New York is bigger than Boston.”
Long adjectives/adverbs	more / less + adj/adv + than	“Tokyo is more crowded than Seoul.”
Stronger comparisons	much / far / a lot + comparative	“London is far bigger than Oxford.”
Irregular adjectives	better / worse/ further	“This café is better than that one.”
Irregular adverbs	well/ badly/ fast/ hard	“John runs faster than Mike”.
Non-equatives	not as + adj/adv + as	“This hotel isn’t as clean as that one.”
Equatives	(just/almost) as + adj/adv + as	“The park is just as nice as the beach.”
Nouns	more / fewer / less + noun	“Fewer people drive to work now.”

✨ Remember:

Use -er or more to show differences.
Use as … as to show similarities.
Add much / far / a lot to make your comparison stronger.
Use not as … as to sound polite.
Use more / fewer / less to compare amounts.

Let’s Practice!

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Look at the prompts in the cards and make sentences using comparatives.

Practice 1

Practice 2

Future Plans & Desires

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

We use be going to, want to, and would like to to talk about plans, intentions and desires for the future.
These expressions help us describe what we have already decided to do, what we want to do, or what we would like to do politely.

Future Plans

We use be going to to talk about things we plan to do or intend to do in the future.
These are decisions we’ve already made.

✅ Structure:
am / is / are + going to + base form (verb)

Examples:

I’m going to invite my neighbours for dinner.
She’s going to buy a new phone.
We’re going to visit our grandparents this weekend.

💡 Remember:
Use the correct form of be:

Subject	Be verb
I	am
You / We / They	are
He / She / It	is

Example:

I am going to call my friend.
He is going to clean his room.

Desires

A desire is something you really want , something you hope to have or do in the future.
It’s usually possible and realistic.

It comes from your feelings or needs.

Example	Meaning
I desire peace and quiet.	You really want calmness in your life.
She desires to travel the world.	It’s something she really wants to do.
They desire success.	They want to be successful.

💬 In everyday English, we don’t often say “desire” in conversation. It sounds formal or literary.
Instead, we usually say “want” or “would like”.

👉 Desire = Strong “want” (formal word)

Want to = a strong desire

Use want to + verb to talk about something you really plan to do or feel sure about.
It’s direct and very common in everyday English.

✅ Form:
Subject + want to + base form (verb)

Examples:

I want to see my friends this weekend.
She wants to travel next summer.
We want to buy a new car.

🧠 Meaning: You have a clear plan or strong wish to do something.

Would like to = a polite or softer desire

Use would like to + verb to talk about something you want, but in a more polite or gentle way.
It’s often used when we are being nice, formal, or not completely sure.

✅ Form:
Subject + would like to + base form (verb)
(We often say ’d like instead of would like.)

Examples:

I’d like to make a traditional meal.
He’d like to visit Paris one day.
We’d like to go out this Saturday.

🧠 Meaning: You want to do it, but you say it politely — it sounds friendly and nice.

🗣 Compare:

I want to go out tonight. → (simple, direct)
I’d like to go out tonight. → (polite and friendly)

🕐 Talking About the Future

Common Time Expressions

⏰ Expression	Meaning / When	💬 Example Sentence
⏳ in an hour	60 minutes from now	I’m going to call you in an hour.
📅 this Saturday	The coming Saturday	We’re going to a concert this Saturday.
📆 in two months’ time	Two months from now	She’s going to start a new job in two months’ time.
🌸 next April	The April that’s coming	They’re going to travel to Japan next April.
🕑 at two o’clock tomorrow	A specific time tomorrow	I’m meeting my teacher at two o’clock tomorrow.
🌞 the day after tomorrow	Two days from today	We’re going to visit our grandparents the day after tomorrow.
🎓 the year after next	Two years from now	I’m going to finish university the year after next.
🚀 in 2060	A specific year in the future	People might live on Mars in 2060.

These words help make your future sentences more natural and specific.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Present Perfect + ever/ never

October 21, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

We use the present perfect tense to talk about experiences or actions in the past when we don’t say exactly when they happened.
We care about the result or the experience, not the specific time.

✅ Example: I’ve visited Paris.
(It happened at some time before now, but we don’t say when.)

🧩 How to form the Present Perfect

Subject	have / has	past participle
I / You / We / They	have	seen
He / She / It	has	eaten

📝 Form:

have / has + past participle

Examples:

He has watched lots of movies.
We have visited many cities.

🚫 Using Never

We use never to say that something has not happened at any time in our life.

Meaning: not ever

🧱 Structure:

Subject + have/has + never + past participle

Examples:

He has never watched a football match.
I have never seen snow.
We have never eaten sushi.

⚠️ Don’t use not and never together:
❌ I haven’t never been to Japan.
✅ I’ve never been to Japan.

❓ Using Ever

We use ever in questions to ask about someone’s life experiences.

Meaning: at any time in your life

🧱 Structure:

Have / Has + subject + ever + past participle + … ?

Examples:

Have you ever boiled an egg?
Has she ever met a famous person?
Have they ever ridden a horse?

🌟 Quick Summary

Word	Use	Example
ever	to ask about experiences	Have you ever been to London?
never	to say something hasn’t happened	I’ve never been to London.

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Speaking

Practice 2

Complete the questions and discuss the topics with your classmates.

Practice 2

Introduction to Articles

October 20, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Articles are small but powerful words in English! We use them before nouns to show if we are talking about something general or specific.

Let’s review how and when to use a, an, the, and no article in clear steps.

The Definite Article – the

We use the when the listener knows exactly what we’re talking about — something specific, unique, or already mentioned.

✅ Use “the” for:

Something both people know about:
→ I’m going back to the city tomorrow.
Famous buildings or landmarks:
→ We visited the Empire State Building.
Something unique (only one):
→ People all over the world love music.

🟡 Example:

I saw the movie you told me about.
(It’s clear which movie.)

The Indefinite Articles – a / an

We use a or an when we talk about one thing for the first time, or something not specific.

✅ Use “a / an” for:

When you mention something new:
→ I bought a book yesterday.
When you mean “one” of something:
→ I had an idea this morning.
When you talk generally (not a specific one):
→ Would you like a coffee?

💡 Tip:

Use a before consonant sounds → a dog, a student, a car
Use an before vowel sounds → an apple, an hour, an umbrella

Zero Article – no article (Ø)

Sometimes, we don’t use a, an, or the at all!
This is called the zero article (Ø).

✅ Use no article for:

People or things in general:
→ Tourists love visiting New York.
→ Dogs are friendly animals.
Uncountable nouns:
→ I love music and coffee.

🟡 Example:

I enjoy listening to music.
(We’re not talking about specific music.)

🧩 Comparative Table: Articles in English

Type	Form	Use	Example
Definite article	the	Specific or known person/thing; unique items; landmarks	We went to the beach. / The moon is bright.
Indefinite article	a / an	One, first mention, not specific	I saw a movie. / She has an umbrella.
Zero article (Ø)	—	General ideas, plural or uncountable nouns	Music is relaxing. / People are friendly.

🧠 Grammar Tip

🔹 Use a/an when you mention something for the first time.
🔹 Use the when both people know what you’re talking about.
🔹 Use no article (Ø) for things in general or uncountable nouns.

For more information about articles visit:

Articles (Part 1)

Articles (part 2)

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2