What should I know before I go?

ASSIGNMENT #2

This week we will continue reading and writing about manners. When visitors go to a new country, they sometimes make mistakes with their manners and accidentally offend people. For example, many immigrants who are new to the US don't understand how important it is to be on time ( be "punctual") in the US.

Writing Topic: 1) If I visited your home country, what manners would be most important for me to know about?

Before you begin writing, go back and read through the students' writing about traditional and changing manners. This time, look specifically for the advice that the writers give about travelling to their home countries. Look at the kinds of language that they use to give advice.

Click here to read the the students' writing about manners!

WRITING FOCUS

Using Modal Verbs to Give Advice and Express Possibility

You might have noticed that the student writers used many modal verbs in their writing. Modal verbs are words like can, could, should, would, may, and might, and phrases like ought to and had better. These words are often used in English to give advice or to talk about what is possible. For example, should, ought to, and had better have basically the same meaning. They mean "This is a good idea. This is good advice."

Examples:
In America, you should arrive to appointments on time.
In America, you ought to arrive to appointments on time.
In America, you had better arrive to appointments on time.

Also, may, might, and could are all used to talk about something that is possible.

Examples:

In America, you may offend someone if you don't shake hands when you meet.
In America, you might offend someone if you don't shake hands when you meet.
In America, you could offend someone if you don't shake hands when you meet.

In your writing this week, try to use some of these modal verbs and phrases. Give Whitney and Susan advice using should, ought to, or had better, and tell us what may/might/could happen to us in your country!