This activity is all about manners and etiquette, which can be an interesting topic to discuss with your students.

Author
Jo Budden

Preparation

Copy this table onto the board:

Good manners Bad manners

 

 

 

 

Copy these sentences onto the board or print them out as a handout:

In the UK ...

  1. ... do stand in a queue when you wait for a bus or to pay for something in a shop.

  2. ... don't spit on the street.

  3. ... do burp loudly after a meal.

  4. ... don't apologise if you bump into somebody on the street.

  5. ... do say 'please' and 'thank you' at every opportunity.

  6. ... don't cover your mouth when you yawn or sneeze.

  7. ... don't greet people with two kisses.

  8. ... don't pick your nose in public.

Procedure

  • Ask students to copy the table into their notebooks.
  • Then they should fill their table with as many examples of good and bad manners as they can think of. Give them a few ideas first to get them going.
  • Ask students to compare their lists and get some class feedback.
  • Then ask students to read the sentences about manners in the UK that are on the board or the handout. Ask them to say which three they think are false (3, 4 and 6).
  • Once the students have finished, ask them to decide on a list of do's and don'ts for good manners in their country.
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