Writing

9. In the role-play exercise above, some of you gave details of ultra-modern products which your companies were developing. Let’s suppose that those products are ready to be put on to the market. The marketing departments of each company have to devise suitable advertisements for the products, which will be placed in newspapers and/or specialist magazines.

Work in groups of two or three, each group consisting of the marketing and advertising executives of each company. Plan an advertisement for the product you are responsible for. Draft the written text of the advertisement, and if possible provide some rough artwork. Try to give a clear impression of how it will look when it is presented in printed form. When you have finished, present your advertisement to the rest of the class.

Finally, examine the other groups’ advertisements critically and discuss whether or not they are effective. Suggest any changes to the advertisements which you feel would increase their impact.

Grammar spot

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are for example may, can, must, should, need. They express an ability, permission, wish etc. to do something. (I may, can, must swim.) Many modal verbs cannot be used in all of the English tenses. That's why we need to know the substitutes to these modal verbs.

Modal Verb	Substitute	Example
must	to have to	I must swim. = I have to swim.
must not	not to be allowed to	I must not swim. = I am not allowed to swim.
can	to be able to	I can swim. = I am able to swim.
may	to be allowed to	I may swim. = I am allowed to swim.
need	to have to	I need to swim. = I have to swim.
need not	not to have to	I need not swim. = I don't have to swim.
shall / should/ ought to	to be supposed to / to be expected to / to be to	I shall / should / ought to swim. = I am supposed to swim. / I am expected to swim. / I am to swim.

Have to — Don’t have to

1. We use have to to express necessity.

I have to be at work by 8:30 am.

(It’s necessary. It’s a rule/law.)

1. We use don’t/doesn’t have to to express lack of necessity.

They don’t have to get up early on Sunday. (It’s not necessary. They don’t work on Sundays.)

Must - Mustn’t

2. We use must/mustn’t to express obligation or duty.

She must pay the rent on time.

(She has a responsibility.)

3. We use must/mustn’t to express very strong advice.

You must study hard for the exams.

You mustn’t smoke.

4. We use mustn’t to express prohibition.

You mustn’t eat or drink in the museum. (It’s against the rules; it isn’t allowed.)

Note: Must is only for present tenses. We use have to for all other tenses.

He’ll have to work late tonight, (future) She had to go home alone yesterday, (past)

Can - Can’t

5. We use can to ask for permission.

Can I take the day off work? (Is it OK if...?)

6. We use can to give permission.

You can go home early if you like. (You are allowed.)

7. We use can’t to refuse permission.

You can’t park here! (It’s forbidden.)

8. We use can to make a request or a suggestion.

Can you bring me the dictionary, please? (request)

We can postpone the meeting if you like, (suggestion)

9. We use could to ask for permission, make a request or make a suggestion.

Could I leave early today? (asking for permission)

Could you please post this letter for me? (making a request)

We could send out the letters tomorrow, (making a suggestion)

Should - Shouldn’t

10. We use should/ shouldn’t to give advice.

You should wear sunglasses in the sun.

(It’s a good idea.)

You shouldn’t eat junk food! (It’s better if you don’t.)

Need to - Needn’t

11. We use need to to express necessity.

We need to paint the house. (It’s necessary.)

12. We use needn’t to express lack of necessity. You needn’t wash the dishes. I’ll do them. (It’s not necessary.)

Note: We can use don’t/doesn’t have to instead of needn’t with no difference in meaning. You needn’t buy any milk./You don’t have to buy any milk. (It isn’t necessary to buy any milk.)