Level 04 – Step 07 : Question Words + Modal Verbs (What can we do? Why should I care?)
/Level 04 – Step 07 : Question Words + Modal Verbs (What can we do? Why should I care?)
＜🚪 Let’s Begin＞ 🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how question words like What and Why work with modal verbs such as can, should, must, and many more.
/＜🚪 Let’s Begin＞ 🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how question words like What and Why work with modal verbs such as can, should, must, and many more.
🐧Igupen: Modal verbs? There are lots of them — what do they do in questions?
/🐧Igupen: Modal verbs? There are lots of them — what do they do in questions?
🦉Professor Owl: Ho Ho Ho.
/🦉Professor Owl: Ho Ho Ho.
Modals help us ask about ability, permission, possibility, advice, obligation, and plans.
/Modals help us ask about ability, permission, possibility, advice, obligation, and plans.
When we put a question word first (What, Why, How…), the modal comes next: What + modal + subject + verb?
/When we put a question word first (What, Why, How…), the modal comes next: What + modal + subject + verb?
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What happens when we use question words with modals?
/What happens when we use question words with modals?
Structure: Question word + modal + subject + main verb?
/Structure: Question word + modal + subject + main verb?
Example: What can we do?
/Example: What can we do?
Why should I care?
/Why should I care?
Common modal verbs and their main uses in questions:
/Common modal verbs and their main uses in questions:
can / could — ability or permission; possibility (Can you help? Could we try?)
/can / could — ability or permission; possibility (Can you help? Could we try?)
may / might — polite permission or possibility (May I come? What might happen?)
/may / might — polite permission or possibility (May I come? What might happen?)
should — advice or suggestion (What should I do?)
/should — advice or suggestion (What should I do?)
must / have to / need to — obligation or strong necessity (Why must we wait? Do I have to go?)
/must / have to / need to — obligation or strong necessity (Why must we wait? Do I have to go?)
will / would — future or polite requests; hypothetical (When will they come? What would you like?)
/will / would — future or polite requests; hypothetical (When will they come? What would you like?)
shall — polite offer or suggestion (Shall we start?)
/shall — polite offer or suggestion (Shall we start?)
ought to — advice similar to should (Why ought I to tell them?)
/ought to — advice similar to should (Why ought I to tell them?)
Short guide for choosing a modal:
/Short guide for choosing a modal:
Use can/could for ability or permission.
/Use can/could for ability or permission.
Use may/might for polite possibility.
/Use may/might for polite possibility.
Use should/ought to for advice.
/Use should/ought to for advice.
Use must/have to/need to for rules or necessity.
/Use must/have to/need to for rules or necessity.
Use will/would/shall for future or polite offers/requests.
/Use will/would/shall for future or polite offers/requests.
How to make the question (quick steps)
/How to make the question (quick steps)
Start with a question word: What / Why / When / How / Where / Who.
/Start with a question word: What / Why / When / How / Where / Who.
Add the modal: can / should / must / will / etc.
/Add the modal: can / should / must / will / etc.
Add the subject and the main verb.
/Add the subject and the main verb.
Example: What + can + we + do? → What can we do?
/Example: What + can + we + do? → What can we do?
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Ask first what you want to know (ability, advice, permission, rule).
/Ask first what you want to know (ability, advice, permission, rule).
Pick the modal that matches that idea, then place it right after the question word.
/Pick the modal that matches that idea, then place it right after the question word.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Advice: What should I say? → use should.
/Advice: What should I say? → use should.
Ability: Who can lift this box? → use can.
/Ability: Who can lift this box? → use can.
Permission: May I come in? → use may.
/Permission: May I come in? → use may.
Obligation: Why must we finish today? → use must/have to.
/Obligation: Why must we finish today? → use must/have to.
Possibility: What might happen next? → use might.
/Possibility: What might happen next? → use might.
＜🌼 Sample Sentences＞
/＜🌼 Sample Sentences＞
No.01 What can we do to help?
/No.01 What can we do to help?
No.02 Why should I care about recycling?
/No.02 Why should I care about recycling?
No.03 Who could fix the bicycle?
/No.03 Who could fix the bicycle?
No.04 May I come with you?
/No.04 May I come with you?
No.05 What might happen if it rains?
/No.05 What might happen if it rains?
No.06 When will the train arrive?
/No.06 When will the train arrive?
No.07 Shall we start the game now?
/No.07 Shall we start the game now?
No.08 Why must students wear uniforms?
/No.08 Why must students wear uniforms?
No.09 How would you solve this puzzle?
/No.09 How would you solve this puzzle?
No.10 What ought I to tell my teacher?
/No.10 What ought I to tell my teacher?
＜🎓 Practice exercises ＞
/＜🎓 Practice exercises ＞
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Make a question asking for advice using should: (I / do / now)
/Q1: Make a question asking for advice using should: (I / do / now)
Q2: Make a question asking for ability using can: (you / lift / this?)
/Q2: Make a question asking for ability using can: (you / lift / this?)
Q3: Change to a question asking permission using may: She may leave early.
/Q3: Change to a question asking permission using may: She may leave early.
Q4: Make a question asking possibility using might: (we / see / a rainbow)
/Q4: Make a question asking possibility using might: (we / see / a rainbow)
Q5: Make a question asking obligation using must: (they / finish / homework)
/Q5: Make a question asking obligation using must: (they / finish / homework)
Q6: Choose the best modal for this question (ability, advice, permission, future): What ___ we do next? (can / should / may / will)
/Q6: Choose the best modal for this question (ability, advice, permission, future): What ___ we do next? (can / should / may / will)
Q7: Make a polite offer question using shall: (we / go / now)
/Q7: Make a polite offer question using shall: (we / go / now)
Q8: Change to a question asking hypothetical preference using would: You like tea.
/Q8: Change to a question asking hypothetical preference using would: You like tea.
Q9: Make a question asking necessity using have to: (I / leave / now)
/Q9: Make a question asking necessity using have to: (I / leave / now)
Q10: Question and choices: Which question asks about possibility? A) Why should I call? B) What might happen? C) Who can help?
/Q10: Question and choices: Which question asks about possibility? A) Why should I call? B) What might happen? C) Who can help?
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: What should I do now?
/A1: What should I do now?
A2: Can you lift this?
/A2: Can you lift this?
A3: May she leave early?
/A3: May she leave early?
A4: Might we see a rainbow?
/A4: Might we see a rainbow?
A5: Must they finish their homework?
/A5: Must they finish their homework?
A6: should — What should we do next? (can, may, or will can work but should fits advice best)
/A6: should — What should we do next? (can, may, or will can work but should fits advice best)
A7: Shall we go now?
/A7: Shall we go now?
A8: Would you like tea?
/A8: Would you like tea?
A9: Do I have to leave now? or Must I leave now?
/A9: Do I have to leave now? or Must I leave now?
A10: B is correct: What might happen?
/A10: B is correct: What might happen?
＜🦉 Closing ＞
/＜🦉 Closing ＞
🦉Professor Owl: Wonderful work today.
/🦉Professor Owl: Wonderful work today.
You practiced using many modal verbs with question words.
/You practiced using many modal verbs with question words.
Try making three questions: one for ability (can/could), one for advice (should/ought to), and one for possibility (may/might).
/Try making three questions: one for ability (can/could), one for advice (should/ought to), and one for possibility (may/might).
Keep practicing — choosing the right modal will become easier each time you ask a question.
/Keep practicing — choosing the right modal will become easier each time you ask a question.
