Loading…
Teaching or studying this?
All lesson plans
Lesson planA240 minsNew. New: checked automatically for level, grammar, facts and originality; a teacher's review is still to come. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
At the Doctor's: have to and should
Students practise have to for rules and should for advice in a visit to the doctor, then write advice to a sick friend.
Have to · Should · Modals · Advice · Health
Or download everything as a ZIP (2 PDFs)This lesson plan and its PDFs are free.
Plan at a glance
Aims
- Use have to / don't have to accurately
- Use should / shouldn't accurately
- Learn and use 12 words and phrases in 2 sets: Rules and advice, At the doctor's
- Read for detail: Tom's visit to the doctor
- Writing task: Advice for a friend
Stages · 40 min
- 5 minLead-in: Pairs talk about modals and share ideas with the class.
- 5 minVocabulary: Ex. 1–2
- 5 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes together and check understanding.
- 10 minControlled practice: Ex. 3–4
- 5 minReading: Ex. 5
- 10 minWriting: Ex. 6
Printables
Click a page to preview it, download it or open it in a new tab.
Download all (ZIP, 2 PDFs)Grammar notes
have to: it's necessary
- have / has to + verb → I have to take this medicine. She has to stay in bed.
- don't / doesn't have to = it isn't necessary → You don't have to come early.
- Questions: Do I have to…? → Yes, you do. / No, you don't.
should: it's a good idea
- should / shouldn't + verb (no 'to') → You should see a doctor. You shouldn't eat so much sugar.
- Not 'should to see' or 'have to studying'.
mustn't ≠ don't have to
- mustn't = don't do it! → You mustn't smoke here.
- don't have to = you can, but it isn't necessary → You don't have to pay.
Study tips
- Give advice to a friend with a cold: three sentences with should and one with shouldn't.
- Remember: should + verb, have to + verb — never 'should to'.
Glossary
- Rules and advice6 items
- At the doctor's6 items
Complete the exercises, then check your answers.
1
Health words
Choose the correct word.
- a
I have a toothache. I have to see the ___.
- b
I feel ill. I have an appointment with the ___ at ten.
- c
You have to ___ this medicine three times a day.
- d
My head hurts. I've got a terrible ___.
- e
I have a ___ in my back when I sit for a long time.
- f
You should ___ exercise three times a week.
2
Advice or necessity?
Choose the correct words.
- a
You look tired. You ___ go to bed early.
- b
You ___ eat so much sugar. It's bad for your teeth.
- c
My grandad was very ill, but the doctors say he's ___ slowly. He can go home next week.
- d
It's Saturday tomorrow, so I ___ go to work.
- e
This is a hospital. You ___ use your phone here.
- f
The doctor says I ___ stay at home for three days.
3
have to or should?
Choose the correct form.
- a
She ___ take her medicine at eight o'clock.
- b
You should ___ more water.
- c
I have to ___ tonight. I've got an exam.
- d
___ we have to pay for the doctor?
- e
"Do I have to stay in bed?" "No, you ___."
- f
You ___ go to the doctor. That pain is bad.
- g
He doesn't ___ work on Sundays.
- h
We shouldn't ___ so late. We're always tired.
4
Find the mistake
One sentence has a mistake. Choose the correct sentence.
- a
Choose the correct sentence.
- b
Choose the correct sentence.
- c
Choose the correct sentence.
- d
Choose the correct sentence.
- e
Choose the correct sentence.
- f
Choose the correct sentence.
- g
Choose the correct sentence.
- h
Choose the correct sentence.
- i
Choose the correct sentence.
5
Read: Tom's visit to the doctor
Read the text. Then choose the correct answer.
Tom has had a terrible headache for three days, so he goes to the doctor. "You have to take this medicine twice a day," she says. "And you should drink a lot of water." "Do I have to stay at home?" Tom asks. "No, you don't have to stay at home, but you shouldn't work on your computer all day. You should take a break every hour. And you mustn't drive with this medicine." After a week, Tom is getting better. He does exercise every morning, and the pain has gone.
- a
Why does Tom go to the doctor?
- b
How often does Tom have to take the medicine?
- c
What does the doctor say about staying at home?
- d
The doctor's advice about the computer:
- e
What mustn't Tom do?
6
Write: Advice for a friend
Write a message.
Your friend has a bad cold and an exam next week. Write a message with advice (6–8 sentences). Use should, shouldn't, have to and don't have to. Word box: doctor · medicine · pain · headache · do exercise · get better · You should · You shouldn't Example: You should stay in bed today. You don't have to study all day!
Suggested minimum: 40 words
0 words · aim for at least 40
Spotted a mistake in this lesson?· tell us the exercise and item
Revise with a game
This lesson's own words and questions. Play on your own, or in teams on the classroom screen.
- Step UpAnswer the lesson's questions to climb to the top.
- Pair UpMatch the lesson's words to their meanings against the clock.
- SnapA word and a meaning: do they go together? Answer fast.
- Quiz BoardTeams choose questions worth 100 to 500 points.
- Retro arcadeWord Invaders, Word Snake, Word Maze and Word Crossing: classic arcade games with the lesson's words.
Glossary
The 12 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 2 sets.
Rules and advice
- have to
- it is necessary because of a rule or the situation
- don't have to
- it isn't necessary, but you can if you want
- You should
- we use it to give advice
- You shouldn't
- we use it to say that something is not a good idea
- mustn't
- you can't do it; don't do it
- advice
- an idea from someone about what you should do
At the doctor's
- doctor
- a person who helps ill people get better
- medicine
- something you take when you are ill
- pain
- a bad feeling in your body when you are ill or have an accident
- headache
- a pain in your head
- do exercise
- to move your body, for example run or swim, to stay healthy
- get better
- to become healthy again after you are ill
How was this lesson plan?
One tap helps other teachers find the best lessons, and helps us improve them.