What is this lesson about?

Speakerphone on the train, phones at the dinner table, turning up late without a message: everyone has a view on what counts as rude. This lesson gets B2-C1 learners debating the grey areas of modern manners, comparing etiquette across cultures and generations, and working out what they’d really do when someone crosses the line. It’s light enough to be fun and deep enough to get students talking about respect, honesty and how we treat each other.

What language will students learn?

Students use natural, everyday British English for giving opinions on behaviour, complaining politely, and talking about awkward social moments. The expressions come up through the speaking tasks rather than as a list to learn.

How do students practise?

●       Giving verdicts on everyday behaviour and defending them

●       Choosing which of two bad habits is worse

●       Owning up to small rude moments of their own

●       Discussing manners across cultures

●       Deciding how to handle awkward real-life situations

●       Agreeing, disagreeing and partly agreeing with opinions

●       Weighing up two viewpoints on whether manners matter

●       Telling a story about a time they put their foot in it

●       Creating their own rules of good manners

Why is this lesson useful?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to…

●       give and justify opinions on social behaviour with nuance

●       describe how they would handle an awkward situation politely but directly

●       compare social norms between cultures and generations

●       tell an engaging personal story about an embarrassing or uncomfortable moment

Who is it for?

B2-C1 adult learners in one-to-one or group classes, online or in person. The instructions work equally well one-to-one and in groups, and the lesson needs no preparation beyond printing the worksheet.