English Course · Level 3 (B1) · Week 4 of 12
Tech Talk
Grammar: Modals of deduction (present) · must, might, could, can't
This week's plan
| Day | Learn | Listen / Watch | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Words: Devices · Sentences 1–2 | BBC 6 Minute Grammar: “'May', 'might' and 'could'” (podcast) | Exercise 1 |
| Day 2 | Words: Using technology · Sentences 3–4 | BBC 6 Minute English: “Can apps teach you a language?” (podcast) | Exercise 2 |
| Day 3 | Words: Online life · Sentences 5–6 | British Council: “Modals: deductions about the present” (grammar) + BBC 6 Minute Grammar: “Modals of deduction and speculation” (podcast) | Exercise 3 |
| Day 4 | Words: Tech problems · Sentences 7–8 | British Council: “Digital habits across generations” (reading) | Exercise 4 |
| Day 5 | Words: Being sure · Sentences 9–10 | BBC 6 Minute English: “Tech that refuses to die” (podcast) | Write & Speak |
| Day 6 | Review all 30 words + 10 sentences | British Council: “Robot teachers” (reading) | Redo mistakes |
| Day 7 | Free day ☺ | BBC 6 Minute English: “Would you like a robot companion?” (podcast) | Tick your tracker |
30 minutes a day: review, learn, listen, practise, speak. Day 7 is a free day. Tap a resource to find it.
30 words to learn
Set 1 · Devices
- laptopحاسوب محمول / لابتوب
- chargerشاحن
- screenشاشة
- batteryبطارية
- headphonesسماعات
- deviceجهاز
Set 2 · Using technology
- downloadيحمّل / ينزّل
- uploadيرفع (ملفًا)
- installيثبّت (برنامجًا)
- updateيحدّث / تحديث
- log inيسجّل الدخول
- passwordكلمة المرور / الباسورد
Set 3 · Online life
- social mediaوسائل التواصل الاجتماعي / السوشيال ميديا
- postمنشور / ينشر / بوست
- followerمتابِع
- online shoppingالتسوّق عبر الإنترنت
- video callمكالمة فيديو
- screen timeوقت استخدام الشاشات
Set 4 · Tech problems
- crashيتعطّل فجأة / يهنّج
- signalإشارة (الشبكة)
- the battery is deadنفد شحن البطارية / البطارية خلصت
- fixيصلح
- back upيأخذ نسخة احتياطية
- virusفيروس
Set 5 · Being sure
- must beلا بد أن يكون / أكيد
- can't beلا يمكن أن يكون / مستحيل يكون
- might be / could beربما يكون
- I'm sure (that)أنا متأكد (أن)
- it looks likeيبدو أن
- obviouslyمن الواضح أن
10 sentences to memorise
- 1The battery must be dead — the screen is completely black.لا بد أن شحن البطارية قد نفد — الشاشة سوداء تمامًا.
- 2That can't be Mona's phone. Hers is white.لا يمكن أن يكون هذا هاتف منى. هاتفها أبيض.
- 3The Wi-Fi might be down. Let's restart the router.ربما يكون الواي فاي مقطوعًا. لنُعِد تشغيل الراوتر.
- 4You must be tired after working on the computer all day.لا بد أنك متعب بعد العمل على الحاسوب طوال اليوم.
- 5Have you backed up your photos?هل أخذت نسخة احتياطية من صورك؟
- 6I can't log in. I think I've forgotten my password.لا أستطيع تسجيل الدخول. أظن أنني نسيت كلمة المرور.
- 7He isn't answering. He could be in a meeting.إنه لا يرد. ربما يكون في اجتماع.
- 8My laptop keeps crashing, so I need to update it.حاسوبي يتعطّل باستمرار، لذلك أحتاج إلى تحديثه.
- 9My son spends too much time on social media.يقضي ابني وقتًا طويلًا جدًا على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.
- 10It looks like the file is too big to upload.يبدو أن الملف كبير جدًا ولا يمكن رفعه.
Grammar: Modals of deduction (present) · must, might, could, can't
must = I'm sure it's true · can't = I'm sure it's NOT true · might / could / may = it's possibly true.
modal + be: He must be tired. · modal + be + -ing (now): She might be driving.
عندما تستنتج شيئًا من الدليل الذي أمامك: «أكيد / لا بد» = must، و«مستحيل يكون» = can't، و«ربما» = might / could / may. الخطأ الشائع أن يقول المتعلم ✗ He mustn't be at home للمعنى «مستحيل يكون في البيت»؛ لكن mustn't معناها «ممنوع». الصحيح: ✓ He can't be at home. ولا تضع to بعد must: ✗ It must to be expensive.
| How sure? | Modal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 100% yes | must | The lights are on. They must be at home. |
| about 50% | might / could / may | He isn't answering. He might be asleep. |
| 100% no | can't | That can't be Ali. He's in Aswan this week. |
✗ He mustn't be at home — the lights are off. ✓ He can't be at home.
✗ It must to be new. ✓ It must be new.
For actions happening now use be + -ing: Listen! She must be practising the piano.
Exercises
Exercise 1 · Complete with must, might or can't.
- 1) I'm not sure where Nour is. She ___ be at the gym.
- 2) He's been working for twelve hours. He ___ be exhausted.
- 3) You've just eaten a big lunch. You ___ be hungry again!
- 4) That ___ be Omar — he's in Aswan this week.
- 5) Take an umbrella. It ___ rain later.
- 6) This phone costs 60,000 pounds! It ___ be the newest model.
Show the answers
Exercise 2 · Rewrite the sentences with must, might or can't.
- 1) I'm sure he is at home.
- 2) It's possible that the shop is closed.
- 3) I'm sure this isn't your bag.
- 4) Maybe she is working late.
- 5) I'm sure they are watching the match.
Show the answers
Exercise 3 · Match 1–5 with a–e. a) It can't be new. b) He might be asleep. c) The battery must be dead. d) It might be out of paper. e) The internet must be down.
- 1) My phone won't turn on.
- 2) No websites will open.
- 3) Ali isn't answering his phone.
- 4) This laptop is only 3,000 pounds.
- 5) The printer isn't working.
Show the answers
Exercise 4 · Translate into English.
- 1) لا بد أنها في العمل.
- 2) لا يمكن أن يكون هذا صحيحًا.
- 3) ربما يكون الواي فاي بطيئًا اليوم.
- 4) نسيت كلمة المرور الخاصة بي.
Show the answers
Do each exercise in pencil first, then open the answers to check.
Write & Speak
Example: I use technology all day. I check my phone as soon as I wake up, and I work on a laptop from nine to five. I also use my tablet to watch videos and to have video calls with my sister, who lives in Dubai. Technology makes my life easier, but it also causes problems. Last month my laptop crashed and I lost some important files because I hadn't backed them up. Now I back up everything every Friday. Sometimes the Wi-Fi at home is very slow in the evening. It might be because everyone in the building is online at the same time. My screen time is about six hours a day, and my eyes are always tired, so I must be spending too much time in front of screens. I'm going to switch off my phone an hour before bed.