HMPH

Type of activity: An activity which helps students to develop intonation patterns in English
Level: Intermediate and above
Teacher's notes:
1. Write one word on the board: really and then ask them if they can make this have
many different meanings by saying it in different ways. ell them that they cannot add
words to it! they simply have to say this. "emonstrate# if they are unsure what you
mean. $or e%ample it can show sarcasm# surprise# intolerance etc. Ask the students to
do this in pairs.
&. 'o over the ways that they decided on and ask them to say the word using the correct
intonation.
(. hen put them into groups. ell them that they are going to use intonation to e%press a
scenario! however# they are not going to be able to use words# only one sound or word.
$or e%ample the sound )*+) or the word banana. ,y using intonation they are going
to indicate what is happening in the scenario.
-. )and out the scenarios to each group. "emonstrate what you mean and then tell them
to rehearse the scenarios using intonation and the one word or sound that they have
decided on.
.. /nce they are ready# ask them to act out the scenarios to the whole group.
0. he whole group should then shout out what is going on in each scenario.
SCENARIOS:
wo people are sat on a park bench watching people go by. As the people go by they comment
on what the people look like# whether they are good looking or not or whether they look nasty
etc.
A woman takes her boyfriend home to meet the family 1*um# "ad# ,rother and 2ister3. he
boyfriend is very nervous. he *um loves the boyfriend but the "ad is very weary of him.
hey all watch 4. 5obody looks comfortable until the ,rother puts on a football game and
then everyone focuses on that and they become more comfortable with each other.
$our people get stuck in an elevator. /ne person tries to calm everyone down and one person
begins to panic. he other two people try to calm themselves down. Eventually the elevator
moves again and everyone is relieved.
wo people are waiting to take their driving tests. ,oth are nervous and try to comfort each
other. hey are very scared and keep watching to see who the test instructor will be. ,oth
have their tests and come back to the room! one has failed and one has passed.
wo friends meet after a very long time in the street. hey catch up on their news. /ne person
has gained weight and is not very happy with his6her appearance the other looks very good
and has slimmed down and got engaged. he other has not met anyone in fact he6she has
split up from her6his husband6wife.
wo people are getting ready to go to a very important party. hey cannot decide what to
wear and keep asking each other how they look.
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