Category: Grammar Classes

Posted in Grammar Classes, Video Classes

Video Lesson: Jurassic Park 3rd Conditionals

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is a lesson plan to practice the 3rd conditional using clips from the film Jurassic Park. There are two different activities, one for FCE level and one for CAE/CPE.

FCE

Use the Jurassic Park powerpoint to introduce the characters from the film and the formula for the 3rd conditional and then show the t-rex attack video:

Then students come up with as many 3rd conditional sentences as they can.

If Ian hadn’t run to the toilet, the t-rex wouldn’t have eaten Gennaro.

If the kids hadn’t been so stupid, the t-rex would have left them alone.

If Alan hadn’t distracted the t-rex, it would have eaten the kids.

You can also repeat the exercise with Dennis Nedry’s death scene:

CAE/CPE

The video can also be used to practice the more advanced conditionals needed for the CAE and CPE exams. Use my prezi on advanced conditionals to go over the grammar first. Then introduce the characters and story with the powerpoint from the link above.

Use the video to practice conditionals with noun phrases:

If it hadn’t been for Alan’s bravery, the t-rex would have eaten the kids.

But for Ian’s stupidity, Gennaro wouldn’t have been eaten.

Or inverted conditionals:

Had the kids not attracted the t-rex’s attention, it might have left them alone.

Had it not been for the glass, the t-rex would have eaten the kids.

I recommend giving students the noun phrases you want them to use before watching, then let them watch the video. Afterwards, they make the sentences together in pairs.

Noun phrases:

the flashlight/torch

Alan Grant’s bravery

the kid’s stupidity

Ian Malcolm’s stupidity

the glass

Again, if you have time or if you want to recap at the end of the class or the beginning of the next lesson, show the Nedry video.

Follow up:

Composition: Review/letter of complaint about a trip to Jurassic Park. It would be a good way to practice formal phrases for complaining but in a funny context.

Posted in Grammar Classes, Young Learners

There Was/There Were Picture Memory Game

Posted on by Tim Warre

IMG_0567

This is a class for low levels to practice the structures “there was/were” and prepositions of place.

Quickly recap prepositions of place with a pen and paper: on, in, under, above, next to, in front of etc.

Now tell students you are going to show them a photo and they have to remember as much detail as they can. Show them the photo above for 1 minute, then hide the photo. Students must recall as many of the objects as they can, award 1 point for each correct sentence using there was/were.

There was a cat under the table.

There were two plants on the table-

There was a green and white folder on the chair.

There were two batteries behind the plants.

The show students more photos, you can either use my photos or take photos of your own messy flats and use those. Or you could tell students to take a photo of their own messy bedroom and bring it in for the next class to recap. Here are some more photos:

IMG_0568 IMG_0570 IMG_0571 IMG_0572

Posted in Games, Grammar Classes

Inversions of Prohibition – Pictionary

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is an update of my modals of obligation/prohibition lesson plan. This is a fun way to practice the following inversions:

Under no circumstances must you talk in the exam.

On no account should you put your head out the window.

Part 1 – Introduce the structures

Write the following sentences on a piece of paper, cut them up and jumble the words, then give a copy to the students to rearrange in pairs or groups of 3.

You must not speak in the exam.

You must not smoke in school.

The winner is the team who makes the sentences first.

Now elicit what the two sentences express: Prohibition. Now explain that there are two inversion structures we can use to express prohibition in a more formal way.

Model the sentences on the board with the inversion structures, paying particular attention to the way in which the aux verb and subject are inverted and the “not” is removed.

Under no circumstance must/should you speak in the exam.

On no account must/should you smoke in school.

Part 2 – Pictionary

Now split the class into two groups. Tell each group that they need to come up with 10 prohibitions using the two structures as a group and write them on strips of paper, emcourage them to be imaginative and think of crazy prohibitions: Under no circumtances must you sing to the dolphins. To them to work quietly so that the other group doesn’t hear their sentences.

While they work monitor them and correct mistakes.

Now collect in the sentences making sure to keep the two group’s sentences seperate. Now the students play pictionary: 1 volunteer from the first group comes to the board and has 2 minutes to draw as many of the prohibitions written by the other group for their own group to guess. They musn’t speak or write letters. Award 1 point for each sentences they guess correctly.

Let both teams have 2 turns each, the winning team is the one with the most points.

Posted in Grammar Classes, Video Classes

Inversionana Jones: Video inversion lesson

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is a lesson plan based around clips from the Indiana Jones films to teach inversion structures. Specifically the following ones:

No sooner had I sat down than the phone rang.

Scarcely/hardly/barely do you enter the restaurant when you smell the delicious food.

Part 1 – Introducing the structures

Print out this handout and cut it up into separate words, keeping the “No sooner, hardly, barely, scarcely, than and when cards for yourself.” I laminated the words for future use and printed the “No sooner, hardly etc.” parts on orange paper.

Give out the cards to students in group and have them order them into correct sentences. Either do this on a central table where everyone can see, on the floor or have the students come and blu-tac the sentences on the board.

As soon as I had sat down the phone started ringing.

As soon as you enter the restaurant you can smell the delicious food.

As soon as we had stepped off the plane, it started raining.

Tell students that we can use inversion to express the same thing as these sentences in 4 different ways. Now use the “No sooner/hardly/barely etc.” cards to transform the sentences. Be sure to draw their attention to the way in which you invert the auxiliary verb or add it if it’s not in the original sentence. Note: if this is a revision class have the students do it themselves.

No sooner had I sat down, than the phone started ringing.

Barely do you enter the restaurant, when you can smell the delicious food.

Scarcely had we stepped off the plane, when it started raining.

Draw student’s attention to the use of “than” with no sooner and “when” with the others. Have them copy the following formula:

Inversion Phrase + aux verb + subject + verb

Hardly had I sat down

Part 2 – Indiana Jones Clips

Now you can show them the Indiana Jones clips, tell them to watch the action and look out for actions which can be described using the structures:

No sooner had he swapped the sandbag for the statue, than the temple began to collapse. Encourage students to look for more.

Barely had the Nazis got on the boat when Indy escaped on his motorbike. Encourage students to look for more.

Scarcely had the Nazi drunk from the fake Holy Grail, when he grew old and disintegrated. Encourage students to look for more.

There are hundreds of other video clips that can be used to teach these structures, let me know which other ones you find.

Follow up

Set a composition in which students need to describe an exciting activity they’ve done, encourage them to use the structures to make a narrative more exciting.

Posted in Exam Preparation Class, Grammar Classes

CPE use of English quizlet sets

Posted on by Tim Warre

Here are some great quizlet sets I found for CPE revision and cramming:

Posted in Conversation Classes, Games, Grammar Classes

Modals of Obligation, Necessity and Prohibition: Pictionary!

Posted on by Tim Warre

Just a quick note…

Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉

https://soundcloud.com/2tspod


https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/

Modals of Obligation, Necessity and Prohibition: Pictionary!

This is part of a series of 30 minute lesson plans I have been writing for conversation classes with small groups of teenagers. Each one covers a specific grammar point and features a game to encourage surly teens to use it.

Introduction

Write “rules” on the board. Tell students to tell you all the rules that their school imposes on them and board them all.  Try to elicit the following structures:

Prohibition:

Mustn’t/can’t/not allowed to

You mustn’t run in the classroom. You’re not allowed to use your mobile phones in class. You can’t smoke in school.

Obligation:

Must/have to

You have to study. You have to be at school at 9am. You must bring your gym kit for PE.

Lack of obligation:

Don’t have to (careful with this one, ensure they understand the difference between mustn’t and don’t have to)

You don’t have to come to school on Saturday. Children over 11 don’t have to wear uniform.

 

Once you have brainstormed all the different rules, ask the students this:

Which rules do you follow?

Which rules do you break?

Which rules annoy you the most?

Do any teachers let you break the rules?

 

Pictionary

Print and cut up the handout.

Draw the following picture on the board:

nosmoking

Elicit the prohibition: You mustn’t smoke.

Split the class into teams of 3-4. Tell them they are going to play pictionary. However, some of the rules are a little strange. Give students time to think of a team name and invite the first person from the first team to the board. They have a minute and a half to draw as many rules as they can for their team, for each rule they guess they get 1 point. The winning team is the one that gets the most point after 2-3 rounds. If you run out of rules, get students to come up with new ones for the other teams to draw and guess. Encourage them to make them as strange and difficult as possible.

Here are the rules from the handout:

You mustn’t sleep in your car

 

 You have to wear a helmet
You are not allowed to feed the lions.

 

 You mustn’t touch the dolphin.
You have to switch off your mobile.

 

 You mustn’t play ping-pong when it’s raining.
You have to be in bed at 10pm.

 

 You mustn’t speak during the opera.
You have to wear long trousers. You’re not allowed to drink in the computer room.
You mustn’t sing to the monkeys.

 

 You’re not allowed to play video games after 11pm.
You have to take your medicine before going to bed. You’re not allowed to go skiing in the dark.
You mustn’t drink the water. You have to have a shower before going in the swimming pool.
Posted in Exam Preparation Class, Grammar Classes

CAE Conditionals

Posted on by Tim Warre

conditionals

This is a lesson plan designed to introduce some of the various conditional forms that can be tested in the CAE.

Here is the link to my prezi explaining the form and use of the different structures. I taught the structures over two hour and a half classes; in the first we did the zero, first and second conditionals and in the second the 3rd and the additional structures. For homework after the first class I set this sheet. The prezi contains sections to practice forming the structures but you will also want to do some other closed and open use activities. For example:

These great slideshows I found on the 2nd and 3rd conditional:

2nd conditional powerpoint

3rd conditional powerpoint

Fail videos for 3rd conditional practice:

This old lesson plan for 3rd conditional conversation practice.

This quizlet set on conditional key word transformations.

Interactive youtube videos:

They are great for natural use of conditional structures.

Hell Pizza zombie apocalypse adventure:

Follow up:

When setting the next writing task for your class encourage students to use at least one inverted conditional. For example:

In articles/reviews:

Try to use an inverted conditional in an anecdote or narrative: “Had it not been for Batman’s swift actions, the Joker would have conquered the city.”

In proposals:

Try to use an inverted condtional in the recommendations section you normally put in a conclusion to a proposal: “Should these recommendations be carried out, the event will be a resounding success.”

In reports:

In reports your recommendations are less likely to be followed so encourage students to use an inverted 2nd conditional: “Were the above changes to be made, the future of education in this country would be much brighter.”

What other compositons can you fit an inverted condtional into?

Posted in Exam Preparation Class, Grammar Classes

CAE / CPE Expressions for Key Word Transformations

Posted on by Tim Warre

Just a quick note…

Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉

https://soundcloud.com/2tspod


https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/

This is a worksheet to practice typical phrases and expressions that come up in key word transformations in both CAE and CPE. They are also very useful for writings.

Students rewrite the sentences using the word given in capitals.

Download the worksheet from here:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!388&authkey=!AAlKmGNu1itRsP0

Here’s a link to a quizlet flashcard set that can be used for preteaching or revision:

http://quizlet.com/16987300/cae-use-of-english-practice-part-5-flash-cards/

  1.  “Do you want to go and see the new play?” Petra asked her friend
    (INTERESTED)
    Petra asked her friend whether……………………………………..to see the new play.
  2.  Pat does not intend to have a holiday this year
    (INTENTION)
    Pat has …………………………………………………….. on holiday this year.
  3. Lisa was about to leave the house when.. (POINT)
  4. I think learning to use a typewriter is a waste of time (POINT)
  5. A number of sporting events had to be cancelled owing to bad weather. (LED)
  6. When it comes to computer games, Gareth is a real expert. (CONCERNED)
  7. Carlos really should get someone to mend his bike. (HIGH)
  8. The company has a good reputation in the local area (HIGHLY)
  9. Do you think Pablo is likely to win the competition? (CHANCE)
  10. I’ve been greatly impressed by the way Jasper deals with problems (MADE)
  11. Darius soon recovered after the operation (MADE)
  12. I think the weather will improve next week. (CHANGE)
  13. Pheobe was surprised to be offered a place on the course (CAME)
  14. It’s so difficult to create new ideas for the festival every year (COME)
  15. The company is almost certain to get the contract (EVERY)
  16. Sven would have called yesterday if he had had more time (SHORT)
  17. Many people believe that Garcia has the ability to become world champion (CAPABLE)
  18. In his speech, the Principal did not mention the new language courses. (REFERENCE)
  19. Sam never thought of asking me for my advice (OCCURRED)
  20. Despite all their efforts, they could not get the old car to start (HARD)
  21. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m going to sleep on the floor” said Maria. (CLEAR)
  22. “Remember to write or phone,” Marta said as she waved goodbye (TOUCH)
  23. Simon really ought to make a decision about his future (MIND)
  24. If you don’t pay on time, your booking will be cancelled (RESULT)
  25. I’m sure Gemma is going to become a famous model one day (MATTER)
  26. Barbara’s parents were certain that she would be a great tennis player (DOUBT)
  27. The company isn’t able to guarantee an allocated car parking space to all employees (COUNT)
  28. Daisy said that she would no longer tolerate her colleagues being rude (PUT)

Key:

she was interested in going “Do you want to go and see the new play?” Petra asked her friend
(INTERESTED)
Petra asked her friend whether……………………………………..to see the new play.
no intention of going Pat does not intend to have a holiday this year
(INTENTION)
Pat has …………………………………………………….. on holiday this year.
Lisa was ON THE POINT OF LEAVING the house when. Lisa was about to leave the house when.. (POINT)
I think THERE’S NO POINT learning to use a typewriter. I think learning to use a typewriter is a waste of time (POINT)
The bad weather LED TO THE CANCELLATION OF a number of sporting events. A number of sporting events had to be cancelled owing to bad weather. (LED)
AS FAR AS COMPUTER GAMES ARE CONCERNED, Gareth is a real expert. When it comes to computer games, Gareth is a real expert. (CONCERNED)
IT’S HIGH TIME CARLOS GOT someone to mend his bike. Carlos really should get someone to mend his bike. (HIGH)
The company is HIGHLY REGARDED in the local area. The company has a good reputation in the local area (HIGHLY)
Do you think Pablo STANDS A CHANCE OF WINNING the competition? Do you think Pablo is likely to win the competition? (CHANCE)
The way Jasper deals with problems has MADE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON ME. I’ve been greatly impressed by the way Jasper deals with problems (MADE)
Darius soon MADE A (FULL) RECOVERY after the operation. Darius soon recovered after the operation (MADE)
I think the weather will CHANGE FOR THE BETTER next week. I think the weather will improve next week. (CHANGE)
The offer of a place on the course CAME AS A SURPRISE TO Phoebe. Pheobe was surprised to be offered a place on the course (CAME)
It’s so difficult to COME UP WITH new ideas for the festival every year. It’s so difficult to create new ideas for the festival every year (COME)
The company HAS EVERY CHANCE OF GETTING the contract. The company is almost certain to get the contract (EVERY)
Sven would have called yesterday if he hadn’t been SHORT ON / OF TIME. Sven would have called yesterday if he had had more time (SHORT)
Many people believe that Garcia IS CAPABLE OF BECOMING world champion. Many people believe that Garcia has the ability to become world champion (CAPABLE)
In his speech, the Principal MADE NO REFERENCE TO the new language courses. In his speech, the Principal did not mention the new language courses. (REFERENCE)
IT NEVER OCCURRED TO SAM TO ASK me for advice. Sam never thought of asking me for my advice (OCCURRED)
NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRIED, they could not get the old car to start. Despite all their efforts, they could not get the old car to start (HARD)
Maria MADE IT CLEAR THAT she wasn’t going to sleep on the floor. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m going to sleep on the floor” said Maria. (CLEAR)
“Remember KEEP IN TOUCH,” Marta said as she waved goodbye. “Remember to write or phone,” Marta said as she waved goodbye (TOUCH)
Simon really ought to MAKE UP HIS MIND about his future. Simon really ought to make a decision about his future (MIND)
Not paying in time WILL RESULT IN YOUR BOOKING BEING CANCELLED. If you don’t pay on time, your booking will be cancelled (RESULT)
I´m sure IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE Gemma becomes a famous model. I’m sure Gemma is going to become a famous model one day (MATTER)
Barbara’s parents HAD NO DOUBT that she would be a great tennis player. Barbara’s parents were certain that she would be a great tennis player (DOUBT)
Employees CANNOT COUNT ON HAVING an allocated car parking space. The company isn’t able to guarantee an allocated car parking space to all employees (COUNT)
Daisy said that she would no longer PUT UP WITH her colleagues being rude. Daisy said that she would no longer tolerate her colleagues being rude (PUT)
was on the point of calling Sven was about to call the police when the burglar stopped trying to open the window and ran away.
POINT
Sven ……………………………………………… the police when the burglar stopped trying to open the window and ran away.
Posted in Conversation Classes, Grammar Classes

Giving Advice

Posted on by Tim Warre

advice

Before you use these materials, why not check out our new podcast for learners and teachers alike? It’s called 2Ts in a Pod, have a listen here:

This is a conversation class to practice different forms of giving advice for B1 – B2 students.

Put on the board:

You should quit smoking

You ought to quit smoking

You had better quit smoking

Put students in small groups and tell them to think about the difference between the 3 sentences. Then have them share their ideas.

should and ought to are basically synonyms although ought to is generally more formal, they are used for giving advice: It would be a good idea if you quit smoking.

had better has a slightly different meaning; it implies that if the advice is not followed something bad could happen. In this context maybe the speaker could be a doctor warning a patient about the results of a recent test.

In this way had better can also be used to threaten:

1: Hey! Where’s that money you owe me?

2: I’ll pay you on Monday.

1: You had better.

Here had better contains the implication of violence.

The grammatical form is as follows:

subject + should / ought to / had better + bare infinitive (infinitive without to)

The negatives are as follows:

You shouldn’t smoke.

You ought not to smoke.

You had better not smoke.

To warm the students up present them with a simple problem that you have, for example: I want to get fit / It’s my partner’s birthday, what should I buy them?

Have the students give advice for these situations.

Then tell students that there are other ways of giving advice, try and elicit the following conditionals:

If I were you, I would / n’t………….

If I were in your shoes, I would / n’t…………

Then give out the following situations for advise, have the first student read out the situation as if it was a genuine personal problem, other students then give them advice. After each situations ask the discussion questions listed below the situations.

  1. I have a friend who is really tight-fisted. Every time that we go out for a drink or a meal he says he hasn’t got any money or he mysteriously disappears to the toilet when the bill arrives. At first we thought “poor John he never has any money”, but he works 6 days a week so he must have some money. What should we do?
  2. My best friend is always flirting with my girlfriend. He always pays her lots of compliments like “Wow! You look fantastic tonight!” Also when we go to parties he often asks her to dance. It’s making me really angry. What should I do?
  3. I share a flat with a friend and she keeps borrowing my things without asking. At first it was just little things like books and DVDs but now she’s started borrowing my clothes and when I want to wear my favourite dress for example, I find it on her bedroom floor unwashed! What should I do?
  4. I have invited 20 people over for a big dinner party, they are arriving in 20 minutes. I was going to cook a big roast turkey but I put the oven temperature too high and it burned! The dinner is ruined! What should I do?

Discussion Questions

Discussion questions for first situation:

  • Do you have any tight-fisted friends?
  • What do they do?
  • What is the custom when it comes to paying the bill in your country?
  • Have you ever had an argument over a restaurant bill?

Second

  • Who has a problem in this situation?
  • Is the speaker right to feel angry?
  • Who is to blame for the anger?
  • Have you or any of your friends ever been in this situation?
  • Are you a jealous person?

Third

  • Have you ever been in a situation like this?
  • Do you lend things to friends? Why? Why not?
  • Do you borrow things from friends? Why? Why not?
  • Have you ever lived in a shared house? What problems did you encounter?

Fourth

  • Have you ever been in this situation?
  • What did you do?
  • What was the worst meal you ever cooked?

Another game to practice this is the following:

Send one student out of the classroom. All the other students have to think of an imaginary problem that he / she has. Invite the student to come back in and sit at the front of the class. The student must guess what their problem is based on the advice they receive from their classmates.

If your students aren’t very imaginative you can use these situations:

  1. I have two VIP tickets to see Barcelona vs Real Madrid on the same night as my mother in law’s 50th birthday party.
  2. I found a wallet in the street with €2000 in it.
  3. I am a great chef, I want to open 300 restaurants and get rich but I have no money.
  4. I got very drunk at the office Christmas party and kissed my boss.
  5. My best friend’s ex girlfriend wants to go on a date with me.
  6. I am the manager of a big company. I have a vacancy for a salesman and my son wants the job, but he has no experience.
  7. I saw my best friend’s girlfriend kiss another man.

Class discussion about advice

Afterwards discuss the following questions about advice as a class:

  1. Who do you go to for advice?
  2. Do they give good advice? Why? Why not?
  3. Who comes to you for advice?
  4. Do you give good advice?
  5. Do you follow your friend’s advice?
  6. What’s the best / worst advice you’ve ever received?
  7. Does advice help? Or do most people ignore it?
  8. Sometimes advice can make you less decisive. Do you agree?
  9. Do you think some people are too proud to ask for advice?