Virginia SOL 4.LU.1.D
The Standard
Use modal words (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions when speaking and writing.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English · Grammar
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use words such as can, may, and must to show ability, permission, possibility, or requirement. They select the word that best fits the situation and intended meaning.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students choose a modal word that matches the intended meaning, such as permission, possibility, ability, or requirement. They use it before the base form of a verb in speaking and writing.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat can, may, and must as interchangeable. They may confuse permission with possibility or write forms such as "must to leave" instead of "must leave."
How to Assess It
- Give this exit ticket: "Choose can, may, or must to complete each sentence: You ___ borrow my pencil. Clouds mean it ___ rain. Drivers ___ stop at red lights." Ask students to label each choice as ability, permission, possibility, or requirement.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs modal word cards and situation cards, then have them match each situation with can, may, or must and explain why.
Ask students to write three playground rules using can, may, and must, then discuss how each word changes the rule.
Play Modal Switch: read a sentence, call a new condition, and have teams replace the modal word to match the meaning.
Examine school signs and permission slips, then identify modal words and explain whether each shows permission, possibility, ability, or requirement.
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Related Standards
- 8.LU.1.C
Use specific adjectives and adverbs to enhance speech and writing.
- 6.LU.1.C
Use adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs to express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, and level of certainty precisely when speaking and...
- 9.LU.1.D
Use appositives and main and subordinate clauses to convey and clarify a message when speaking and writing.
- 5.LU.1.B
Use adverbs to express time, frequency, degree, and level of certainty when speaking and writing.
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