Intro

Picture this: A horse with wings, flying through the sky. A creature in the ocean that is half woman and half fish. A huge hairy beast that is part man and walks on two legs. It’s fascinating how human imagination and hundreds of years of storytelling work together to become legends.

Even the most skeptical person can see that the mythological  creatures of folklore are incredible, even if they aren’t real. Does that even matter? A story doesn’t have to be believable  to get your attention. Maybe all that matters is learning to let go of reality and enjoy the fantasy.

Find out if Lily and Mason are believers in this fanciful English lesson.

Dialogue


Lily: Mason, I think I have seen Bigfoot.

Mason: Are you serious?

Lily: Mm-hm. I was out camping. I turned around and I heard these huge crunching sounds like somebody was walking in the woods. I turned and I thought I saw this huge creature! It was totally Bigfoot.

Mason: Uh-huh.

Lily: What? You don’t believe me?

Mason: Forgive me if I’m a little skeptical I kind of just don’t buy into it, you know? I will say that Bigfoot is maybe on this slightly-more–believable  part of the spectrum than, say, a unicorn or the peg asus.

Lily: But you mean they don’t exist?

Mason: No, come on. People have very active imaginations. I think we kind of want to believe in these folklore stories. But, really?

Lily: I know. I think they have a certain mythological  significance. I think it’s exciting to be able to exaggerate already existent animals and make them into something fanciful. You know what I mean?

Mason: I’m not saying it’s not fun. I’m just saying I don’t think they’re real things.

Lily: Still, you must beware, because if you go out into the woods, Bigfoot will be there. Because I’ve seen him. He’s real.

Discussion

Lily just came back from camping where she swears she saw Bigfoot. She wants to convince Mason that the famously large and hairy creature was out in the woods, standing only a few feet away. But Mason doesn’t believe Lily for a second! He’s skeptical of mythological animals and people, and he obviously thinks that Lily’s a bit silly for believing in them.

Mason points out to Lily that people believe in things like Bigfoot because they have strong imagination She agrees with Mason and admits that it’s fun to exaggerate and believe in fantasy creatures that aren’t real. But just after Lily says this, she tells Mason to watch out for Bigfoot again. So, which is it? Does Lily believe or doesn’t she?

Share the story of your favorite mythological creature in your country.

Grammar Point

Modal Verbs

Lily tells Mason that he “must beware” if he goes into the woods, because he might meet Bigfoot. Lily uses a modal verb.

Modal verbs come before and modify the main verb in a sentence and help explain ideas like possibility, necessity, or obligation. Here are several modal verbs and their functions:

Might: Expresses uncertainty about the present or future, as in, “I might quit my job next month,” or, “It might be cold out, so bring a jacket.”

Can: Expresses ability or possibility, as in, “I can speak French and Spanish,” or, “Students can get cheaper tickets at the movies.” Also asks permission or makes a request, as in, “Can you come over tonight?”

Should: Expresses obligation, as in, “I should study for my math test,” or probability, as in, “The package should arrive tomorrow, since I sent it last week.” Also gives advice, as in, “I think you should go out with Jesse.”

Must: Expresses necessity or obligation, as in, “I must go see my grandmother this weekend.” Also gives strong advice, as in Lily’s comment, “You must beware!”

Create your own sentence with a modal verb.