This is a simple mingling activity that can be used with low level groups to provide practice in the past simple, particularly the question form. The lesson is designed for adults but could also be used with teenagers.

Author
Katherine Bilsborough

Activity: information gap
Activity type: mingling, asking and answering questions.
Level: Up to B1.
Age: Adults or Senior YLs

Preparation
Write this on the board:

HARRY’S HOLIDAY

He went to…

He went by…

The weather was…

Elicit simple ideas about Harry’s holiday

Explain to the students that you know the missing information for these unfinished sentences. Elicit the questions needed to find out the missing information. As students come up with the questions, answer them and write both the questions and the answers on the board.

Where did Harry go? (He went to Benidorm)

How did he go? (He went by plane)

What was the weather like? (It was sunny)

Procedure
Give each student a copy of ‘A’. Cut ‘B’ into strips with individual sentences and hand them out. If you have less than 18 students, give more than one to each. If you have more than 18, divide the students into groups of 9 and give them two strips each.

Explain to the students that they are going to ask questions to find out all the missing information about Terry’s Trip ( ‘A’). They should begin by filling in the information they already have on their strip(s) of paper. Then students mingle and find out all the missing information.

If necessary, elicit all the questions that the students will need to complete the activity.

Where did Terry go?

How did he go?

Where did he stay?

What did he eat?

What did he drink?

What did he take?

What did he send?

What did he buy?

Where/What did he visit?

What did he see?

What was the weather like?

What were the people like?

What time did he get up?

What time did he go to bed?

What did he have?

Who did he speak to?

Who did he meet?

What did he decide?


Extension
Write on the board:

PARIS – NEW YORK – TOKYO

Tell the students to choose one of these places. Then write:

2005 – 2007 - 2009

Tell the students to choose one of these years. Then write:

BY PLANE – BY SHIP –BY BIKE

Tell the students to choose one of these forms of transport. Then write:

IN A HOTEL – AT A CAMPSITE – WITH A FRIEND

Tell the students to choose one of these places to stay.

Tell the students to imagine that they went to their chosen place, in their chosen year by their chosen form of transport and stayed in their chosen type of accommodation. Then by mingling and asking questions (questions?) the students have to try and find another person in the class that went to the same place, in the same year, by the same means of transport and stayed in the same type of accommodation.

Download the worksheet below

Make one copy of photocopiable A per student, and one strip of Photocopiable B per 18 ss. (2 strips for 9, 3 strips for 6)

Terry’s trip (Photocopiable A)

1 He went to ……………..

2 He went by ……………….

3 He stayed in ……………..

4 He ate ……………..

5 He drank ……………..

6 He took ……………..

7 He sent ……………..

8 He bought ……………..

9 He visited ……………..

10 He saw ……………..

11 The weather was ……………..

12 The people were ……………..

13 He got up ……………..

14 He went to bed ……………..

15 He had ……………..

16 He spoke to ……………..

17 He met……………..

18 He decided ……………..


Terry’s trip (photocopiable B)

He went to Paris.

He went by plane.

He stayed in a five-star hotel.

He ate French fries and croissants.

He drank black coffee.

He took lots of photographs.

He sent postcards to his friends.

He bought an Eiffel Tower keyring.

He visited art galleries and museums.

He saw the Mona Lisa.

The weather was warm and sunny.

The people were friendly.

He got up very early.

He went to bed very late.

He had a fantastic time.

He spoke to lots of French people.

He met an old friend from home.

He decided to return to Paris one day.

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Comments

Thanks for your comment - here is an article with some activities to revise defining relative clauses with students in a meaningful way: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/revising-defining-relative-clauses Here's another link which you might find useful to a blog looking at teaching relative clauses to a 11th graders: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/eva-b%C3%BCy%C3%BCksimke%C5%9Fyan/games-vs-handouts I hope these help, Cath

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