First published online 09.11.2009

©

Macmillan Polska 2009

PHOTOCOPIABLE

Teacher’s Notes

Informal English / Formal English

by Agnieszka Wiech

Teacher’s notes

Type of school: gimnazjum

Type of activity: pair work

Focus: learning informal language, differences

between spoken and written English

Level: pre-intermediate and higher

Time: 15 min

Preparation:

Copy and cut up the Student’s Worksheet so that

one student from the pair is given the Informal

English cards and the other student the Formal

English cards.

Procedure:

1. Ask the students if they know any informal

phrases in English and if they know what they

mean in formal English, or the other way

round. Ask if they think it is useful to know

such phrases.

2. Ask the students if they use any abbreviations

when writing text messages in Polish. If so,

ask them what abbreviations they use (such

as “nara” meaning “narazie”).

3. Write the following message on the

blackboard:

HiJane.Howru?I’dliketoaskuout4dnr

2nite@7.

4. Ask the students to say what they understand

from this text message.

5. Explain what the message means and what

abbreviations are used in text messaging:

• r = are

• u = you

• 4 = for

• dnr = dinner

• 2nite = tonight

• @ = at

6. Tell the students that they will now get to

know some informal phrases used in English.

Divide the students into pairs and distribute

the cards. Give the students around 5 minutes

to match the phrases and discuss them with

their partner.

Answers:

What’s the story? = How are you?

a bloke = a man

a quid = a British pound

a buck = an American Dollar

fiver = a five pound note

Watch your step! = Be careful!

Can I have a word with you? = I would like to talk

to you.

Follow up:

For homework you could ask the students to look

for any other informal phrases and explain when

they could be used.