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Year 5

Modal verbs

I can identify a modal verb and its purpose in a clause.

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New
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Year 5

Modal verbs

I can identify a modal verb and its purpose in a clause.

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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The verb carries the tense of a sentence.
  2. A modal verb is a type of auxiliary verb.
  3. A modal verb is most often paired with the main verb of a clause.
  4. A modal verb is not paired with the main verb if it appears in a question.
  5. A modal verb expresses the degree of possibility, intent, ability or necessity of the clause.

Keywords

  • Auxiliary verb - the helping verb that is always paired with the main verb

  • Modal verb - a type of auxiliary verb that helps us to talk about how likely, possible, necessary or obligatory something is to happen

  • Clause - a group of words that contains a verb

Common misconception

Pupils may find the concept of 'obligation' tricky to grasp.

Explain that obligations are things we think we should do or that should happen or that others think we should do or should happen.


To help you plan your year 5 english lesson on: Modal verbs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are a limited number of common modal verbs in English, most of which are used in this lesson. During shared reading and writing, highlight these modal verbs and draw out what they are saying about likelihood and obligation in that context.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these sentences is written in a perfect tense?
Correct answer: I have known him for years.
I knew him for years.
She played the piano for years.
Correct answer: She has played the piano for years.
Q2.
Which of the following would always be found in a perfect tense sentence?
Correct answer: A past tense form of a main verb.
A main verb with an -ing suffix.
Correct answer: An auxiliary verb based on the infinitive 'to have'.
An auxiliary verb based on the infinitive 'to be'.
Q3.
Match the sentences to the perfect tense used.
Correct Answer:Perfect future,I will have done it by then.
tick

I will have done it by then.

Correct Answer:Perfect past,I had done it already when you asked.
tick

I had done it already when you asked.

Correct Answer:Perfect present,I have done it already.
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I have done it already.

Q4.
Tick the sentences that use the perfect present tense correctly.
Since I was four, I known Andeep.
Correct answer: I have known Andeep since I was four.
I known Andeep since I was four.
Correct answer: Since I was four, I have known Andeep.
Q5.
Match the simple past tense verb to the correct past tense form of the verb that would be used in the perfect present tense.
Correct Answer:saw,seen
tick

seen

Correct Answer:ran,run
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run

Correct Answer:wrote,written
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written

Correct Answer:were,been
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been

Q6.
Choose the correct perfect present verb form to complete the gap: "Sam (to speak)__________ several times this lesson."
spoke
has spoke
Correct answer: has spoken
speaked

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A modal verb is a type of...
noun
Correct answer: auxiliary verb
adjective
adverb
Q2.
Which of the following are modal verbs?
Correct answer: should
stay
Correct answer: might
watch
Q3.
What is the purpose of the modal verb 'ought to' in this sentence? "We ought to do more for the environment."
To show that we are definitely going to do more.
Correct answer: To show that we feel an obligation to do more.
To show that we will not do any more.
Q4.
What are the modal verbs in this sentence? "We might do French today, or we may practise for the play."
Correct answer: might
do
practise
Correct answer: may
Q5.
Tick the modal verbs that show certainty.
Correct answer: will
Correct answer: shall
could
might
Q6.
Which sentence contains a modal verb showing obligation?
You will make more effort.
Correct answer: You should make more effort.
You could make more effort.