My Life in Ruins: Like to (Verb) x Like (Noun)

I like this comedy a lot. It shows Greece and tourists visiting the country with a fun, critic view about tour guides and tourists. I used this scene for the students to decide whether to use LIKE or LIKE TO, a simple grammar point beginners get confused with.

I. Watch the movie segment and circle the best alternative.



1. When people come to Greece, they like / like to see the ancient ruins.

2. Tourists also like / like to bask in history.

3. They like / like to be a part of the birthplace of civilization.

4. She likes / likes to the beauty and architecture of ancient Greece.

5. She doesn't like / doesn't like to modern Greece.

6. She also doesn't like / like to work as a tourist guide.




II. Write down 4 sentences saying what you like about the city where you live and and 4 sentences about what you like to do there.

Example:

I like the city park

I like to ride a bike near the lake.



WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MY LIFE IN RUINS

The Shawshank Redemption: Simple Past

This is a classic. Perfect for the simple past tense practice.

A. You will see the trial of Mr. Dufresne, accused of murdering his wife and her lover. Read parts of the judge's and Mr. Dufresne's speeches and fill in the blanks with the past tense form of the verbs in parentheses.

J: Judge

D: Mr. Dufresne


J: Describe the confrontation you _______ (have) with your wife.

D: It _______ (be) very bitter. She _______ (say) she ___________ (be) glad I _____ (know) that she ________ (hate) all the sneaking around.

J: And she ______ (say) she ________ (want) a divorce in Reno. What _______ (happen) after you ________ (argue) with your wife?

D: She ____ (pack) her bag.

J: ______ you _______ (follow) her?

D: I _______ (go) to a few bars first. Later, I ______ (drive) to his house to confront them. They ________ (be - neg) home. I __________ (park) in the turnout... and _______ (wait).

J: When they _________ (arrive), you ________ (go) up to the house and _____ (murder) them.

D: I ________ (get) back to the car and ________ (drive) home to sleep it off. Along the way, I __________ (throw) my gun into the Royal River.

J: The police _______ (drag) that river for 3 days and a gun was not found.

B. Watch the segment and check your answers.

C. Talk to a partner.

1. What's your opinion? Is Mr. Dufresne guilty or not guilty of the crime? Justify your answer.

2. What sentence do you think he got?


D. Now watch the second part of the segment with the sentence. Then answer the questions that follow.











1. What was the sentence?

2. Is it a fair sentence? Why (not)?

3. Do you agree with life sentences? Explain it


WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

The Proposal: Past Perfect x Past Perfect Continuous

Romantic comedies are not my favorite kind of movie, but they usually have great scenes for grammar. This one is no exception. I think this is one of the funniest scenes involving dogs that I have ever seen. I used it to practice contrasting the past perfect and the past perfect continuous tenses.





A. Fill in the blanks with the past perfect or the past perfect continuous form of the verbs in parentheses. When both are possible, use the past perfect continuous.



1. She _______________ (leave) the house when the dog started following her outside.


2. She _________________(talk) on the phone for a few minutes when the eagle fetched the dog.


3. The eagle _____________ (fly) with the dog in its claws when she threw the phone at the bird.


4. The eagle ___________ (drop) the dog when she caught him before he hit the ground.


5. She ______________ (run) away from the eagle when it suddenly took her phone from her hands.


6. She _________________ (carry) the dog around the yard when her fiance and his family finally saw her there.


7. She ___________(let) the dog go when the couple held each other in the garden.
Answer Key:

1.had left
2. had been talking
3. had been flying
4. had dropped
5. had been running
6. had been carrying
7. had let

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE PROPOSAL

12th Braz Tesol - São Paulo

I have just returned from the 12th Braz Tesol in São Paulo. I had a great time there and attended some very interesting presentations. I met old friends, peers, presenters, people who make a difference. I believe the workshops I presented there worked just fine and the audience was very receptive. In 2012, try joining the conference. I'm sure you will enjoy it. By the way, it will be in Rio!!! If you were in São Paulo at this Braz Tesol, give your opinion about it here, please.

The Third Miracle:Past Modals for Speculation

If you have never seen this movie, run to the next dvd store and don't hesitate renting it. I love the unexpected ending. This scene is great to practice past modals, but this time answering questions with the target grammar goal.








A. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions using past modals for speculation.





1. The little girl prayed in front of a church. What must/might she have asked for in her prayers?

.................................................................


2. What might have happened after her prayers that made her smile?

.................................................................



3. What might the soldiers have seen in the sky?

..................................................................


4. What might have happened after that scene?

..................................................................


B. Now watch the second segment, which explains what actually happened.
Check whether your guesses were right. Then discuss the questions that follow.











1. What actually happened?


2. Do you believe in miracles? Why (not)?


3. What could have been a possible explanation for the happening?


4. Do you believe this is a true story? Why (not)?


5. Have you ever heard of a miracle you believed actually happened? Tell us about it.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE THIRD MIRACLE - PARTS 1 AND 2

The Hunger: Since x For - Present Perfect

This is a classic. One of my all times favorite. This film talks about immortality and aging. I love it. I used this scene to practice the use of for and since in present perfect sentences. I hope you like it.




A. Before viewing the segment, discuss the following questions with a partner.



1. Are you afraid of aging? Why (not)?

2. Would you rather die extremely old or not that old? Explain it.

3. Would you make use of cosmetic surgeries to look young forever? Why?

4. Do you think that life gets better as you get older? Explain it.



B. Watch the segment now and fill in the blanks with since or for.




1. Some liver spots have appeared on his skin ............................ yesterday.
2. He has been aging fast ....................................the last 24 hours.

3. The Doctor has asked him to wait .....................................15 minutes.

4. He has lost a lot of hair .......................................... he started waiting for the doctor.

5. He has been waiting for the doctor ...................................... 2:35 pm.

6. He has been waiting .............................................. 2 hours and the doctor still hasn't seen him.


C. Now work with a partner. Make a list of everything you can remember that has changed in his appearance during the couple of hours he has been waiting for the doctor.


Ex: He has lost a lot of hair.


WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE HUNGER

Answer key:

1. since
2. for
3. for
4. since
5. since
6. for

The Brothers Bloom: Modal for Ability - Can

Not many people had the chance to see this under rated movie. I like it a lot and this scene is just perfect to talk about the use of modal verb CAN, for ability.





A. Ask a partner if he/she can do the following activities.


Model:


S1: Can you...?

S2: Yes, I can / No, I can't


1.Play a musical instrument?



2. Practice karate?


3.Turn somersaults?


4. Skate?


5. Play badminton?


6. Play table tennis?


7. Juggle with balls?


8. Juggle with chainsaws?


9. Jet ski?


10. Mix music at parties?


11. Make origami?


12. Speak Chinese?


B. Now watch the movie segment and write sentences about the main characters. Use the activities in the previous exercise and use can or can't. She sees people doing what she likes, so she buys books and learns how to do it. What can and can't she do now?



1. Ex. She can play the piano, the violin, the harmonica, the guitar and the banjo.
2.......................................................................
3.......................................................................
4.......................................................................







WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE BROTHERS BLOOM

City of Angels: Mixed Conditionals Sentences

This is a touching movie that makes you reflect upon your life. It is excellent. I used this moving scene to practice conditionals with mixed time frames. It is clear enough fo the students to realize the difference between present and past results in conditionals.





A. Watch the movie segment and read the sentences below. They describe what happened in the segment. Then fill in the blanks with the correct verb tense of the verb in parentheses. Pay attention to whether the consequences have a past or present result and if you will use affirmative or negative forms to make sense. These are hypothetical situations with different mixed time frames.

1.
The doctor operated on the patient.
She had to give the family the bad news.

If the doctor ____________ ( operate) on the patient, she ____________ (have) to give the family the bad news.


2.
The family didn't expect to lose him on the operating table.
They are suffering a lot now.

If the family __________ (expect) to lose him on the operating table, they __________ (be) suffering so much now.


3.
The doctor had to give the family the bad news.
She fell apart.

If the doctor __________ (have) to give the family such bad news, She _________ (fall) apart.


4.
She didn't massage the patient long enough.
She regrets it now.

If she _______________ (massage) the patient longer, she _________ (regret) it now.



5.
She couldn't see an angel comforting her.
She didn't have the chance to open up her heart to him.


If she _____________ (see) an angel comforting her, she __________ (had) the chance to open up her heart to him.





Answer Key:


1. hadn't operated / wouldn't have had


2. had expected / wouldn't be


3. hadn't had / wouldn't have fallen


4. had massaged / wouldn't regret


5. had seen / would have had

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - CITY OF ANGELS

Girl, Interrupted: Short Answers and Questions with There + to be

Angelina Jolie's amazing acting makes this movie stand out others. This scene is perfect topractice the verb there to be in a contextualized way. My students enjoyed it a lot!




A. Talk to a partner. Check the items that you think there is in a psychiatric institution.


( ) Several floors
( ) an art room
( ) a living room
( ) a gym
( ) phones
( ) a nurse's station
( ) a swimming pool
( ) classrooms
( ) a TV room
( ) bedrooms
( ) a post office

B. Now watch the segment about Susanna's (Winona Rider) first day at the institution. Check the items that you can find there.

C. Now ask questions using the items in exercise A. Make sure you use Is there... and Are there... in your questions. Your partner should answer with Yes, there is or No, there aren't.

Ex:
S1: Are there several floors there?
S2: Yes there are.


S2: Is there an art room there?
S1: Yes, there is.

D. Think about an ideal hospital. In your opinion, what is there and what isn't there in an excellent hospital? Use there is (not) or there are (not) to describe it.

WORKSHEET


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - GIRL, INTERRUPTED

My Life in Ruins: Get / Have Something Done (Passive Voice with Causative Verbs)

I really liked this comedy. Greece is simply fabulous and the views are fascinating. The story is very relaxing and funny too. I used many scenes for different activities. This is the first one of them. I used it to practice causative verbs GET and HAVE in passive constructions. It is an unconventional manner to practice such a barren, unattractive grammar point.

I. Before viewing the segment, talk to a partner about the following questions.


1. Have you ever stayed at a very bad hotel? Tell you partner about it and how you managed to stay there.



2. Do you complain when there is a problem in your hotel room? What do you do if they do not resolve the problem for you?


3. Do you prefer to stay at a bad hotel that is very well located in the city or at a sophisticated hotel that is not so well located? Explain it.


II. Watch the movie segment and check the problems that you could identify in the Greek hotel.

1. ( ) The elevator

2. ( ) The air conditioning system

3. ( ) The mini bar

4. ( ) The shower

5. ( ) The toilet

6. ( ) The fan

7. ( ) The bed

8. ( ) The TV

9. ( ) The telephone

10. ( ) The closet



III. Fill in the blanks with the passive form of the verbs in parentheses.


1. The elevator needs repairing. The hotel needs to _____________ (get / fix).

2. The shower doesn't work properly. The managers will ___________ (have/repair).

3. The toilet broke. Plumbers will ________________ (get/replace).

4. The TV stopped working. The hotel will __________(have/send) to the electrician.

5. The telephone is out of order. They will _______________ (get / reconnect) as soon as possible.



IV. Now write two sentences about the other problems you identified, using passive construction with get and have. Follow the patterns in exercise III.



V. Class discussion:

What would you do if you were in such a breathtaking place like Greece, but in that horrible hotel? Would you complain, demand to change rooms or hotels? Justify it.


Answer Key:

II.

1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

III.

1. get it fixed
2. have it repaired
3. get it replaced
4. have it sent
5. get it reconnected


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MY LIFE IN RUINS

WORKSHEET


 A peer of mine said that he had used a slides presentation with links to my passive voice activities. I was sent the link and came across this really cool and thorough class on passive voice. I'm glad Simon Friend used my blog for his video activities. His slides are effective, fun and constructive. Thanks Simon Friend for these really cool slides. Thanks for linking my site to it.

Shall We Dance? & Save the Last Dance: Similes x Metaphors

Both movies are great. Shall We Dance? has Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez at their best and Save the Last Dance is absolutely amazing, with great songs. Both talk about kinds of music and these scenes are perfect to contrast similes and metaphors, about which many people, even teachers, have doubts.

A. Remember the difference between SIMILES and METAPHORS:


A simile - or to be like something - is to retain a difference which means one can never fully substitute for the other. On the other hand, a metaphor actually is a substitution - it is an equation in principle. Typically, if it needs further explanation, it's probably a simile; if it makes instant sense, it's most likely a metaphor. The simile is always poetic, while the metaphor always has the ring of truth. They are similar, but different in essence.

Simile - Basic Rule: If it uses the words "is like" or "is as", it is usually a simile; if it uses the word "is", without "as" or "like", it is usually a metaphor .

B. Before watching the first movie segment from the movie "Shall We Dance?", try matching the first part of the sentence with the simile or metaphor in the second column.

1. The rumba

2. The rumba

3. You have to hold her

4. Let her go

5. Put her back

6. Then finish

( ) like the skin of her thigh is your reason for living.

( ) like she's ruined your life.

( ) is the dance of love.

( ) like your heart's being ripped from your chest.

( ) is a vertical expression of a horizontal wish.

( ) like you're going to have your way with her, right there on the dance floor.

C. Now watch the segment and check your answers. Identify which items are similes and metaphors.

Answer key: 3, 6, 1 (or 2), 4, 2 (or 1), 5
Metaphors are: 1 and 2

D. Now repeat the process with the next segment from the movie Save the Last Dance. Make a guess matching the first part of the sentence with the simile or metaphor.

1. Hip Hop is

2. Be strong

3. Sit

4. Slouch a little bit

( ) like you're chilling

( ) like you're a nasty bitch

( ) like an attitude

( ) like a tree

E. Now watch the movie segment and check your answers. Identify which items are similes or metaphors

Answer Key: 3, 4, 1, 2 - All are similes.

F. Think about the most popular dance or music in your country and write 2 similes and 2 metaphors describing it.

Ex: SAMBA.

Samba is like a volcano in the heart. (Simile)

Samba is a ferocious animal in the shape of dance. (Metaphor)

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - SHALL WE DANCE

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - SAVE THE LAST DANCE

Ice Age: Possessive Adjectives

Ice Age is one of my favorite animated movies. This scene is great and I used it to practice the use of adjective pronouns, not for beginners, but basic learners. I hope you enjoy it!






A. Watch the movie segment about an eskimo family that is attacked by a group of sabre-tooth tigers. Then complete the blanks with adjective pronouns.


My - Your - His - Her - Its - Our - Their








1. The eskimo tribe lived in the woods. The sabre-tooth tigers invaded __________ territory.


2. The eskimos had some dogs. They barked to warn _________ owners about the dangerous tigers.


3. Kinu, the eskimo, used ___________ spear to fight the tiger and protect ________ family.


4. Jana, the eskimo mother, held __________ baby before Diego, the tiger, attacked it. She would never leave _______ child behind.


5. The tiger grabbed ____________ necklace, but it didn't grab ___________ baby.


6. ________________ husband could not help her because of the tigers. Kinu wanted to help _______________ wife and child, but she ran away with _________ baby.


7. The dogs defended ______________ owner from the tigers.


8. The tigers were unhappy with Diego because of __________ incompetence to get the baby.


9. Kinu found _________ wife's necklace. _______________ friends followed him to look for _________ wife and child.


10. Did you like the segment? What's __________ opinion about it?



11. I (liked/didn't like) it. In ___________ opinion, the segment is (great / terrible / fantastic / etc).



Answer Key:

1. their
2. their
3. his / his
4. her / her
5. her / her
6. her / his / their
7. their
8. his (its)
9. his / his / his
10. your
11. my



WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - ICE AGE

Battle for Terra: Compound Nouns with Some, Any, No, Every

As you know, I could spend days watching animated movies. This is a 3D movie with a great message for kids. I think adults understand the movie better than children, though. I used this segment to practice compound nouns with some, any, no, every in a contextualized way. Hope you like it.

A. Watch the movie segment and describe what you saw to a partner.






B. Now do the following exercise. Circle the correct alternative.



1. Humans exhausted every natural resource. There was anything / nothing / something left .


2. Colonies were established on the neighboring planets, Venus and Mars. Two centuries later, war was declared and something / anything / everything was destroyed.


3. There was something / nothing / anything the survivors could do. Travel to another galaxy and find another planet everywhere / somewhere / nowhere in another system.




4. The human asked Mala to do anything/ something / nothing for him. To repair his spaceship.




5. They eventually shook hands, a demonstration that anybody / somebody / everybody can be friends even if they don't have something / anything / nothing in common.




6. Mala is a Terrean. She is not human but there is something / nothing / anything about her that resembles a human being. She has two eyes and one mouth, for example.




7. According to the segment, there is life nowhere / somewhere / anywhere in other galaxies.




8. What's your opinion? Is there life somewhere / nowhere / anywhere in outer space?




WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BATTLE FOR TERRA

Answer key:



1 Nothing
2 Everything
3 Something / somewhere
4 Something
5 Everybody / anything
6 Something
7 Somewhere
8. Anywhere

Ratatouille: Determiners A, An, Some

Ratatouille is a great animated movie. This scene is perfect for beginners. The language is very easy and the scene is funny. It is ideal to practice the use of determiners - a, an, some - and the students may write a recipe, if their level allows.

The final worksheet was developed by my reader, Alexandra Duarte from Portugal. She inserted this activity of mine into her own class plan and shared it with us. Thanks, Alexandra, for sharing and developing such great activities.

Alexandra Duarte has been an EFL teacher for about 20 years, most of them at MartinhoÁrias Secondary School in Soure / Portugal. For the last 3 years she has been involved in adult teaching.

http://www.clubeinglesoure.blogspot.com/

A. You can see these items during the movie segment. Match the vocabulary and the words. Add a/ an/ some before the nouns.

Ex: A tomato

1. Tomato

2. Carrots

3. Omelet

4. Eggs

5. Spaghetti

6. Wine

7. Onion

8. Egg

9. Cucumber

10. Soup

B. Now watch the movie segment and write the instructions to make the soup, using some of the words from the previous exercise. First, decide which verbs correspond to the pictures below:

1. Slice

2. Pour

3. Stir

4. Break

Recipe:

First, pick up ________________.

Then stir the _________ in a bowl.

Next, put __________ into a pan.

After that, pour ____________ into a glass.

Next, slice ________________.

Then break ________________.

Don't forget to slice ____________.

Put everything in the pan to make ___________.

Answer Key:

B.
1. a tomato
2. some eggs
3. some spaghetti
4. some wine
5. an onion
6. an egg
7. some cucumbers / a cucumber
8. some soup




WORKSHEET - 1

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - RATATOUILLE



The next worksheet was developed by my reader Alexandra Duarte, a reader from Portugal. She inserted this activity of mine into her own class plan and shared it with us. Thanks, Alexandra, for sharing and developing such great activities.



WORKSHEET - Alexandra Duarte.

Alexandra Duarte has been an EFL teacher for about 20 years, most of them at MartinhoÁrias Secondary School in Soure / Portugal. For the last 3 years she has been involved in adult teaching.