’You’re kidding!’ and other quick responses

Title separator

Functional language - common responses

common English responses

INTERACTIVE VIDEO

EXTRA VIDEO (EX. 3)

LESSON OVERVIEW

This lesson focuses on common English responses used as spontaneous reactions in daily life. Students get the opportunity to practise them through a variety of activities, including an interactive video.

A2 / Pre‐Intermediate
B1 / Intermediate
45 minStandard LessonUnlimited Plan

COMMON ENGLISH RESPONSES

The lead-in starts with a list of common English responses commonly used in everyday life (e.g. Hurry up!, Have fun!). Students have to imagine real life situations in which they would use them. Their next task is to analyse pairs of dialogues where the same quick response is used in two different contexts. They have to match them with their meanings in the adjacent column (e.g. Cheers to say thank you or Cheers before a toast). Both activities lead to a discussion about reactions to similar situations in students’ native languages as well as other expressions in English typically used for saying that we agree with someone, feel sorry or surprised. These three categories are the focus of the next activity. Students look at ten more quick responses and decide which category they belong to (e.g. Sounds good! – agreeing).

CONTROLLED AND FREE PRACTICE

In the second part of the lesson students practise the common English responses learnt earlier through a variety of activities. First, they read four casual dialogues, identify the wrong responses and replace them with the adequate ones. Then, they watch an interactive compilation video showing scenes from popular films. The dialogues between the characters are unfinished and students have to complete them spontaneously with the common English responses from the first part of the lesson. The final task is based on six photos of people in day-to-day situations for which students have to create conversations. Turning it into a role play activity, with stronger students acting out their dialogues, will definitely make it more memorable and realistic.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. Daiane Alves

    I love it !!!!!

  2. JohnneO

    Great lesson for this level! Need more like this!

    1. Justa

      Thanks! You might also be interested in our Just Say It worksheet

      1. Lydia goold verschoyle

        another super fun one, but on a higher level (B2-C1) is the “A super-duper language phenomenon (reduplication in English)” lesson.

  3. Lydia goold verschoyle

    This worked well and was enjoyed by all! including the teacher… thank you.

  4. Daria Bezbabnykh

    Thanks a lot for this great functional language lesson:)

  5. Irina1989

    These plans are perfect !!!

    1. Justa

      We’re thrilled to hear that! Thank you!

  6. Lucia K.

    I created a short quiz – basically it’s exercises 5 + a few more situations – feel free to use it.

    https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/63777d3768c107001dc1be3b?source=quiz_share

    1. Stan

      Fantastic! Thanks for sharing this 🙂

  7. Rika Zgven

    Thank you. This is so helpful.

    1. Justa

      I’m glad you find it useful 🙂

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
compound nouns
A2 / Pre‐Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Mountain tops and rooftops (compound nouns)

General

In this curious lesson, students learn and practise compound nouns (e.g. sunlight, peanut butter, beach bar, etc.), discuss a funny ad to attract tourists to Sweden and create an ad for their country.

talking about culture shock
B1 / Intermediate | B2 / Upper Intermediate
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Culture shock

General

With this speaking lesson, students talk about culture shock, share their perspectives and discuss what the experience of a foreign exchange student might be. They also watch a short video and practise vocabulary related to the topic.

speaking about misunderstandings
B1 / Intermediate
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

How to deal with misunderstandings

Business General

With this speaking lesson, students discuss situations that might cause misunderstandings, watch a short and funny ad and analyse tips on how to avoid miscommunication.

opposite verbs
A2 / Pre‐Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Opposites attract

General

With this fun lesson, students practise opposite verbs, talk about themselves, read about “Opposite Day” and create scenarios where things are different from what they usually are.

ESL lesson about dreams
B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Dream on!

General

Explore the wonders of dreams in this lesson! Students dive into dream analysis, watch a video about the benefits of dreaming, practise vocabulary about sleep habits, and discuss the meanings of common dreams.

vocabulary related to accommodation
A2 / Pre‐Intermediate | B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Hotel reviews

General

Engage students in conversations about different types of places to stay and their experiences! With this lesson, students practise vocabulary related to accommodation, watch videos and write hotel reviews.

speaking lesson on generations
A2 / Pre‐Intermediate | B1 / Intermediate
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Understanding generations

General

With this speaking lesson on generations, students will explore common stereotypes, share experiences, and enjoy a hilarious comedy video on how different generations behave at work.

Valentine’s Day activities
B1 / Intermediate
Standard Lesson 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Valentine’s Day activities

General

Embark on a vocabulary journey discussing Valentine’s Day and relationships! Students talk about typical Valentine’s Day activities and some quotes, as well as about relationships and dating apps.

transport vocabulary
A2 / Pre‐Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Bike, bus or “bike bus”?

General

With this lesson, students explore and expand transport vocabulary, and dive into a cool discussion about the innovative “bike bus” idea through a fun video.

Show more lessons

Questions

Title separator

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there’s no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won’t be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).

Read more FAQ
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with