Do you have what it takes to start a business?

Richard | Apr 03, 2026Apr 03, 2026

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this ESL lesson on starting a business are to:

• talk about starting a business from a critical perspective;
• practise adjectives to describe professional qualities and business scenarios;
• watch a video excerpt on five tips for starting a business;
• explore business decisions through a simulation game.

In this lesson, students reflect on the pros and cons of setting up a business, read about people who have started one and explore key adjectives (e.g. determined, organized, flexible). They discuss the most useful qualities for growing a business, watch part of a video (00:20‒02:05) with tips for starting a company and share their opinions. Students talk about key factors for business success, read more tips for launching a business and evaluate them. They also play a game where they navigate business scenarios.  

WARM-UP AND ADJECTIVES

This ESL lesson on starting a business starts with a warm-up. Students brainstorm reasons for and against starting a business. They then read about people who have started a business or plan to. Students match sentences describing each person with the correct adjectives (e.g. passionate, ambitious, patient). After that, they examine different situations (e.g. you decide to work alone) and choose adjectives from the previous task that would be the most useful in each one. Students explain why. 

VIDEO AND GAME

In this part of this ESL lesson on starting a business, students watch a video excerpt about tips for starting a business. First, they examine some words (e.g. love, cash, team) and guess what the tips might be about. Next, students watch the video and compare their answers. Following that, they watch the video again and complete the gaps in statements with the words they hear. Afterwards, students say which statement they agree with the most. They then discuss key factors for business success. After that, students read more tips connected to starting a business and evaluate them, reflecting on their importance and challenges. Finally, students play a Choose-your-own-adventure game. In the task, they navigate business scenarios through role-play.

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This ESL lesson on starting a business also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students complete the gaps in statements with the correct word. They then complete sentences with their own ideas and the target adjectives from the lesson. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

WORKSHEETS

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