TEACHER’S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Jon’s Story

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, writing, In this rewarding worksheet activity, students read a short story
listening and speaking and then write advice for the people in the story.
activity
Procedure
Language Focus Give each student a copy of the worksheet.
Giving advice Read the story together as a class.

Afterwards, ask the class to think about what advice they would
Aim give to each person in the story on what to do next?
To write advice for people
in a story. The students then write two pieces of advice for each person using
'should', 'shouldn't', 'ought to' or 'had better'.

Preparation When the students have finished writing, divide them into groups
of four.
Make one copy of the
worksheet for each
The students take it in turns to read their advice to the group.
student.
The group members discuss the advice and try to come up with
one piece of sound advice for each person.
Level
Pre-intermediate Afterwards, have a class discussion based upon the dilemma in
the story and ask the groups to report back to the class on the
advice they came up with.
Time
25 minutes

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 ASKING FOR AND GIVING ADVICE

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Jon’s Story

A. Read the story.

One evening, Jon was sitting at home watching TV when the phone rang. It was his girlfriend

Kate. Kate asked Jon if he would like to go out this evening. Jon had had a hard day at work

and was feeling tired, so he declined Kate's offer and told her he was going to bed. Kate wished

him sweet dreams and hung up the phone.

Twenty minutes later Jon's ex-girlfriend Anna called him. Anna was in town on business and

would be leaving the next day. She asked Jon if they could meet this evening. Jon and Anna

hadn't seen each other since they split up two years ago. They agreed to meet at a local

restaurant for dinner to catch up. Anna and Jon met at the restaurant and they sat down for a

meal together. They were half-way through their meal when in walked Kate with her friends.

Kate was shocked to see her boyfriend having dinner with his ex-girlfriend! She walked over to

Jon’s table…

What would you advise each person in the story to do next?

B. Write two pieces of advice for each person using 'should', 'shouldn't', 'ought to' or
'had better'.

Jon
__________________________________________________________________________

Jon
__________________________________________________________________________

Kate
__________________________________________________________________________

Kate
__________________________________________________________________________

Anna
__________________________________________________________________________

Anna
__________________________________________________________________________

C. In groups of four, take it in turns to read your advice to the group. Discuss the
advice and try to come up with one piece of sound advice for each person in the story.

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