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Intermediate English Lessons

Click on the lesson your students are studying.

1 - Greetings	9 - Sports
2 - School	10 - Shopping
3 - People	11 - Transportation
4 - Work	12 - Health
5 - Family	13 - City
6 - House	14 - Animals
7 - Food	15 - Weather
8 - Clothes	16 - Future

 

Greetings - Lesson 1

Vocabulary

Language Focus - nationalities

Classroom activities - (1) Go over the nationalities of the people in your class. (2) Students name a thing or person and the others guess the nationality. (eg. Corona beer - Mexican)

Grammar

Language Focus - to be/present tense review

Classroom activities - none

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - An elderly man discusses his travels.

Classroom activities - (1) Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out. (2) Class discussion (or discuss in pairs) - If you had a month of free airfare, where would you go and what would you do.

Reading

Language Focus - The elderly man's itinerary and a postcard from one of the destinations.

Classroom activities - Do the activity from the "More Practice" section - Imagine that you are Phil Andrews and you are at one of the destinations listed on the itinerary (not Mexico). Write a letter to the reporter who interviewed you (in the "Dialogue" section) telling her what you are doing.

Spelling

Language Focus - plural spelling

Classroom activities - Have students think of three more words (not from the lesson) that follow each of the spelling rules (-s, -es, ies, -ves, irregulars).

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - nationalities

Classroom activities - none

 

School - Lesson 2

Vocabulary

Language Focus - miscellaneous

Classroom activities - (1) Password - The students have to describe one of the words in the list (without saying the vocabulary word, of course). The other students guess what the word is. (2) For homework have students write ten sentences using any of the vocabulary words from the list (different from any sentences in which the words were used on the Vocabulary page).

Grammar

Language Focus - Possessive pronouns

Classroom activities - Have students write one sentence with each possessive pronoun.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Two students discuss a magnet school.

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Reading about magnet schools

Classroom activities - Students discuss (or write about) the advantages and disadvantages of the kind of magnet school described in the second paragraph of the reading.

Spelling

Language Focus - Irregular Plurals

Classroom activities - Read the words to the students in the singular form in a random order. Have them write the words on their paper in the singular and then plural form.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - possessive pronouns

Classroom activities - none

 

People - Lesson 3

Vocabulary

Language Focus - vocabulary for describing people

Classroom activities - (1) Have students write descriptions of the people in the "More Practice" activity. (2) Students write a description of an unidentified student in the classroom. The students take turns reading their description and guessing who it is. (I first tell them that certain words are off-limits such as "fat" and "lazy.")

Grammar

Language Focus - adverbs of frequency

Classroom activities - (1) Have students use questions from first practice exercise on the Grammar page to interview a classmate (activity described in the "More Practice" section). (2) Have students select a topic (food, movies, family, etc.) and make survey of questions with how often (eg. How often do you eat pizza?). Then have them use their survey questions to interview their classmates and present survey results to the class.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - A man describes a robber to the police.

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Wanted poster

Classroom activities - Have students make a wanted poster for an imaginary criminal (activity described in the "More Practice" section on the Reading page).

Spelling

Language Focus - I before E except after C

Classroom activities - Draw three columns on the board with headings "ie", "ei (before c)", "ei with long a sound", and "irregulars." Have students think of more "ie" or "ei" words. Put them in the column of the rule they follow.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Identify the criminal

Classroom activities - none

 

Work - Lesson 4

Vocabulary

Language Focus - miscellaneous vocabulary from lesson

Classroom activities - Have students pick ten words and write sentences using them.

Grammar

Language Focus - indefinites

Classroom activities - Have students change the following sentences to negative and a question (possible answers in red).

There is something on the table.
There isn't anything on the table. OR There is nothing on the table.
Is there anything on the table? OR Is there something on the table?

They know someone who works there.
They don't know anyone who works there. OR They know no one who works there.
Do they know anyone who works there? OR Do they know someone who works there?

He's going somewhere on vacation.
He isn't going anywhere on vacation. OR He's going nowhere on vacation.
Is he going anywhere on vacation? OR Is he going somewhere on vacation?

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - A man has a terrible job interview.

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Interviewing Advice

Classroom activities - Students write a thank you note for an imaginary interview (activity described in More Practice section in lesson)

Spelling

Language Focus - Words spelled with -ough

Classroom activities - Have a spelling bee with the words from the lesson.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - crossword with clues which use indefinite words

Classroom activities - none

 

Family - Lesson 5

Vocabulary

Language Focus - miscellaneous vocabulary from lesson

Classroom activities - Have students pick ten words and write sentences using them.

Grammar

Language Focus - Past Tense

Classroom activities - Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list. Then have them change the sentences to negative and a question.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - vacation pictures

Classroom activities - (1) Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out. (2) In small groups have students talk about a vacation that they took. Name at least five things (in the past tense) that you did on your vacation. (3) Have students bring in their own vacation pictures and talk about them.

Reading

Language Focus - a postcard from the vacation from the dialogue

Classroom activities - Imagine you are on a vacation (anywhere in the world). Write a postcard to your family or friends telling them what you did on your vacation (activity in the More Practice section on the Reading page).

Spelling

Language Focus - Words with silent letters

Classroom activities - Have a spelling bee with words with silent letters (You could also add words from previous spelling lessons to the spelling bee.).

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Match the fronts and backs of postcards

Classroom activities - none

 

House - Lesson 6

Vocabulary

Language Focus - Housing ad vocabulary and abbreviations, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - both/either/neither

Classroom activities - Have students write sentences using "both," "either," and "neither."

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Calling landlord for info.

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Read housing ads

Classroom activities - Have the students write a housing ad using some of the abbreviations from the vocabulary lesson

Spelling

Language Focus - two/to/too

Classroom activities - Write sentences with each word.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Match the house with the house ad

Classroom activities - None

 

Food - Lesson 7

Vocabulary

Language Focus - food vocabulary, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - (1) Stop - Have students make a piece of paper with four columns. At the top of the first column they will write the heading "Food," at the top of the second "House," at the top of the third "Job," at the top of the fourth, "Place." The teacher will call out a letter. The students need to quickly write down a food word that starts with the letter the teacher said, something you find in the house with that letter, a job which starts with that letter, and the name of a place (city, state, etc.) that starts with that letter. When one student finishes all columns, they yell out "Stop." (2) Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - Count/Non-Count expressions

Classroom activities - Bring in a bag full of groceries and have students describe what you have. ("There are a lot of apples.", "There are a few onions.", etc.)

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - A married couple goes over their grocery list

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - The Food Pyramid - USDA recommendations for a healthy diet

Classroom activities - (1) Discuss what foods would be in each category. (2) Discuss whether or not the students' diets meet these guidelines.

Spelling

Language Focus - Homophones

Classroom activities - Write sentences with each word.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Determine which foods belong in which section of the pyramid.

Classroom activities - none

 

Clothes - Lesson 8

Vocabulary

Language Focus - Accessories, Materials, Review of Clothes vocabulary, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - (1) Have students write a description of one student's clothing (Tell them not to name the student). The other students guess who is being described. (2) For homework, have students cut a picture out of a fashion magazine and write a description of their clothes. (3) Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - very vs. too

Classroom activities - none

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Shopping dialogue

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Shopping Advice

Classroom activities - (1) Have students write their own shopping advice. They could write about how to save money when shopping, where to find the best clothes, furniture, etc., or any other topic relating to shopping. (2) Have students write or discuss about the last time they went shopping. What stores did they go to? Who did they go shopping with? What did they buy?

Spelling
Language Focus - Prefixes

Classroom activities - Have students think of more words that begin with the prefixes.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Scrambled clothes vocabulary

Classroom activities - none

 

Sports - Lesson 9

Vocabulary

Language Focus - sports equipment, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - (1) Pictionary - Have students select a sport and draw equipment from that sport on the board. The other students guess what the sport is. (2) Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - adverbs, can

Classroom activities - Adverb Interview - Have students use the following questions as an interview in pairs. The student answering the question should use an adverb to answer the question.

Adverb Interview
1) How do you drive? (e.g. dangerously, fast, slowly, carefully, etc)
2) How do you cook?
3) How do you sing?
4) How do you dance?
5) How do you sew?

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Two women discuss their husbands' sports equipment

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Article with advice on starting an exercise routine

Classroom activities - Have students discuss (or write about) what they do for exercise or what they would like to do.

Spelling

Language Focus - Suffixes

Classroom activities - Have students think of more words that end with the suffixes.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Sports equipment concentration

Classroom activities - none

 

Shopping - Lesson 10

Vocabulary

Language Focus - big numbers, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - (1) Have students bring in sale ads from the newspaper and discuss in small groups the prices of the items in the ads. Are they good prices for those items? If not, what would be a more appropriate price? (2) Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - present perfect

Classroom activities - What were your goals for the future when you were younger? Which things have you already done? What things haven't you done yet? Make sentences. (e.g.. I've already gotten married. I haven't had children yet. etc.)

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Bargaining dialogue

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Bargaining

Classroom activities - Have students discuss if people bargain over prices in their country. How is bargaining different in your country?

Spelling

Language Focus - Word roots

Classroom activities - Have students think of more words with the word roots.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Listen for prices

Classroom activities - none

 

Transportation - Lesson 11

Vocabulary

Language Focus - car parts, irregular verbs

Classroom activities - (1) In small groups have students describe a car part. The other students in the group guess which part is being described. (2) Have students write one past tense sentence with each of the irregular past tense verbs in the list.

Grammar

Language Focus - Past Progressive

Classroom activities - Past Progressive Interview - Have make past progressive questions like the following example and discuss them in pairs?

What were you doing (day) at (time)?

eg. What were you doing Sunday at 3:00 PM?
I was washing my car.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Police discuss witness accounts of an accident

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Newspaper report about car accident

Classroom activities - Bring in small toy cars. Students draw an intersection on a piece of paper. They use the cars to act out a car accident. The other students describe the accident that was acted out as if they were witnesses.

Spelling

Language Focus - The letters "ph" in English

Classroom activities - See if the students can think of any more "ph" words.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Student read descriptions of an accident and decide which is correct.

Classroom activities - none

 

Health - Lesson 12

Vocabulary

Language Focus - More body parts vocabulary

Classroom activities - Have students describe a body part. The other students guess what part is being described.

Grammar

Language Focus - Reflexives

Classroom activities - Write out different subjects on index cards (I, You, He, They, Mr. Jones, Susan, etc.) and the verbs "burn", "cut", and "hurt" on other cards. In small groups students put a subject card and then a verb card. They need to make a reflexive sentence (eg. "He cut himself.")

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - A couple discusses recent accidents.

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Home Safety Tips

Classroom activities - Have students discuss what they do in their home to keep it safe.

Spelling

Language Focus - The Silent "e"

Classroom activities - Have students think of more words that end with a silent "e".

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Match safety signs with descriptions

Classroom activities - Have students draw a safety sign. The other students guess what the sign means.

 

City - Lesson 13

Vocabulary

Language Focus - Adjectives to describe a city

Classroom activities - Have students use the adjectives to describe their hometown.

Grammar

Language Focus - comparatives

Classroom activities - Write pairs of words on the board (eg. Elephant/Mouse, Doctor/Lawyer, Banana/Orange). Make comparative sentences comparing the two (eg. An elephant is bigger than a mouse.).

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Comparison of Los Angeles and San Diego

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Reading from A Tale of Two Cities

Classroom activities - Have students compare two cities from their country

Spelling

Language Focus - Words spelled with two vowels together

Classroom activities - Have students think of more words spelled with two vowels together.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Students read descriptions of cities and guess the city.

Classroom activities - Have each student write a description of a major world city. They read their description to the class and the other students guess what city is being described.

 

Animals - Lesson 14

Vocabulary

Language Focus - adjectives for describing animals, animal parts

Classroom activities - Have students write a description of an animal (without mentioning the name of the animal). Have students read their description and the other students guess what the animal is.

Grammar

Language Focus - superlatives

Classroom activities - Write superlative discussion questions on the board.

Sample superlative discussion questions
1. What's the best restaurant in town? Why do you like it?
2. What is the most interesting movie you've ever seen? What's it about?
3. Who is the nicest person you know? Why are they nice? (What do they do?)
4. Who is the most beautiful woman in the world? What does that person do (eg. actress, model, etc.)?

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Animal Quiz

Classroom activities - (1) Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out. (2) Have student write their own superlative quiz about another topic. (eg. What's the longest river in the world?)

Reading

Language Focus - Buying a Pet

Classroom activities - Have students discuss (or write about) what they think is the best pet and why.

Spelling

Language Focus - The consonant-vowel-consonant rule

Classroom activities - Have students think of more examples of verbs in which the final consonant would be doubled before adding an ending.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Animal Quiz

Classroom activities - Have students think of more animal questions.

 

Weather - Lesson 15

Vocabulary

Language Focus - weather vocabulary, compass directions

Classroom activities - Have students work in small groups to draw a weather map on a poster board or a transparency for the overhead projector. The groups of students take turns showing their weather map and giving their imaginary forecast.

Grammar

Language Focus - might

Classroom activities - Have students make speculations of what life might be like in the future or what might happen to individual students (or the teacher!) in the future.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - weather forecast

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Read the weather page from a newspaper

Classroom activities - Have students bring in the real weather page from the local newspaper and tell what the weather will be like in the area.

Spelling

Language Focus - Double consonants

Classroom activities - Have the students dictate the words to each other in pairs.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Listen to weather forecasts and match with maps

Classroom activities - none

 

Future - Lesson 16

Vocabulary

Language Focus - computer and technology vocabulary

Classroom activities - Have students take turns describing one of the computer and technology words. The other students guess what the word being described is.

Grammar

Language Focus - the conditional, making speculations

Classroom activities - (1) Conditional interview - Make interview questions in the condition and have students discuss them in pairs. (ej. If you could be any animal, what animal would you like to be? Why? What would you do if you were invisible?) (2) Bring in pictures cut out of magazines. The students work in groups to make speculations about the picture or the people in the picture.

Listening/Dialogue

Language Focus - Discussion of future technology

Classroom activities - Have students read the dialogue in pairs and/or act it out.

Reading

Language Focus - Nanotechnology

Classroom activities - (1) Have students research nanotechnology in the Internet. (2) Have students discuss their opinions about nanotechnology. What benefits could it have? What dangers are there to this kind of technology?

Spelling

Language Focus - Commonly misspelled words

Classroom activities - Spelling Bee - Do a spelling bee with words from all of the Spelling lessons in Intermediate level.

Dictation

Language Focus - spelling

Classroom activities - Have students write any words they misspelled in the dictation in their notebook five times to practice spelling it.

Game

Language Focus - Making speculations

Classroom activities - none