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4 Review Review

Unit 4 Review

Unit 4

  • I CAN review modals of advice, reported speech, and appointment language
Unit 4 Review
Lesson Review

Lesson Review

15 cards

This unit has looked at three important areas of English at B2 level: giving advice with modal verbs, reporting what people have said, and handling appointments politely. The review below brings these three threads together so you can use them confidently in writing and in conversation.

Modal verbs of advice

At B2 you can choose between several modal verbs to give advice. Should and ought to are the most common and the most neutral. They work for both general and specific situations. Had better is stronger and slightly urgent — it suggests that there will be a problem if the advice is not followed. Could and might want to are much softer, and they leave the decision to the other person.

Modal Strength Example
should / ought to neutral advice You should see a doctor.
had better urgent advice You'd better leave now — the train leaves in ten minutes.
could / might want to gentle suggestion You could try the new restaurant on Bridge Street.

The structure is always subject + modal + base verb (without to). Negative forms are shouldn't, oughtn't to (rare) and had better not. Be careful with the negative — had better not is stronger than shouldn't and can sound almost like a warning.

Reported speech

Reported speech lets you tell someone what another person said, thought or asked, without quoting them directly. The key idea is tense shift: when the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb inside the reported clause moves one step back.

Direct speech Reported speech
present simple → "I work in London" past simple → She said she worked in London.
will → "I'll call you" would → He said he would call me.
can → "I can help" could → She said she could help.
present perfect → "I've finished" past perfect → He said he had finished.

Time and place expressions also change: today → that day, tomorrow → the next / following day, yesterday → the day before, here → there, now → then. The pronouns shift too: I becomes he/she, my becomes his/her, and so on.

Two reporting verbs are particularly important. Say is usually followed by a clause: She said (that) she was tired. When you mention the listener, use tell + object: She told me (that) she was tired. For questions, use ask + object + question word + infinitive: He asked me where I lived. (not "where did I live").

Appointment language

Polite English for appointments uses a small set of fixed patterns. To make an appointment, you can say: "I'd like to make an appointment with Dr Patel, please" or "Could I see the dentist on Friday?" To reschedule: "I was wondering if we could move my appointment to next week." To cancel politely: "I'm afraid I need to cancel my appointment on Monday." To confirm: "I'm just calling to confirm my appointment for 3 o'clock."

Softening phrases like I'm afraid, I was wondering if, Would it be possible to and Could I possibly are very common in this context, because appointments involve other people's time. They are not weak — they are the normal, polite register of professional English.

Using reported speech and modals together

These three areas often appear together. A friend might tell you that she has a terrible headache, and you might respond: "You should see a doctor." Later, you tell another friend: "She said she had a headache, and I told her she should see a doctor." Notice how the modal should stays as should — modal verbs do not shift in reported speech. This is a small but important exception worth remembering.

Writing strategy: Using reported speech accurately

When you report a conversation, decide first which reporting verb fits (say / tell / ask / explain), then check three things in this order: the verb tense, the time expression and the pronoun. Doing this in order stops you from missing one of the changes.

خدنا في الوحدة دي تلات حاجات مهمة في الإنجليزي على مستوى B2: النصيحة بالـ modal verbs، الكلام المُنقَل (reported speech)، ولغة المواعيد (appointment language). تعالوا نراجعهم و نشوف إزاي بيرتبطوا ببعض.

Modal verbs of advice (الأفعال المساعدة للنصيحة)

في B2 عندك أكتر من modal تقدر تستخدمه عشان تنصح حد:

  • Should / ought to — الأخف و الأكتر استخداماً، بينفعوا في أي موقف عام أو محدد. مثال: You should see a doctor.
  • Had better — أقوى و فيه حس بالإلحاح، كأنك بتقول "لو ما عملتش ده هيبقى فيه مشكلة". مثال: You'd better leave now — the train leaves in ten minutes.
  • Could / might want to — ألطف بكتير و بيسيبوا القرار للشخص التاني. مثال: You could try the new restaurant on Bridge Street.

الصيغة دايماً: subject + modal + base verb (من غير to). و خلي بالك من النفي: shouldn't عادي، بس had better not أقوى بكتير و ممكن يبقى تحذير فعلي.

Reported speech (الكلام المُنقَّل)

الفكرة الأساسية هي tense shift — يعني لما الـ reporting verb (قال، سأل) تبقى في الماضي، الفعل اللي جوه الجملة المُنقَلة بيرجع خطوة واحدة للماضي:

  • present simple → past simple: I work → She said she worked
  • will → would: I'll call → He said he would call
  • can → could: I can help → She said she could help
  • present perfect → past perfect: I've finished → He said he had finished (و دي الجملة اللي عندنا في المثال)

و الكلمات اللي بتدل على زمن أو مكان بتتغير كمان: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, yesterday → the day before, here → there, now → then. و الضمائر بتتغير: I → he/she, my → his/her.

Say vs Tell vs Ask

  • Say + جملة: She said (that) she was tired.
  • Tell + مفعول: She told me (that) she was tired.
  • Ask + مفعول + سؤال: He asked me where I lived (من غير did خالص).

Appointment language (لغة المواعيد بأدب)

احفظ العبارات الثابتة دي:

  • للحجز: I'd like to make an appointment with Dr Patel أو Could I see the dentist on Friday?
  • لتغيير الموعد: I was wondering if we could move my appointment to next week.
  • للإلغاء: I'm afraid I need to cancel my appointment on Monday.
  • للتأكيد: I'm just calling to confirm my appointment for 3 o'clock.

و العبارات اللي بتلطّف الكلام زي I'm afraid, I was wondering if, Would it be possible to, Could I possibly مهمة جداً عشان كلامك يطلع مهذب و مناسب.

دلوقتي جرب ال review cards اللي تحت، و بعدين اكتب ال writing task عشان تطبّق التلات حاجات دول في سياق واحد.

Required

Complete the advice with the most suitable modal verb. "You look really tired. You ___ go to bed earlier this week."

Required

Reported speech: change the tense. Direct: "I'm working on a new project." → Reported: She told me she ___ on a new project.

Required

Put the words in the correct order to report the question "Where do you live?"

  1. asked
  2. me
  3. He
  4. where
  5. lived
  6. I
Required

Drag the correct modal verb into each gap. All three sentences are pieces of advice.

  • could
  • better
  • should

You look very pale — you see a doctor today.

We had leave now or we'll be late for the film.

You try that new café on Market Street for lunch.

Required

Choose the correct reporting verb. "She ___ that she was leaving the company next month."

  • told me
  • said me
  • asked me

She said she had finished the report the day before.

Listen and read. Notice the tense shift from 'have finished' to 'had finished', and how 'today' has changed to 'the day before'.

Required

Match each function to a suitable phrase from the bank.

Match each function to a suitable phrase from the bank.

  • making a booking with a doctor
  • changing an appointment to another day
  • cancelling an appointment politely
  • checking the time of your booking
  • I'd like to make an appointment with Dr Khan.
  • I was wondering if we could reschedule for next week.
  • I'm afraid I need to cancel my appointment on Monday.
  • I'm just calling to confirm my appointment for 3 o'clock.
Required

Which sentence is the most polite way to ask for an appointment?

  • I want an appointment on Friday.
  • Give me an appointment on Friday.
  • Would it be possible to book an appointment on Friday?
Required

In reported speech, the modal verb 'should' changes to 'would'.

Required

Sort the appointment phrases into the correct function.

  • I'd like to book an appointment, please.
  • Could I see the dentist on Friday?
  • I'm afraid I have to cancel my 10 a.m. appointment.
  • I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to make it on Monday.
  • Would it be possible to move my appointment to Thursday?
  • Can we reschedule for next week instead?
  • I'm just phoning to confirm my appointment.
  • Could you tell me if my appointment is still at 2 p.m.?

Making an appointment

Cancelling an appointment

Rescheduling an appointment

Confirming an appointment

PREPARE — Your writing task is below. Before you write, gather your ideas. Think of a friend or colleague who has told you about a small health problem (for example, backache, headaches, insomnia). Note down: (1) what they said, (2) two pieces of advice, (3) the modal verb you will use for each piece of advice, (4) the reporting verb you will use to introduce their words (say / tell). Do not write yet — just collect your ideas.

WRITE — Now write a short email to another friend (60–90 words). (1) Report what your first friend told you about their health, using reported speech (tense shift, pronoun change, time expression if needed). (2) Give two pieces of advice using should / ought to / had better / could. (3) Use one of the appointment phrases naturally if it fits — for example, you might advise them to book an appointment with a doctor.

REVIEW — Check your email against this checklist: • Did I use a reporting verb (said / told) correctly? • Have I shifted the tense back one step (present → past, will → would, have → had)? • Have I changed pronouns (I → she/he, my → her/his)? • Did I use at least one modal of advice (should / ought to / had better / could)? • Is the spelling and punctuation correct? If you answered yes to all five, your email is ready to send.

Required