Hotel Invitations — Modal Verbs
1) Story
Mark, a tourist from Canada, checks into the hotel. At the front desk he meets Mary, the receptionist.
Mary (receptionist): Would you like to join the welcome dinner tonight at 8:00 p.m.?
Mark: Could you tell me how to sign up for the city tour?
Mary: You can invite your friend to the pool party tomorrow.
Carl (Mark’s friend): You should come with me to the live music show—it’s amazing!
Mark: I might join you, but first I want to try the rooftop bar.
2) Key Modal Verbs (in this context)
| Modal Verb | Use | Example | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Would | Polite invitation | Would you like to join the welcome dinner? | Mary → Mark |
| Could | Polite request/question | Could you tell me how to sign up? | Mark → Mary |
| Can | Permission / possibility | You can invite your friend. | Mary → Mark |
| Should | Strong suggestion | You should come to the live music show. | Carl → Mark |
| Might | Tentative possibility | I might join you later. | Mark |
Tip: Would you like…? is the safest, most polite invitation line with guests.
3) Practice
A) Multiple Choice — choose the best modal
1. Mary asks Mark: “___ you like to join the welcome dinner tonight?”
2. Mark asks Mary: “___ you tell me how to sign up?”
3. Mary tells Mark: “You ___ bring your friend if you like.”
4. Carl invites Mark to a show: “You ___ not miss it—it’s the best part of the trip!”
5. Mark tells Carl: “I ___ join you later, but first I’ll try the rooftop bar.”
B) Fill in the Blank — type the correct modal
Show/Hide Answer Key
b • 2) a • 3) b • 4) b • 5) bFill in the Blank: 1)
would • 2) could • 3) can • 4) should • 5) might
🌟 Modal Verbs for Invitations
(Hotel Story with Mark, Mary, and Carl)
1. Story Introduction 🏨
Mark, a tourist from Canada, checks into a hotel in Santiago. At the reception desk, Mary, the receptionist, explains the hotel activities. Later, Mark is surprised when he runs into his old friend Carl, who happens to be staying at the same hotel. Throughout the day, they invite each other to different events using modal verbs.
- Mary (receptionist): Would you like to join the welcome dinner tonight at 8:00 p.m.?
- Mark (tourist): Could you tell me how to sign up for the city tour?
- Mary (receptionist): You can invite your friend to the pool party tomorrow.
- Carl (friend): You should come with me to the live music show—it’s amazing!
- Mark (tourist): I might join you, but first I want to try the hotel’s rooftop bar.
2. Key Modal Verbs in Action
| Modal Verb | Example in Story | Who Said It? |
|---|---|---|
| Would | Would you like to join the welcome dinner? | Mary |
| Could | Could you tell me how to sign up? | Mark |
| Can | You can invite your friend to the pool party. | Mary |
| Should | You should come to the live music show. | Carl |
| Might | I might join you later. | Mark |
3. Practice Section 🎯
A) Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the best modal verb for each situation:
- Mary asks Mark about dinner:
“___ you like to join the welcome dinner tonight?”
a) Can
b) Would
c) Should - Mark asks Mary about the city tour:
“___ you tell me how to sign up?”
a) Could
b) May
c) Should - Mary tells Mark about the pool party:
“You ___ bring your friend if you like.”
a) Must
b) Can
c) Would - Carl invites Mark to the live music show:
“You ___ not miss it—it’s the best part of the trip!”
a) Might
b) Should
c) Could - Mark tells Carl:
“I ___ join you later, but first I’ll try the rooftop bar.”
a) Must
b) Might
c) Would
B) Fill in the Blank
Complete with the correct modal verb (Would, Could, Can, Should, Might):
- Mary: “___ you like to join the welcome dinner tonight?”
- Mark: “___ you tell me if there is a wine tour tomorrow?”
- Mary: “Yes, of course. You ___ sign up at the front desk.”
- Carl: “You ___ come with me to the live band tonight—it’s fantastic!”
- Mark: “I’m not sure. I ___ stay at the rooftop bar instead.”
4. Quick Tips 💡
- Use Would you like…? → polite & professional (Mary → guest).
- Use Could you…? → polite question/request (Mark → staff).
- Use Can → giving permission or offering possibility.
- Use Should → strong suggestion from a friend.
- Use Might → when you are not 100% sure.