This is an activity to introduce and practise idioms with the word TOP. Students first complete the idioms with the missing word, match the idioms to their definitions (Exercise 2), complete the sentences in Exercise 3 with their own ideas and then complete and answer questions (Exercise 4) in pairs or small groups.
Level: B2+
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To introduce idioms with the word TOP.
To increase familiarity and correct use of idioms with the word TOP.
To develop fluency and answer questions containing the target language in pairs.
Hand out a copy of On top of the world Worksheet and ask students to place the sheets of paper in front of them FACE DOWN.
Tell them to, on the word GO, turn over the worksheet, scan the expressions in Exercise 1 and find ONE word that completes ALL expressions. Tell students the SAME word is missing from all the expressions.
Check together as a class.
Now ask students to come up with their own definitions of the idioms using the context provided (Exercise 2). Tell them not to look at the definitions provided on the right.
Now ask students to match the idioms to their definitions on the right.
Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their classmates and justify their answers.
Ask students to complete sentences in Exercise 3 with their own ideas. They will have the opportunity to see the expressions in a different context.
When they have finished, ask them to discuss their answers with their classmates and provide more detail.
Next students complete the expressions with the missing words (Exercise 4) and answer the questions in pairs or small groups.
When the students have finished, ask them to share what they have learnt about their classmates.
Fast finishers:
Ask students to draw, define, describe and write a sentence with 4 chosen expressions.
This is a creative speaking activity inspired by a great book by Edward de Bono called “Creativity Workout”. Students obtain random verbs and describe something they have done for the first time using the verbs from the board.
I have also included two audios for you to play to your students. Two of my friends kindly agreed to model the activity for you. My friend Adam talked about the first time he travelled abroad and my friend Claire spoke about the first time she visited Spain. Both of my friends are British English speakers and come from Norwich, UK. You could play the recordings to your students and they could tick the verbs they hear. This way your students get some great listening practice too.
Teacher tip/ reflection:
It is easy to get stuck in a rut and only do things we like or are good at. It happens to me in all areas of my life but particularly when it comes to physical exercise. When I finally manage to perfect a certain exercise routine I tend to do it over and over again simply because it makes me feel good to be able to do it well and also because I am able to switch off as the moves have become automatic through constant repetition.
Any attempt at changing the routine is met with a negative reaction from my body. It is natural. We want to go back to the old and familiar. So I gently steer myself in the direction of something new e.g. by choosing new exercises but sticking to the same time of day, selecting the same trainer (Yoga with Adriene) but a longer/shorter video or starting a new routine and “rewarding” myself with something “old and comforting” from time to time. In other words, I trick my brain to get out of my comfort zone.
The idea behind random words is exactly the same. It is to challenge your students to use the verbs in a new creative way and encourage them to come up with structures that they might otherwise avoid because it is uncomfortable and requires too much effort. The resistance to the unfamiliar is huge and I think that these types of exercises help to shake things up a little. And on that note, I would like to commit myself to doing some new yoga poses tonight. If I expect my students to try new ways of doing things, I might as well do the same 🙂
I am going to end this little reflection section with a quote:
“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”- Brian Tracy
Objectives:
To use irregular verbs in a new and memorable way
To revise irregular verbs
To get out of your comfort zone
Materials:
One die per pair or small group
First things first board game
The first time I travelled abroad by Adam. Thank you.The first time I visited Spain by Claire. Thank you.
Hand out First things first to each team or simply display it on the screen.
To obtain verbs for the activity students throw the die twice: the first throw indicates which column they are going to use and the second indicates which row they are going to use e.g. Obtain four random verbs and describe the first time you bought something really expensive. Below I have written down some ideas to get you started:
This is an activity to introduce and practise body part idioms. Students complete the idioms with the missing body parts, match the expressions to their definitions, complete the questions with body parts and then the sentences with the idioms.
Teacher tips:
Ask students to define what the expressions mean before you give them your definitions. I found that they were able to define the majority of the expressions if not all of them. Here are the examples of some definitions my students gave in class (in brackets): To be off your head (crazy), To find your feet (to get to know something, to settle down, to adapt to smth), To get out of hand (to lose control), To get a slap on the wrist (to be warned, to be threatened, to be punished), To give someone the cold shoulder (to stand someone up, to ignore someone), To keep your nose clean (to do things correctly, to do what is expected of you, not to draw attention to yourself, to avoid making a mistake), To keep someone on their toes (to control, to keep track of), To play it by ear (to improvise, let’s see how it goes), To stick one’s neck out (to be brave, to have courage). Well done you guys 😉
Make sure students understand the difference between to keep sb on their toes and to keep your nose clean as some of my students got a bit confused.
When introducing new vocabulary and embedding it in a sentence, think of examples that make the meaning of the new word/ expression very clear. This is not the time to be subtle. I have often made a mistake of providing students with examples that were either too vague or contained more new vocabulary which confused them further. Exercise 4 example 3 He had only been out of prison for a month, so he was trying to keep his nose clean caused some confusion and students thought to find your feet also made sense.
Research the origin of each idiom before the class. It is not only fun but also helpful for students to know the story behind the expressions and it is so much easier to memorise something you can associate with an image, an anecdote, a joke etc. My favorite idiom in this lesson is to find one’s feet which is believed to refer to babies standing up and learning to walk (Source: http://www.theidioms.com)
Level: B2+
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To introduce idioms with body parts.
To complete the idioms with different body parts.
To match the idioms to their definitions.
To complete the questions with the missing body parts.
To answer the questions containing the target language.
To complete the sentences with the missing idioms.
Hand out a copy of From head to toe to each student or display it on the screen.
In pairs, ask students to unscramble the letters in each sentence to form the names of body parts. Even if the students don’t know any of the expressions they will still be able to complete the task with the letters provided which sets them up for success from the start.
Check together as a class.
Ask students to come up with their own definitions of the idioms using the context provided. Many of my students were able to do it really well and it motivated them even more which was very satisfying to watch.
Now ask students to match the idioms to their definitions.
Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their classmates and justify their answers. In most cases they will be able to see how similar their definitions were to the actual definitions of the idioms, which builds students’ confidence and shows them how much they can get from context and without the teacher’s help.
Go to Exercise 3 and ask students to complete the questions with the missing body parts. Encourage them to do the exercise from memory. When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class. In pairs or small groups students now answer the questions.
Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing idioms and again try to do it from memory.
Check together as a class.
Fast finisher ideas:
Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning.
Research the origin of a chosen idiom and later share your findings with the rest of the class.
This is an activity to introduce and practise clothes idioms. Students complete the idioms with the missing items of clothing, match the expressions to their definitions and complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing.
Teacher tips (Me being wise after the fact and after testing the activity with a few groups):
Make sure students know that the clues in Exercise 1 are clues to help them determine the items of clothing missing from the expressions. The clues are NOT the definitions of the idioms.
Draw students’ attention to the fact that below the belt and to have under one’s belt are TWO different idioms with two different meanings. My students got a bit confused since the idioms are quite similar. I guess studying expressions that are alike is not the best strategy as it’s easy to get them mixed up, but I didn’t want to eliminate either of the two.
Show students a picture of a bonnet. None of my students were familiar with the word so showing them some photos definitely helped. I don’t think the definition itself was enough to drive it home. I also showed them images of different types of hats especially cowboy, straw and top which were the last clues on the list.
Research the origin of each idiom before the class. It is not only entertaining but also helpful for students to know the story behind the expressions they are studying and it is so much easier to memorise something you can associate with an image, an anecdote, a joke etc.
The examples in Exercise 3 are all true for me. I have noticed students really appreciate it if I personalise the activities or reveal something about myself so I would encourage you to create your own memorable examples to help your students get to know you better. It encourages discussion and cements your relationships.
Level: B2+
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To introduce clothes with idioms.
To complete the idioms with the items of clothing.
To match the idioms to their definitions.
To complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing.
Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them to discuss the three fashion quotes below: 1. “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” —Miuccia Prada. 2. “Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress on their days off that are the most intriguing.” —Alexander Wang. 3. “Elegance is elimination.” —Cristóbal Balenciaga
Hand out a copy of Clothes do (not) make the man sequel to each student or display it on the screen.
In pairs, ask students to complete the expressions with the missing items of clothing. I have come up with some clues (on the right) to help students out and to make it less daunting. Even if the students don’t know any of the expressions they will still be able to complete the task with the clues provided which sets them up for success from the start.
Check together as a class.
Ask students to match the idioms to their definitions (Exercise 2).
Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners and justify their answers to their classmate(s).
Go to Exercise 3 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing. Encourage them to do the exercise without looking at the expressions. Turn this into a mini competition, provide students with new clues, images etc. or ask them to give clues to each other if they know the answers but their classmates don’t.
Check together as a class.
In pairs or small groups students now tell their classmates if the sentences in Exercise 3 are true for them.
Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing clothes again and yet again try to do it from memory.
Check together as a class.
Fast finisher ideas:
Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning
Order the idioms according to how often you wear (Can you wear a pocket ?) the items of clothing in each idiom. I have a feeling a bonnet will not make it to the top of any list 😉 Just a wild guess
Choose 3 idioms and write down what an antonym of each idioms is
Research the origin of a chosen idiom and later share your findings with the rest of the class
This is an activity to introduce and practise fruit idioms. Students look at some fruit facts, complete the idioms with the missing fruit, match the expressions to their definitions, complete the sentences with the missing fruit and correct mistakes in the fruit idioms. I have deliberately come up with examples that are related to work, jobs etc. to be able to use this activity with my business students but feel free to use it with your general English classes also.
Teacher tip/reflection:
I love researching the origins of idioms. I have found that students find it easier to memorise the expressions if there is a colourful story behind them that they can visualise. My favorite idiom in today’s activity is to go pear-shaped. Allegedly the phrase comes from the Royal Air Force and is used to describe pilots’ bad execution of loops in the air, ending up with pear shapes instead of round shapes (Source: grammarist.com). I also love the idiom to be the apple of one’s eye which originally referred to the pupil of the human eye which was believed to be a round object. As sight was a precious commodity at the time, the idiom soon became a metaphor for something precious as well (Source: grammarist.com).
Level: B2+
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To increase familiarity and correct use of idioms with fruit.
Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them to discuss the 3 fruit facts below and decide which ones they are most surprised by. 1. A banana is not a fruit, it is a herb! Being easy to digest and highly nutritious, these are the first fruits offered to babies. 2. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. There are 200 seeds in an average strawberry. 3. Tomatoes are not a veggie but a fruit. They are regarded as the world’s most popular fruit and have more genes than humans. Source: https://www.befitandfine.com/facts-of-fruits/
Hand out a copy of Tutti Frutti to each student or display it on the screen.
Individually ask students to complete the expressions with the missing fruit. I have come up with some clues (on the right) to help students out and to make it more fun. Vocabulary activities can be quite discouraging if the students are not familiar with any of the expressions, so I try to give students boosts of confidence as often as possible and giving them clues is a fun way to guide them towards finding the answers by themselves and engaging them from the start.
When they are finished ask them to compare with their classmate(s).
Check together as a class.
Ask the students to match the idioms to their definitions (Exercise 2).
Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners and justify their answers.
When the students have finished, ask them to look at the sentences in Exercise 3 and complete the sentences with the missing fruit. Ask them to try and do the exercise without looking at the expressions. Turn this into a mini competition, provide students with new clues or ask them to give clues to each other if they know the answers but their classmates don’t. Always try to make it as active and engaging as possible. Encourage effort and collaboration, praise effort and willingness to keep trying rather than speed, efficiency and getting things right the first time. Encourage students to make mistakes and have fun.
When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class.
Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to replace the incorrect fruit with the correct one. Again have some fun with it and maybe do it in teams, pairs etc.
Check together as a class.
Fast finisher ideas:
Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning. This activity is just begging for something artsy 😉 and some baking.
Ask students to get into small groups or pairs to act out the idioms.
Choose an idiom and use it as a writing prompt, the first line of a story, a theme behind a story etc.
Research the origin of a chosen idiom.
And before you go. What do you get when you put an iPhone in a blender? Apple juice! Feel free to cringe 😉
Describe me board game is a great activity to either teach or revise adjective word order. The activity can be easily adapted to different levels and keeps the students engaged as they progress through writing simple descriptive sentences to creating short, also descriptive, stories, letters etc.
I have also made three other boards if you want your students to describe something more specific or revise vocabulary related to a particular topic: a crime scene, a holiday or a perfect outfit. Take your pick and enjoy 😉
Two of my lovely students kindly allowed me to share their work to give you an idea of how they have dealt with the tasks. One has written four short stories using the Describe me board and the other has written an informal letter telling me all about the holiday he has just returned from and using the Describe me hols board game. Thank you for allowing me to share your work.
Level: A2+
Time:
45 minutes, but it can vary depending on the number of students and of course on how talkative and engaged they are or how engaged you make them;)
Objectives:
To revise the correct order of adjectives in a sentence
To write sentences using the correct adjective word order
To write short stories, letters etc. using the correct adjective word order and the nouns provided
Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):
Before you start the game ask students to give you examples of adjectives and write them on the board. Encourage students to think of a wide variety of adjectives e.g. shape and material and not only colour and size.
Go through the basic order of adjectives with your students: Opinion, size, shape, age, colour,origin, material, and purpose. Write down a few example sentences on the board before you play the game. Also ask students to categorize the adjectives they gave you at the beginning.
Hand out Describe me board game to each team/pair or simply display it on the screen if you are using Zoom or any other online platform.
The teacher or a student throws the die twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain a noun. The nouns in the Describe me game are divided into six categories: a place, an object, a job, a piece of clothing/accessories, a situation and an animal to ensure a wide variety of adjectives used.
Now students write, individually, a sentence describing the chosen noun and using as many adjectives as possible but making sure the sentences actually make sense e.g. She bought a beautiful small white Scottish cat.
Students then read the sentences out loud and get a POINT for each correctly placed adjective. Encourage students to listen to others and award extra points if they manage to spot a mistake in a classmate’s sentence.
Next, students choose a noun from each category and write a short descriptive story. You can put the students in pairs or groups or ask them to work individually. Decide what is best for your students based on their age, level etc. Have a look at the task samples I have provided and which you can find in the materials section.
Monitor students throughout the activity, correct mistakes and feed them new adjectives.
At the end of the class ask students to share their stories with their classmates 😉 You will be surprised how creative they can get.
Alternative ideas:
Describe me Crime Scene. Students describe a crime scene after choosing six nouns from six categories: a piece of evidence, a type of weapon, a person, a place, a type of crime and a punishment.
Describe me Hols. Students could describe their last holiday, their dream holiday, plan an ideal holiday for their best friends etc. using the nouns from the following categories (all colour coded so it is easier to navigate): a type of holiday, holiday activities, a means of transport, a place, a person and a season/type of holiday.
Describe me Outfit Ideas. Students could describe an appropriate or inappropriate outfit for different occasions, using the nouns from the following categories: a piece of clothing, an occasion, a person, an accessory, a place and a time of day.
P. S. This post is dedicated to two lovely small fluffy kittens U&F 😉 and their two amazing and caring owners A&H.
These are activities for upper intermediate students to introduce and practise music idioms. Students match the idioms with the correct definitions and answer some questions.
One of my C2 students kindly allowed me to share their work to give you an idea of how they have dealt with the task. They have done exercise 3 and written some creative questions and answers which included the music idioms studied in class. You can find my student’s assignment in the materials section. Well done C;)
Teacher tip/reflection:
Something I have been thinking about lately is how we often concentrate only on praising or highlighting our students’ English skills, often forgetting that they are not only acquiring language abilities in our classes but other valuable lessons that could later become useful or even invaluable in their everyday lives.
One of my teenage students is quite shy and, to start with, she found it hard to express herself and simply take risks in class unless she was absolutely sure her answers were correct. Having worked with her and encouraged her for over a year and a half I have noticed how she has grown into a more confident person, asking questions, taking initiative, actively engaging, speaking up and even occasionally politely correcting me if I happened to make a mistake or forget something. I can not tell you how much of a joy it is to see a student, who has been taught to treat teachers as omnipotent and all-knowing, never to be challenged or questioned, come into her own. She has become confident enough to create a dialogue with the teacher, take me off the pedestal and enter a teaching/ learning process that will ultimately benefit us both. As teachers, we have to make sure we create a comfortable, respectful and accepting atmosphere for our students to learn, an atmosphere that feels SAFE, a place where they can disagree with us, express themselves freely without being judged and focus on the PROCESS of learning rather than rushing to the predictable outcome.
Apart from learning grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation etc. I want my students to become confident, believe in themselves, and know they have the RIGHT to ask questions and look for answers. We are all continuously learning, regardless of our age and position, and no one EVER should be made inferior, or even worse, STUPID for simply asking a question.
Level: C1
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To introduce music idioms and expressions.
To match the expressions with their definitions.
To practise the new expressions whilst answering questions.
Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):
Put students in pairs and ask them to briefly discuss the following questions: Why do we listen to music? How much time do you spend listening to music each day? Is there a song that makes you emotional? How important is music in your life? What are the advantages of listening to music? If music were removed from the world, how would you feel?
Hand students Do Re Mi Fa Sol Worksheet.
Individually, students try to match the underlined expressions with their definitions and then compare their answers with their partner.
Check the answers as a class.
Go to exercise 2 and from memory ask students to correct the mistakes in bold. You could turn it into a mini competition and maybe even time the students 😉
Now students answer questions 1 to 12 in pairs. Encourage them to ask their classmates additional questions to obtain more details.
If you have had no time to discuss all questions in class, ask students to answer a couple of them in writing at home.
Last but not least. Go to exercise 3 if you have time or/ and energy left 😉 This is a creative speaking/ writing activity inspired by a book called “Creativity Workout” by Edward de Bono. Students use the new words to answer the questions. It is a great mental challenge and it has always worked beautifully in all my classes and with all levels. I have provided you with some examples but of course feel free to come up with your own. Also if you enjoyed this activity don’t forget to check out my Random Words activities available on the blog.
This is an activity to introduce and practise animal idioms. Students first answer a few questions, complete the idioms with the missing animals, match them to their definitions and answer some questions using the target language.
To my mum and Nero
Teacher tip/ reflection:
I would suggest getting some images of animals for this class especially of a moth, a weasel and a herring as those three were problematic in the groups I’ve done the activity with. At the beginning you can ask students to quickly match the images to the names of the animals. It seems like a simple task, but it engages students more than a mere list of words, and we can often forget how powerful images can be. I know that I often forget 🙂 and could definitely do with using more visuals in my own classes. The images can then be used throughout the activity to give students clues as they go through the tasks. I strongly resist the urge to feed my students the answers and usually come up with a series of clues to gently 😉 GUIDE them towards the answers instead. It’s more empowering, they are more engaged, proactive and take responsibility for their own learning and it also helps them create new associations. I also often ask other students to give clues to their classmates after I’ve checked they completed the tasks correctly of course.
Here are some examples of clues I’ve given my students for the following idioms in today’s activity:
Till the cows come home:Asturiana, Pascual (two major dairy brands in Spain, where the majority of my students are from. If not, Milka should do the trick 😉
The lion’s share:A famous Broadway musical, Hakuna Matata, the king of the jungle
Black sheep: Wales is famous for them; we make hats and scarves out of their beautiful warm wool
A sitting duck: Donald, a famous story in which this animal turns into a beautiful swan
Reinforce the clues with the images if necessary and have fun;)
Level: B2
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To increase familiarity and correct use of animal idioms.
To match the idioms to their definitions.
To answer questions containing the target language in pairs.
Hand out copies of What a zoo sequel Worksheet or display it on the screen.
Tell students to, in pairs, answer questions in Exercise 1.
Next ask students to complete the idioms with the missing animals. Check if they know the meaning of moth, weasel and herring.
Check together as a class. I always ask EVERYONE to compare FIRST rather than list the right answers. At this stage people are unsure and doubtful but there is usually someone in the classroom who is able to peer correct. It makes students so much more confident when you show them they can do it without your help but you are always present to provide the support and guidance if they are at a loss.
Ask the students to match the idioms to their definitions. Students first work in pairs to encourage cooperation and show them how much they can learn from each other and that the teacher is NOT the only source of knowledge in the classroom.
Check together as a class.
When the students have finished, ask them to look at the questions in Exercise 3 and first try to complete the sentences with the missing words. The first letters have been provided to make this memory workout slightly less daunting. You can turn this task into a mini competition to add some excitement.
When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class.
Students now answer the questions in pairs or small groups using the animal idioms as often as possible.
Fast finishers:
Ask students to draw four expressions they have learnt in class in their notebooks.
This is an activity to introduce and practise winter idioms. Students first answer a few questions, complete the idioms with the missing ‘chilly’ words, match them to their definitions and answer some questions using the target language. I think this activity is quite appropriate not only because it is actually winter but also because we have recently enjoyed the biggest snowfall in decades here in Madrid. I have seen people put on their skis and snowshoes as well as sledding down the slopes all over the city. I hope your students are going to enjoy this activity as much as I am trying to enjoy the snow ;). Also don’t forget to check out my thematic fast finisher ideas at the end.
Teacher tip/reflection:
One of the things I love doing when teaching idioms is to tell my students about the origin of the idiomatic expressions we study. It is not always clear where these expressions come from and not all sources can be trusted, but it hasn’t stopped me from trying. I have found that students find it easier to memorise the expressions if there is a story to go with it and it also often gives them the opportunity to learn more about the culture that speaks the language they are studying. My favorite idiom in today’s activity is to go cold turkey. Allegedly the phrase comes from the similarities between a drug addict in withdrawal, who is cold to the touch and covered in goosebumps and looks like a refrigerated turkey. Who knows?
Level: B2+
Time: 60 minutes
Objectives:
To increase familiarity and correct use of chilly winter idioms.
To match the idioms to their definitions.
To answer questions containing the target language.
Hand out a copy of Let it snow to each student or display it on the screen.
Tell students to, in pairs, answer questions in Exercise 1.
Next ask students to complete the idioms with the missing chilly winter words.
Check together as a class but ask students to first compare their answers with their partners. Always 😉
Ask the students to match the idioms to their definitions.
Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners.
When the students have finished, ask them to look at the questions in Exercise 3 and first try to complete the sentences with the missing words. The first letters have been provided to make this memory workout slightly less daunting. You can turn this task into a mini competition to add some excitement.
When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class.
Students now answer the questions in pairs or small groups using the chilly idioms as often as possible.
Fast finisher ideas:
Ask students to write a brief weather report describing what the weather has been like recently where they live, what it is like at the moment and what it will be like for a period in the future.
Write a list of 5 things to do to get your car out of a snow drift e.g. travel with a bag of kitty litter. You can tell I have been inspired by the current weather conditions.
Come up with a dish using the following ingredients: Buckwheat, tuna, two tomatoes, mayo, half a pepper, three avocados, curry sauce, almond milk and pumpkin seeds. Make sure the food lasts for at least two days (Note: the supermarkets were closed for two days in my area and there were no deliveries so I was quite limited as far as cooking was concerned and these were the only things I had in my fridge 😉
Come up with a list of simple pleasure to savour in winter e.g. cosy blankets, hot chocolate, drinks beside the fire etc.
List as many winter sports as you can e.g. ice dancing, ice skating, Nordic walking ski bobbing etc.
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:
To introduce colour idioms.
To complete the idioms with the missing colours.
To complete the sentences with the missing idioms.
To practise the new expressions whilst asking and answering questions.
Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):
Put students in pairs and ask them to briefly discuss questions in Exercise 1.
Hand students Somewhere over the rainbow Part 2 Worksheet or display it on the screen for everyone to see.
Individually, students first try to complete the idioms with the missing colours (Exercise 2).
When the students have finished, they compare their answers with a partner.
Check the answers and elicit meaning. Clarify the expressions that are new or not quite clear.
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.
Check the answers as a class.
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 😉
Now students answer questions 1 to 12 in pairs. Encourage them to ask their classmates additional questions to obtain more details.
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.
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 🙂
Karola' s English Blog 