Warm-up
The World of the Future
Inventions, possibilities, guesses and predictions
Today’s grammar
Talk first
- What new invention do you like most?
- How will life be different in 50 years?
- What would you like to see in the future?
After this lesson you will be able to...
- Make guesses with must be, might be, could be and can’t be.
- Predict the future with will, might and may.
- Talk about inventions and how they change life.
- Discuss opinions about technology and society.
Vocabulary
Words to learn
| an invention | винахід The phone is a great invention. |
| a robot | робот A robot can clean the house. |
| artificial intelligence | штучний інтелект Artificial intelligence is growing fast. |
| a space station | космічна станція People live on a space station. |
| electric | електричний Electric cars are quiet. |
| to predict | передбачати It’s hard to predict the future. |
| a possibility | можливість There is a possibility of rain. |
| a discovery | відкриття That was a great discovery. |
Grammar
Must be, might be, can’t be
We use modals to guess about the present. MUST BE = I am almost sure it is true: That must be the postman at the door. MIGHT / MAY / COULD BE = it is possible, but I am not sure: It might be the postman. CAN’T BE = I am almost sure it is not true: That can’t be my brother; he is abroad.
The scale: must be (90%) > may / might / could be (50%) > can’t be (10%).
| That must be the postman. I can hear his steps. |
| It might be a bird. I’m not sure. |
| He can’t be at home. The lights are off. |
| She could be in the garden. |
Predicting the future
Use will / won’t for strong predictions: Robots will help in every home. People won’t use paper money. Use might / may / could for weaker predictions: Robots might become part of our family. We may live on Mars one day.
Add phrases: I think… I don’t think… In the future… In 50 years… Perhaps… Probably… It’s possible that…
| In the future, robots will help in every home. |
| We might travel to Mars. |
| I don’t think people will stop reading books. |
| Perhaps cars will fly in 50 years. |
Inventions that change lives
Ways to talk about inventions: The telephone made it possible to talk to someone far away. Computers have changed the way we work. Screen readers let blind people use phones and computers. Electric cars are better for the environment.
Structure: make it possible to + verb; let / allow + object + verb; help + object + (to) verb.
| The telephone made it possible to talk across the world. |
| Screen readers let blind people use phones. |
| Electric cars help to protect the environment. |
| Computers have changed the way we work. |
Speaking
Easy — warm up your speaking
- What is your favourite invention?
- Do you like new technology?
- Do you want to visit space?
- Do you think robots are useful?
- Do you drive an electric car?
- Do you use artificial intelligence?
- Do you want to know the future?
- Would you like to live in a smart home?
- Do you like discoveries in science?
- What is the oldest thing in your home?
- What technology do you use every day?
- Is the phone a good invention?
Medium — say more
- What will life be like in 50 years?
- What invention do you think was the most important?
- What do you think that noise is?
- What must be in your bag right now?
- What can’t be true in the news today?
- Describe the house of the future.
- How will cars change in the future?
- How will schools change?
- What might doctors do in 50 years?
- Which inventions do you wish we had?
- What technology helped you most?
- Tell me about a discovery that changed the world.
Deeper — explain and give reasons
- Will robots take people’s jobs? Why or why not?
- Is it safe to depend on technology?
- How can technology help the environment?
- Which invention changed the world the most?
- Is it good that artificial intelligence is growing fast?
- How can technology help people with different needs?
- What are the dangers of new inventions?
- If you could invent something for everyone, what would it be?
More questions
- Who must be at the door?
- What might happen tomorrow?
- Could robots clean our houses?
- Will people live on Mars?
- Will we have flying cars?
- Can a robot be your friend?
- What may change in the next 10 years?
- Could you live without a phone?
- Will books disappear?
- Might the weather change tomorrow?
- What do you think the sound is?
- Do you think that must be the postman?
Opinions and what-ifs
- Do you think the future will be better than the present?
- Would you like to live on another planet?
- What if robots became our teachers?
- Is it good to know the future?
- Which is better: living in the past or the future?
- Would you live for 200 years if you could?
- Do you think people will always need books?
- What advice would you give to people who are afraid of the future?