Pre-intermediate

Planning and going on holiday

Talking about travel plans

Lead-in

1 Look at the quotes below from famous people? What do they mean? Do you agree with them?
Discuss with a partner.

1 The world is a book, and people who 3 To travel is to discover that everyone is
do not travel read only one page. wrong about other countries.

St Augustine Aldous Huxley

2 Paris is always a good idea. 4 The traveller sees what he sees. The
tourist sees what he has come to see.
Audrey Hepburn
GK Chesterton

Input

1 Jenny is travelling with her friend Karim. Read her email to her mother back in England.
1 Where is Jenny now and where is she going to visit after that?
2 How does her mother feel about her travelling?

Hi Mum!
We’ve just arrived in New Zealand after
a thirteen-hour flight! You know we don’t
have a fixed plan, but we’ve decided to
catch the train tomorrow to Hamilton.
We hope to spend three nights there
because there’s a music festival. After that
I would like to fly to Bangkok, but Karim
hopes we’ll spend more time here hiking
where they filmed Lord of the Rings. We’ll
see! If we go to Bangkok, Karim plans to
hitchhike north to Chiang Mai and trek
in the jungle with an organised tour, so
I might go too. After that we’ll definitely
need to relax, so we’re probably going
to get an overnight bus to Phan Thiet,
a beach resort in Vietnam. I’ll email you
again when I can find somewhere with wifi!
Love, Jenny x
Hi Jenny
Lovely to hear you’re safe. It sounds so
exciting! Where are you staying at night? How
is Karim going to organise the trek? Will he
have difficulties with the Thai language? Do you
really think he should hitchhike?! If you don’t go
with him to Chiang Mai, what else will you do?
Where do you think you’ll travel after Vietnam?
Are you planning to learn any Vietnamese? Do
you want me to send you money? And when
are you planning to come home?!?!  Sorry,
you know mothers always worry!
Love mum x
PS What amazing presents and stories are you
going to bring me?!

© British Council ARS_A2_06_P031CEU_HO_v1.0

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 Pre-intermediate
Planning and going on holiday
Talking about travel plans

Language focus

1 What forms of travel are mentioned? Add them to this mind map.

Sea

Transport

Land

Air

2 What other forms of travel can you add?

3 What is the difference between these pairs of sentences? Is it always a big difference?
1 I might go with him. I will go with him.
2 I’ll email you. I’m going to email you.
3 We’re going to get a bus. We hope to get a bus.
4 Karim plans to hitchhike north. Karim is going to hitchhike north.
5 We’ll definitely need to relax. We’ll probably need to relax.
3 How do we make the sentences above negative?
4 Here are the questions Jenny’s mother asks. Put them in the correct order.
1 at are staying Where night? you
2 organise How trek Karim going to is the?
3 language? he the have Will with Thai difficulties
4 Do think really he you hitchhike? should
5 to If don’t with go him you Chiang Mai, you else will do? what
6 do Vietnam? think Where you’ll you travel after
7 planning any you learn Vietnamese? to Are
8 want Do send me you to you money?
9 home?!?! when you to come planning are
10 amazing are and presents me?! to stories you What going bring
5 Work with a partner. One of you is Jenny’s mother asking the questions. The other is Jenny – try
and answer the questions.
6 Discuss with a partner.
1 What are you planning to do after class?
2 Where do you hope to go on holiday this year?
3 Do you think you’ll ever travel around the world? Where do you think you might visit?

© British Council ARS_A2_06_P031CEU_HO_v1.0

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 Pre-intermediate
Planning and going on holiday
Talking about travel plans

Task

1 You are planning a round-the-world holiday with your partner for two months. Discuss and plan
with your partner using this to-do checklist you have started.

To-do List

Destinations
Dates
Transport
Accommodation
Sightseeing
Other activities
Food to try
Key language to learn
Local customs
Currencies
Health worries?
Before leaving, remember to
Other things to do

2 Find out what other pairs have decided to do. Listen to their plans and ask questions when you
can.

Where …?  Who …?  What …?  When …?  Why …?  How …?  Do …?  Will …?

3 Report back to the class, explaining your choices.

Review

© British Council ARS_A2_06_P031CEU_HO_v1.0

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