Friday, March 28, 2014

I Should Be Proud by Martha and the Vandellas for practicing modals

(TESOL Worksheets--Modals, Should)
Google: drive, docs, pub
[Use this worksheet together with the song "I Should Be Proud" by Martha and the Vandellas.  I use this song mainly as a consciousness raising activity.  With lower level students I allow much of the discussion questions to take place in the L1, and I don't press them for a definitive answer.  I don't need them to come to a definitive conclusion about the meaning of "I should be proud", I just want to draw their attention to it.]


Review with a partner. What do these modals mean?
should, shouldn't, must, mustn't, can, can't, could, couldn't, have to, don't have to, had to, didn't have to, will, won't, would, wouldn't

Now, listen to the song, and write in the missing modals:
I was under the dryer when the telegram came:
"Private John C. Miller was shot down in Vietnam"
Through my tears I read: "No more information at this time
He's missing in action somewhere on the Delta Line"

And they say that I _________ be proud; he was fighting for me
They say that I __________ be proud, those too blind to see
But he wasn't fighting for me, my Johnny _______________ fight for me
He was fighting for the evils of society

Now I prayed night and day that my Johnny _______________die
Love, faith and hope was all that kept me alive
Then 6 weeks later came that cold and heartless letter:
"Private Johnny Miller killed in action, number 54327"

And they say that I _________ be proud; he was keeping me free
They say that I ________ be proud, those too blind to see
But he wasn't fighting for me, my Johnny _______________  die for me
He was fighting for the evils of society

They shipped him home with medals of honor and glory
Even our local paper ran a front-page story

Oh the whole town came to praise him and said how honored I _________ be
But I don't want no silverstar, just the good man they took from me

And they tell me I __________ be proud; he was fighting for me
They say that I ___________ be proud, those too blind to see
But he wasn't fighting for me, my Johnny ___________  die for me
He's a victim of the evils of society
I _________ be proud of my Johnny
They tell me that I _________ be proud; they stole my  Johnny from me
They tell me that I _________ be proud of my Johnny...
Write in the modal Sentences:
Subject
Modal
V1














Answers
Subject
Modal
V1
I
should
be proud
My Johnny
didn't have to
fight for me
My Johnny
wouldn't
die
My Johnny
didn't have to
die for me

Questions:
How do people want the singer to feel?
How does the singer actually feel?
What is the difference between these sentences?
I should be proud.
They say that I should be proud
I am proud.

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