Modals of all flags
How a handful of words can change your speech radically
Start >
Overview
Types of modals
Ability
Obligation
Permission
Advice/criticism
Deduction (certainty/uncertainty)
Infinitive
Subject
Modal verb
Any other verb
E.g.: must, can, would, may...
E.g.: can't, mightn't, may not, woulnd't
Before the subject; e.g. may I?, can't you?, should she?
Ability
Start >
Modals of ability - Overview
Ability
Past
Present
Future
Was/were able to
Be able to
Could
Can
Be able to
She was able to fix the car. Weren't you able to get the ticket?
I wouldn't be able to drive in the UK.
They could help him find the station. Could you talk to John yesterday?
Can you swim? They can't cook at all.
I will be able to tell you tomorrow. She won't be able to stop!
Can VS Be able to
vs
Be able to
Can
- General abilities
- Present tense
Bonus expression
Manage to I managed to get home in time for dinner. I didn't manage to sleep enough last week, Did you manage to talk with Anne?
Quick game
Achievement cake
Celebrate your achievements
Find one achievement in the past, one in the present and one in the future and tell us about it.
+ info
Some examples...
Next year I will be able to visit my friend in Sardinia.
This week I turn 18 and I can finally start my driving lessons.
Last year I managed to travel abroad all by myself
Obligation
Start >
Modals of obligation - Overview
Obligation
Past
Future
Present
Should / ought to
Have to
Will have to
Must
Had to
You really shouldn't use your phone right before going to sleep.
I have to find out why it happened!
We will have to meet again to speak about this.
People must pay taxes.
Did you have to go to school yesterday?
Mustn't VS don't have to
vs
Don't have to
Mustn't
Should have
Should have ≠ had to
1) I should have studied more. (... but I didn't!) 2) I had to study more. (I had this obligation in the past.)
Bonus expression
Need to / needn't to - What time do you need to go?
- You needn't worry about him - he's going to be just fine!
- I needn't have worried about the test: it was very easy!
Time to play
Invent your sport
That's your task:
- Invent a sport with a new name
- Write at least 6 rules (3 things you must and 3 things you mustn't do)
- You must use at least 4 different modals of ability or obligation.
10 minutes
Permission
Start >
Modals of permission - Overview
Permission
Past
Future
Present
To be allowed to
May
Will be allowed to
Can
Was/were allowed to
Could
Students are allowed to get in at 8:05 am.
In 2030, only electric cars will be allowed in the streets of the UK.
May I help you with that?
You can use your dictionary during the written test.
During fascism, people weren't allowed to criticize the regime.
When you were in China, could you use your phone?
Could have
Could have ≠ could
1) You could have called me when you were in trouble. (... but you didn't!) 2) You could call me. (You were allowed to call me.)
Advanced way of asking permission
Would it be alright if I ate the last cookie?
Do you mind if I eat the last cookie?
I was wandering if I could eat the last cookie.
Tips
A couple of games and a video
Game 1: https://wordwall.net/resource/6590281/esl/asking-for-permission
Game 2: https://wordwall.net/it/resource/53386325/must-have-to-allow-to-quiz
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcY4Y3ncbcM
Advice / Criticism
Start >
Modals of advice and criticism - Overview
Advice/criticism
Past
Future
Present
Should/ought to
(Should)
Can/Could
Should/ought to have to
Could have
To protect our children, we shoud think about pollution in years to come.
We shouldn't ignore other options. He ought to consider her point of view
She could talk with her parents and see if they can help her.
They should have thought about the environment before building that.
You could have at least call when you heard it!
Remember these?
Should have
You should have studied more. (... but you didn't!)
Could have
You could have called me. (... but you didn't!)
Strong advice
... or else!
The expression had better gives a strong advice, similar to "faresti meglio" in Italian. E.g. Mm, you'd better tell the truth! You'd better not be late for your interview.
Agony Aunt
Objective
Give honest advice (and some criticism) to the broken-hearted!
Typical expressions
Aunt Lydia
That aunt of yours who's always right
Deduction
Start >
Modals of deduction - Overview
Deduction
Degrees of certainty
Will / have to / definitely
Past
Present
Must / can't / couldn't
Modal + have + past participle
Must/ should / can / may / might
Could
should / ought to / can
He realized that he could fall down if he wasn't careful.
It must be my brother up there! This can't be an apple: it's orange! We might meet again next week.
It must have been a difficult decision. She shouldn't have trusted you! We can't have met last winter: I wasn't here back then.
Might / may / could
More expressions of deduction
I am 100% sure it will work!
It is inevitable to fall in love.
You can't train that much without injurying your knees - that was bound to happen!
Ghosts certainly don't exist! Or... do they?
Use your power of deduction!
Can you guess the right answer?
Did you know that...
Contextualize your topic with a subtitle
90% of the information we assimilate comes through sight. Watch out! In Genially we use AI (Awesome Interactivity) in all our designs, so you can level up with interactivity.
The window allows for adding broader content. You can enrich your genially by incorporating PDFs, videos, text… The content of the window will appear when clicking on the interactive element. To highlight super-relevant data.
Modals of all flags
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Created on February 17, 2026
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Transcript
Modals of all flags
How a handful of words can change your speech radically
Start >
Overview
Types of modals
Ability
Obligation
Permission
Advice/criticism
Deduction (certainty/uncertainty)
Infinitive
Subject
Modal verb
Any other verb
E.g.: must, can, would, may...
E.g.: can't, mightn't, may not, woulnd't
Before the subject; e.g. may I?, can't you?, should she?
Ability
Start >
Modals of ability - Overview
Ability
Past
Present
Future
Was/were able to
Be able to
Could
Can
Be able to
She was able to fix the car. Weren't you able to get the ticket?
I wouldn't be able to drive in the UK.
They could help him find the station. Could you talk to John yesterday?
Can you swim? They can't cook at all.
I will be able to tell you tomorrow. She won't be able to stop!
Can VS Be able to
vs
Be able to
Can
Bonus expression
Manage to I managed to get home in time for dinner. I didn't manage to sleep enough last week, Did you manage to talk with Anne?
Quick game
Achievement cake
Celebrate your achievements
Find one achievement in the past, one in the present and one in the future and tell us about it.
+ info
Some examples...
Next year I will be able to visit my friend in Sardinia.
This week I turn 18 and I can finally start my driving lessons.
Last year I managed to travel abroad all by myself
Obligation
Start >
Modals of obligation - Overview
Obligation
Past
Future
Present
Should / ought to
Have to
Will have to
Must
Had to
You really shouldn't use your phone right before going to sleep.
I have to find out why it happened!
We will have to meet again to speak about this.
People must pay taxes.
Did you have to go to school yesterday?
Mustn't VS don't have to
vs
Don't have to
Mustn't
Should have
Should have ≠ had to
1) I should have studied more. (... but I didn't!) 2) I had to study more. (I had this obligation in the past.)
Bonus expression
Need to / needn't to- What time do you need to go?
- You needn't worry about him - he's going to be just fine!
- I needn't have worried about the test: it was very easy!
Time to play
Invent your sport
That's your task:
10 minutes
Permission
Start >
Modals of permission - Overview
Permission
Past
Future
Present
To be allowed to
May
Will be allowed to
Can
Was/were allowed to
Could
Students are allowed to get in at 8:05 am.
In 2030, only electric cars will be allowed in the streets of the UK.
May I help you with that?
You can use your dictionary during the written test.
During fascism, people weren't allowed to criticize the regime.
When you were in China, could you use your phone?
Could have
Could have ≠ could
1) You could have called me when you were in trouble. (... but you didn't!) 2) You could call me. (You were allowed to call me.)
Advanced way of asking permission
Would it be alright if I ate the last cookie?
Do you mind if I eat the last cookie?
I was wandering if I could eat the last cookie.
Tips
A couple of games and a video
Game 1: https://wordwall.net/resource/6590281/esl/asking-for-permission
Game 2: https://wordwall.net/it/resource/53386325/must-have-to-allow-to-quiz
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcY4Y3ncbcM
Advice / Criticism
Start >
Modals of advice and criticism - Overview
Advice/criticism
Past
Future
Present
Should/ought to
(Should)
Can/Could
Should/ought to have to
Could have
To protect our children, we shoud think about pollution in years to come.
We shouldn't ignore other options. He ought to consider her point of view
She could talk with her parents and see if they can help her.
They should have thought about the environment before building that.
You could have at least call when you heard it!
Remember these?
Should have
You should have studied more. (... but you didn't!)
Could have
You could have called me. (... but you didn't!)
Strong advice
... or else!
The expression had better gives a strong advice, similar to "faresti meglio" in Italian. E.g. Mm, you'd better tell the truth! You'd better not be late for your interview.
Agony Aunt
Objective
Give honest advice (and some criticism) to the broken-hearted!
Typical expressions
Aunt Lydia
That aunt of yours who's always right
Deduction
Start >
Modals of deduction - Overview
Deduction
Degrees of certainty
Will / have to / definitely
Past
Present
Must / can't / couldn't
Modal + have + past participle
Must/ should / can / may / might
Could
should / ought to / can
He realized that he could fall down if he wasn't careful.
It must be my brother up there! This can't be an apple: it's orange! We might meet again next week.
It must have been a difficult decision. She shouldn't have trusted you! We can't have met last winter: I wasn't here back then.
Might / may / could
More expressions of deduction
I am 100% sure it will work!
It is inevitable to fall in love.
You can't train that much without injurying your knees - that was bound to happen!
Ghosts certainly don't exist! Or... do they?
Use your power of deduction!
Can you guess the right answer?
Did you know that...
Contextualize your topic with a subtitle
90% of the information we assimilate comes through sight. Watch out! In Genially we use AI (Awesome Interactivity) in all our designs, so you can level up with interactivity.
The window allows for adding broader content. You can enrich your genially by incorporating PDFs, videos, text… The content of the window will appear when clicking on the interactive element. To highlight super-relevant data.