IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Strategies 1

‘I can backtrack and restructure around a difficulty so smoothly the interlocutor is hardly aware of it’

Getting Your Foot Out Of It

Aim: Learners practise altering the path of what they are saying and/or rephrasing their opinions if
they sense that their listener has a different opinion.

Topic: Making a good impression

Time: 45 mins

Concept: Learners are only human, so they are bound to put their foot in it sometimes. In this role play
activity learners act out pressure situations with a difficult conversational partner whom they
must not upset. They will look at a number of useful phrases for backtracking or changing
their opinion which can then be incorporated into further role plays.

Suggested Procedure:

1 Ask learners to think of situations in which it is vital to make a good impression, for example, meeting
your girl/boyfriend’s family or your first day at work. Write up the learners’ ideas on the board.

2 If you think your class might not be familiar with any of the terms on the role play cards (a Tory / the
Labour party / Indian food / a strict vegan), spend some time discussing these concepts.

3 Explain that the learners are going to practise making a good impression. In the first role play, one
learner will meet their new girl/boyfriend’s parent. Give learners time to read their role play card but
make sure they keep it a secret as they must not be prepared for the other person’s views. The
girl/boyfriend has five minutes to bring up all of the topics on the card. Make sure it is clear that the
girl/boyfriend is eager to try and find as much in common with the parent as possible and agree
whenever they can. The parent, on the other hand, is tired and is not about to change her/his opinion.
NB: Sometimes the parent will agree. The idea is to keep the learners on their toes so they don’t know
when they are going to have to backtrack. You might decide to warn the learners of this beforehand.

4 For role play two make sure that the learner who had the upper-hand before now takes the eager-to-
please role. Allow learners preparation time as above before acting out situation two.

5 Get some feedback from learners on how they fared in the conversations and what they did when
they realised that person in the position of power didn’t agree with them. Write any useful phrases that
learners come up with on the board.

6 Give out the worksheet of useful phrases. They have to write the words in the correct order for each
phrase (the first and last word of each phrase is in the correct place). Feedback on the answers with the
class.

7 Ask pairs to discuss when they might have used the phrases in the role plays they have done.

8 Now it is the learners’ turn to create a role play. Ask pairs to choose a situation from the class ideas
written on the board in stage one and to complete cards for the two roles.

9 Pairs can then swap cards and role play the new situations, using the phrases studied to help them
out of any difficult spots.

Variation: Groups of three can use the same situations but have two parents or interviewers.

Extension: Have the learners repeat role plays one and two with a different partner after they
have completed the useful phrases worksheet.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2
Strategies 1
‘I can backtrack and restructure around a difficulty so smoothly the interlocutor is hardly aware of it’
Role play 1
You are about to meet your girl/boyfriend’s
parent for the first time. Your
girl/boyfriend’s brother has helpfully
suggested some topics to keep the
conversation going:
 The masters degree you finished last
year
 A football match you saw last night
 The good news that Labour won the
election
 Your new job as an accountant
 Some shoes you bought recently
 An excellent new Indian restaurant
Role play 2
You are being interviewed for the job of
personal assistant. Your potential boss
wants to know a little about you as a
person and has asked you to tell her/him
about some things that give an idea of
your character. Mention the following:
 You read at least one book a week
 The only exercise you do is run for
the bus
 Your favourite restaurant is
McDonalds
 Your wedding was the best day of
your life
 You have three dogs and a cat
 Summer is your favourite season
© International House World Organisation
You are about to meet your
daughter/son’s girl/boyfriend for the first
time. You have had a long day so you let
them make the conversation. Respond to
the topics they bring up considering the
following:
 You think everyone should go to
university
 You hate football with a passion
 You are a lifelong Tory
 You can’t stand maths
 Your favourite hobby is shoe
shopping
 You think Indian food all tastes the
same
You are interviewing a candidate for a job
as your personal assistant. You want to
make sure their interests tally with yours,
so you have asked them to tell you some
things that are important to them.
Respond to the topics they bring up
considering:
 You studied English literature at
university
 You go to the gym every day
 You are a strict vegan
 You don’t believe in marriage
 You adore animals
 You can’t stand the heat
C2 Activity Pack
IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Strategies 1

‘I can backtrack and restructure around a difficulty so smoothly the interlocutor is hardly aware of it’

Conceding a point Backtracking

That’s take an on interesting it. I mean you didn’t the impression give to that…

I side see can also of that it. When don’t say…I I mean…

I that considered really hadn’t before. I mean that by suppose what I really is…

Well I’d angle to have it from looking at that agree. Perhaps that I put badly. What meant I was…

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Strategies 1

‘I can backtrack and restructure around a difficulty so smoothly the interlocutor is hardly aware of it’

Useful phrases:

Conceding a point Backtracking

That’s an interesting take on it. I didn’t mean to give you the impression that…

I can also see that side of it. When I say…I don’t mean…

I hadn’t really considered that before. What I really mean by that is…

Well looking at it from that angle I’d have to agree. Perhaps I put that badly. What I meant was…

Role play cards:

You are… You are…

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© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack