2A

An armchair, not a sofa

Activity type: Speaking and pronunciation – Re-ordering – Pairs
Aim: To contrast and correct information using contrastive stress
Language: Contrastive stress – Use at any point from 2.1.
Preparation: Make one copy of the worksheet for every two learners. Cut up each
worksheet to make three conversations with ten strips in each conversation. Keep the
conversations separate. (Note that the conversations are not printed in the right order on
the worksheet.)
Time: 30 minutes

1 Write these conversations on the board, with normal sentence stress and contrastive
stress marked as shown:
A: Is your name Silvia?
B: No, it’s Sofia.
A: Oh, sorry. You’re Marco’s sister, right?
B: No, I’m his friend.

A: Where should we go for lunch?

B: Well, not Brown’s. Let’s try the Rainbow.
Draw learners’ attention to the regular stress (small dots) and contrastive stress
(large dots). Elicit the reasons for the contrastive stress.
Conversation 1
‘Sofia’ has contrastive stress because it’s a correction of ‘Silvia’ in line 1.
‘Friend’ has contrastive stress because it’s a correction of ‘sister’ in line 3.
The first word in each pair of contrasted words (e.g. Silvia, sister) has normal stress
because there’s no contrast yet. The second word in each pair (e.g. Sofia, friend) has
an extra-strong stress because a correction is being made.
Conversation 2
The speaker is contrasting Brown’s and the Rainbow.
When the speakers themselves contrast two things, both words have contrastive stress.

2 Divide learners into pairs. Explain you’re going to give them a jumbled
conversation. They should put the lines in the correct order, starting with the title
and first line, which are together. Give Conversation A to each pair. When they’re
finished, check the order (but not the stress).

A An argument
I’ve found a great sofa for the living room.
But we don’t need a sofa. We need an armchair.
Yes, but this sofa’s cheap – only $499.
Well, I think that’s quite expensive.
A bit – maybe because it’s made of leather.
I don’t like leather. I prefer fabric.
Fabric? They have fabric sofas as well.
I’m sure they do, but as I’ve just said, we don’t need a sofa.
And as I’ve just said, I want one.
OK, OK, you win. Let’s go and have a look tomorrow.

3 In their pairs, learners identify which words would have contrastive stress (answers
underlined above). Then the pairs practise saying Conversation A, paying attention
to the contrastive stress.

English Unlimited Upper Intermediate Teacher’s Pack  Photocopiable © Cambridge University Press 2011
2A An armchair, not a sofa continued
4 Follow the same procedure for Conversations B and C.

B An appointment
Hello, I’m calling on behalf of Dr Saito. Is this Miss Gruen?
Well, it’s Mrs Gruen, actually.
Sorry, Mrs Gruen. I understand you have an appointment on Thursday.
It’s Tuesday, I think. Let me check my diary … No, sorry, you’re right. It’s Thursday.
Yes. Well, would you mind changing it to Friday, at 2.30?
Sorry, this line’s not very good. Did you say 3.30?
No, 2.30.
Uh … yes, that would be fine. By the way, do I need to bring anything?
No, nothing. Just yourself.
OK, then. Thanks and see you on Friday.
C Gossip
I saw Carl last weekend. He was with a really nice woman – Marilyn or something.
Marilyn! I’m sure his girlfriend’s name is Lara.
That’s true – it’s Lara. But isn’t Lara blonde?
Yes, she is.
Well, this woman was brunette – and medium height.
Uh-oh. Lara’s tall. Did they look romantic?
Not romantic. Just friendly. They were laughing a lot.
Friendly? Hmm … you weren’t sure about her name Was it perhaps Carolyn?
Uh … that’s right! Carolyn, not Marilyn. Sorry.
OK, no problem. Carolyn’s his cousin – not a new girlfriend.

Extension
Divide learners into pairs. They write a short conversation (five or six lines) which has a
few examples of contrastive stress. Encourage learners to choose an everyday situation:
shopping, making arrangements to meet, bookings, exchanging contact details, etc. When
they have finished, they read their conversation to another pair. The listeners identify what
is being contrasted.

English Unlimited Upper Intermediate Teacher’s Pack  Photocopiable © Cambridge University Press 2011
2A An armchair, not a sofa
An argument An appointment Gossip
I’ve found a great sofa for the Hello, I’m calling on behalf of Dr Saito. I saw Carl last weekend. He was with a really
living room. A Is this Miss Gruen? B nice woman – Marilyn or something. C
✂
I’m sure they do, but as I’ve just No, 2.30. Yes, she is.
said, we don’t need a sofa. A  B  C
Fabric? They have fabric sofas Sorry, Mrs Gruen. I understand you Not romantic. Just friendly. They were
as well.  A have an appointment on Thursday. B laughing a lot. C
A bit – maybe because it’s made No, nothing. Just yourself. Marilyn! I’m sure his girlfriend’s name
of leather. A  B is Lara. C
OK, OK, you win. Let’s go and Yes. Well, would you mind changing Well, this woman was brunette – and
have a look tomorrow. A it to Friday at 2.30? B medium height. C
Yes, but this sofa’s cheap – It’s Tuesday, I think. Let me check my diary That’s true – it’s Lara. But isn’t Lara
only $499. A … No, sorry, you’re right. It’s Thursday. B blonde? C
But we don’t need a sofa. We need Well, it’s Mrs Gruen, actually. Uh … that’s right! Carolyn, not Marilyn.
an armchair. A  B Sorry. C
Well, I think that’s quite expensive. Uh … yes, that would be fine. By the Friendly? Hmm … you weren’t sure about
 A way, do I need to bring anything? B her name. Was it perhaps Carolyn? C
I don’t like leather. I prefer fabric. Sorry, this line’s not very good. Did Uh-oh. Lara’s tall. Did they look
 A you say 3.30? B romantic? C
And as I’ve just said, I want one. OK, then. Thanks and see you on OK, no problem. Carolyn’s his cousin –
 A Friday.  B not a new girlfriend. C
English Unlimited Upper Intermediate Teacher’s Pack  Photocopiable © Cambridge University Press 2011