Paco travels to Southeast Asia: Independence, freedom and happiness

In this topic you will accompany Paco in his trip to Vietnam, he will highly enjoy his independence, freedom and happiness, as the motto of this country states. He has become independent when speaking because he has learned so much English that he can easily communicate in it in a country in which English is only spoken for touristic issues; free to choose where to go, and happy to be in this country.

You will study the language functions introduced by the modal verbs will and shall, widen in the uses of the future tenses (will, going to, present continuous for future, future perfect and future perfect continuous). Finally you will practice two diphthongs /eə/ and /Iə/.

Reading activity

On the way to Pham Ngu Lao in Central Saigon, where Paco´s hotel is, he realizes that this city is really chaotic. Motorbikes, bikes, rickshaws....bustling everywhere...he wonders: 'Will I have chosen my destination properly?'

He has been on a taxi for about twenty minutes now and he is trapped in a traffic jam. He asks the taxi driver:

Paco: Is this usual?

Taxi driver: Yes, it is, sir. But this is because of the president, he is coming to the city at 11.00. How long are you going to stay here?

Paco: For two or three days.

Taxi driver: I hope you enjoy your time here, I know a good restaurant, I will take you there.

Paco: No, thanks. I will have a rest first....

One hour later the president has already passed and the traffic jam is dissolved. Paco arrives at the Blue Dragon Hotel and feels exhausted. He pays for the taxi and goes straight to the reception desk. After greeting the receptionist, doing the check in and receiving his room key, he tells the receptionist:

Paco: I feel very tired and need a rest; but first, have you got some touristic brochures of the city? I'm planning to go to the Reunification Palace this evening.

Receptionist: Here you are, sir. Shall we give you a wake up call at 4 o'clock?

Paco thinks: At this time I will have been sleeping for three hours....That's OK.

Receptionist: One last thing, sir, Will you give me your passport, please?

Paco: Of course, here you have.

Receptionist: Thanks, sir. Bye.

Paco: Bye.

So, Paco is now lying on his bed and reading a brochure about the city but he falls asleep in a minute.

Can you identify the future tenses used in the passage?
In the text, there appear two modal verbs, can you identify them and guess what their meanings are?

Self-Assessment activity

Say if the following questions from the previous reading are true or false:

Saigon streets are quiet and full of pedestrians.

Verdadero Falso

Paco is not sure about his new destination.

Verdadero Falso

Paco suggests the receptionist the wake up call time.

Verdadero Falso

There are only traffic jams when the presidents visits Saigon.

Verdadero Falso

Further knowledge

If you write down words, phrases or sentences below, our friend Mike, he will read them to you. As you will see this is an excellent way to improve your pronunciation. Try it and come back whenever you need to know or practice pronunciation!

Click here to ask Mike how to pronounce any word or sentence.

In the next section and once Paco has already woken up, you will study the connotations of will and shall as modal verbs.