Language for ...
dating and friendship
Teacher’s Notes
Age: Young adult / Adult exercise 3a). Start the lesson by dividing students
Level: Upper-intermediate into groups to brainstorm ideas for the warmer
Length: 45–60 minutes question: What different ways are there to meet
Language Focus: key vocabulary for new people? Have each group report back to the
describing people and relationships rest of the class and put together a whole class list.
Skills: speaking, reading, listening Which of these ways do students think is best?
Materials: one copy of the worksheet Encourage students to explain their choices and
per student , video (on onestopenglish or talk about their own experiences.
downloaded in advance of the lesson)
3 Explain to students that they are now going to
Aims: to provide students with language
watch a video in which four different people (Sam,
for describing friends and relationships
Maitrayee, Patrick and Erica) talk about their
partner or best friend, and how they first met them.
What are red words? Ask students to listen out for the various ways to
Ninety per cent of the time, speakers of English use meet people that the speakers mention and make
just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words a note of any ways they hadn’t already thought of
appear in the Macmillan Dictionary in red and are (NB: they will have to listen carefully to Maitrayee,
graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, as she speaks quite quickly and with a strong
two-star words are more frequent and three-star accent). Play the video and check answers as a class.
words are the most frequent. ‘Language for’ lessons
4 Explain that you’re going to play the video again
are based on red words and encourage students to
but this time students will have to listen carefully
improve their English through communicative tasks
so that they can identify the correct speakers of
using collocation and commonly used phrases.
the questions in exercise 2b. Give students a few
seconds to read through the questions before
1 As preparation for the lesson, ask students to playing the video a second time. Then ask them
think of a close friend or their partner (if they to complete the exercise and then check answers
have one) and write a few short sentences with a partner.
to describe them. Tell them to think about
describing their personality (e.g. adjectives such 5 Ask students to read the questions in exercise 2c
as funny, friendly, generous, kind) as well as their and circle the answers they think are correct. Play
appearance, and the reasons why they like them. the video a final time. Do they now want to change
any of their answers? Check the answers as a class.
Teaching tip: Students could be invited to
6 Split students into small groups to briefly discuss
share their work on a class blog/website. Ask them
the question in exercise 2d and have some groups
to submit a photo so that as a class they create a
report their answers to the class, including their
‘gallery’ of their friends and related descriptions
own opinions about dating / internet dating.
which can later form a resource for the lesson.
7 Divide the students into pairs for exercise 3a,
2 Give a copy of the worksheet to each student giving one the Student A material and the other
(please see step 7, for a note on pairwork the Student B material (either cut up this exercise
Language for … dating and friendship 1
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Language for ...
dating and friendship
Teacher’s Notes
in advance of the class, or ask students to fold 11 If time permits, set up a speed-friending activity
the worksheet in half so they can only see their in class. Give students three minutes to talk to
half of the profiles – A or B). Tell them to read the each other before moving on to the next person.
two profiles and then ask each other questions Remind them to briefly describe themselves and
to complete the missing information (you may talk about their interests. Based only on what they
want to explain pet hates = things you dislike very discovered in the three minutes, who would they
much). Check answers. Then ask students to look like to meet again?
at the profiles again and briefly discuss in their
pairs whether they think the two people might KEY:
get on with each other. Invite some of the pairs
1a students’ own answers
to share their conclusions and give reasons why
or why not – what do/don’t these people have in 2a students’ own answers
common? (See key for suggested answers.)
2b
8 Exercise 3c highlights some words and 1. Sam
expressions commonly used when talking about 2. Sam
someone you have recently met or made friends 3. Patrick, Sam, Erica
with. Start the exercise by inviting four confident 4. Maitrayee
students to read the two dialogues to the rest 5. Patrick
of the class. You may wish to point out that, in 6. Maitrayee
spoken scenarios like these, guy is very often used
2c
in place of man and the expression get talking
1. strong
means to start a conversation with someone
2. complement
you didn’t know previously. Then ask students
3. goals
to complete the exercise in pairs. Tell them not
4. out
to use a dictionary straight away but to first
5. comfort
complete any matches they think they know and
6. caring
to look at the surrounding context to help them
7. company
complete the rest. Check the answers as a class.
2d Suggested answers:
9 Tell students to find a partner and spend a
Pros:
Dating apps are often quick, easy to
couple of minutes noting down ideas for exercise
use, can be used anywhere with an internet
4. Remind them that for help they can look at
connection and give a lot of choice
the conversation texts and vocabulary from
Cons:
There is a security risk when
earlier exercise material, as well as their lesson
meeting strangers, they can take up a lot
preparation.
of time, the need to promote yourself
10 For exercise 5, ask students if they know what means you have to be quite confident
is meant by speed dating and speed friending (a
version of speed dating for making friends rather
than romantic relationships).
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Language for ...
dating and friendship
Teacher’s Notes
3a
1. a night in front of the TV
2. dog hairs
3. (lots of) meat
4. go to the gym
5. Star Wars movies
6. tidy kitchens
7. ice-cream in unusual flavours
8. taking my dog for a run
3b Suggested answers:
Yes.
They both love taking exercise. They
both enjoy eating meat and sweet things.
Neither of them is tidy in the kitchen or
care too much about their appearance.
No.
They may not like watching the same
things on TV. One of them has a dog and
the other one doesn’t like dog hairs.
3c
1. have (a lot) in common
2. hit it off
3. get to know
4. get on with
5. get on like a house on fire
6. flirt
7. enjoy (each other’s) company
8. click
9. on the same wavelength
10. ask (you) out
4 students’ own answers
5 s peed dating / friending = an organised event
in which people looking for a partner/friends
divide into pairs and have short conversations
with each other. They then decide which of
these people they would like to meet again.
Language for … dating and friendship 3
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