Here are 2 activities you can use in your classes for B1 level students.
AIM: To practise the second conditional and encourage creativity.
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose 3 different types of music, for example jazz, classical music and rock. Play a part of each piece of music and ask students to complete the sentences below according to what they are feeling when they hear each piece of music.
I think this music is…
This music reminds me of…
If this music were an animal, it would be a…
If this music were a colour, it would be…
If this music were a country, it would be…
After you have played the three pieces of music and the students have completed the sentences, ask them to compare what they wrote with a partner. Encourage the students to talk about what the music meant to them.
AIM: To practise the use of infinitive versus ing.
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask students to read the story about Julie, an English girl who travels to Brazil. They should fill in the gaps with either the infinitive or the ing form of the verb in brackets. After you have checked the answers, in pairs the students should write the end of the story using the following verbs: attempt; manage; promise; refuse.
- Fill in the gaps with either the infinitive or ing form of the verb in brackets.
Julie had worked in a shoe shop in Nottingham for over a year and she finally ¹decided _______ (leave) as she 2 wanted __________ (travel) round the world. She told her boss, Amanda about her decision and said that she would work up until the end of August. Amanda was upset about the news as Julie was one of her best members of staff. She was always on time, friendly and very good with paperwork.
She said to Julie “I really 3 appreciate you _______ (tell) me in advance so I have time to find someone else to replace you. We will be so sad to see you go.”
“I´ve 4. enjoyed _________ (work) here and I have learnt so much. Thanks for everything, Amanda”, Julie responded.
Julie had 5 fancied ______ (go) to Brazil for a long time. She 6 imagined ______ (live) there for a while near a white sandy beach. Six months ago, she had 7 considered _________ (travel) with her boyfriend, but unfortunately they broke up and went their separate ways.
At the end of August, she bought a ticket to Rio de Janeiro and felt great as she could finally 8 afford _______ (do) what she had been dreaming of for such a long time. Her parents 9 suggested ______ (take) her to Heathrow airport to see her off. They arrived at the airport in good time and at 8pm Julie said goodbye to her parents and boarded the plane.
Early next morning, Julie was looking down from her seat on to the beautiful sights of Rio de Janeiro. She had never seen anything so beautiful. After leaving the airport, she got a taxi to a hotel she had reserved. She had not 10 expected it ____ (be) so hot. She was used to a colder climate in the UK. At 10am, she arrived at her hotel overlooking Copacabana beach….
- Finish the story in pairs using the following verbs: attempt; manage; promise; refuse
Answers: 1. to leave 2. to travel 3. telling 4. working 5. going 6. living 7. travelling 8. to do 9. taking 10. to be
Answers: Use the infinitive after: attempt; manage; promise and refuse.
