Posted on by karolasenglishblog

To err is human Sequel

This is an activity for (lower) intermediate students to review some of the most common mistakes they make in an entertaining way. The students correct the mistakes in the sentences on the board. If they manage to do it correctly, they add either an O or an X to the board until they line up 6 symbols in a row. The mistakes in the exercise are actual mistakes made by my own students on a regular basis.

Level: B1

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To identify and correct common mistakes made by (lower) intermediate students.
  2. To line up 6 symbols (O or X) in a row.

 Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

to-err-is-human-sequelDownload
to-err-is-human-sequel-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Divide the students into teams and display To err is human Sequel board game on the screen if you are using Zoom. If you have smaller groups students can also play individually.
  2. To see who starts do rock, paper, scissors.  Whoever wins chooses the square they want to start with. Next the player(s) identifies and corrects the mistake in the square they have chosen. There is only ONE mistake in each sentence or question e.g an incorrect preposition, article or a verb form etc. If the player(s) manages to do it correctly, they add either an O or an X to the board. The first player to line up 6 of their symbols in a row wins. I actually use inserted predefined icons on Zoom (a star and a heart) as it looks cleaner and much cuter on the screen than an O or an X . You can find the stamps in the annotation tools when you start screen sharing.

Alternative idea/ procedure :

  1. Players take it in turns to throw the die twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the question or a sentence.
  2. When a player lands on a QUESTION all players find and correct the mistake in the question first and then answer the question from that square in as much detail as possible. Encourage students to ask each other additional questions to obtain more information. When a player lands on a square with an AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE, they find and correct the mistake in the sentence first and then say if the sentence is TRUE or FALSE for them and OF COURSE at length 😉 explain WHY.
  3. Monitor at all times and go through some of the most problematic sentences/ questions together at the end of the class. At home ask students to correct the sentences and questions you didn’t finish in class.

Related posts:

Can you see the error of your ways?Threequel

Can you see the error of your ways?

Can you see the error of your ways? Sequel

Make no mistake

My favourite mistakes card game

Correct me if I am wrong

Bid it 2 Win it FCE Sentence Auction

To err is humanBid it 2 Win it Sentence Auction

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Somewhere over the rainbow Part 2

These are activities for students to introduce and practise colour idioms. Students complete the idioms with the missing colours, then complete the sentences with the missing expressions and in pairs answer questions containing the idioms.

Level: B2+

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To introduce colour idioms.
  2. To complete the idioms with the missing colours.
  3. To complete the sentences with the missing idioms.
  4. To practise the new expressions whilst asking and answering questions.

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

somewhere-over-the-rainbow-part-2-Download
somewhere-over-the-rainbow-part-2-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Put students in pairs and ask them to briefly discuss questions in Exercise 1.
  2. Hand students Somewhere over the rainbow Part 2 Worksheet or display it on the screen for everyone to see.
  3. Individually, students first try to complete the idioms with the missing colours (Exercise 2).
  4. When the students have finished, they compare their answers with a partner.
  5. Check the answers and elicit meaning. Clarify the expressions that are new or not quite clear.
  6. Now, students complete the sentences 1 to 12 with the missing idioms (Exercise 2). When the students have finished, they compare their answers with a partner.
  7. Check the answers as a class.
  8. Go to exercise 3 and from memory ask students to correct the mistakes highlighted in different colours. You could turn it into a mini competition and maybe even time the students 😉
  9. Now students answer questions 1 to 12 in pairs. Encourage them to ask their classmates additional questions to obtain more details.
  10. If you have had no time to discuss all questions in class ask students to answer a couple of them in writing at home.

Fast finishers:

Ask students to rate the expressions from the most to the least useful, according to them.

Related posts:

Home sweet home

Cats & Dogs

Ups and downs

What a zoo

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.” Little Prince

I spy with my little eye

Somewhere over the rainbow 

P. S. This post is dedicated to my lovely student Raquel, who was tickled pink about learning new colour idioms today. Thank you for a wonderful class my dear 🙂

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Who are you? Sequel

Introduction:

This is a fun activity for students to talk about personality. Students match the expressions to their antonyms, decide which expressions apply most to them and look for classmates whose answers are either identical to theirs or very different.

Level: C1

Time: 50 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To revise/ introduce adjectives and idioms describing personality.
  2. To decide which adjectives and idioms apply most to students and give examples.
  3. To compare students’ choices with other classmates.

Materials (Click on the worksheet below to download the PDF file):

Who are you SequelDownload

Procedure:

  1. In pairs ask students to tell each other what personality types they get on with best and what personality types they just can’t stand.
  2. Elicit some answers from students.
  3. Hand each student a copy of Who are you? Sequel (or display it on the screen) and tell them to cover up the words at the bottom.
  4. Individually ask students to provide definitions of the expressions in the first column.
  5. When the students have finished ask them to compare with their partner.
  6. Check together as a class.
  7. Next students look at the antonyms provided at the bottom of the page and complete the table.
  8. Check as a class.
  9. Individually now ask students to consider each pair of adjectives/ idioms and choose the number (1 to 5) closest to the expression they feel applies most to them. Number 1 applies to the adjectives and idioms in the first column and 5 to its antonym in the third column.
  10. Once the students have finished, put them into pairs and ask them to compare their choices with their classmates and provide specific examples where their numbers are identical or very different.
  11. Change pairs two or three times to give students a chance to compare their answers with as many classmates as possible.
  12. Ask students to give examples of unexpected answers they received whilst interviewing their classmates.

Fast finishers:

  1. Ask students to pick three positive and three negative expressions from the table that best describe them and justify their answers to their classmates.

Related posts:

Who are you?

Mirror Mirror on the wall…

MEOW!

Wanted

Know thyself