Bad manners? Modern dilemmas!
Bad manners? Phones, tablets and all that jazz!
- Mediation practice: Your friend has been invited to have a meal out with his future in-laws and is worried about giving a good first impression. You find this leaftet and decide to give him/her some advice. Choose three of the annoying things stated below which you consider essential to give a good impression. Remember you have 2 minutes to do this.
- Speaking - warm up:
- When shouldn't you greet someone with a kiss?
- What shouldn't you do on public transport?
- Should you recline your seat on an aeroplane?
- When should you give up your seat on public transport?
- Should you ever start eating before everyone is served?
SAMPLE answers with level stuff:
1-When shouldn't
you greet someone with a kiss?
Well, let me tell you I don't actually like being kissed by any person who does not belong to my close circle of friends or immediate family. I'd dare say, the less contact you have with strangers, the better for the relationship, especially at work. I mean, what's the point in kissing if just saying hello or shaking hands will do the trick. I consider kissing rather personal and not to be used with people you are not familiar with. It didn't struck me to find out that the text claims, in fact, kissing is just suitable among friends.
5- Should you ever start eating before everyone is served?
Have you ever wondered whether to start eating or not when going for a meal out with a big group of people? Well, I have and when it comes to waiting for everyone to be served, I'd dare say most people agree this is what we should all do. But, let me tell you it irritates the hell out of me when my dish gets cold with a tasty T-bone waiting for the last person to be served a salad. It's blatantly unfair, wouldn't you say?
- Oral production practice: Now talk 2-3 minutes about the following:
- Comment on the importance of having good manners.
- Describe a moment where you behaved inappropriately.
- Listening: Radio phone-in programme: Manners. Problems with rude relatives. Paraphrase the pieces of advice given to each caller.
- Level stuff: Useful language to state your opinion on "manners & social etiquette" and talk about how to behave depending on the social situation.
- It's the height of bad manners...(It's the height of bad manners to lick your knife.
- It's not the done thing ... (I'm so glad smoking indoors is not the done thing anymore!)
- It's not socially acceptable to...
- It's inappropriate to...
- It's not suitable to...
- It's commonplace to...
- You are not supposed to...
- You are not expected to...
- People would find it odd/rare/weird/strange/awkward ....
- BE USED TO + -ING - We're used to kissing somebody when you greet them where I live. The closer your are, the more likely you are to kiss him/her.