Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Level: B1

Lexis - Housework and Chores

Collocations
Match the verbs in column 1 with the nouns in column 2 to make collocations that describe daily
and weekly chores. Sometimes more than one option is possible. If so, choose the most natural
collocation.
Column 1
1. clean
2. sweep / vacuum
3. do (x2)
4. wash
5. collect
6. iron
7. water
8. cook
9. make
10. feed

Column 2
the clothes
the bathroom
the dog /cat
the bed
the dinner
the washing
the shopping
the floor
the plants
the kids from school

Test your partner

Teacher A look at your handout.
Teacher B, turn it over so you
cant see the collocations.
Teacher A say a noun from
column 2. Teacher B, try to
remember the verb that
collocates with it.

Practice
Write 1 collocation in each gap. Put it in the correct form. Use each collocation only once.
1. I always ______________ as soon as I get up so it looks nice and tidy.
2. It was very hot last week so I __________________ in the garden twice.
3. There is no school bus to our house, so we have to __________________ every day.
4. If I dont make a list, I always forget something when I __________________.
5. There was a power cut this morning so I couldnt __________________ or _______ them!
6. Did you remember to __________________? He looks very hungry.
7. Could you __________________, please. Its covered in dust.
8. If were tired when we get home from work, we dont bother __________________. We get a pizza
home delivery.
9. I hope youre going to __________________ after shaving. Youve made a terrible mess!

Discussion
(Tip: Use full sentences in your answers to practise the structures!)
1. How often do you do each of the chores listed above?
2. Which do you enjoy doing (if any) and which do you most dislike? Why?
3. What chores did your parents make you do when you were younger? Do you do
same to your children?
4. What chores are you going to do this week? When?
5. Do you think that machines and robots will ever take over doing housework in the
future? Give reasons for your answer.

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

the

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Level: B1

Exam Skills - Aptis Writing Part 3

You are in an internet chat room chatting to a friend. Write 30-40 word replies to each of the following 3 questions.
You have 10 minutes for all 3 responses:
I hate cleaning the bathroom and sweeping the floor. Theyre such hard work. Which chores do you dislike most
and why?

Post
Post
Luckily, my husband enjoys cooking and ironing. How do you divide the daily chores with your family?

Post
Post
I seem to spend all of my weekend just doing chores. Do you have any tips for how I can do them faster or reduce
the workload?

Post
Post

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)