conversation questions Archives

Practice modal verbs with conversation questions, watch video explanation and study example sentences.

What are modal verbs? According to Merriam-Webster, a modal verb is a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission.

Modal verbs and their meanings.

Modal verbs	Meaning	Example
can	ability permission	She can speak play several musical instruments. They can work on the project now.
could	polite request past ability suggestion possibility	Could you help me, please? He could climb trees when he was a kid. You could focus on the problem now. This could be the solution we need.
may	possibility permission	This may help us save the environment. You may leave.
might	possibility	These numbers might be wrong.
will	future polite request	The prices will go up. Will you open the door for me?
would	offering, inviting polite request	Would you join us for dinner? Would you check this report for me?
should	advising, suggesting expectation	You should stop smoking. It should start raining soon.
must	obligation, necessity conclusion	You must submit the application by Friday. This car looks luxurious. It must be very expensive.
mustn’t	prohibition	Passengers mustn’t talk to the driver.

I also recommend this wonderful video by Khan Academy. You can assign it as homework, it explains modal verbs in a very approachable and enjoyable way.

Practice modal verbs with Quizlet.

(Choose Flashcards in the Study mode in the bottom right corner, and click on the arrows above it to switch between front and back sides.)

Modal verbs conversation questions

1) Is there anything you can’t do and would like to learn?

2) What are the three things you can do best?

3) Name three things you may do this weekend.

4) Name three things you may not do at school.

5) Should students be allowed to eat during lessons? Why or why not?

6) Name two things you must do every day.

7) Name two things you mustn’t do at home.

8) What activities couldn’t you do last year because of the pandemic?

9) Name three things you could do when you were younger but can’t do anymore.

10) Is there anything you can do better than your parents?

Other resources

Conversation Questions Gerunds and Infinitives: ESL Speaking Activity

Conversation Questions Conditionals: ESL Speaking Activity

Conversation Questions: Present Perfect and Past Simple

Present Tenses Exercises: Present Simple and Continuous

Conversation Questions: Future Tenses

Passive Voice Conversation Questions

Form: a form of the verb ‘to be'(used to change the tense) + past participle

Tense Active Passive
Present simple I make dinner. Dinner is made (by me).
Present continuous I am making dinner. Dinner is being made (by me).
Past simple I made dinner. Dinner was made (by me).
Past continuous I was making dinner. Dinner was being made(by me).
Present perfect I have made dinner. Dinner has been made (by me).
P.p. continuous I have been making dinner. Dinner has been being made (by me).
Past perfect I had made dinner. Dinner had been made (by me).
Future simple I will make dinner. Dinner will be made (by me).
Future perfect I will have made dinner. Dinner will have been made (by me).

The passive voice is used to change the focus of the sentence:

The villain was played by Ralph Fiennes

To show that who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant or obvious:

My car has been stolen

In formal writing instead of using someone:

The information will be disclosed next week.

Watch the video and practice the passive conversation questions below.

Passive Voice Worksheet Download

Conversation questions to practice passive voice

1) Have you ever been punished or made to pay for something that you did not do?

2) How would you handle integrating someone who had been frozen for 100 years into society?

3) How would your country change if children were allowed to vote?

4) Would civilization be better off if the internet had never been created?

5) Can you explain how glass is made?

6) What is the nicest thing that has been done for you?

7) Have you ever been awarded a prize?

8) What goal do you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving?

9) What traditions are kept in your family?

10) What’s the most difficult question you have ever been asked?

11) Have you ever been hurt by someone you trusted?

12) What 3 global issues should be solved right now?

13) What’s the best present you’ve ever been given?

14) What are the most popular foods eaten in your country?

15) Do you think children are spoiled these days? Why?

Other resources: