Part One: Warm Up
Look at the picture of a house with some problems above. Discuss the following questions with your partner(s).
- What problems do you see?
- Is this a good place to live? Why or why not?
- Have you ever experienced any of these problems in your home? What other problems have you experienced?
Part Two: Getting Ready to Speak
In this lesson, you are going to practise describing different problems in a home.
Open the exercise and follow the instructions.
Exercise
Part Three: Your Turn
With a partner, decide who will be Student A and who will be Student B. Then, open your tab and follow the instructions.
1) Imagine you are the tenant in an apartment and you have the problems in the pictures below. Call your building manager about one of the problems. Tell them what the problem is and then answer their questions. Use the expressions for describing problems from this lesson. Follow the appropriate conversation structure.
- Greet the other person (tenant and building manager)
- Say the problem (tenant)
- Ask for information about the problem (building manager)
- Give information about the problem (tenant)
- Suggest solution (building manager)
- Say thanks and finish conversation (tenant [and building manager])
2) Now, change roles with your partner. You are now the building manager. Your tenant calls you about a problem in their home. Listen to the problem then ask questions to get more information (when it started, where it is happening, etc.). Finally, tell them your solution (use the list below to help you).
- The tenant should ask the neighbours to be quiet. If they don’t listen, you will talk to the neighbours.
- You will order a new stove.
- You will call an electrician to fix the electricity.
- You will bring a small heater and call someone to fix the heating.
3) Change roles again and continue until you have talked about all the problems.
1) Imagine you are a building manager. Your tenant calls you about a problem in their home. Listen to the problem then ask questions to get more information (when it started, where it is happening, etc.). Finally, tell them your solution (use the list below to help you).
Solutions:
- You will bring a mouse trap to catch the mouse and call a pest control company.
- You will call a company to repair the wall.
- You will call a plumber to fix the sink.
- The building caretaker will replace the damaged floor.
Follow the appropriate conversation structure.
- Greet the other person (tenant and building manager)
- Say the problem (tenant)
- Ask for information about the problem (building manager)
- Give information about the problem (tenant)
- Suggest solution (building manager)
- Say thanks and finish conversation (tenant and building manager)
2) Now, change roles with your partner. You are now the tenant.You have the problems in the pictures below in your home. Call your building manager about one of the problems. Tell them what the problem is and then answer their questions. Use the expressions for describing problems from this lesson.
3) Change roles again and continue until you have talked about all the problems.