What's the Story?

Modal verbs for guessing, appearance vocabulary, and moving from facts to interpretation

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Look at this image: someone sitting alone at a café table, staring out the window. What do they think is happening in their mind? What kind of day are they having?

Every image tells a story. But facts and interpretations are different things. The fact is: "Person at table." The interpretation is: "They're upset" or "They're waiting for someone." The skill is moving from facts to guessing — using language that shows the difference between what you see and what you imagine.

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When you see something confusing or ambiguous — like someone's mood, or a scene you don't understand — how do you describe it in English? Do you guess? Do you ask questions?

Today: the grammar and vocabulary of speculation — so you can interpret images, situations, and feelings with confidence.

From Facts to Guesses: The Certainty Ladder

Modals aren't just about possibility. They're a certainty scale. From "I'm sure" to "I don't know":

1. The Certainty Ladder: Modals in Order

"He must be waiting for someone." (90% sure — strong evidence)

"She looks like / seems to be tired." (70% sure — clear signs but not certain)

"They might be / could be on a date." (50% sure — just guessing)

"That can't be his real job." (90% sure it's NOT — clear contradiction)

Higher certainty = stronger modals. Lower certainty = weaker modals. This is the key to sounding like you're thinking, not claiming facts.

2. "It Looks As If..." / "It Seems Like...": Full Clauses Matter

Correct: "It looks as if they're waiting." / "It seems like she's upset."

Wrong: "It looks as if tired." / "It seems like upset."

These structures NEED a subject and verb after them. You're guessing about a complete situation, not just an adjective.

3. Speculation About Right Now: Present Continuous

"They could be waiting for a bus." (happening now)

"She might be thinking about something." (in progress)

"He must be working from home today." (right now)

For things happening in this moment: modal + continuous form (be + -ing). This shows the action is in progress, not complete.

4. Educated Guesses: "I'd Guess," "I'd Imagine," "I'd Say"

"I'd guess she's about 30." / "I'd imagine they've been friends for years."

"I'd say he's nervous about something."

The conditional "would" signals: this is my best guess, but I could be wrong. Less absolute than "I think."

What's the difference between "must be" and "might be"?

"Must be": Strong evidence points to one conclusion. "They must be French" (they're speaking French, have French accents).

"Might be": No clear evidence. Just possibility. "She might be French" (could be, but you don't know).

Higher certainty = stronger modal. Lower certainty = weaker modal.

Try it
Describe this scene using all four certainty levels: "A man runs down the street, looking at his watch, carrying a briefcase." Use must, looks like/seems, might, and "I'd guess..."

Word Power

Tap to reveal. These vocabulary sets help you describe what you see and imagine what it means.

Appearance & Looks

looks like
appears to be from visual clues: "She looks like she's about 25."
appears to be
formal version of "looks like": "They appear to be lost."
seems to be
based on impression, not just looks: "He seems to be uncomfortable."
gives the impression of
creates a certain feeling: "The room gives the impression of abandonment."
comes across as
the overall feeling or vibe: "She comes across as very confident."

Location & Position

in the background
far away, less important in the image: "There's a building in the background."
in the foreground
close, most important, at the front: "A person in the foreground is waving."
on the left/right
directional placement: "On the left, there's a door."
at the top/bottom
vertical position: "At the top of the building is a flag."
in the centre
middle of the image: "In the centre, there's a fountain."

Mood & Atmosphere

tense
anxious, uncomfortable feeling: "The atmosphere feels quite tense."
relaxed
calm, comfortable, at ease: "The mood is surprisingly relaxed."
chaotic
messy, disorganized, confusing: "The room looks chaotic and disorganized."
peaceful
calm, quiet, serene: "The scene is quite peaceful."
lively / vibrant
energetic, full of life and color: "The street is lively with activity."
gloomy
dark, sad, depressing feeling: "The whole scene feels gloomy."
isolated
alone, separated, lonely: "The figure looks isolated and alone."
crowded
full of people or things: "The space is packed and crowded."
mysterious
unclear, intriguing, enigmatic: "There's something mysterious about the image."

Speculation Triggers

judging by (his expression)
inferring from visible evidence: "Judging by her face, she's unhappy."
based on (what I can see)
inferring from available information: "Based on the clothes, it's probably winter."
given that (they're wearing coats)
considering the fact that: "Given that it's empty, it must have closed."
Challenge
Close all cards. From memory: give three mood words, three position words, and two speculation triggers.

What's Going On?

You'll get scene descriptions. You have 90 seconds to speculate about what's happening, using the certainty ladder. Aim for rich, detailed guesses.

1:30
Round 1
Two people at a table in a café. One is looking at their phone. The other is staring out the window.

Describe what you see. Then guess what they're thinking and feeling.

Must use: "might be" + "it looks as if" + a mood word (tense, relaxed, distant, etc.)

Round 2
A person in a suit running down a city street, carrying a briefcase and looking worried.

Describe location and position. What's their story? What time of day is it? Where are they going?

Must use: "must be" + "could be" + "judging by"

Round 3
A group of teenagers sitting in a circle on grass, some laughing, one looking at the ground.

Use present continuous to describe what's happening right now. Speculate about relationships and moods.

Must use: continuous speculation + "seems to be" + "I'd guess"

Round 4 — Extended Scene
An empty room with one chair, an open window, and a glass of water on the floor.

This is artistic and strange. Build a complete story from the details. What happened here? What's the mood? What will happen next?

Must use: at least 5 different speculation phrases + mood/atmosphere language + location words

Recall Zone

From CT-31: Diplomatic Disagreement
What's the difference between "I think" and "I'd say"?

"I think" = certainty. "I'd say" = conditional opinion.

In speculation, "I'd say" works the same way: "I'd say she looks happy" = offering an interpretation, not claiming fact. This is safer for guesses.

From CT-30: Signposting
What's a discourse marker used to show transition between ideas?

Words like "however," "on the other hand," "in contrast."

In speculation, you use transitions like "However" or "That said" to move from facts to guesses: "The man is running. However, he might be late for work."

From CT-22: Certainty Scale
What are three modal verbs that show different degrees of certainty?

"Must be" (90% sure), "might be" (50% sure), "can't be" (90% sure it's NOT)

This is THE foundation of speculation. Modals let you show the listener how confident you are in your guess.

What did you learn?

Final challenge
Describe someone or something you saw today. Tell the facts first, then build a complete story using the certainty ladder: must be, looks like, might be, I'd guess, can't be. Use at least 3 mood words.

The best storytellers don't just report facts — they imagine what's hidden. But they show the listener they're guessing, not claiming.

← CT-31