Modal Verbs and Possibility
Understand and use modal verbs (can, may, must, might, shall, will, could, should, would) and modal adverbs (perhaps, surely, certainly) to indicate degrees of possibility, necessity, and permission
Suggested ages 9–10
Learning journey
Your child is mastering advanced grammar and punctuation — using complex sentence structures with relative clauses, understanding how to change word meanings with prefixes and suffixes, and creating cohesive, well-connected writing.
Evidence of understanding
- Select a modal verb to express certainty, probability, or possibility in a sentence, e.g. 'It will rain' vs 'It might rain' vs 'It could rain'
- Replace a modal verb with a modal adverb to achieve a similar effect, e.g. 'He might come' → 'Perhaps he will come'
- Distinguish between modals expressing permission (may, can), obligation (must, should), and possibility (might, could) in context
Assessment prompt
When Modal Verbs and Possibility writes, do they choose between words like "must", "might", "could", and "should" to show whether something is certain, possible, or just an idea — rather than treating every action as definite?
Standards alignment
L.4.1c
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · 4
Indicating degrees of possibility
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Use modal verbs or adverbs
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2