Revista simpozionului Eficienta si calitate in educatie 2018 Revista simpozionului | Page 26

Might followed by a simple infinitive expresses a smaller degree of future possibility
than that expressed by may. May and might are frequently accompanied by the
adverb possibly which has an effect of intensification.
When can is used to express possibility, there is a relation of synonymy between
active and passive constructions:
e.g. “A bunch of flowers can always refresh a room.”
e.g. “The monotony of a room can always be refreshed by a bunch of flowers.”
There are certain degrees of possibility in the case of can. 8 There is a possibility
conditioned by circumstances: “I can give you a lift if you want.” Then there is a
lack of trust in a possibility in negative constructions: “You cannot have been there
at that time.” “Can this be true?” And, doubt or astonishment at the idea of
possibility, is strongly emphasized in interrogative and exclamative constructions:
“How could you be so selfish? It really can’t be so late.”
Impossibility is expressed by cannot or can’t (informal):
e.g. “She cannot be speaking that loud!” (It is impossible that she is speaking
that loud.)
Methodological Implications
Teaching possibility is not easy and this should be discussed in at least two
lessons. This is one of the most confusing modal meanings for our students and,
for this reason, we believe that we must pay special attention to the way in which
we organise our activities. As far as content is concerned, we must focus on the
means of expressing present – past – future possibility, on the one hand, and on
the differences between can – could, may – might, can – may, on the other hand.
The solution is to isolate forms and meanings, and work on them separately each
at a time. We should pay special attention to the fact that it is sometimes difficult to
understand if the meaning of can is possibility, permission or ability. The context
will help us a lot. So, we must practise modal meanings in context.
An introductory discussion is necessary in order to help the students perceive the
broad picture and then we will focus on various aspects of possibility. Our focus
will be on the use of a short warm-up activity in order to introduce possibility. We
will link it to various types of practice exercises starting with fill-ins and continuing
with rephrasing exercises. We will begin with sentences in isolation and we will
progress towards larger real-life contexts and situations.
Materials: warm up activity adapted from: Penny Ur, Grammar Practice Activities, 9
exercises: The Heinemann ELT English Grammar 10 and Longman English
Grammar Practice, 11 worksheet, flashcards of objects.
SAMPLE LESSON
Stage 1: WARM UP
What might you do with it?
The teacher introduces an activity which focuses on simple sentences using
can/might/could.
8
Mihai Zdrenghea, Nigel Townson, English Grammar. (Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, 1995), 162.
Penny Ur, Grammar Practice Activities. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988), 172.
10
Digby Beaumont, Colin Granger, The Heinemann ELT English Grammar. An Intermediate
Reference and Practice Book. (Macmillan-Heinemann, 1992), 78-79.
11
L.G. Alexander, Longman English…, op.cit., 162-163.
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