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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.
I Should Have Checked: should have, could have, might have
Students use should have, could have and might have to talk about past mistakes, then write about a time when something went wrong.
Modals past · Mistakes · Work
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Plan at a glance
Aims
- Use should have / might have / could have + pp accurately
- Learn and use 8 words and phrases in one set: Mistakes and advice
- Read for detail: Ben's bad Monday
- Writing task: a day that went wrong
Stages · 50 min
- 5 minLead-in: Pairs talk about mistakes 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
Looking back at the past
- should have + past participle: it was a good idea, but it didn't happen — You should have told me.
- shouldn't have + past participle: it happened, but it was a bad idea — I shouldn't have eaten so much.
- could have + past participle: it was possible, but it didn't happen — We could have won.
- might have + past participle: maybe it happened, we don't know — He might have missed the bus.
Watch out
- have, not has, after the modal: She might have left (not might has left).
- Use the past participle: should have gone (not should have went).
- In speech, should have sounds like should've. Don't write should of.
Study tips
- Think of three small mistakes you made this week and write what you should have done.
- Learn the past participles that people often get wrong: gone, taken, written, forgotten.
Glossary
- Mistakes and advice8 items
Complete the exercises, then check your answers.
1
Words about mistakes
Choose the correct word or phrase.
- a
Can you ___ me to call the dentist tomorrow? I always forget.
- b
I can't ___ where I put my keys. Have you seen them?
- c
We ___ the train to be late because of the snow, but it arrived on time.
- d
Don't ___ to send the report before Friday. My boss needs it.
- e
My teacher ___ me to read more books in English.
- f
Everyone ___ mistakes when they're learning something new.
2
What should they have done?
Complete the sentences with the words in brackets. Use should have, shouldn't have, could have or might have + the past participle.
- a
You me about the meeting! (should / tell)
- b
I so much coffee. Now I can't sleep. (shouldn't / drink)
- c
Why didn't you ask me? I you. (could / help)
- d
Sam isn't here yet. He the bus. (might / miss)
- e
We a taxi. The walk took two hours! (should / take)
- f
She that email. It made her boss very angry. (shouldn't / send)
- g
I'm not sure where my phone is. I it at work. (might / leave)
3
Did it happen?
Read each sentence. Did the action happen, did it not happen, or don't we know? Put each sentence in the right group.
- a
You should have told me.
- b
I shouldn't have said that.
- c
She shouldn't have bought such an expensive car.
- d
He might have forgotten our meeting.
- e
We could have won the match.
- f
Tom might have left already.
- g
You should have checked the address.
4
Find and correct the mistake
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correction: the corrected word(s) or the whole sentence.
- a
I did a mistake.
- b
He might not have saw my message.
- c
You should have call me.
- d
I should of checked the date.
- e
She might has missed the train.
- f
We could have went by train.
5
Read: Ben's bad Monday
Read the text. Are the sentences true, false or not given?
Last Monday Ben had a job interview at a bank, but it didn't go well. First, he left home late. He should have checked the train times the night before, because the 8.15 train was cancelled. He could have taken a taxi, but he didn't have enough money. When he arrived, he was twenty minutes late. He apologised, but the manager didn't look happy. Then she asked him about the company, and he didn't know the answers. "I should have read about the company," he realised later. Ben's sister thinks he might have got the job anyway, because he answered the other questions well. Ben isn't so sure. "My friend warned me about the trains," he says. "Next time I'll listen to him and prepare properly."
- a
Ben's train was cancelled.
- b
Ben took a taxi to the bank.
- c
Ben arrived twenty minutes early.
- d
The manager asked Ben about the company.
- e
Ben's sister works at the bank.
- f
Ben is sure that he got the job.
6
Write: a day that went wrong
Write about a mistake.
Think of a time when something went wrong (8–10 sentences). What happened? What should you have done? What could you have done differently? Use should have, shouldn't have, could have and might have. Word box: remind · advise · expect · forget · mistake · warn · realise · apologise Example: Last year I forgot to send an important report at work. I should have written it in my diary, and my colleague could have reminded me. I apologised to my manager, but I realised I had to be more organised.
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.
Mistakes and advice
- mistake
- something that you do wrong
- forget
- to not remember something
- realise
- to suddenly understand or notice something
- apologise
- to say that you are sorry for something you did
- advise
- to tell someone what you think they should do
- warn
- to tell someone about a possible danger or problem
- remind
- to make someone remember something
- expect
- to think that something will probably happen
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