That's English! - Module 5 - unit 8: Back to School!

For those who can't attend the classes, here you are what we did in class:
Vocabulary revision

The topic of this unit is about education. You might have learnt some words or expressions you didn’t know before or the difference between two words which sound very similar or they are "false friends" like: pupil ≠ student,  title ≠ degree,  marks ≠ qualifications, public ≠ state school, single sex ≠ coeducational school

Other words or expressions which are interesting are: compulsory education, to be in detention, headteacher/principal, vocational education, school leaver, to miss/skip class or to fail an exam.

Activity 1

Work with your partner and compare Spanish and British Educational System. What are the main problems from your point of view?

Activity 2

What do you remember of your school days? What was your favourite subject? What kind of school did you go to? What did you use to do at school?

Activity 3

Think about the rules at school and try to add some more rules. Work with your partner.

Activity 4

When you were a child, what were you allowed to do? Ask your partner about things you could/couldn’t do: watching TV, coming back home late, having a party at home, smoking, being up until midnight, etc. Use sentences such as: I couldn’t be out at night until I was 18; when I was 12 I wasn’t allowed to go out alone, etc.

Activity 5

What skills/qualifications are necessary to do these jobs? Discuss with your partner about it saying sentences such as To be a doctor you have to study a lot, you need to be used to seeing blood but you needn’t be rich. Professions: pilot, nurse, pianist, truck driver, ballet dancer, footballer, animal trainer, teacher, car mechanic, writer, actor.

Grammar: modals

• Obligation = Present: HAVE TO – MUST – NEED TO – SHOULD  + infinitive. Past: HAD TO – NEEDED TO + infinitive
• Lack of obligation = Present: DON’T HAVE TO – NEEDN’T + infinitive. Past: DIDN’T HAVE TO – DIDN’T NEED TO + infinitive
• Permission = Present: CAN – TO BE ALLOWED TO – TO LET – MAY + infinitive. Past: COULD – WAS/WERE ABLE TO – LET + infinitive
• Prohibition = Present: CAN’T – NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO – MUSTN’T – DON'T LET + infinitive. Past: COULDN’T – WASN’T/WEREN’T ALLOWED TO – DIDN’T LET+ infinitive.

You may also go to this link which explains modal verbs: click here

Exercises to practise grammar; most of these links are pages with different exercises and different levels; have a look and choose the ones you feel more confortable: 

exercise 1  -  exercise 2  -  exercise 3