Dear student,
It is a pleasure to know that you are interested in improving your communication skills to speak with English speakers.
Now, let’s take a look at the contents!
It is organised in sections as follows:
We will use rubrics to give your descriptions a score. Remember that each section is worth 25%.
At the end of the skills, you will find a self-assessment which will let you evaluate what you are learning. Finally, you will find a suggested bibliography so you can continue practising… Practice makes perfect!
Let’s have a look at the use of the verb to be to express, ask and answer questions about age, occupation and family relationships.
The verb to be is ALWAYS used to express age, to describe family members and occupations too.
Gill, N. (2014). Cake. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/es/pastel-de-cumplea%C3%B1os-velas-pastel-264605/
In this short video, you are going to learn the spelling and pronunciation of numbers from 11 to 100.
Click here to see the video.
Think about the occupation words that you know. In this game, you are going to practice the spelling of occupation words. Find the following words in the word search. Once you find the word click on the first and last letter. If it is correct, it will be highlighted in blue.
Click here to see the exercise.
Now, think of the words you need to describe family members.
Click here to see the family vocabulary.
You can check the meaning in Spanish on an online dictionary such as Wordreference.
By the end of this section you will be able to:
• Use the verb to be in the affirmative, negative and interrogative form to express information about a person’s age, occupation and relationship.
Find the 17 common jobs from the following wordsearch.
Activity 1
You use the verb to be to ask and give information about a person’s age, occupation and family relationship.
Read the information about a girl from Scotland and then use short answers to complete activity 1.
To complete activity 2, select True or False to answer each question.
Mike. (2016). House. [Photo]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/es/casa-ciudad-arquitectura-urbana-1723353/
My name is Chloe MacAskill, and this is my family. We are from Edinburgh, Scotland but my mother isn’t from here. She is from Wales.
I am 23 years old, and I’m a fashion designer. I love clothes, especially jackets and dresses. My father is Angus, he is 54, and he is a veterinary. My mom is Ellie, she is 53, and she is a housewife. She loves cooking, and her food is delicious.
I have three brothers, Ewan, Callum and Alastair. Ewan is young, he is 16 years old. He is a photographer, and also an athlete. He loves parkour. My brother Callum is 21 years old. He is a barman and a DJ in Ibiza, Spain.
Finally, my brother Alistair is 32, and he is married. His wife Isla is 31, but she isn’t from Scotland, she is from Wales. They have one child, Declan, he is only 5.They are police officers, so they don’t have much free time.
Activity 2
After reading the description of Chloe’s family, you are going to identify True and False information about them.
Activity 3
n.a. (2016). Art gallery. [Photo]. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/es/signo-placa-etiqueta-hecho-a-mano-828727/
You are going to listen to an interview with the staff and students at a multi-arts centre.
To complete activity 3, you have to drag the correct name that completes each description.
To complete activity 4, listen to the audio and select True or False to answer the statements.
Activity 4
Skitterphoto. Art noveau. (2014). Station. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/es/estaci%C3%B3n-tren-arte-techo-535263/
After you identify who the teacher and the student are at the multi-arts centre, you are going to decide if the information about them is True or False. Pay attention to the context of each sentence and the use of the verb to be.
Activity 5
Look at the following picture, it is the Wembley family. Describe each member including their age, occupation and family relationship.
Example:
My favourite aunt is married, and she has a big family. They’re the Marquez Family.
My aunt is a lawyer, and her name is Rosario. She is 43 years old. Her husband is a lawyer too.
Miguel is Rosario’s husband. They are very happy together.
Before you make your description, make sure it has the characteristics specified in the rubric.
Activity 6
Now it’s your turn to talk about your family.
Record a small brief description of each member of your family. Please include their age, occupation and family relationship.
You will obtain a grade according to the rubrics. Make sure your description covers all the aspects in the rubrics.
Designed by Freepick. (2017). [Icon]. Family. Retrieved from: www.flaticon.com
Choosing the right option of the verb to be in context is the last step. Remember the use of this important verb.
• Murphy, R. (2012). English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Pahlow, H. (n.d.). Family members. Retrieved from: https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/family