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Lesson planB150 minsNew. New: checked automatically for level, grammar, facts and originality; a teacher's review is still to come. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
It Must Be the Cat! must, might and can't
Students use must, might and can't to make deductions about mysteries from clues, then write their guesses about a mysterious new neighbour.
Deduction present · Mysteries
Or download everything as a ZIP (2 PDFs)This lesson plan and its PDFs are free.
Plan at a glance
Aims
- Use must / can't accurately
- Learn and use 8 words and phrases in one set: Mysteries and feelings
- Read for detail: the mystery of the empty house
- Writing task: the new neighbour
Stages · 50 min
- 5 minLead-in: Pairs talk about mysteries and share ideas with the class.
- 5 minVocabulary: Ex. 1
- 5 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes together and check understanding.
- 10 minControlled practice: Ex. 2–3
- 5 minAccuracy practice: Ex. 4
- 10 minReading: Ex. 5
- 10 minWriting: Ex. 6
Printables
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Download all (ZIP, 2 PDFs)Grammar notes
How sure are you?
- must + verb: you're sure it's true. The lights are on. Sam must be at home.
- can't + verb: you're sure it isn't true. She's in Spain this week. That can't be Anna at the door.
- might / could / may + verb: it's possible. I'm not sure where Leo is. He might be in the library.
Watch out
- For 'sure it isn't true', use can't, not mustn't: It can't be Jenny (not It mustn't be Jenny).
- No to after must, might, can't: He must be tired (not He must to be tired).
- For actions happening now, use must be + -ing: They must be sleeping.
Study tips
- When you see something surprising, make three guesses: one with must, one with might and one with can't.
- Look for the clue in each sentence: it tells you how sure the speaker is.
Glossary
- Mysteries and feelings8 items
Complete the exercises, then check your answers.
1
Mystery words
Choose the correct word.
- a
Someone has broken the ___ on the back door, so it doesn't close properly.
- b
The news about the missing dog is very ___. Nobody has seen it for three days.
- c
Grandma lives on her own, but she isn't ___. Her friends visit her every day.
- d
I ___ she'll be late again. She's always late.
- e
Don't ___ for me. Go to the café and I'll see you there.
2
must, might or can't?
Complete each sentence with must, might or can't.
- a
The lights are on and I can hear music. Sam be at home.
- b
She's only 25. She be the manager's mother!
- c
I'm not sure where Leo is. He be in the library.
- d
You've walked 20 kilometres today. You be very tired!
- e
That be Anna at the door. She's in Spain this week.
- f
This coat isn't mine. It be Tom's: it's got his name inside.
- g
Don't wait for Mia. She come. She hasn't decided yet.
3
How sure is the speaker?
Put each sentence in the right group.
- a
It must be the postman.
- b
It might be my sister.
- c
It can't be Dad. He's at work.
- d
She could be at the gym.
- e
They must be hungry after the match.
- f
That can't be right.
- g
He may be on the train.
4
Find and correct the mistake
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correction.
- a
He must to be at work. His car isn't here.
- b
It mustn't be Jenny. She's in hospital.
- c
She can be tired. She worked all night.
- d
They might are at the cinema.
- e
The house is very quiet. Everybody must sleeping.
- f
I am waiting the bus.
5
Read: the mystery of the empty house
Read the text. Are the sentences true, false or not given?
Every evening, when Lena walks her dog past the old house at the end of her street, she sees a light in an upstairs window. But the house has been empty for years. The garden is full of plants, the windows are dirty and there's a big lock on the front gate. "Somebody must live there," Lena thought at first. But she never saw anyone go in or out. Her neighbour had a different idea: "It can't be a person. Nobody could live in that house. There's no electricity." "It might be a ghost!" joked Lena's son. Last week Lena met a man at the gate. He was the owner's nephew. "My aunt lives in Australia now," he explained. "She left a solar lamp in the window, so the house doesn't look empty at night." The lamp switches on by itself when it gets dark. The mystery was solved, and Lena's son was very disappointed.
- a
The old house is at the end of Lena's street.
- b
Lena sees the light in the morning.
- c
Lena's neighbour thinks a person lives in the house.
- d
Lena's dog is afraid of the house.
- e
The owner of the house lives in Australia.
- f
The nephew comes every evening to switch on the light.
6
Write: the new neighbour
Write about a mystery.
A new neighbour has moved in next door, but you've never met them. Here are the clues: you hear a big dog every morning, there are running shoes by the door, boxes of books arrived yesterday, and they leave the house at 6 a.m. every day. Who do you think they are? Write 8–10 sentences. Use must, might, could and can't. Word box: mystery · clue · lock · worrying · lonely · expect · wait Example: The new neighbour must have a big dog, because I hear it every morning. They might be a runner: there are running shoes by the door. They can't be a student, because they leave at 6 a.m.
Suggested minimum: 80 words
0 words · aim for at least 80
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.
- Fix ItFind the mistake in each sentence, then correct it.
- 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 8 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in one set.
Mysteries and feelings
- mystery
- something strange that nobody can explain
- clue
- a piece of information that helps you find the answer to a problem
- lock
- the part of a door that you open and close with a key
- neighbour
- a person who lives near you
- worrying
- making you think that something bad might happen
- lonely
- unhappy because you are alone or have no friends
- expect
- to think that something will probably happen
- wait
- to stay in one place until something happens
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