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LISTENING AND SPEAKING: ATTITUDE (English grammar)

Topic: Modern Fashion • Age: 13 • Kenya 👂🗣️👗

Learning goals

Use grammar to show attitude when listening and speaking (politeness, certainty, advice, agreement).
Understand common structures used to express opinion, doubt, advice and requests.
Practise with examples about modern Kenyan fashion (kitenge, Maasai beads, school style).

Key grammar points and simple explanations

1. Modal verbs for certainty and possibility

Use modals to show how sure you are.

Must = high certainty: "She must love that kitenge dress." (You are sure.)
Will = strong belief about the future: "That style will be popular."
May / might / could = possibility, less sure: "He might buy Maasai beads."

2. Modals for politeness and requests

Use polite forms when asking or suggesting.

Can / Could / Would to ask: "Could you show me that jacket?"
Would you mind... softer: "Would you mind moving so I can see?"
Should / Ought to for advice: "You should try that print — it's stylish!"

3. Hedging and opinion phrases (softening statements)

To avoid sounding rude or too strong, use hedges:

"I think / I feel / It seems" — soft opinions: "I think that print is cool."
"Maybe / perhaps" — shows uncertainty: "Maybe try different colours."

4. Question tags for checking or agreeing

Add a short tag to invite agreement:

"That jacket is nice, isn't it?"
"You like bold colours, don't you?"

5. Conditional for advice

Use the second conditional to give hypothetical advice:

"If I were you, I would try a kitenge skirt for the party."

6. Reported speech (how to report someone's attitude)

When repeating what someone said, change the form:

Direct: "I love that dress," she said.
Reported: She said (that) she loved that dress.

7. Imperatives and softening commands

Commands can be softened to sound polite:

Command: "Try the new style."
Polite: "Please try the new style." / "Why don't you try the new style?"

Short listening & speaking examples (Kenyan fashion)

Dialogue 1 — Asking politely
A: "Could you show me the kitenge skirts?"
B: "Yes, of course. I think this one looks great on you."
Note: "Could" is polite; "I think" softens the opinion.

Dialogue 2 — Giving advice
A: "I want a new style for school."
B: "If I were you, I would choose plain colours for school and bright colours for weekends."
Note: Second conditional for advice; "would" used.

Dialogue 3 — Showing doubt
A: "That hairstyle will be popular, right?"
B: "It might. Maybe people will like it."
Note: "Might" and "maybe" show uncertainty.

Practice activities

Choose the best modal:
- a) "She _____ love the new shoes." (must / might)
- b) "_____ you help me pick a tie?" (Can / Must)
Change to polite request:
- a) "Give me that scarf." → "______ ______ that scarf?"
Report the sentence:
- Direct: He said, "I don't like slow fashion."
- Write reported speech: "He said that ______ _____ ______."
Make advice using second conditional:
- "You want to stand out at the talent show." → "If I were you, I _____ _____ _____."

Answers

a) must (if you are sure) or might (if you are not sure) — best choice depends on context; b) Can
a) "Could you give me that scarf?" or "Would you give me that scarf, please?"
He said that he didn't like slow fashion.
If I were you, I would wear something bright. (or: I would try a bold outfit.)

Quick tips for exams and speaking tests

Use polite modals (could, would) for requests to show good attitude.
Add hedges (I think, maybe) to sound natural and polite.
Use question tags to check agreement: "That's stylish, isn't it?"
When reporting, change tenses correctly: present → past (say → said; "is" → "was").

Remember: Grammar helps you show how you feel or think when you listen and speak. Practice with sentences about fashion you know — your school uniform, kitenge designs, and accessories like Maasai beads. 👗📣

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