Explore how English varies across cultures and discover the differences between British, American, and Australian English.
Main objectives of this material
- Develop vocabulary related to tone and miscommunication, including words and expressions such as blunt, come across as, misread, take something the wrong way, and clear up a misunderstanding.
- Improve speaking and reading skills by analysing three short dialogues about a one-word text reply, workplace feedback and a joke between flatmates, and discussing how the same message can sound friendly, neutral, annoyed or rude.
- Learn and practise the language of clarifying and repairing misunderstandings using phrases such as That's not quite what I meant, What I was trying to say was..., and I think there's been a misunderstanding to fix communication problems without blaming anyone.
What students are going to cover
In this lesson, students will explore why messages are so often misunderstood by rating short text replies on a tone meter and analysing three everyday dialogues. They will build vocabulary for describing tone, such as blunt and come across as, and learn a four-step Repair Kit for fixing misunderstandings: spot it, own it, say it again and check it. Through gap-fills, blunt-to-polite rewrites, stress and intonation work and escalating role-play cards, they will practise phrases like Sorry, that came out wrong and So are you saying...? This misunderstandings English lesson plan ends with a before-and-after writing task. By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to notice when their words may sound rude, explain what they really meant, and check that the other person understands.
🔒 Part of Complete · B1 · B2
Unlock this lesson with Complete
You are one step away from the full worksheet. Complete opens every lesson in the library, with new ones added every Sunday.
- Student Version PDF, print-ready, and an interactive fillable version
- Teacher Version with full answer key and teacher notes
- Presentation slides, glossary and a homework task
- Full access to every level, A1 to C2
Get Complete Start free with 10 lessons
Cancel anytime. Already a member? Log in to open this lesson.