Dialogue - Ordering by Phone, Interactive Sequencing Activity

This is a short exercise to put a telephone dialogue in the right sequence, appropriate for elementary level.

Related posts:

At a hotel

At the airport check-in desk

At the passport control

Booking into a hotel

In a restaurant

In a shop

Invitation to the cinema

On the telephone

Using Cartoon Strips to Practise Dialogues

 Need some novel way to enliven your class?

The traditional way of practising dialogue is to have students work in pairs (or groups), prepare their dialogues, then role-play them, maybe in front of the classroom.

Instead of doing that, why don't you get them to prepare a comic strip first (after working on expressions, vocabulary, etc., of course). Either have them do it on the fly in the computer lab, or set it as homework. Later, they can role-play the situations. To make it even more fun, randomly assign the comic strip to a group for them to act it out.

One of the best I've found is ToonDoo. It's quite versatile; you not only have several characters to choose from, but you can easily play around with backdrops, fonts, expressions, etc. You can bet the kids (and the adults, too) will love it!

What do you think? If you need a tutorial, let me know. Leave your comments below by clicking on 'comments' if you don't see the form.

How to make a telephone call (games & activities)

Last published on 15 Nov 2009. This version has been reworked and supersedes the older version.

       

Do you have trouble making a telephone call in English? Do you get nervous when you don't understand the person on the other end? Are you familiar with most of  the basic telephone language? In this post, I will  try to help you improve your telephone skills by looking at the most common words and expressions used in telephone conversations followed by some practice. If you have any doubts, please don't hesitate to ask.

Watch this short video and see if you can understand some of the vocabulary used. Then, study the list below, and watch the video again, if necessary.

The problem facing learners in understanding telephone conversations, apart from a general weakness in listening skills, is that there are many ways of saying the same thing, and often, the learner gets confused. Here, I will explain some of the most common words and expressions which you should try to learn.

Then watch the video below, and try to fill in the gaps in the lyrics. After that, play the two matching games (click on the images at the beginning of this post). The first is a telephone conversation of someone making an appointment with her hairdresser. The second one is slightly more challenging. For teachers, the idea is for the students to practice matching the dialogue first. Once they get that, you can then have them role play the situation, making some changes, if you like.

Crucial vocabulary

answer (to pick the phone up when it rings)
answering machine (a machine that answers your telephone and records messages that people leave for you)
busy (if someone's telephone is busy, they are using the phone when you try to call)
call (= ring, phone, telephone; make a call)
caller (the person making the call)
call back / phone back (to telephone someone again)
cell phone (= mobile phone)
cordless phone (a phone which works without a cable connecting the phone to the electric supply)
dial (to press the buttons on the phone to make a call)
dial tone (the sound which the phone makes when you pick the phone up. Note that most modern phones no longer have this.)
directory / telephone directory / phone book (a book containing names, addresses and phone numbers)
hang up (to end a call)
phone (see 'call' above)
phone booth / pay phone / call box (a public telephone where you put in money to make a call)
pick up (to answer the phone)
receiver (the part of the phone you pick up to hear and speak, especially on an old-fashioned phone)
ring (noun: the sound the phone makes, or verb: to make a call)

Answering the phone

Hello?
Pizzie's Pizza, how can I help you?
The English Academy, good evening, Paul speaking.

Introducing yourself

Hi Linda, it's me, George.
Hello, this is Julie calling.
Good morning, it's Jane from the hairdresser's here.
This is him / Speaking / You're speaking to him (These are expressions used when the caller asks to speak to you, but didn't realise that you were the one he wanted to speak to)

Asking to speak to someone

Informal

Is Jane in, please?
Is Jane there, please?
Can I speak to your mother, please?

Formal

May I speak to Dr. Jones, please?
Is the doctor available, please?
Good afternoon, I'd like to make an appointment.
Could you put me through to the accounts department, please?

Putting someone through

Just a sec (=second). I'll get him. (informal)
Hang on one sec / Hang on a mo (= moment) (informal)
Please hold the line; I'll put you through to his office.
One moment please.

Having problems understanding

Could you spell that for me, please?
Could you speak a little slower, please?
Could you please repeat that?
I'm sorry. My English isn't so good - could you speak a little clearer, please?

Messages

Julie isn't in, I'm afraid. Who's this? (Informal)
I'm sorry, but Pedro isn't available right now. Can I take a message?
He's busy right now. Would you like to leave a message?

Yes, can you tell her that her husband called?
No, that's all right; I'll call back.
Yes, could you take my number down, please? It's José from the Jules Academy.My number is ...

ELO - Telephone Line

Hello, how are you?
Have you been all right,
Through all the lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights,
That's what I'd say, I'd tell you everything,
If you'd pick up that _________ .

Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same?
Don't you realise the things we did, we did,
Were all for real, not a dream,
I just can't believe,
They've all faded out of view

Doo wop, dooby dooby wop,
Doo wop, do la la la la la,
Blue Days, black nights,
Doo wop, do la la la la la

I look into the sky,
(The love you need ain't gonna see you through),
And I wonder why,
(The little things are finally coming true)

_________ line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight,
Oh, _________ line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight

OK, so no one's_________,
Well can't you just let it ____ a little longer, longer, longer?
I'll just sit tight, through the shadows of the night,
And let it ____ for evermore

Doo wop, dooby dooby wop,
Doo wop, do la la la la la,
Blue Days, black nights,
Doo wop, do la la la la la

I look into the sky,
(The love you need ain't gonna see you through),
And I wonder why,
(The little things are finally coming true)

_________ line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight,
Oh, _________ line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight

Dialogue - Invitation to the Cinema Matching Game

This supersedes the version here:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2009/08/dialogue-quiz-invitation-to-cinema-int.html

       

This dialogue has a handful of common expressions, which, however, may be unfamiliar to some learners. Try to do the quiz before looking at the explanations below.

gorgeous - an adjective, used for saying something is wonderful or someone is very beautiful, e.g. these prawns are absolutely gorgeous!

You don't look too bad yourself - it'd have meant the same if Jane had said, 'You look good, too.' Here, basically, Jane is politely returning the compliment. She's saying, 'Thank you, but look at yourself - you look good, too.'

Say - an interjection used to get someone's attention before you say something.

fancy - this is used a lot in informal setting. It means 'feel like' or 'want to'. Notice the -ing form. "Do you fancy some ice cream?" "What do you fancy doing this evening?"

ages - a long time. The more correct form would be 'I haven't been to the cinema for ages!' but 'to the cinema' is understood in the conversational context, so it was left out.

What have you got in mind? - What are you thinking of? What plans/ideas have you got? What do you want to do?

thinking, meaning - stative verbs don't normally take an -ing form, but compare the meanings of these examples:

I think it'll be a good film (My opinion is that it will be a good film)
I'm thinking of cutting my hair (I have this idea, and this is to cut my hair, although I haven't really decided yet)

Gorgeous means very beautiful (gorgeous can be replaced by the word very beautiful, i.e. they have the same meaning)
I've been meaning to call you (My intention was to telephone you)

shall - Although it's becoming uncommon, it is still used quite often in British English for offers, suggestions, requests for instructions, and requests for advice:

What shall I cook for lunch? Not: What will I cook for lunch?
Shall I carry your bag? Not: Will I carry your bag?
When shall we meet? - Jane is asking for instructions. Could she have said: 'When will we meet?' Yes, though here it would imply that Pete had no idea before, and he would be making a spontaneous decision.

great - has several meanings, but here it is used to express pleasure.

We could go for a Chinese after - What Pete means is that he has the idea of going for a Chinese meal after the show. Again, 'the show' is understood, so it was omitted.

mere - used for emphasis. Just thinking about the Chinese food has already made Jane feel hungry.

half seven - In spoken British English, people often say ‘half one’, ‘half two’ etc, which has the same meaning as ‘half past one’ and ‘half past two’.

Dialogue - Booking Into A Hotel Matching Game

This supersedes this one here:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2009/08/dialogue-quiz-booking-into-hotel-pre.html

You may also like this one:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/09/at-hotel.html

       

Dialogue - At the Airport Check-in Desk, Matching Game

This supersedes this post:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2009/08/dialogue-at-airport-check-in-matching.html

You may also like this one:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/03/at-airport-putting-dialogue-in-sequence.html

       

Dialogue - At the Passport Control, Matching Game (Elementary) Modified

You may also like these:

http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/03/at-airport-putting-dialogue-in-sequence.html
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-at-airport-check-in-desk.html
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2011/01/air-travel-vocabulary-interactive-game.html

Dialogue: In a restaurant (Matching Game)

It would seem that quite a few games on dialogues published last year have disappeared from one of my file hosting sites, so I'll be recreating them and moving them to Google Sites.

These are two parts of a dialogue on ordering a meal in a restaurant. It's also an idea to jumble the dialogue, and get the students to put them in order. Later, they can role-play, changing the dialogue wherever possible.

Dialogue - In a Shop (Matching & Sequence Games)

This game was first published on 23 July 2009, but I noticed that the source file has gone missing. I re-created it, and so, here it is.

Students match the dialogue between a shop assistant and a customer. There isn't any time limit.

I've also added another game based on the same dialogue. In this one, students need to put the dialogue in the correct sequence.

The idea is for the students to try to do both activities correctly, then to act the dialogue out in a role-play.

At a Hotel

Last year, I published a game on a hotel reception dialogue. The file hosting site I used for the game had lost or deleted it since. So, I decided to redo it slightly, added a vocabulary question, and here it is.

Remember that for this quiz, if you provide your email address, the results (and the correct answers) will be sent to you. However, sometimes, the automatic emailing system does not work. If this is the case, I'd appreciate your letting me know.

At the Airport: Putting Dialogue in Sequence, Matching, Jigsaw

My original posts on dialogue at the airport check-in and at the passport control have been rather popular, so I decided to improve them slightly here.

They have been combined into one quiz, and a matching vocabulary exercise has been added, too.

If you provide a valid email address, the results of the quiz along with the correct answers will be sent to it automatically.

Both the dialogues can be used as a guide for role-playing activities in the classroom. In role-playing activities, always encourage students to be adventurous in changing parts of the dialogue to suit their own circumstances.

Click here to begin the quiz.

And here's a fun 64-piece online jigsaw puzzle. Click here to begin.

Ideas for using videos in the classroom

As teachers, we have to be innovative,  to keep up with the times, so to speak. The days of teaching with a book, chalk and blackboard are long gone now. Every year, more and more schools are installing digital boards, more classes are having projectors and white boards, if not a screen, and it won't be long before every class will be equipped with a complete audiovisual system, computer included; and, we might even get to see, in the not too distant future, a computer on every desk.

Those who know me are aware that I am an advocate for the use of IT in the classroom, as I strongly believe that most children love the dynamism of sound and image and it's a far more effective way of capturing their attention than the traditional board; and those who have been following this blog would have seen many activities which have been designed to be used interactively, and would have read about the different ideas for practising the skills involved in learning a language. Hopefully, they have been of some use.

In this post, I'll try to put across some ideas on how to make the most of using videos in the class. Students, both young and old, love watching images fluttering on the screen, but we'd need to tap into that. Showing a movie for the duration of the class, or even two classes, while you sit and mark your exams, or prepare for the next lesson, is not taking advantage of the potential of video teaching.

Even though I write with teaching English in mind, the same ideas can be used for teaching other subjects. Don't show the whole film, unless it's a very short one. Generally, showing 5-15 min segments are more useful.

You can use films, trailers, extras found in dvds, youtube or teachertube videos, music clips, etc. By all means, show subtitles, but only English, never with their native language subtitles because they will be reading and not listening, while with English subtitles, they will be both listening and reading.

Encourage students and parents to watch films in the original language, preferably with English subtitles rather than with their native language. In fact, every few months, you can assign a film to be watched at home, or you can have a selection, and let the students swap them among each other.

They then talk about it in class, and can also be requested to submit a written report such as a review or a discussion question set by you, for example.

For class viewing, choose a segment which is appropriate to the level of your students.

Here is a selection of activities you can use:

Turn volume and subtitles off. Show a short segment. Ask students to imagine what the actors are saying. Ask them to imagine the situation before and after. Even if they have seen the video before, it doesn't matter. The main objective is for them to speak. You can also do this activity in groups or have different groups where some work on the situation before the scene while others work on what happens after the scene. Then they get together and each group tells the class its version.

Alternatively, don't show the video, but instead, let them listen first. Based on this, they imagine the setting, the characters (maybe they can guess the actors), etc. Depending on the segment you have chosen, you may be able to get them to do the previous exercise, too (imagining the situations before and after the scene). Tell them to listen not only to the dialogue, but also to the noises (crashes, gunshots, howling wind, etc) and the soundtrack. Listen to the silence, too, if any, as silence can work wonders on the imagination. All these may give important clues to the nature of the scene.

Have activities for different stages. For example, before watching: discussion questions and vocabulary activities; while watching: listening exercises such as gap filling; after watching: discussion questions.

Discussions need not be restricted to the film's content only. For example, the wedding scene in The Godfather can be used as a springboard for a discussion on wedding celebrations of different cultures; or any film can be used to start a conversation on cinema etiquettes, introducing or revising language such as 'Do you mind...' 'Could you please...', 'fancy', 'care for', and 'Would you like...' See also my post on Invitation to the cinema.

Next time you watch a film, program your chip to teacher mode. Watch out for scenes you could make the most of in listening activities. Examples are dialogue situations we often use in class such as airport announcements, checking into a hotel, restaurant scenes, etc.

As for vocabulary, don't restrict yourself to the same techniques. Vary them. There are many ways of learning vocabulary such as scrabble, crosswords, jumbled characters, mind maps, gapfill, etc. I'll do an 'Ideas for vocabulary activity' article some time in the future, so make sure you've subscribed here!

If the film has been adapted from a book, you can ask students to read the book first (or the part which you will be showing). Then, show the segment. Discuss the differences (in dialogue, settings, characters, etc) between the book and the film.

Alternatively, have them read the film script (or role-play it). Ask if they know the title of the film, the cast, the scene, etc.

If you like Wordle as I do, create one with part of the script and see if they can guess where it comes from. Discuss as above.

From a cLiL to cLiMB

Google the Internet for websites specialising in film scripts. Here are a few links:

http://www.simplyscripts.com/ 

http://www.dailyscript.com/links.html

http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/
http://www.script-o-rama.com/table.shtml

Recipes are very useful for teaching imperatives, sequence words, and food & kitchen vocabulary. Videojug has a wonderful collection of recipes from all over the world, explained clearly and concisely.

If you have the dvd of Kung Fu Panda, you may have the special feature on the art of noodle making. I've used this with my students and they loved it.

Another fun movie activity is Watch and Tell. Form the students in pairs. They sit with their backs facing each other. The one facing the screen watches the film, and while watching it, he relates all he can to his partner, who, in turn, tries to write down everything his partner is telling him. After a few minutes, they swap their positions, and repeat the process. When you stop the screening, they try to piece the story together, and relate it to the class.

Try to choose a film with little or no dialogue. Something like Mr Bean or Wallace & Gromit work well. Alternatively, turn the volume off - the disadvantage here is that they can't hear the music and other noises, which are what make films exciting. If you like, you can always choose a certain grammatical aspect to concentrate on. You can ask them to write in present simple or present continuous or relate in the simple past, for example.

Special thanks go to Claudio, who has a wonderful site with grammar activities for a wide range of films. Check it out here.

For video clips, apart from dvds obviously, have a look at TeacherTube.

For lesson plans based on video clips, you light like TEFLclips.

If you have any more ideas to add to these, please share them in the comments section below.

Thanks!

Ideas for practising dialogues (for Teachers)

You have a dialogue script; perhaps you’d prepared it yourself, perhaps you’d obtained it from another source, maybe from this very blog, or perhaps your students themselves had prepared it – so, what do you do after that? You tell your students to form pairs and practise, and you go around the class from pair to pair, monitoring their output, right? Well, here are some variations you could use to spice that up.

• Change partners: They perform the dialogue with a different partner or partners.

• Vary the environment: Instead of being seated, they stand or they walk around the class. Bring them out into the patio, or play music as if they are in a party. Ask them to do an activity while speaking, e.g. passing an object, such as a ball, to and fro. Be flexible, be creative. Students will love you for breaking their daily school monotony.

• Pump up the volume: They have to speak louder (as if the other person is hard of hearing or they are speaking over a bad telephone line), or alternatively, they lower their voice down to a whisper, as if they were communicating secretively.

• Modify the contents: Alter a few words or expressions; sometimes by changing a few key words, you can transform a dialogue from, say, an invitation to a cinema to one to a restaurant.

• Add contents: Add lines before and/or after the dialogue, or ask the students themselves to imagine possible situations before and after, or script could be added for a third person.

• Challenge them: Ask them to practise without looking at their notes, or wipe the dialogue from the board. If necessary, you could increase the challenge gradually by removing words or lines, a few at a time. You could also prepare picture or word cues to help them remember the dialogue.

In addition to varying the dialogue activity, you can also change the way the pairs are formed.

• Traditional pairs: Here you ask them to pick their partner, or you allocate one. They usually remain seated on their chairs.

• Act it out: The traditional pair work above is sometimes followed by getting them to perform the dialogue pair by pair, usually in front of the classroom.

• Back-to-back: They stand or sit back-to-back instead of face-to-face. This is especially useful for telephone conversations, or when you want to encourage the students to communicate through their voice alone, without the aid of body language.

• Line formation: They stand (or sit) in two rows, facing each other. They practise their dialogue. You then ask the student at the end of one row to move to the other end of the same row. The rest move down one seat, so that each now has a different partner. They then practise the same dialogue again, or a different one, if you wish.

If you have few students, you can have them in one row, talking to their neighbour. Then you just move the student from one end to the other, and they’ll all now have different partners.

• Concentric circles: They stand in two circles, one inside the other. The inner circle faces the outer, unless they’re working on a back-to-back formation. When they finish their dialogue, one of the circle moves round one place, so that everyone now faces a different person. They practise the dialogue again.

You can also vary this by moving more than one place, or you can play a form of musical chairs, whereby the circle moves until you stop the music. Try asking getting them to close their eyes while moving! This method can also be employed in the party activity (see vary the environment above) where you can have them moving around the room, from partner to partner, miming a dialogue, until the music stops. Then, they start to practise the dialogue with their newly found partner.

• Gap formation: This is very appropriate for pumping up the volume (see above). They start close to each other in the centre of the room. They begin speaking. While they are speaking, they move backwards until eventually they are at opposite ends of the room.

Naturally, you can do the reverse where they start at opposite ends of the room and gradually move closer.

This is also a great activity for the outdoors!

Another variation of this is you can assign a pair as the ‘loud’ pair, and station them at quite a distance from each other. While they are speaking to (or more like shouting at) each other, the other students also engage in the dialogue albeit at a lower level, and they move freely around these ‘loud’ pair.

Remember most dialogues are quite short, so they would have to start when you give them the signal. If you have any further ideas to add to these, please share them here.

執業理念的對話（教師）

I'm trying my darnest to crack into the Chinese market, hehe. This has been done by Google translator, so I have no idea what it says! If you read Chinese, let me know if it makes sense at all!

你有一個對話的腳本，也許您希望自己編寫它，或許你想獲得它從另一來源，也許在這個博客，也許你的學生自己編寫了-因此，您做什麼之後， ？你告訴你的學生和實踐形式對，你去附近的一類配對，監測其產出，對不對？嗯，這裡有一些變化可以用香料行動。

*更改夥伴：他們執行的對話，以不同的合作夥伴或合作夥伴。

*更改環境：相反的坐姿，他們站立或走動，他們的階級。讓他們進院子，或播放音樂，好像他們是在黨。問他們這樣的活動而發言，例如通過一個對象，如一個球，來回。是靈活的，具有創造性。愛你的學生將打破他們的日常學校單調。

*泵的數量：他們必須更響亮（如其他人聽力困難或他們講了一個壞的電話線） ，或者他們自己的聲音降低到耳語，因為如果他們溝通secretively 。

*修改內容：修改了幾句話或表現形式，有時通過改變幾個關鍵詞，你可以改變一個對話，也就是說，邀請一家電影院一至一家餐館。

*新增內容：新增行前及/或之後的對話，或要求學生自己想像可能出現的情況後，或腳本可以增加對第三人。

*他們提出挑戰：問問他們實行不看自己的筆記，或擦拭對話董事會。如果有必要，你可以逐步增加的挑戰，消除字或行，有幾個人。您還可以準備圖片或文字提示，以幫助他們記住了對話。

除了不同的對話活動，您也可以變更的方式，對正在形成。

*傳統的對：在這裡，您要求他們選擇的合作夥伴，或者您分配一個。他們通常留在座位上的椅子。

*法出來：傳統對上述有時工作之後，讓他們的對話，對執行的對，通常是在前面的教室。

*背靠背：他們站立或坐在背對背不是面對面。這是特別有用的電話交談，或當你想鼓勵學生進行溝通，通過他們的聲音本身，而援助的身體語言。

*在線生成：他們的立場（或坐）在兩排，面對對方。他們信奉其對話。然後，您可以要求學生在年底一列移動到另一端的同一行。其餘下移一個席位，以便每個現在有不同的合作夥伴。接著，他們從事相同的對話，或不同的，如果你希望。

如果你有幾個學生，你可以讓他們在一列，談論他們的鄰居。然後，您只要將學生從一端到另一端，他們現在都將有不同的合作夥伴。

*同心圓：他們站在兩個圈子，一個在其他。面臨的內圓外，除非他們正致力於背靠背形成。當他們完成他們的對話，其中一個圓圈移動輪一個地方，讓大家現在面臨著一個不同的人。他們信奉的對話了。

您也可以變更這一移動多個地方，或者您也可以發揮一種形式的音樂椅子，即循環移動，直到你停止音樂。嘗試要求讓他們視而不見，而移動！這種方法也可以受聘於黨的活動（見上面的環境各不相同），您可以讓他們四處走動的房間，來自合作夥伴，合作夥伴，挖掘了對話，直到音樂停止。然後，他們開始實行的對話與他們新發現的合作夥伴。

*間隙形成：這是非常適合的抽水量（見上文） 。他們開始彼此接近的中心會議室。他們開始講。雖然他們說，他們後退，直到最終他們是在兩端的房間。

當然，你可以做相反，他們開始在兩端的房間，並逐步靠攏。

這也是一個偉大的戶外活動！

另一個變化是，您可以指定一對作為'大'對，和他們站相當距離對方。雖然他們說話（或更象在大聲）對方，其他學生也參與對話，儘管在一個較低的水平，他們自由移動圍繞著這些'大'一雙。

印象最深的對話很短，所以他們將不得不開始當你給他們的信號。如果您有任何進一步的想法加入到這些，請他們在這裡分享。

Dialogue quiz: Invitation to a cinema (Int Plus)

This is now superseded by this version:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-invitation-to-cinema-matching.html

The dialogue is in jumbled order. Pair up the sentences and order them correctly. The answers can be found in a separate post - you'll have to search for it!

To start the game, click on the icon below.

This dialogue has a handful of common expressions, which, however, may be unfamiliar to some learners. Try to do the quiz before looking at the explanations below.

gorgeous - an adjective, used for saying something is wonderful or someone is very beautiful, e.g. these prawns are absolutely gorgeous!

You don't look too bad yourself - it'd have meant the same if Jane had said, 'You look good, too.' Here, basically, Jane is politely returning the compliment. She's saying, 'Thank you, but look at yourself - you look good, too.'

Say - an interjection used to get someone's attention before you say something.

fancy - this is used a lot in informal setting. It means 'feel like' or 'want to'. Notice the -ing form. "Do you fancy some ice cream?" "What do you fancy doing this evening?"

ages - a long time. The more correct form would be 'I haven't been to the cinema for ages!' but 'to the cinema' is understood in the conversational context, so it was left out.

What have you got in mind? - What are you thinking of? What plans/ideas have you got? What do you want to do?

thinking, meaning - stative verbs don't normally take an -ing form, but compare the meanings of these examples:

I think it'll be a good film (My opinion is that it will be a good film)
I'm thinking of cutting my hair (I have this idea, and this is to cut my hair, although I haven't really decided yet)

Gorgeous means very beautiful (gorgeous can be replaced by the word very beautiful, i.e. they have the same meaning)
I've been meaning to call you (My intention was to telephone you)

shall - Although it's becoming uncommon, it is still used quite often in British English for offers, suggestions, requests for instructions, and requests for advice:

What shall I cook for lunch? Not: What will I cook for lunch?
Shall I carry your bag? Not: Will I carry your bag?
When shall we meet? - Jane is asking for instructions. Could she have said: 'When will we meet?' Yes, though here it would imply that Pete had no idea before, and he would be making a spontaneous decision.

great - has several meanings, but here it is used to express pleasure.

We could go for a Chinese after - What Pete means is that he has the idea of going for a Chinese meal after the show. Again, 'the show' is understood, so it was omitted.

mere - used for emphasis. Just thinking about the Chinese food has already made Jane feel hungry.

half seven - In spoken British English, people often say ‘half one’, ‘half two’ etc, which has the same meaning as ‘half past one’ and ‘half past two’.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL, 游戏学英语"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>

Dialogue quiz: Booking into a hotel (Pre-Int Plus)

This has been superseded by this post: http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/09/at-hotel.html

The dialogue is in jumbled order. Pair up the sentences and order them correctly. The answers can be found in a separate post - you'll have to search for it!

To start the game, click on the icon below.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL, 游戏学英语"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>

Dialogue - At the Airport Check-In, Matching Game (Elementary)

This has been superseded by this one:
http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-at-airport-check-in-desk.html

For an improved version of this quiz see here.

The dialogue is in jumbled order. Pair up the sentences and order them correctly. The answers can be found in a separate post - you'll have to search for it! See also this other post.

To start the game, click on the icon below.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://aclil2climb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL, 游戏学英语"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>

Dialogue - At the Passport Control, Matching Game (Elementary)

For an improved version of this quiz see here.
This has been superseded by this:
http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-at-passport-control-matching.html
 
The dialogue is in jumbled order. Pair up the sentences and put them in the right sequence. The answers can be found in a separate post - you'll have to look for it!

To start the quiz, click on the image below.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL, 游戏学英语"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>

Games for Education: Dialogue - in a restaurant (Elementary) Parts One and Two

This is now superseded by this one here:
http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-in-restaurant-matching-game.html

The dialogue is in a jumbled sequence. First, match them up, then put them in the right sequence. Have fun learning!

To start Part One, click on the icon below.

To start Part Two, click on the icon below.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL, 游戏学英语"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>

Games for Education: Match the dialogue (Elementary)

This is now superseded by this one:
http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/2010/11/dialogue-in-shop-matching-sequence.html

Game time again, folks! Here's one for the elementary level. It's a dialogue in a shop and you have 30 seconds to match the sentences. For the teachers: I created the game using Match-up quiz generator, which is available at Content Generator. Then, I host the file in FileAve.com. Feedback on the comments, please. Have fun learning!
To start the game, click on the icon below.

If you like this game, please link to it by copying and pasting this HTML code (click anywhere inside the box, click ctrl+A, then ctrl+C) into your own blog or web template. This is the badge you'll get:

<a href="http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/games" target="_blank" title="a cLiL to cLiMB, Language Education Site: vocabulary, games, funny videos, free dictionary, juegos educativos CLIL"><img border="0" alt="Games for Education" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jLiicBi8UgTi_xz9DFxWAIGgUmG6xIG7D9KXl8xyx2uA-0X9HJX3NcFabHDTQ_6oI30L961xDlU557CpafH_hIhNMLnOjXl5JDehq_jIIMrYZQtpdnTaqGLEPUkg0w6xn39IfMwTevBs/s800/Header%2075%20x75.jpg" height="75" /></a>