Category: Stories From Real Life

History of Halloween (Listening Lesson)

24/10/2018

Pre-Teach
(for teachers)

WORK in GROUPS-

1. Write everything you know about Halloween. (4 minutes)

2. Summarize the meanings of these terms in YOUR WORDS... or watch the video (to the right).

Trick-or-treating
Bobbing for Apples
Parades
Doorstep
Eve
Trick

Listen to the video and answer the questions below.

(Advanced speakers: Listen to the video below without watching it to answer the questions.)

LISTEN and ANSWER
Listen to the video and answer the questions.

A) Listen to the video 2x without watching the video. Answer the questions.

B) Watch the video and answer the questions you didn't get before.

How old is the Halloween tradition?
Fill in the blank of the evolution of a Halloween Tradition:
Samhain -> _______________ -> Halloween
Why would people originally wear masks on Oct. 31st?
______________ was when poor people would pray for people’s dead relatives in exchange for food.
How much do Americans spend on Halloween each year?
BONUS QUESTION:What is the most commercialized holiday in the United States? … in your country?

Answers

1. Over 2,000 years.
2. All Saints Day/ All Hallows Eve
3. To be mistaken for ghosts (by other ghosts).
4. Souling
5. 2.5 Billion / 6 Billion (including candy)

BONUS: Christmas/ ....

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Real Life English: I Need to Get My Bike Worked On

29/7/2018

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Class Objectives

Do you have a bicycle or a car? Have you ever had problems with it and taken it to the shop? These aren’t necessarily everyday situations that most textbooks will teach. In this lesson, you will learn how to describe parts of a bicycle and how to get help fixing it.

By the end of the class, you will have:

learned and used new vocabulary for life situations
practiced expressions to become more fluent
learned and used the ‘causative have’
talked about your bicycle

Difficulty: White Belt and above

MODEL: I need to get my bike worked on…

The chain on my bike has been slipping while riding it. This has been going on for several weeks now, and I’ve been too lazy and forgetful to take it to the shop to get it fixed. It’s one of those things that just slipped my mind until it was time to ride my bike and feel the slipping again. Besides that, I hadn’t had much time to take it to the shop.

Last week, one of my classes was cancelled, so I had some extra time, so I finally decided to go to the bike shop to ask about the problem and get an estimate for the repair. I didn’t really know how to explain what was happening in Spanish (I live in Spain), so I would like to share some common bicycle problems.

It’s slipping gears. / The gears are slipping.
The brakes aren’t working. (The rear brake/ The front brake)
The brakes are squeaking.
I have a flat tire.
The chain is loose.
I need a new seat.
My handle bars are loose.
I had an accident.

What about you? Have you ever had one of these problems with your bicycle? Tell me about it in a lesson or write about it below.

VOCABULARY

Take notes about the following words so you can understand the meaning. Use context, dictionary definitions, synonyms, explanations, example sentences, pictures, or any other creative way to learn the new words and phrases. NOTE: Try NOT to use your language to understand the concept.

To slip

Forgetful (adj)

Bike shop

Several weeks

VOCABULARY ACTIVITY: Label the basic parts of the bicycle
(some extra words that you can add to the picture)

Seat
Handle bars
Chain
Tire
Wheel
Spokes
Gears
Pedals
Reflector

FLUENCY BUILDERS and EXPRESSIONS
These expressions will help you sound more fluent. Brainstorm and see how you can use these in your presentation.

… has been going on for… - to describe that something was happening for a period of time

It’s one of those things that… - Use this when you can’t really explain a common situation or feeling that you think most people will understand.

It slipped my mind – to forget to do something

GRAMMAR

Causative ‘have/get’ is a grammatical form we use when somebody else does something for you. We don’t use this if we do the action ourselves.

Let’s look at some grammar from the text.

I’ve been too lazy and forgetful to take it to the shop to get it fixed.

To have something done: More formal/ Speaking and Writing
To have + action + past participle

The mechanic is working on Johnny’s car, so he’s taking the bus this week.
Johnny is having his car worked on, so he’s taking the bus this week. (he’s not working on it)

To get something done: More informal/ Speaking
To get + action + past participle

The barber/hairdresser is going to cut my hair.
I have to go get my hair cut this weekend. (you’re not going to cut it)

Assignment: Write the causative have form for the following examples.
Keep the same grammar forms as the first sentence.

The housekeeper is cleaning my house at the moment.
____________________________________________________________________________________________.

Cara is at the nail salon now. They are doing her nails.
____________________________________________________________________________________________.

I need to go to the dentist so he can clean my teeth.
____________________________________________________________________________________________.

PREPARE

Brainstorm and write down ideas for your story of when you had to either take your bicycle or car to the shop. What went wrong and what did you have to have done?

YOUR TASK: Write About Your Story

Now it’s your turn to tell your story of when you had to take your bike/car to the shop. Describe what happened, what was wrong, and what did you have to have done. Use the grammar and expressions from this lesson if it’s applicable.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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I Cut My Finger Yesterday...

21/7/2018

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Class Objectives

Have you ever cut your finger with a knife or a piece of glass? Have you ever tried describing what happened in English? That’s what we’re going to do in this lesson. I will tell my story how I cut my finger on a piece of glass and teach you how to tell your story.

By the end of the class, you will have:

learned and used new vocabulary
practiced expressions to become more fluent
improved your use of prepositions
told your story about the time you cut your finger

Difficulty: White Belt and above

Become a Member and get a printable PDF WORKSHEET of this lesson!

MODEL: I Cut My Finger Yesterday

I cut my finger yesterday. I was doing the dishes and picked up a whisky glass to wash it. If you know anything about whisky glasses, you know they are slippery and perfectly round, so as I was washing it, it slipped out of my hand. I tried to reach my hand out to grab it quickly, but of course with my soapy fingers, I couldn’t grab it from the air, and it fell onto the floor. -To be honest, I was a little upset that I broke one of my good whisky glasses. I saw the pieces on the ground and bent over to start picking the big pieces up. I just grazed the biggest piece with my thumb, and due to it being so sharp and my fingers wet and soapy, it sliced my thumb right behind the finger nail. It didn’t really hurt, but it started to bleed a lot. I tried to clean it under the water, but that just made more of a mess! Eventually, I took a paper towel and wrapped it around my thumb to stop the bleeding enough to finish cleaning up the glass. After finishing, I went to the bathroom to clean it properly and put a band-aid on the cut. It’s going to be a while until it heals completely because the cut went right over the knuckle, so every time I bend my thumb, it wants to re-open. For those of you who are curious, I posted a picture of it on Instagram. Enjoy.

VOCABULARY

Doing the dishes
Picked up
Reached out
Bent over
Pick up
Grazed
Wrapped it around
Cleaning up
Band-aid
Bend

Expressions and Fluency Builders

These expressions will help you sound more fluent. Brainstorm and see how you can use these in your presentation.

ASSIGNMENT: Finish the sentences below with creative endings.

as I was + ~ing – Doing A and B at the same time, but B is more important in the story.
A) As I was washing…
  B) ... the glass, it slipped out of my hand and broke.
A) As I was saying…
                                    B) … _____________________________________________________________.
A) As I was watching…
B) … _____________________________________________________________.
A) As I was waiting...
                                    B) … _____________________________________________________________.

slipped out of my hand
To be honest...
due to + |noun|
|~ing|

Due to…

B) … it being so sharp, it sliced my thumb right behind the nail.
                  A) Due to…
                                                      B) … _____________________________________________________________.
                  A) Due to…
                                                      B) … _____________________________________________________________.
                  A) Due to…
                                                      B) … _____________________________________________________________.

It didn't really
It's going to be a while |until|
|before|
To go right over + something

GRAMMAR

Conditionals are some of the most despised parts of English grammar. Is that true for you? That’s because most English classes teach them wrong. What is the structure of the 2nd conditional? Who cares! Learn expressions with this grammar instead of learning the grammar and trying to remember the structure when you’re speaking.

Let’s look at some grammar from the text.

If you know anything about whisky glasses, you know they’re slippery and perfectly round.

Zero Conditional: Something is generally or always true.
If + present simple, (then) + present simple.

Expression:
“If you know anything about ___________, you know ________________.”
Use this expression to explain one big characteristic that identifies something or somebody.

Assignment: Write this form with up to five different examples.

If you know anything about my dog, you know she loves to eat.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Every time I bend my thumb, it wants to re-open.
It wants to + verb.

Personification: giving human characteristics to non-human things.

Assignment: Use the objects below and write a sentence using personification.

wind: The wind is screaming today.
trees: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________.
butterflies: ____________________________________________________________________________________________.
book: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________.

PREPARE

Brainstorm and write down ideas for your story of when you cut yourself. Think about the W questions (who, what, where, when, why, how). Also think about the transition words, phrasal verbs, and fluency builders you will use in your story.

YOUR TASK: Tell Your Story

Now it’s your turn to tell your story of when you cut yourself. Write a short story about how you cut your finger and what you were doing to cut your finger. Use the grammar and expressions from this lesson if it’s applicable.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________.

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History of Halloween (Listening Lesson)

Pre-Teach
(for teachers)

Listen to the video and answer the questions below.

(Advanced speakers: Listen to the video below without watching it to answer the questions.)

LISTEN and ANSWER
Listen to the video and answer the questions.

Answers

Real Life English: I Need to Get My Bike Worked On

Class Objectives

MODEL: I need to get my bike worked on…

VOCABULARY

FLUENCY BUILDERS and EXPRESSIONS
These expressions will help you sound more fluent. Brainstorm and see how you can use these in your presentation.

GRAMMAR

PREPARE

YOUR TASK: Write About Your Story

I Cut My Finger Yesterday...

Class Objectives

MODEL: I Cut My Finger Yesterday

VOCABULARY

Expressions and Fluency Builders

GRAMMAR

PREPARE

YOUR TASK: Tell Your Story

What are White Belt Lessons?

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FREE IELTS Writing Workshop.
(Click on the photo to register)

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Speak English With Complete Confidence In Under 10 Weeks.

History of Halloween (Listening Lesson)

Pre-Teach (for teachers)

Listen to the video and answer the questions below. (Advanced speakers: Listen to the video below without watching it to answer the questions.)

LISTEN and ANSWERListen to the video and answer the questions.

Answers

Real Life English: I Need to Get My Bike Worked On

Class Objectives

MODEL: I need to get my bike worked on…

VOCABULARY

FLUENCY BUILDERS and EXPRESSIONSThese expressions will help you sound more fluent. Brainstorm and see how you can use these in your presentation.

GRAMMAR

PREPARE

YOUR TASK: Write About Your Story

I Cut My Finger Yesterday...

Class Objectives

MODEL: I Cut My Finger Yesterday

VOCABULARY

Expressions and Fluency Builders

GRAMMAR

PREPARE

YOUR TASK: Tell Your Story

What are White Belt Lessons?

Become a Pro Member

FREE IELTS Writing Workshop.​(Click on the photo to register)

Archives

Categories

Speak English With Complete Confidence In Under 10 Weeks.

Pre-Teach
(for teachers)

Listen to the video and answer the questions below.

(Advanced speakers: Listen to the video below without watching it to answer the questions.)

LISTEN and ANSWER
Listen to the video and answer the questions.

FLUENCY BUILDERS and EXPRESSIONS
These expressions will help you sound more fluent. Brainstorm and see how you can use these in your presentation.

FREE IELTS Writing Workshop.
(Click on the photo to register)