By the end of this exercise, you can talk about rules and give advice about volunteering using modal verbs.
Free Year 9 English practice: volunteering abroad, with modal verbs of obligation and advice, self-marking gap-fills and a writing task.
Read the text about Leon's volunteering trip. Choose the correct word for each gap.
Last summer, sixteen-year-old Leon spent four weeks working as a 1 at a wildlife project in Costa Rica.
His days started early: he helped feed animals, cleaned enclosures and gave tours to 2 from all over the world.
Before the trip, his parents were a little worried, so the organisation 3 a full safety briefing and a 24-hour emergency contact.
Leon says the hardest part was the language 4 — his Spanish improved a lot by the end of the trip.
You must have a signed parental permission form and you must be at least sixteen to join this particular project. Volunteers don't have to pay for accommodation, but they do pay for flights and food.
Looking back, Leon says the experience gave him more 5 than any school trip, and he is already 6 his next project for the summer holidays.
Choose the correct modal for each rule about volunteering abroad.
1. You have a valid passport to travel abroad.
2. Volunteers follow the project's safety rules at all times.
3. You touch wild animals — it can be dangerous for you and them.
4. Some projects say you speak the local language — English is often enough.
5. Younger volunteers get written permission from a parent or guardian.
6. You leave the group without telling a supervisor.
7. Most organisations say volunteers bring their own tools — the project provides them.
8. Everyone attend the safety briefing on the first day.
Choose the correct modal to give advice to a first-time volunteer.
1. You research the organisation carefully before you sign up.
2. You travel without telling your family exactly where you'll be.
3. New volunteers ask lots of questions if they feel unsure.
4. You learn a few basic phrases in the local language.
5. You ignore the advice of local staff — they know the area best.
6. It be a good idea to pack light and comfortable clothes.
7. You keep an open mind about different cultures and customs.
8. You compare everything to how things are done at home.
Write 6–8 sentences of advice for someone doing volunteer work abroad for the first time. Use at least two rules (must / have to / mustn't / don't have to) and two pieces of advice (should / shouldn't).
• What documents or permissions do they need?
• What safety rules must they follow?
• What would you recommend they pack or prepare?
• What mistakes should they avoid?
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