ZOOM IN on grammar

Grammar 1 Games and Activities

Teacher’s Notes

Up, down, left, right

• 60 fun activities per book for practising and
revising key grammar points
• Wide range of activities at all levels including
jigsaw-reading, bingo, questionnaires and much
more
• Photocopiable handouts, full teaching notes and
answer keys
Time: 20-30 minutes
Type of activity: Giving and receiving
instructions in pairs
Grammar points
Using the imperative to give instructions
start, go, copy
Prepositions
in, up, down, left, right, above, below
Method
1 Revise prepositions up, down, left, right
using arrows on the board. Then draw two
stars to revise above, below.
2 Divide the class into pairs (A and B) and
give each student the appropriate handout.
They must keep this sheet a secret from
each other.
3 If necessary, revise the names for the ten
objects on the sheet.
4 Student A starts by reading the instructions
1-6 out loud to Student B, slowly enough
for Student B to follow them and draw the
object in the appropriate square. Student A
can repeat the instructions but must not
point to the correct square or give any
other help.
5 When this is finished, students change
roles and it is now Student B’s turn to read
out their instructions (1-6) for Student A
to follow.
6 When both have finished, they look at the
answer on each other’s sheets.
7 As a follow-up, ask students to draw in five
more objects in their answer grid (these
could be the same objects or completely
new ones). Then they find a new partner
and give this partner instructions. This is
good practice of the grammar points as of
course they have to use the imperatives and
prepositions in their own sentences.
8 This could be extended to homework
where they make up grids and write the
instructions.

2
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Up, down, left, right Student A

Read the following out to your partner. He/she is going to draw what you tell
him/her to draw. (Don’t let him/her see your paper.)

1 Start in the square above the picture of a flower. Answer

2 Go left 2 squares, then down 2 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square below.
3 Go right 4 squares and copy the picture in the
square on your left.
4 Go up 2 squares, then left 1 square. In this
square copy the picture in the square above.
5 Go left 3 squares then right 2 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square below.
6 Go down 2 squares then left 3 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square above.

Now check your drawings.

Now it’s your turn to listen to instructions. Have a pen or pencil ready. Follow your
partner’s instructions and draw what he/she tells you to draw. When you have
finished, check your drawings.

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Up, down, left, right Student B

Have a pen or pencil ready. Follow your partner’s instructions and draw what
he/she tells you to draw. When you have finished, check your drawings. But hide
the bottom part of your paper from Student A.

Now it is your turn to give your partner Answer

instructions. Read out the following. He/she is
going to draw what you tell him/her to draw.
1 Start in the square below the house.
2 Go down 2 squares, then left 1 square. In this
square copy the picture in the square on your left.
3 Go left 2 squares, then up 2 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square on your
right.
4 Go down 1 square, then right 4 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square on your left.
5 Go down 1 square, then left 5 squares. In this
square, copy the picture in the square above.
6 Go up 3 squares, then right 3 squares. In this
square copy the picture in the square on your left.

Now check your drawings.

4 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Grammar Games and Activities 1 © Penguin Books 2000

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Grammar 2 Games and Activities

Personal pronouns
he/she/it
can/cannot/can’t
He can’t come this weekend.
Subject and object personal pronouns
Maya and I have the same birthday./She invited
Maya and me.
Use of apostrophe (it’s/its)
It’s a nice day./The cat cleaned its ears.

Method
1 Write the words ‘Grandma Grammar’s
Problem Page’ on the board and invite
students to tell you what they would
expect it to be about. Tell them Grandma
Grammar has taken a holiday and so they
are going to have to answer the letters she
has received this week.
2 Give each student one of the letters
• 60 fun activities per book for practising and (numbers do not have to be equal). They
revising key grammar points have ten minutes to circulate in the class
• Wide range of activities at all levels including to tell different people their problem and
jigsaw-reading, bingo, questionnaires and much note down any answers. They should
more underline the answers they think are true.
• Photocopiable handouts, full teaching notes and 3 After this, students should form small
answer keys
groups with others who had the same
problem and talk together to come up with
the best and clearest answer. They should
write this in a few sentences and give some
examples.
Teacher’s Notes
4 Now proceed to whole class feedback. Each
group reads out their problem and their
Ask Grandma Grammar! answer. The rest of the class can be invited
Time: 25 minutes to comment. Do they find the answer clear
Activity type: Mingle and group work and useful? If not, how could it be better?
Preparation: Make enough copies of pages 6
and 7 so that each student has
one of the problems to answer; cut
out the individual letters.

Grammar points
Use of definite and indefinite articles
the sea/a river
Future idea expressed by present continuous
I’m visiting my mother on Sunday.
There is/There are
There is a woman with a baby.
few/little with countable and uncountable nouns
a little butter/a few apples

5
ZOOM IN on grammar

Ask Grandma Grammar!

Dear Grandma Grammar, Dear Grandma Grammar,

Please help me! Why do we talk I have a question about the future
about the sun but a star? Is it a tense. Is it better to say ‘I’m
moon or the moon? having a party next week. Would
you like to come?’ or ‘I’ll have a
party next week. Would you like
to come?’ Or are both correct?

Dear Grandma Grammar, Dear Grandma Grammar,

In an English cookbook, I read I know ‘he’ and ‘she’ are only
‘You need a little milk and a few used for people in English, but
eggs’. How do you know when to what do I use when I talk about
use ‘few’ and when to use ‘little’ my cat, Sooty. Do I say ‘she’ or
and can you say ‘little eggs’? must I say ‘it’?

6 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Grammar Games and Activities 2 © Penguin Books 2000

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Ask Grandma Grammar!

Dear Grandma Grammar Dear Grandma Grammar

When do you use ‘there is’ and
when do you use ‘there are’? I’m
confused by this sentence: ‘There
is a man and three children at the
door’. Is it correct?
What’s the difference between
‘can’, ‘can not’ and ‘cannot’ and
what tense are they?

Dear Grandma Grammar Dear Grandma Grammar

I’m not always sure when to use
‘I’ and when to use ‘me’. Is it ‘He
gave the tickets to Helen and me’
or ‘He gave the tickets to Helen
and I’?
I know ‘it’s’ has an apostrophe so
why is there no apostrophe in this
sentence: ‘The dog ate its dinner
hungrily’?

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Grammar Games and Activities 2 © Penguin Books 2000 7

ZOOM IN on grammar

Grammar 2 Games and Activities

Asking for information
What does this mean?/What does this refer
to?/Could you tell me about this please? etc.
Explaining
That means/refers to, etc.

Method
1 You might like to start by holding up the
picture of the London Eye and explaining
that it is a big wheel sponsored by British
Airways and erected next to the River
Thames in London to celebrate the
Millennium. It’s called the ‘Eye’ because it’s
round and gives you a great view of the
capital. Then go on to say: Would you be
afraid of going on this?/I’d be afraid/not afraid
of going for a ride. Are you impressed by it? In
the answers focus attention on the use of
adjective plus preposition (afraid +
• 60 fun activities per book for practising and of/impressed + by)
revising key grammar points
2 Now divide the class into pairs (A and B)
• Wide range of activities at all levels including and give each person a copy of page 9
jigsaw-reading, bingo, questionnaires and much
more (the London Eye) and the appropriate half
of page 10 with ten questions. Explain that
• Photocopiable handouts, full teaching notes and
answer keys they are going to answer these questions
about themselves and write the answers in
the capsules of the London Eye. Allow time
for this and circulate to give help where
needed. At this stage, everyone is working
Teacher’s Notes individually and they should not discuss
their choices with others.
3 When people are ready, explain that they
Pre-intermediate/ are now going to work in pairs and ask
Intermediate each other to explain what is written in
each capsule. You might like to revise
The London Eye appropriate questions: What does this
mean?/What does this refer to? etc. Remind
Time: 20–25 minutes
students that in their answers they will be
Activity type: Pair work – personal discussion
using adjective plus preposition
Preparation: Make one copy of page 9 per
constructions, e.g. This is somebody I’d love
student. Make one copy of page 10
to talk to./This is something I’m saving up for.
per pair of students and cut in half.
etc.

Grammar points 4 Give about ten minutes for students to

Adjectives followed by prepositions discuss their answers together. Then go on
nice to/talk about/take part in/depend on/shocked to whole class feedback, going round ‘the
by/good at/bad at/impressed by/bored by/anxious Eye’ and asking for interesting or unusual
about, etc. answers to the questions.

8
 ZOOM IN on grammar

The London Eye

The London Eye is the name of a big wheel on the bank of the River Thames in
London. Write your answers to the questions in the capsules.

10

4
8

7
5

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The London Eye

Student A

1 Something I’m good at.

2 Something I’m afraid of.
3 A public figure I’m impressed by.
4 A subject or hobby I’m bored by.
5 Something I sometimes get anxious about.
6 Something I have dreams about.
7 Something I would really like to succeed in.
8 A famous person I would love to talk to.
9 Something I am saving up for.
10 A team sport I would not like to take part in.

Student B

1 Something I’m bad at.

2 Something I’m shocked by.
3 A public figure I’m not impressed by.
4 A subject or hobby I’m interested in.
5 Somebody I can always depend on.
6 A subject I like to talk about.
7 Somebody who is usually very nice to me.
8 A team sport I would like to take part in.
9 A word or expression that is typical of me.
10 A person I would like to go on holiday with.

10 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Grammar Games and Activities 2 © Penguin Books 2000


Games and Activities Book 1
• This series features 50 varied and enjoyable
photocopiable activities per book, including
role-plays, card games, discussions, prediction and
quizzes.
• Photocopiable lessons help prepare and motivate
students to read but can be used with or without
the Penguin Readers titles.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and keys provided.
ZOOM IN on reading
Teacher’s Notes
The most . . . Level 2
The aim of this activity is to promote fast reading for
overall understanding of the information in a text.
Method
1 Copy the two handouts on pages 12–13 – two sheets
for each student.
2 Explain that students have fifteen minutes to read the
eight texts and to decide which six texts best fit the
descriptions in the grid below the texts. They tick the
boxes which correspond to their decisions. For example,
if they think Text 1 is the most exciting, they tick that
box.
3 When time is up, students work in groups of four and
compare their results. They should discuss any
disagreements.
4 Groups then report back in full class session. Put the
grid on the board or overhead projector (OHP). Groups
then vote for ‘The most . . .’ in each category. Texts
with the most support are the final choices. Discuss the
results. Were there any texts which were put in more
than one category? Were there any texts which were
not chosen at all?
Variation
Divide the class into eight groups. Give each group one of
the eight texts and the grid sheet. Groups are then given
just five minutes to decide which box to tick for their text.
Groups then exchange texts with another group and
repeat the process. Continue until each group has read
every text.
Follow-up
Rewrite one of the extracts as a gap passage and give it to
students.
11
ZOOM IN on reading
THE MOST. . .
Read the eight texts. Then decide which of them are ‘The most . . .’ in the grid below the texts and fill
in the boxes.
1 When Bowen woke up, he was inside the
dragon’s mouth. He pulled out his sword
and shouted, ‘Don’t bring your teeth down,
Dragon. Or my sword will go up.’ Nothing
happened.
Bowen sat in the dragon’s mouth all day.
Outside, Brother Gilbert watched and
waited. In the evening the dragon tried to
speak, but it was difficult with Bowen in his
mouth.
(Dragonheart. p.16. Level 2.)
3 ‘Slowly take out your gun,’ they told him.
‘Put it on the floor and stand back.’
‘Mr Bean was very afraid. He carefully
put his hand in his jacket . . . and took out
his two fingers.
‘It was only a game,’ he said. ‘I haven’t
really got a gun.’
The policemen looked at him. Who was
this strange little man?
(Mr Bean. p.7. Level 2.)
5 ‘Alan!’ Sarah screamed.
They turned and saw two big crocodiles
in the water.
A table moved out of the next room on
the water. Alan climbed on to it, then
pulled the others up with him.
‘Where are the crocodiles?’ said Sarah.
Suddenly a crocodile jumped up, and she
screamed.
‘Climb!’ shouted Alan.
(Jumanji. pp.27–8. Level 2.)
12 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Games and Activities 1 © Penguin Books 2003
2 She listened to his quick, quiet words. She
closed her eyes. ‘I can’t answer,’ she
thought.
‘I want to marry you, you see,’ he said
again quickly. He waited for her answer.
She was very near him and he wanted her.
But he waited.
(The Fox. pp.10–12. Level 2.)
4 Harry spoke on the radio to the scientists
at the hotel. ‘Is anybody there?’ he asked.
‘Harry, where are you?’ said Dreyfus.
‘Up at the lake,’ Harry said. ‘We’re OK,
but there’s no road for us to come back
down the mountain.’
‘Harry,’ Paul said, ‘this mountain is
going to explode . . . and soon. I’ll send a
helicopter up to get you.’
(Dante’s Peak. p.32. Level 2.)
6 He walked with the two old sisters back to
their hotel and tried to tell them about
seeing Laura with them in the boat that
afternoon.
‘Yes, you did see us with her,’ the sister
with the white hair said, stopping outside
their little hotel and looking at him again
with her strange, empty eyes, ‘but not
today. You saw us with her next week.
Coming back to Venice, next week. Not
today.’
(Don’t Look Now. p.32. Level 2.)
 ZOOM IN on reading

THE MOST. . . (CONTINUED)

7 Do you really think I’m crazy? Listen to me,
and you won’t think that. I had to do
something with the body. I had to be very
careful.
I didn’t have a lot of time before the
morning, so I worked quickly, but quietly.
First, I cut up the body. I cut off the head,
the arms, and the legs. Then I pulled up the
floor. I put everything into the place under
the floor, then I carefully put the floor back.
(The Tell-Tale Heart, from A White Heron.
p.35. Level 2.)
8 ‘The helicopter is coming back!’ says Andy,
in the kitchen.
‘They can’t see us, they’re too far away,’
George tells him.
Suddenly, Harry shouts, ‘Something’s
burning! Look! There’s smoke coming from
the back of the barn!’
Everybody looks out of the window and
sees the light and smoke from the fire.
‘Stay with the boy!’ George tells Petra.
The three men run out of the house and
round to the back of the barn. Harry sees
the black bags. ‘Somebody’s burning our
money!’ he shouts.
(Money to Burn. p.26. Level 2.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Most exciting
Most romantic
Most violent
Most mysterious
Most humorous
Most visual

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Games and Activities 1 © Penguin Books 2003 13

ZOOM IN on reading
Games and Activities Book 1
• This series features 50 varied and enjoyable
photocopiable activities per book, including
role-plays, card games, discussions, prediction and
quizzes.
• Photocopiable lessons help prepare and motivate
students to read but can be used with or without
the Penguin Readers titles.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and keys provided.
14
Teacher’s Notes
From text to picture Level 2
The aims of this activity are:
● to develop students’ ability to visualize scenes and
characters from reading texts.
● to encourage discussion about different views of what a
scene means.
● to introduce students to a sample of interesting texts
from the Penguin Readers series, so that they go on to
read the full stories later.
Method
11 Copy enough of the handouts on page 15 to allow every
student to have one text. (You would need six sheets for
a class of eighteen students.) Students will need blank
sheets of paper to draw on. Cut out the texts and
distribute one to each student.
22 Students should read the text carefully. Walk round
and check students understand the text – give them
help if they need it. Tell them to be especially attentive
to visual detail. Then tell them to draw their
visualization of the scene they have just read. Point out
that most of the extracts describe a sequence of events,
but that students need draw only one scene, (probably
the final one). Emphasize that you are not looking for
artistic talent – even a very rough picture will do. Allow
10–15 minutes for students to do this.
43 Students then work with a partner who has been using
a different text from theirs. They exchange their
drawings but do not show each other the texts. They
then describe to each other what they think their
partner’s picture represents. The student who has
drawn the text may need to correct his/her partner’s
description and the person describing the text may
want to ask questions. Examples of language that
students may need to use are: Present continous tense,
there is/are, I can see, this is/these are.
54 Finally, students exchange texts so that they can read
the text that the picture was actually based upon.
Leave time for them to discuss any points of
disagreement.
65 If you wish, students can change partners and go
through the same process with a new drawing. If you
have time, students could work through all the
texts/pictures.
Follow-up
Make a wall display of the pictures alongside the texts
which inspired them.
◆ Where a phrase has been omitted from the Penguin
Readers edition it is indicated by three dots (. . .) in
this activity.
 ZOOM IN on reading

FROM TEXT TO PICTURE

Cut out the passages.

Students work in pairs. They read one of the passages and draw the scene. Then their partner
describes their picture.

1 No smoke came from the house. He was afraid. He did not want his wife or the children
to go into the farm.
‘Do what I say, please,’ said Nat.
She pulled Jill and Johnny under a tree out of the wind and he went into the farm
without them. He saw the car in front of the house, not in the garage. There was no
glass in any of the windows of the house and there were hundreds of dead gulls near the
front door. There was a crowd of living birds on the roof and on the trees round the
house. They did not move. They watched him.

(The Birds. p.33. Level 2.)

2 One morning in June a large crowd of people waited outside the prison door. They wore
dark clothes.
‘Hester Prynne is the child of the Devil,’ said an ugly woman in the crowd . . .
‘Be quiet!’ somebody called from the front of the crowd. ‘They are opening the prison
door.’
The crowd was quiet. The door opened and a small man in black clothes came out. A
woman in a colorful dress followed him. She was a tall woman with a strong, beautiful
face and large, dark eyes. Her long, black hair shone in the sunlight. There was a baby in
her arms and a big, red letter ‘A’ on the front of her dress.

(Adapted from The Scarlet Letter. p.1. Level 2.)

3 It is a wet afternoon in November, and the winds are strong. On a road near the river,
three men are cutting down a tree. When the tree is down, they pull it on to the road and
then go to wait behind some other trees. Their red car is near them, ready to drive away
quickly. It is a small, quiet road.
A hundred metres away, a woman called Petra is watching the big road from the city.
She is waiting for a blue security van. Next to Petra, there is a sign across the road near
the river. It says: ROAD CLOSED.
(Money to Burn. p.1. Level 2.)

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ZOOM IN on reading
Instant Lessons Book 1
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Teacher’s Notes
Level: Easystarts
Skills: Reading; speaking; writing
Function: Describing places
Language: There is/are + a/some/a lot of; Is/are
there + a/any? There aren’t any . . .
Vocabulary: ‘Nature’ words
Presentation (25 minutes)
1 Put students into pairs. Students match the words
with the pictures. Encourage them to use their
dictionaries to look up new vocabulary. Check
students’ answers and if necessary, teach the words.
2 Teach the word island by sketching an island on the
board and drawing the sea around it. Then quickly
sketch in some mountains and three rivers. Sketch in
a lot of trees. Also sketch in a lake. Say: Tell me about
the island. Elicit: There’s a lake, there are some mountains
and rivers. There are a lot of trees. Point out that if there
are three or more, we usually say some.
16
Write the words town and village on the board and
elicit/teach the meaning. Elicit the following
questions and answers: Is there a town on the island?
Are there any villages? There aren’t any villages/towns.
Point out that we use some with affirmative sentences
and any with interrogative and negative sentences.
Then write the structures on the board for students to
copy.
Put students into pairs. Each student draws an island
and puts four items from Exercise 1 in it. (Three
villages counts as one ‘item’.) With their partner, each
student then describes his/her island, using the
structures given in the example. Then as a whole
class activity, ask some students to describe their
island and correct where necessary.
3 (Optional activity) Put students into different pairs.
Students do not show each other their island
drawings. They take turns to ask each other questions
about their islands, as in the example. Then as a
whole class activity, listen to some student pairs and
correct where necessary.
Practice (15 minutes)
4 Put students into pairs. Ask students to read the
passage and answer question 1. Check answers orally,
explaining and helping students to guess the answers
from the context. Students then read the passage
again and answer questions 2–5. Encourage them to
use their dictionaries to look up new vocabulary.
Check answers orally, explaining and correcting
where necessary. If there is sufficient time, ask
students to write answers to question 5.
Further practice (20 minutes)
5 Look through the passage and pre-teach any
vocabulary you think necessary. Students read the
passage and complete the gaps. Check answers orally,
correcting and explaining where necessary.
6 Put students into pairs. Read through the rubric and
check students understand what they have to do.
Students then do the exercise, without referring to
Exercise 5 if possible. Walk round and give help where
needed. As a whole class activity, listen to some
students. Correct major errors and teach any new
vocabulary that arises.
Key
1 1 hill 2 mountain 3 tree 4 river 5 town 6 lake
7 village
4 2 They find water in a river. 3 They sleep on the
beach. 4 They start to make a small house. 5 The
island is big. There’s grass and there are a lot of tall,
thick trees. There’s a small river with cold, clean
water. There are coconuts on the island. There’s a
beach.
5 1 a 2 any 3 any 4 some 5 some 6 a lot/lots
7 are 8 is 9 a
 ZOOM IN on reading

Describing places
1 Work in pairs. Look at the pictures. Write 4 Work in pairs. Answer the questions below.
the words below beneath the right pictures.
lake mountain town hill The island is big and has lots of tall, thick trees. First
village tree river Sam and Jenny look for food and water. They find
a small river. The water is cold and clean. They
drink and drink and drink. There are coconuts on
the island too . . . Sam opens two of them and
gives the first one to Jenny. That night Sam and
Jenny sleep on the beach. They are very tired. In
the morning they start to make a small house with
1 _______________ 2 _______________ grass and wood. They work very hard. After four
days they finish.

(Adapted from Tinker’s Island. pp.8-9. Easystarts.)

1 Guess the meaning of these words: coconut,

grass, beach
4 _______________ 2 Where do Sam and Jenny find water?
3 _______________
3 Where do Sam and Jenny sleep?
4 What do they start to make the next
morning?
5 Describe the island.

6 _______________ 5 Read the passage and fill in the gaps.

Choose from these words:
5 _______________
some any is are a lot a

7 _______________
2 Draw an island. Choose four items from
Exercise 1 to put on your island. Then find a
partner and make sentences about your
island.
Example:
There’s a lake. There are some hills. There aren’t
any mountains. There are a lot of trees.
3 Work with a different partner. Don’t show
your partner your island. Ask your partner
questions about his/her island.
Example:
Is there a lake?
We live on (1) _____________ small island. There aren’t
(2) _____________ houses or phones. There aren’t
(3) _____________ people. We are all alone. How do we
live? There are (4) _____________ small animals and we
kill them. We have two guns. But
(5) _____________ animals are dangerous and we must
be careful. There are (6) _____________ of trees. We
take the wood and make fires with it. Then we cook our
food. There (7) _____________ some fruit trees too. We
eat the fruit. There (8) _____________ a river and the
water is very clean. It’s hot here and we like that. We
live in (9) _____________ small grass house.

Yes, there is.

6 Work in pairs. Imagine that you are on this
Are there any mountains? island. Talk about the island and your life
there.
No, there aren’t.

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Instant Lessons 1 © Penguin Books 2003 17

ZOOM IN on reading
Instant Lessons Book 1
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Teacher’s Notes
Level: 2 round and give help where needed. Ask some pairs to
Skills: Reading; speaking; writing
Function: Describing how people say and do
things
Language: Adverbs
Vocabulary: Verbs describing speech
Presentation (15 minutes)
1 a Put students into pairs. Ask students to read the
sentences. Write the words say and answer on the
board and ask students to underline verbs like these
that tell us that someone is speaking or describe how
someone speaks. Encourage students to use their
dictionaries. Check answers orally and give
explanations where necessary.
18
b Go through the example with students.
Elicit/explain the fact that kind is an adjective and
tells us more about a noun. Elicit/explain the fact that
kindly is an adverb and tells you more about a verb.
Elicit/explain the fact that you make an adverb by
adding –ly to the verb. Ask students to think of more
adjectives and write them on the board in a column.
Get students to tell you what the adverbs are and
write them in a second column. Point out that
adverbs ending in consonant + y add –ily. Point out
also that there are some exceptions where the
adjective and adverb are the same (hard – hard, fast –
fast, early – early, late – late). Elicit/point out the fact
that the adverb of the adjective good is well. Students
then do the exercise in pairs. Check answers orally
and give explanations where necessary.
Practice (30 minutes)
2 Put students into pairs. Check that students
understand the questions. Students read the passage
and answer the questions. Encourage them to use
their dictionaries to look up new vocabulary. Check
answers orally and give explanations where necessary.
Encourage discussion for question 4.
3 Explain that in this exercise, students’ task is to add
in verbs describing speech (i.e. the verbs used in
Exercise 1) and adverbs to the dialogue in the passage
in Exercise 2. Go through the example given and
elicit more examples. Point out that we can say said
Morris or Morris said. Students then do the exercise in
pairs. Walk round and give help where needed. Check
students’ work. Ask some pairs to read out their work
and correct where necessary.
Further practice (15 minutes)
4 Put students into pairs. One student in each pair plays
Catherine, the other plays her best friend. Ask
students to imagine that Catherine tells her friend
that Morris has left her. Her friend is shocked and
sympathetic. Students make the conversation. Walk
act out the conversation for the class. Correct major
errors. Then students write the conversation, adding
at least five adverbs. Walk round and give help where
needed. If time allows, check students’ work.
Key
1 a 1 asked 2 shouted 3 reply, said 4 whispered
5 screamed 6 said 7 cried 8 spoke
b 1 slowly 2 angrily 3 carefully 4 deeply 5 loudly
6 badly, late 7 well, hard, early 8 fast
2 1 They are engaged (going to marry). 2 He’s not
interested in her and feels cold towards her. He wants
to leave her. 3 She loves him and wants him to stay
with her. She ‘gave up everything’ for him. 4 Open
answer
 ZOOM IN on reading

Love
1 Work in pairs.
a Underline the verbs describing speech in the sentences below.

b Change the adjectives in brackets into adverbs.

Example: She smiled (kind) at him. She smiled kindly at him.

1 ‘Why are you driving so (slow)?’ he asked.

2 ‘Get out!’ he shouted (angry).
3 ‘Think (careful) before you reply,’ he said.
4 ‘I love you (deep),’ Matthew whispered.
5 Maria screamed (loud) and then jumped out of the window.
6 ‘You do your job (bad) and always arrive (late),’ said Mr Morrell.
7 ‘That’s not true. I do my job (good). I work (hard) and always arrive (early),’ Peter cried.
8 He spoke (fast) and she couldn’t understand him.

2 Work in pairs. Read the passage. Answer the questions below.

Morris came to see Catherine. He said suddenly, ‘I’m going away to New Orleans. I’m going to buy
some coffee.’
‘Take me with you,’ said Catherine.
‘No, it’s a dirty and dangerous place. People get ill there.’
‘Then you must not go. When people are going to marry, buying coffee is not important. Think
about me, not coffee. We must not wait too long.’ She spoke strongly, her hands on Morris’s arm.
Was this the time to break with Catherine?
‘I don’t like this noisy Catherine. I like you when you’re quiet,’ said Morris.
‘But I don’t ask much of you. When are you coming again?’
‘Saturday,’ he answered and smiled.
‘Come tomorrow. I’m very quiet now. Please, tomorrow.’
‘I said Saturday,’ he said, but did not smile this time. ‘Tomorrow I’ll be in the office.’ She looked at
his hard, cold eyes.
‘Morris,’ she said quietly, ‘you’re going to leave me.’
‘Yes. I’ll write to you – that’s better.’
‘Morris, I gave up everything for you!’ she cried.
‘You can have it all back.’
‘Morris, why are you doing this now? What is different?’
‘Wait for my letter.’
‘Ah, you’re not coming back.’
He got away from her and closed the door behind him.

(Washington Square. pp.34-35. Level 2.)

1 What is Catherine and Morris’s relationship 3 How does Catherine feel about Morris?
at the beginning of the conversation? 4 How do you feel about Morris?
2 How does Morris feel about Catherine?

3 In pairs, read the passage in Exercise 2 again. Write in more verbs describing speech and adverbs.
Example: ‘Come tomorrow. I’m very quiet now. Please, tomorrow,’ she said quietly.

4 Imagine that Catherine tells her best friend that Morris has left her. Make that conversation. Then
write the conversation, using five adverbs.

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Instant Lessons 1 © Penguin Books 2003 19

ZOOM IN on reading
Instant Lessons Book 1
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Level: 1 The shopkeeper watched the students carefully. The
Skills: Reading; speaking; writing
Function: Understanding a dramatic scene
Language: Past simple, affirmative form, with
emphasis on irregular verbs
Vocabulary: ‘Crime’ words
Presentation (25 minutes)
1 a Put students into pairs. Their task is to separate out
the two stories in the texts. To do this, they should
underline the sentences of one story. The easiest way
for students to do the exercise is to start with the first
sentence and go through the text, underlining that
story. They can read through the second story (which
has not been underlined) and check that they have
done the exercise correctly. Encourage students to use
their dictionaries for new words. Check answers
orally.
b Elicit answers to the question from a number of
students and give help where necessary.
c Check that students understand how to form the
past tense of regular verbs. Check that students
understand that they must learn the past simple tense
of irregular verbs. In pairs, students then go through
the stories and do the exercise. Check answers orally.
20
Practice (20 minutes)
2 Explain to students that regular verbs end in three
different sounds: phonetic symbol d (stayed, rained);
phonetic symbol t (talked, danced); phonetic symbol Id
(started). Write these phonetic symbols on the board
in three columns. Students copy them down, also in
three columns. Give the examples above very clearly,
so that students can really hear the ending and
understand that it is the sound of the ending that
matters, not the spelling. Check students understand
the list of verbs in the exercise. Slowly read out the
following list of verbs, which are the same as the list
in the worksheet, but in a different order: started,
closed, listened, watched, waited, stopped, worked, opened,
lived, shouted, wanted, finished. Students put each verb
in the appropriate column according to the sound of
the ending. Check answers orally.
If time allows, explain that the pronunciation of the
endings depends on the base form of the verb. If it
ends with a soft sound (live, listen) the pronunciation
of the –ed ending has a d sound. If the end is hard
(stop, work) the pronuncation of the –ed ending has a t
sound. If the base form ends with a –t sound (wait,
shout), the –ed ending is pronounced Id.
Note: If time is short, omit Exercise 2.
Key
1 a Story 1 Two students, a boy and a girl, went into a
small shop. It sold old stamps and coins. The coins
were very valuable. They looked at some of the coins.
girl student thought, ‘He thinks we’re going to steal
the coins!’ There was a girl shop assistant. The girl
student smiled at her, but the girl did not smile back.
‘She isn’t very friendly,’ the girl student thought. The
telephone rang in the room behind the shop. The
shopkeeper went to answer it. After some minutes,
the students left and went to a café. Suddenly, the
shopkeeper came into the café. ‘Where are my coins?’
he said. ‘They’re not there. You stole them!’
b Story 1 Someone stole some valuable coins from a
shop. Story 2 A man had a bag of dangerous drugs.
c went/to go; sold/to sell; were/to be; looked/to look;
watched/to watch; thought/to think; ran/to run;
put/to put; was/to be; smiled/to smile; rang/to ring;
left/to leave; found/to find; came/to come; said/to
say; took/to take; saw/to see; had/to have; stole/to
steal; started/to start
2 d closed, listened, opened, lived; t watched, stopped,
worked, finished; Id started, waited, shouted, wanted
3 (1) had (2) held (3) stopped/arrived (4) got/climbed
(5) had (6) shouted/said (7) shouted (8) picked up
(9) threw (10) hit (11) fell (12) took (13) threw
4 b The shop assistant took the coins and went to the
window. There was a flute player outside. She threw
the coins into his hat. He walked away with the coins.
 ZOOM IN on reading

Crime
1 a Work in pairs. There are two stories in the text below. Both stories are about two students, a boy
and a girl. The stories are mixed up. Separate the two stories. Underline the sentences of one story.

Two students, a boy and a girl, went into a small shop. It sold old stamps and coins. Two students, a boy
and a girl, were on holiday in Barcelona, Spain. The coins were very valuable. They went for a walk in the
little streets behind the market. They looked at some of the coins. The shopkeeper watched the students
carefully. The girl student thought, ‘He thinks we’re going to steal the coins!’ Suddenly a man ran out of a
house. He ran across the street and put something in a rubbish bin. There was a girl shop assistant. The
girl student smiled at her, but the girl did not smile back. Then he ran away. ‘She isn’t very friendly,’ the
girl student thought. The telephone rang in the room behind the shop. The students went to the rubbish
bin and looked inside. The shopkeeper went to answer it. After some minutes, the students left and went
to a café. They found a small white bag. Suddenly, the shopkeeper came into the café. ‘Drugs!’ said the
boy student. ‘We’ll take this to the police.’ The girl student took the bag. ‘Where are my coins?’ he said.
‘They’re not there.’ Then they saw the man again. He had a knife. ‘You stole them!’ ‘Give me the bag,’ he
said in Spanish. The girl student started to run.
(Based on The Missing Coins and Run for your Life. Level 1)

b In your own words, answer this question: What is the crime in each story?

c Write down all the past simple verbs in the story. Beside each verb, write the
infinitive form. Example: went/to go

2 Listen to the pronunciation of these regular verbs. What sound do they end in?
Draw a table and put the verbs in the right column.
stopped listened wanted closed worked opened watched
started lived finished waited shouted

3 Work in pairs. The passage below finishes 4 a Work in pairs. Look at this picture. It
the story about drugs in Exercise 1. In this shows who stole the coins. The girl at the
story, the girl is called Kim. The man who window is not the girl student. Who is she,
wants the drugs is called Vidal. Complete do you think?
the gaps with a verb in the past tense.
b Explain how the two people in the
Vidal (1) _______ a knife in his hand. He (2) _______ picture stole the coins. You will need these
words: shop assistant flute player
the knife near Kim’s face. A car (3) _______ and a
policeman and policewoman (4) _______ out of the
car. They (5) _______ guns. ‘Throw the knife down!’
(6) _______ the policeman. But Vidal (7) _______
‘No!’ Suddenly, Dave (8) _______ _______ a rubbish
bin and (9) _______ it. It (10) _______ Vidal and he
(11) _______ down. Kim quickly (12) _______ the
knife and (13) _______ it away.

(Based on Run for your Life. Level 1.)

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Instant Lessons 1 © Penguin Books 2003 21

ZOOM IN on reading
Instant Lessons Book 2
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Presentation (20 minutes)
1 a Put students into pairs. Tell them that this passage
tells an amusing story. Explain that the word to has
been omitted in this passage. Students read the
passage, using their dictionaries to look up new
vocabulary. They write to in where necessary in the
passage. Check answers orally and give explanations
where necessary.
b Check students understand the questions. For
Practice (20 minutes)
2 Explain that all the sentences in this exercise contain
verbs that are followed by the infinitive. Go through
the sentences with students and check they
understand them. Make sure that students understand
that sentences 1 and 3 ask them to say something to
their partner. If you feel students need the help, go
through the sentences, eliciting answers. Students
should speak in complete sentences. Students then do
the exercise in pairs. Walk round and give help where
necessary. When students have completed the
exercise, as a whole class activity, elicit answers from
them and correct where necessary.
22
Further practice (20 minutes)
3 a Look through the passage and pre-teach any
vocabulary you think necessary. Students read the
passage and choose the ending they like best, A or B.
Ask a number of students which ending they like best.
Ask them to explain why.
b Elicit answers and explanations. (B is the real
ending.)
c Ask two students to each tell part of the story. Other
students can help if necessary. Then put students in
pairs to tell the story, choosing the ending they like
best. Give help where necessary.
Note: If time is short, omit part c and do it as a
follow-up activity.
4 Look through the exercise and pre-teach any
vocabulary you think necessary. Students tell the story
in pairs. Point out that a dash (–) does not necessarily
mean that students must put in a word. Walk round
and give help where necessary. As a whole class
activity, elicit the story from students and correct
where necessary. If time allows, students can then
write the story.
Key
1 a . . . his girlfriend did not want to marry him. He
decided to kill himself for love. He chose to jump in
front of . . . He was not seriously hurt and was able
to leave hospital after a few hours. . . . the doctors
asked him to talk to someone about his problem.
Finally, Mr Ruiz agreed that it was foolish to kill
himself. He decided to go on living and look for a
new girlfriend. Glad to be alive, he left the hospital
. . . They took him back to the hospital for the third
time that day . . .
b 1 Because his girlfriend did not want to marry him.
2 He tried twice. 3 The first time he jumped in front
of a train. The second time he jumped in front of a
lorry. 4 The train went safely over him. When he
jumped in front of a lorry he only got a few knocks.
5 Ruiz decided to go on living and find a new
girlfriend. But when he left the hospital, a horse
knocked him down and he was seriously hurt.
6 Six (want, decide, choose, be able to, ask someone to,
talk to) 7 Open answer
4 Seventy-five prisoners agreed to try to escape from
prison in Northern Mexico. They planned to dig a
tunnel under the prison wall. They started to dig the
tunnel in November 1975 and managed to finish it
in/by April 1976. They went through the tunnel and
came up in a courtroom. The judges were very
surprised. They sent the prisoners back to prison.
 ZOOM IN on reading

Humour
1 a Work in pairs. The word ‘to’ has been omitted from this passage. Put ‘to’ in the passage where
necessary.
In 1978 Señor Abel Ruiz of Madrid found out that his girlfriend did not want marry him. He decided kill
himself for love. There are many ways of dying for love. He chose jump in front of the fast Gerona to
Madrid train. But when he jumped, he landed between the railway lines and the train went safely over him.
He was not seriously hurt and was able leave hospital after a few hours.
Later that day Ruiz tried again. This time he jumped in front of a lorry, but only got a few knocks. When
they saw him back at the hospital so soon, the doctors asked him talk someone about his problem. Finally,
Mr Ruiz agreed that it was foolish kill himself. He decided go on living and look for a new girlfriend. Glad be
alive, he left the hospital and a horse knocked him down in the street. They took him back the hospital for
the third time that day, seriously hurt this time.

(The Book of Heroic Failures. pp.32-34. Level 3.)

b Read the passage again. Answer the questions.

1 Why did Ruiz decide to kill himself? 5 What is the ‘twist’ at the end of this story?
2 How many times did he try? 6 How many verbs are there in this passage that
3 How did he try? have ‘to’ after them? What are these verbs?
4 What happened each time? 7 What would you like to say to Ruiz?

2 Work in pairs. Answer the questions below or follow the instructions. Talk in complete sentences.
1 Make a promise to your partner. (I promise to . . .)
2 Do you intend to keep your promise?
3 Ask your partner to do something impossible.
4 What did you ask your partner to do? Did he/she refuse to do it?
5 What are you trying to do at the moment?
6 What do you aim to do after this lesson?
7 Do you want to do it or is it something you have to do?
8 Is there anything that you planned to do in the last week but didn’t manage to do? What was it?

3 a Work in pairs. Read this story. Which ending do you like best, A or B? Explain why.

b This is a true story. Which is the real ending, do you think? Why do you think this?

c Tell the story.

In 1969 Mrs Beatrice Park decided to take her driving test – for the fifth time. During the test she
managed to drive into the River Wey at Guildford. She and her examiner climbed on to the roof of the
car and waited for someone to come and save them. The examiner went home feeling ill. He was still
holding his test paper and pencil.
A Mrs Park decided to take her test again. She had the same examiner as the last time. When he saw her,
he fainted. He then refused to sit in the same car as Mrs Park. She agreed to have another examiner.
B Mrs Park wanted to be sure: Was that all right, she asked, or did she have to take the test again?
They told her, ‘We cannot say anything until we have seen the tester’s report.’

(Based on The Book of Heroic Failures. p.14. Level 3.)

4 Work in pairs. Tell the story outlined below. Put the verbs into the correct tense.
Seventy-five prisoners – agree – try – escape – prison – Northern Mexico. Plan – dig – tunnel – under –
prison wall. Start – dig – tunnel – November 1975 and – manage – finish it – April 1976. Go through –
tunnel – come up – courtroom. Judges – very surprised. Send – prisoners – back – prison.
(Based on The Book of Heroic Failures. pp.22-24. Level 3.)

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Instant Lessons 2 © Penguin Books 2003 23

ZOOM IN on reading

Instant Lessons Book 2

b Do the first example with the whole class. Explain

that many adjectives (for example, frightened) must be
used with a particular preposition. Students then do
the exercise in pairs. Check answers orally.
c Check students understand the questions. What
things actually happened and what things were
invented to make a good story for the film? Students
discuss this in pairs. Elicit answers, encourage
discussion and ask them to give reasons.

Practice (20 minutes)

34 Pick out the adjectives in the exercise (frightened,

jealous, cruel, angry, excited, pleased, surprised,
polite) and write them on the board, followed by
their prepositions. Ask students to make sentences
using these adjectives and prepositions. Students can
then do the exercise in pairs. Check answers orally.

Further practice (15 minutes)

• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Teacher’s Notes
Level: 3
Skills: All four skills are practised
Function: Talking about interactions
Language: Adjective + preposition
Vocabulary: Gender nouns
Presentation (25 minutes)
1 Elicit answers to the questions. (Students will find the
answers in the next exercise.)
2 a Ask students: What do you know about the film
Braveheart? Tell students that the passage that follows
is about William Wallace, the man called Braveheart
in the film. Pre-teach any vocabulary necessary. In
pairs, students match the picture with the relevant
sentence in the passage. Check answers orally.
4 If possible, put students into pairs or groups of the
5
same nationality to do this exercise. Ask students to
prepare a two-minute talk about the person they have
chosen. Encourage students to use adjective and
preposition combinations they have practised. Choose
some students to talk in front of the class.
Key
1 Five men have surrounded three soldiers. The soldiers
look very surprised. The men have swords and knives.
They are going to attack the soldiers. (It’s the
thirteenth century, and it takes place in Scotland.)
2 a His men were good at trapping and killing groups of
English soldiers.
b 1 of 2 to 3 of 4 with 5 at 6 by
c Open answer
3
4 1 . . . of flying. 2 . . . of each other. 3 . . . to me.
4 . . . with his son. 5 . . . about the party. 6 . . . with
your work. 7 . . . by/at his words 8 . . . to him.
Follow-up
In pairs, students say what they know about the real
William Wallace.

24
 ZOOM IN on reading

Heroes
1 Work in pairs. What is happening in this c Which parts of the story are true, do you
picture? What century is it, do you think? think? Which parts do you think are
What country could it be? probably untrue and are there to make a
good story?

3 a Listen to this passage about William

4
3 Complete the second sentence so that it has
Wallace. It gives you the facts that we know
the same meaning as the first. Use these
are true. Were you correct in your answer to
prepositions:
Exercise 2, part c? What parts of the story in
Exercise at
2 areabout by to in with
not included of
this passage?

b1Listen
He is afraid
again.ofWhat
flying.new
He isthings
frightened ______ .
do we
2 Jealousy
learn in thisispassage?
often a problem with brothers and
2 a What do you know about the film sisters. Brothers and sisters are often jealous
Braveheart? The passage below tells the ______
c Write .
down the sentences in this listening
story of the novel and film Braveheart. The 3 Please don’t
passage that have treatthe
mesame
so cruelly. Pleaseasdon’t
meaning the
story is based on the life of William Wallace. be so cruel
sentences below. ______ .
Read the passage and match the picture in 4 He spoke angrily to his son. He was angry
1 The English were very cruel to the Scots.
Exercise 1 with a sentence in the passage. ______ .
2 The Scottish nobles fought each other, not the
5 The idea of the party is exciting. I feel excited
English.
During the thirteenth century, the English wanted ______ .
3 With an army of only two thousand men,
to control Scotland. The Scots were frightened 6 Your work really pleased me. I was pleased
Wallace defeated the English.
(1) _______ the English, who were very cruel ______ .
(2) _______ them. The Scottish nobles were jealous 4 In a second battle at Falkirk, the English
7 His words surprised everyone. Everyone was
(3)_______ each other and fought each other, not defeated Wallace and the Scots army.
surprised ______ .
the English. William Wallace was a farmer’s son.
The English killed his father, his brother, and many 4 Completebe
8 Please polite
the when
second you talk so
sentence to him.
that Please
it has
be polite ______ .
years later, the woman he loved. Wallace was very the same meaning as the first. Use these
angry (4) _______ the English. He started fighting prepositions:
45 Work in pairs or small groups, if possible, of
the English and many Scots came to fight with
the same
at nationality.
about by Chooseto with a national
of hero
him. His men were good (5) _______ trapping and
killing groups of English soldiers. Then the English or heroine and prepare a short talk about
sent an army of ten thousand men to Stirling in 1his/her life. of flying. He is frightened ______ .
He is afraid
Scotland. With an army of only two thousand men, 2 Jealousy is often a problem with brothers and
Wallace defeated the English. Because of this, he sisters. Brothers and sisters are often jealous
was made Guardian of Scotland by the Scottish ______ .
nobles. Shocked (6) _______ England’s defeat, the 3 Please don’t treat me so cruelly. Please don’t
King of England sent his son’s wife, Isabella, to talk be so cruel ______ .
to Wallace. The young man and woman were very 4 He spoke angrily to his son. He was angry
attracted to each other. Then, in a second battle ______ .
at Falkirk, the English defeated Wallace and the 5 The idea of the party is exciting. I feel excited
Scots army. This was because many Scottish ______ .
nobles fought with the English! Once again the 6 Your work really pleased me. I was pleased
English King sent Isabella to talk to Wallace. The ______ .
King wanted to trap Wallace, but Isabella told the 7 His words surprised everyone. Everyone was
Scotsman and he got away. The English finally surprised ______ .
killed Wallace with great cruelty in 1305. As he
8 Please be polite when you talk to him. Please
died he cried, ‘We will be free!’
be polite ______ .
(Based on Braveheart. Level 3.)
5 Work in pairs or small groups, if possible, of
b Complete the gaps in the passage with the same nationality. Choose a national hero
these prepositions: or heroine and prepare a short talk about
by of (2) with to at his/her life.

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Readers Instant Lessons 2 © Penguin Books 2003 25

ZOOM IN on vocabulary
Instant Lessons 1 Elementary
Foot + ball = football
Aim To teach the students some common compound nouns.
Preparation Copy handouts on pages 27 and 28 – one copy per student. Cut up the words in
Activity B.
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys
included.
Introduction (5 minutes)
Draw the following on the board:
+ Homework
Ask the students if they can guess what the
word is from the drawing. (The answer is
earring.) Tell them it is common in English to
26
put two words together to form a completely
new word. Give them another example, namely
football. (Draw it if you can!) Ask the students
for any other examples they know.
Presentation (20 minutes)
Activity A Divide the class into pairs. Give each
student a copy of the handout. Explain that
they have to use the clues to match words from
column 1 with words from column 2 to make
ten completely new words. Some words in the
columns will not be used.
Practice (15 minutes)
Activity B Students work alone at first. Give
each student one of the words on page 27
plus a copy of the blank drawing sheet on
page 28. Before they start, make sure they
understand the meaning of the word they are
going to draw. Tell them to try to represent the
word on the blank sheet of paper by drawing
two pictures, one for the first part of the word
and one for the second. Allow approximately
5 minutes.
When everyone is ready, they now walk around
the class talking to as many people as possible.
They take it in turns to try and guess each
other’s words.
At the end of the activity, get one or two
volunteers to draw their word on the board.
Conclusion (10 minutes)
Activity C This is a quick check to see if the
students have remembered some of the words
practised in the lesson. They can work in pairs.
Check orally.
Ask the students to draw and make up gapped
sentences for the following compound nouns:
bookcase, bagpipes and haircut.
Key
A 1 waistcoat 2 keyboard 3 postcard 4 toothbrush
5 bathroom 6 birthday 7 armchair 8 suitcase
9 handbag 10 lighthouse
 ZOOM IN on vocabulary

A
B C Foot + ball = football

A Match words from column 1 with words from column 2 to make compound
words.
1 It’s something people wear – usually men.
_____________ column 1 column 2

2 A musical instrument. It’s like a piano. arm bag

_____________
bath ball
3 You can write this when you’re on holiday.
_____________ birth board

4 You use it to keep your teeth clean. boy brush

_____________ hand card
5 Where you have a shower. _____________
key case
6 Everybody has one of these once a year.
lamp chair
_____________
7 You can sit in it. _____________ light coat

8 You put clothes in this when you go on post day

holiday. _____________ suit house
9 Women keep their money and makeup in
tooth room
this. _____________
waist table
10 A tall building near the sea. It helps boats.
____________

✂
B Words

bedroom butterfly nightdress cowboy

penknife screwdriver schoolgirl farmhouse

headphones lipstick seatbelt sunglasses

lamppost housewife rainbow moonlight

timetable basketball cupboard postman

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Instant Lessons 1 © Penguin Books 2003 27

ZOOM IN on vocabulary

A
B C Foot + ball = football (continued)

B Drawings

Which word is it?

+
C Fill in the missing words. To help you, the first and last letters of each word are
given.
1 ’What’s your favourite sport?’
‘F____________l, of course.’
2 I got this camera from my parents for my b____________y.
3 Shall I buy a suit with or without a w____________t?
4 John Wayne often played a c____________y in films.
5 ‘Where’s Paula?’
‘She’s in the b____________m washing her hair.’
6 When you travel by car you should always wear a s____________t.
7 Don’t forget to send me a p____________d from Spain!
8 ‘Is there a letter for me?’ ‘I don’t know. The p____________n hasn’t come
yet.’
9 Sit down in that a____________r over there.
10 ‘Where are the plates and glasses?’

28 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Instant Lessons 1 Elementary © Penguin Books 2003


Instant Lessons 2 Intermediate
Prefixes
Aim To show how prefixes are used in forming the opposites of adjectives.
Preparation Copy the handouts on pages 30 and 31 – one copy per student.
• This series features 45 one-hour ready-to-go
lessons, which focus on a particular language area
and can be used immediately in the classroom.
• Extracts from a variety of Penguin Readers titles,
promoting reading skills, are used. With language
presentation and plenty of practice, students are
able to read more effectively.
• Detailed teacher’s notes and answer keys included.
Teacher’s Notes
Introduction (5 minutes)
Introduce the subject by writing the following
on the board:
legal conscious possible correct
Ask the students if they can give you the
opposites of the above (illegal, unconscious,
impossible, incorrect). Explain that il-, un-, im-
and in- are called prefixes. Ask the students if
they know any other adjectives that start with
these prefixes. Add them to the board.
Tell the students that in this lesson you will be
looking at various prefixes used with adjectives
to give the opposites of the words.
ZOOM IN on vocabulary
Presentation (20 minutes)
Activity A Let the students work in pairs. Give
everyone a copy of the handout. Explain what
is to be done (do the first example orally in
class, if necessary) then let them complete the
exercise. Check orally, pointing out that the
prefix non- is used differently from the other
prefixes – a hyphen is needed to connect it to
the adjective, for example non-existent.
As a quick revision, the students can test each
other. One student reads out an adjective while
his/her partner gives the opposite, using the
correct prefix. They can take it in turns to read
out and answer.
Practice (15 minutes)
Activity B This is an exercise to check that they
have learnt the words in Activity A. It can be
done individually or in pairs. Give each
student/pair a copy of the handout. Go through
the first one with the whole class, then let them
complete the rest. Check orally.
Homework
Ask the students to write sentences about
themselves, their family, etc. using five of the
words learnt during the lesson (i.e. including
the prefixes).
Conclusion (10 minutes)
Activity C This is an open-ended activity. Tell
them to fill in the gaps using their own words.
When they have finished, they find a partner
and compare answers.
Key
A dis- honest, loyal, satisfied
il- legal, literate, logical
im- mature, patient, possible
in- accurate, considerate, correct, dependent,
experienced, sane, sincere
ir- regular, relevant, responsible
mis- understood
non- existent, resident, violent
un- avoidable, comfortable, conscious, employed,
necessary, popular, ripe
B 1 illiterate 2 unavoidable 3 uncomfortable
4 incorrect 5 dishonest 6 unpopular 7 irregular
8 non-resident 9 unconscious 10 inconsiderate
11 unemployed 12 illegal 13 immature
14 unnecessary 15 impossible 16 irresponsible
17 misunderstood 18 non-violent 19 independent
20 inexperienced
29
ZOOM IN on vocabulary

A
B C Prefixes

A Which prefix would you put in front of these adjectives? Arrange the words
under the correct headings. (The number in brackets after each heading says
how many words are needed.)
accurate avoidable comfortable conscious considerate correct
dependent employed existent experienced honest legal literate logical
loyal mature necessary patient popular possible regular relevant
resident responsible ripe sane satisfied sincere understood violent

dis- (3) in- (7) non- (3)

il- (3) un- (7)

ir- (3)

im- (3)

mis- (1)

30 PHOTOCOPIABLE From Instant Lessons 2 Intermediate © Penguin Books 2003

 ZOOM IN on vocabulary

A
B C Prefixes (continued)

B Fill in the missing adjectives in the following sentences. (They are all to be found
in Activity A) To help you, the start of the words are given for sentences 1-10.
1 If you are unable to read or write, you are il______.
2 The accident couldn’t be helped. It was un___________.
3 What an un_________ chair! I’d hate to sit on this for too long!
4 Sorry, that answer is in________. Please try again.
5 It was very dis__________ of him to keep the money.
6 The present government is very un_________ at the moment. In a recent poll,
only 15% of the population think they are doing a good job.
7 My visits to church are very ir_________ – just once or twice a year, maybe.
8 Since he was a non-______________ he didn’t have to pay income tax.
9 The boxer was knocked un___________________ .
10 It was very in__________ of you not to phone me to say you would be late coming
home for dinner.
11 My uncle lost his job just before Christmas, and has been _____________ ever since.
12 It is ___________________ in Britain to buy alcohol at a pub if you are under
eighteen.
13 Generally speaking, boys at the age of thirteen are more ___________ than girls of
the same age.
14 You don’t need to meet me at the airport – it’s quite ___________________.
15 They say it is _____________ to sneeze and keep your eyes open at the same time.
16 It was very ________ of your sister to let the children play with matches.
17 That’s not what I meant. I’ve been _____________ again!
18 They didn’t believe in fighting. They preferred to solve problems using
____________ means.
19 Our country has been ___________ since 1965. That’s when the French left.
20 They told her she was too ____________ for the job. They needed someone who
had taught for at least two years.

C Fill in the gaps using your own words.

1 It was very inconsiderate of him to ______________________.
2 ___________________ is unavoidable.
3 People who are unemployed should ______________________.
4 In my country it is illegal to ______________________.
5 I get very impatient when ______________________.
6 One of the most unpopular people in my country is ______________________.
He/she is unpopular because ______________________.
7 It is impossible to ______________________.
8 I was once very dissatisfied with ______________________.
9 An example of immature behaviour is ______________________.
10 Of all the things ever invented, ______________________ must be the most
unnecessary one.

PHOTOCOPIABLE From Instant Lessons 2 Intermediate © Penguin Books 2003 31