3.2.- Talking to terminally ill patients and the modal verbs 'can', 'may', 'must' and 'have to'

Talking to terminally ill patients and modal verbs of probability, possibility, speculation and deduction.

How to talk about hope with terminally ill patients video

 

Exercises on page 28

 

Exercises on page 29

Write in teams at least five actions a nurse must do when talking to terminally ill patients and other five about what a nurse mustn't.

 

What a nurse must do when talking to terminally ill patients	What a nurse mustn’t do when talking to terminally ill patients
A nurse must use simple language.	A nurse mustn’t use medical jargon.

Modal verbs can, could, may, might, must and have to to talk about abilities, speculations, deductions and obligations; ask for permission, and make requests

 

Modal Verb	Function or use	Example
Can	Present abilities	I can speak English.
	Present permission	Can I go to the loo?
	Present possibility or speculation	My mother can get back home at any time.
Could   Its negative couldn’t is used for the opposite sense in the possible cases.	Past ability	I could rollerskate when I was 12.
	Past Permission	They could spend what it was allowed according to their budget.
	Present or past possibility	They could go to the cinema.
	Present request	Could you bring me a cup of tea?
May	Present permission	May I come in?
	Present possibility or speculation	It may rain today because of the gray clouds.
Might	Present possibility or speculation	It might rain today.
Must	Present probability or deduction.	Studying nursing must be tough
	Present weak or imposed obligation by the speaker	You must attend all your English lessons.
Can’t	Present strong restriction	You can’t smoke at school.
	Present negative probability or strong deduction.	It can’t be real what is shown in the Mexican soap operas.
Mustn’t	Present weak restriction	You mustn’t use your mobile when the teacher is explaining.
	Present negative probability or weak deduction.	Susan mustn’t be at home because it’s her work time.
Have to	Present strong or non-imposed obligation by the speaker.	You have to attend at least the 80% of the period lessons.

 

Probability and deduction: They mean we are sure or certain about something.

Possibility and speculation: They mean we are unsure or uncertain about something.

Collaborative online exercise about the use of the modal verbs can, could, may, and might

https://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/can-could-may-might-must

Individual online exercise about the use of the modal verbs can, could, may, and might

https://www.tolearnenglish.com/cgi2/myexam/voir2r.php?id=45638

Write in teams at least 8 guidelines using the modal verbs when talking to a terminally ill patient who has... before going to a treatment or therapy. Don't forget to include the disease and the treatment or therapy.

1.- advanced cancer

2.- Alzheimer's

3.- an advanced heart disease

4.- Parkinson

5.- a pulmonary or lung disease

6.- HIV or AIDS

7.- renal insufficiency

8.- a major organ failure