The Words Between the Lines
Grammar: Modal Verbs
A Business English English lesson exploring technology.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on technology, practising modal verbs. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Words Between the Lines
In 2023, Reuters Institute surveyed 93,000 people across 46 countries and found that fewer than 40 per cent trusted the news media in their country. That number may seem low until you consider a sharper figure: in the United States, trust in national television news had fallen to 27 per cent — the lowest level since Gallup began tracking it. It could be argued that audiences have not simply grown more sceptical; they have arguably become more literate, noticing, with increasing precision, the distance between what a headline says and what the evidence supports.
Vocabulary
- attribute a claim
- cast doubt on
- epistemic distance
- set the agenda
Grammar: Modal Verbs
- Modal hedging
- This could suggest editorial bias in the coverage. — softens a strong claim
- Distancing phrases
- It could be argued that the headline misleads. — distances writer from the position
Discussion questions
- Have you noticed how the same event can feel completely different depending on which outlet reports it?
- Why do you think some news stories disappear after one day while others dominate for weeks?
- Do you trust a news source more when it uses phrases like 'it is believed that' or less?
The Words Between the Lines
Grammar: Modal Verbs
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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