1 Lesson plan: Online dating

Level: Pre-intermediate+
Time: 60 minutes+
Topic: Online dating
Aims:
 Share personal experiences and attitudes towards online dating
 Identify key features of an online dating profile
 Create a short online dating profile for yourself or a friend
 Evaluate the effectiveness of other online profiles
Resources: Handout, writing template, reading texts taken from eHarmony.co.uk
https://www.eharmony.co.uk/dating-advice/using-eharmony/learning-from-three-awesome-online-
dating-profiles#.XXsqIygzZPY
Teacher Notes:
 This lesson probably best suits intermediate level students, but the resources are editable so you
can grade if needed.
 The lesson involves writing an online dating profile. If students aren’t keen on making a profile
for themselves then they can make one for a friend.
Exercise 1
1a Students work in pairs. They discuss the questions.
1b Students work in pairs or groups. They brainstorm the features they might include in an online dating
profile. They can also brainstorm things they might NOT improve if they wish. When they finish, they
share/compare ideas with others. Brief class discussion/summary.
Exercise 2
Explain to students that they will read some examples of ‘good’ online dating profiles. The texts are
examples from a real website called eHarmony (they might know it). At lower levels, it might be worth
mentioning (in student-friendly words!) that the texts are authentic, so they might find some of the
language difficult to understand. Just reassure them that they don’t need to understand everything…
etc.
2a This is a preview activity. It’s quite easy but will built learner confidence. Display the three images
from the text along with the three text titles. Students match these together, explaining their decision to
a partner. Students might ask about vocabulary such as ‘spontaneous’, explain if needed.
2b This is a prediction task. This happens three times, once for each text.
Step 1: Display the paragraph headings from the text, with the paragraphs blanked out
Step 2: Students discuss what the writer might say in each section. They can make notes if they wish
Step 3: Students skim read the text together to see if they were correct
Repeat x3
Follow up discussion: Which profile do you think is the most interesting? Why?
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Exercise 3
3a This is a follow up discussion to the reading, and prepares students for writing their own online
profile. Display the headings from the ‘Spontaneous Adventurer’ profile. Students discuss these with a
partner, answering them so they are true for themselves. This helps generate ideas.
3b Students write their own responses to the headings on the simple template provided.
3c Students peer correct their profiles and offer each other feedback. You can provide process language
to help with this feedback, or question/statement prompts such as:
 I think this bit sounds (good/interesting/a bit strange/confusing)
 You could explain more/less about…
 If I came across this profile, I might think…
 Etc
Exercise 4
4a This in a language input stage. Students have already attempted the writing, but in this stage you can
draw attention to relevant language in the 3 example texts that learners might use to improve their
profiles. Students work together to complete the guided activities – these are editable so you can
include your own ideas.
Note: ‘In the most influential person in my life has been…’ paragraph, the writer mixes past simple for
completed actions and present perfect for past actions which have some effect on the writer now. You
may wish to include this as a grammar point – an activity like this might help:

Look at the paragraph ‘the most important person in my life…’. What are the two main verb tenses
used in this paragraph? Complete the rule:
For past completed actions we use ______________. An example from this paragraph is
_____________________________________________.
To describe something that happened in the past but is important at the time of speaking, we use
___________________. An example from the paragraph
is_____________________________________________.

Answers:
The thoughtful romantic
1. ‘Taking care of others, helping people, and making people smile.’ This is a good example of how
we often list things in threes to add emphasis, make things more memorable, etc.
Passionate about + Ving
2. Students own opinions. This draws their attention to possible personality adjectives to use.
3 Lesson plan: Online dating

The witty comedian

1. ‘fish and chip night at my local bar, ruining The Hunger Games for my little niece, and my
workout playlist.’
Passionate about + Ving, or a noun phrase
2. He mainly talks about his hobbies and interests, which students should think about including in
their own profile. Students might pick up on the humour at the start of the sentence too!
3. The contractions used throughout give a sense of informality. Phrases like ‘cool’, ‘hey’, etc, are
also informal chatty, the first person and direct address of the reader are personal too. Also,
students’ own answers
The spontaneous adventurer
1. ‘going out, meeting new people and generally getting the most out of life’. The same thing
applies as with passionate about… The writer uses V+ing and also list things in threes. This
makes it sound like they have a more comprehensive array of interests (well, to me!). After
‘love’, a noun phrase can be used too.
Note: you could use passionate about… and love… as a springboard to review forms used after
other verbs (like, enjoy) or to input possible variations of explaining likes/dislikes (I’m really keen
on, I’m really into, etc)
2. There are LOADS of examples in the text. The activities just highlight that it’s important to
mention lots about what you like to do. The personality adjectives provide loads of ideas and
possible new language. They include… easy-going, passionate, creative, spontaneous, fun-
loving, energetic
4b Further focus on content in the text; students read the information about what makes a good online
dating profile. They can discuss language in the example profiles that fits with each criteria, or simply
discuss practical ideas they have for showing each criteria. Some process language will help with this.
For example…
 One idea I have for using humour is…
 It’s a cliché to say that you are…
 Etc
Exercise 5
5a Students draw up an official success criteria for their online dating profile. They work together to
create this, or you can elicit it from the whole class. Make sure they all have the same success criteria,
which they can tweak for more challenge if they want. Example:
Criteria Yes/No Comments
Content: I have included at least 4 different personality
adjectives to describe myself
Content: I have included a range of phrases to describe my
likes / interests (e.g. I’m passionate about… I’m keen on…)
Content: I have used the correct forms after phrases such as
passionate about…
Content: I have avoided using clichés
Structure: I have kept the information concise – I have not
written more than 50 words for each section
Etc, etc
4 Lesson plan: Online dating

5b Students edit / rewrite their original dating profiles, upgrading/adding language where relevant.
5c Self- and peer- assessment against success criteria, and feedback. Possible further improvements if
time allows. You can repeat this task and upgrade further as you wish.
5 Lesson plan: Online dating

Handout
Exercise 1
1a Discuss the questions with a partner.

 What do you think of online dating?

 Have you ever set up an online dating profile?
 Do you think online dating is safe? Why/Why not?
 If your friend wanted to start online dating, what advice would you give them?
1b What would you include in an online dating profile? Add your ideas to the box.

Exercise 2
2a You’re going to read three example online profiles. Write the correct profile title above each image.
Explain your ideas to a partner.
The spontaneous adventurer The thoughtful romantic The witty comedian

Image A: ___________________________________

Image B: _____________________________________
6 Lesson plan: Online dating

Image C ___________________________________

2b Read the prompts from each text (in blue). Predict the information that the writer will include. Then
read the texts – were your ideas correct?

Exercise 3
3a Look back at the prompts next to Image B. Answer these so they are true for you. Share your ideas
with a partner.
3b Complete your own online dating profile using the template your teacher gives you. Use your ideas
from Exercise 3a to help you.
3c Read your partner’s online dating profile. Share feedback on what you like / think could be improved.

Exercise 4
4a Work with a partner. Read each text again and complete the activities.

The Thoughtful Romantic…

1. After the phrase ‘passionate about:’ what 3 things does the author list?
Which verb form comes after the phrase: I’m passionate about…. + ________
2. Look at some of the words in ‘My friends describe me as…’. Would you use these adjectives to
describe yourself? If not, what other adjectives would you use to describe yourself? Tell your partner.

The Witty Comedian

1. Find the phrase where the speaker/writer says what they are passionate about. What are their
answers?
Which form comes after the phrase: I’m passionate about…. + ___________ or ___________’
2. What does the he talk about in the ‘more about me’ section?
3. Can you find any phrases or words which make the speaker sound informal, like they are chatting?
7 Lesson plan: Online dating

The Spontaneous Adventurer

1. In the ‘More about me’ section, what three things does the writer say she loves?
What form is used after the verb ‘love’? __________________
2. Add items from this text to the categories below:
Activities mentioned: _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Words to describe personality: __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

4b Read the guidance on how to write a good online profile. Look back at the three profiles. Have the
writers followed this advice in their own texts? If so, how?

Source: https://www.eharmony.co.uk/dating-advice/using-eharmony/learning-from-three-awesome-online-dating-profiles#.XXsqIygzZPY
8 Lesson plan: Online dating

Exercise 5
5a You’re going to edit or rewrite your online profile. Make a list of what you need to do to write a
successful online dating profile. Use the example to help you, or ask the teacher for further guidance.
Success criteria

Content: I have included at least 4 different personality adjectives to describe myself

Structure: I have kept the information concise – I have not written more than 50 words for each
section

5b Edit/Rewrite your online dating profile.

5c Check your own work against the success criteria.
Read your partner’s online dating profile. Assess their profile against the success criteria. Share feedback
on what you like / think could be improved.

Reflection
 What have you learnt today about how to write an online dating profile?
 In which other everyday situations might you use the language from this lesson?
 Were the any parts of the writing process that you found particularly easy/difficult?
 How confident would you feel about completing this task in real life? What other skills might
you need to be successful?