Movie Segments to Assess Grammar Goals

Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief: Zero Conditional

2012-01-29T00:25:00.001-02:00

This movie is great, especially because of the references made to Greek mythology. Many teens started learning about it while watching it. This scene reveals a few characteristics of Medusa. I used it to practice the Zero Conditional because it deals with general truths about the myth.

Remember:

The structure of a zero conditional sentence

A zero conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an “if” clause and a main clause (In most zero conditional sentences you can use when or if and the meaning will stay the same.):

The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true — such as scientific facts and general truths:

I. Watch the movie segment and complete the condition with general truths about Medusa.

MEDUSA

1. If someone look into Medusa's eyes, .................................................................

2. If someone sees Medusa but they don't look into her eyes, ............................................

3. If someone looks at Medusa's reflex in the mirror, .............................................

4. If someone doesn't manage to keep he eyes closed when approached by Medusa, .................................

II. Think about a folklore character of your country. Write a brief description of his traits or features and write two Zero Conditional clauses saying what is true about them. Follow the example in exercise I.

Ex:

If a werewolf bites you, you become a werewolf too.

1 ...............................................

2 ...............................................

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PERCY JACKSON

A Christmas Carol: Passive Voice with Modal Verbs

2012-01-21T00:15:00.003-02:00

I could never expect this movie to be so good. It is animated, but it seems to be so real... Besides, it is a classic tale that everyone should learn about. I must admit it is scarier than many children can bear, but it has been approved for all audiences. I enjoyed it immensely.

A. Watch the movie segment that takes place on Christmas Eve. Read the sentences below and decide if you are going to use affirmative or negative modal verbs, according to the information in the segment. Choose the correct modal verb according to the purpose in parentheses.

1. We ___________ (find) lots of poor children playing on the streets on Christmas eve. (modal for ability)

2. The government __________ (provide) children with a good meal for free on Christmas eve.
(present or future possibility)

3. Sometimes the population ___________ (help) homeless people because it's difficult for them to take care of their own family. (present impossibility)

4. Scrooge ___________ (assist) the choir singers because he is a rich man. (advisability)

5. A gambler hit a little boy. Adults __________ (respect) all the children. (necessity)

6. __________ adults _________ (tell) children Santa Claus doesn't exist? (advisability)

7. How __________ the government _________ (assist) poor children? (present possibilty or ability)

B. Now rewrite the sentences in exercise A, using passive voice statements.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Answer key:

A. 1. can find

2. could (might) provide

3. can't help

4. should assist

5. has to (must) respect

6. Should adults tell

7. can the government assist

B. 1. Children can be found ...

2. Children could (might) be provided with ...

3. Homeless people can't be helped by the population ...

4. The choir singers should be assisted ...

5. All the children hast to (must) be respected...

6. Should children be told that ...

7. How can children be assisted by the government?

Planet 51: Passive Voice with Simple Present

2012-01-14T00:13:00.004-02:00

Happy 2012!!! Hope you enjoy the activities planned for 2012. Remember to share yours too. Email them to claudioazv@gmail.com and your credits and pictures are added as well.

Planet 51 is amazingly funny. I laughed so much that I almost cried during the movie. It is attractive to children and to adults, too. Rent the movie! You'll love it. I took advantage of the opening scene to practice passive voice in the simple present tense.

A. Watch the movie segment and check the activities that the inhabitants of Planet 51 perform on a typical afternoon.

1. ( ) They wear strange clothes

2. ( ) They play tennis.

3. ( ) They drive flying cars.

4. ( ) They read the newspaper.

5. ( ) Boys ride flying bicycles.

6. ( ) They walk their pets.

7. ( ) Workers sweep the street.

8. ( ) Children play hopscotch.

9. ( ) They make barbecue.

10. ( ) They sell candy.

B. Now rewrite the sentences above in the passive voice. Decide if the sentence is affirmative or negative according to the information in the snippet:

Ex:

1. Strange clothes aren't worn.

2 ...............................................

3 ...............................................

4 ...............................................

5 ...............................................

6. ..............................................

7. ..............................................

8. ..............................................

9. ..............................................

10. ............................................

C. Now read the activities in exercise A and ask your partner if they perform those activities on a typical Sunday afternoon.

EX:

1.

S1: Do you wear strange clothes?

S2: No, I don't.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PLANET 51

Answer key:

A. Students should NOT check items 1, 2, 5, 9, 10

B.

2. Tennis isn't played.

3. Flying cars are driven.

4. The newspaper is read.

5. Flying bicycles aren't ridden.

6. Pets are walked.

7. The streets are swept.

8. Hopscotch is played.

9. Barbecue isn't made.

10. Candy isn't sold.

The Tooth Fairy: In Case x In Case of

2011-12-11T00:44:00.002-02:00

This is a good wholesome movie. I had a fun time watching it. I used this great scene to have students practice contrasting the use of In Case and In Case Of.

The legend of the Tooth Fairy is about a fairy that gives a child money or gifts in exchange for a baby tooth that has fallen out. Children typically place the tooth under their pillow at night. The fairy is said to take the tooth from under the pillow and replace it with money once they have fallen asleep.

A. Read the inventions made for the Tooth Fairy. Look at the invention's name and make a guess about when or why use it. Make sure you complete the sentence with in case and in case of.

Ex:

Magic Generator Wand:

You may use it in case you need to make someone disappear.

You may use it in case of an emergency.

1. Invisibility Spray

You may use it in case __________________

You may use it in case of ________________

2. Shrinking Paste

You may use it in case _____________

You may use it in case of ___________

3. Dog Bark Mints

You may use it in case ______________

You may use it in case of ______________

4. Amnesia Dust

You may use it in case ________________

You may use it in case of _______________

B. Now watch the movie segment and complete the sentences, using the information in the segment.

1. I would use the invisible spray in case ____________

2.You may use the shrinking paste in case _____________

3. You may use the dog barks mint in case of _______________

4. You may use amnesia dust in case _______________

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - TOOTH FAIRY

Possible answers

B.

1. you don't want anybody to see you.

2. you want to shrink 6 inches

3. attacks of cats, mailmen, dogs that come after you.

4. you want the kid to forget everything for the last few seconds

Dinner for Schmucks: Present Continuous

2011-12-04T00:04:00.002-02:00

The opening scene of this movie is memorable and perfect for beginners to practice the present continuous tense. The instructions of the game are simple, but you had better model it, instead of giving the instructions in written form.

Game:

I. Divide the class into groups of 3 students. Watch the movie segment and take notes of all the leisure activities the mice are doing in that afternoon.

II. Get together with your group and write down as many sentences as you can, saying what the mice are doing. You have 10 minutes to do it.

III. Read all your sentences to the class. Every sentence with both correct grammar and information, according to the segment, scores 1 point. The winner is the group that scores most points.

IV. You may watch the segment again to check whether the leisure activities are correct.

V. Talk to a partner:

1. Which activities you saw in the segment do you like to do in your leisure time?

2. Which ones don't you like to do?

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT - DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

1.000.000 Visitors!

2011-12-01T00:38:00.004-02:00

Thank you all for 1.000.000 hits on Movie Segments to Assess Grammar Goals. This is a motivating number that will certainly make me keep on sharing my activities!

Mary and Max: There to be

2011-11-26T00:02:00.001-02:00

I love this Australian animated movie. Here the student plays bingo with what they will see in the movie in order to practice of the verb THERE + TO BE. This class was really fun!

A. You are going to see a movie segment that shows Lamington Drive in Waverly, Australia. Look at the phrases below and complete the bingo chart with 9 of the given phrases that you think you will see in the scene.

a pair of boots on the wires / a football on the roof / a fast trolley / a sprinkler in the garden / a pair of roller skates on the grass / trash cans on the street / kids playing rugby/ different mailboxes / a brown bicycle / a barbecue grill / different statues / beautiful flowers/ an underwear on a line / very tall buildings / a bird cage/ an I-pod/ hot dog stands

BINGO

B. Watch the movie segment now and check your bingo chart. The winner is the student who bingoes or who guesses the most correct items.

C. Now rewite the phrases in your chart, using there is (not) or there are (not)

Ex: There is a pair of roller skates on the grass

2. ............................................................

3. ............................................................

4. ...........................................................

5. ...........................................................

6. ..........................................................

7. ...........................................................

8. ...........................................................

9. ...........................................................

MOVIE SEGMENT - MARY AND MAX

WORKSHEET

Answer key - Possible items:

a pair of boots on the wires / a football on the roof / a sprinkler in the garden / a pair of rollerskates on the grass / trash cans on the street / mailboxes / a barbecue grill / different statues / an underwear on a line

Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron: Onomatopoeia

2011-11-20T00:05:00.001-02:00

Teaching figures of speech are occasionally necessary. This is a fun way to practice identifying onomatopoeia. REMEMBER:

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech that employs a word, or occasionally, a grouping of words, that imitates, echoes, or suggests the object it is describing, such as "bang", "click", "fizz", "hush" or "buzz", or animal noises such as "moo", "quack" or "meow".

I. Match the animals or things below and the onomatopoeia you believe the sound they make suggests. There may be more than only one matching for each of the items. Try to figure out the "sound" the verbs may have to identify the corresponding noun.

1. Wind

2. River

3. Wings

4. Bird

5. Eagle

6. Geyser

( ) rumble

( ) swoosh

( ) flutter

( ) screech

( ) chirp

( ) spout

( ) blow

II. Watch the movie segment and check your answers:

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - STALLION SPIRIT OF THE CIMARRON

Answer Key:

river: rumble

wings: swoosh, flutter

eagle: screech

bird: chirp

geyser: spout

wind: blow

bird: chirp

The Princess and the Frog: Simple Present

2011-11-13T00:08:00.005-02:00

This is one of the best animated movies by Disney in recent years. It is fun, amusing and uplifting. The music and plot are great. I love it. I used this scene to practice the simple present tense based on a typical routine day in New Orleans. In the end, the students may personalize the exercise talking about themselves and their own city. They loved it!

A. Take a look at the activities below. Watch the movie segment and write T if Tiana, the main character, performs the activity or P if it is the people of New Orleans who do it, or B if both Tiana and the people do it on a typical day, according to the segment.

( ) 1. Read a magazine on the way to work.

( ) 2. Play musical instruments in the streets.

( ) 3. Dance in the streets of New Orleans.

( ) 4. Serve food and drinks in a restaurant.

( ) 5. Play card tricks.

( ) 6. Buy newspapers in the streets.

( ) 7. Have fun.

( ) 8. Make magic.

B. Now write down four affirmative and four negative statements about what Tiana does (doesn't do) and what people do (don't do) on a typical New Orleans day. Use the information in exercise A.

Affirmative sentences:

1 ...................................................................

2 ..................................................................

3 ..................................................................

4. .................................................................

Negative statements:

1 ..................................................................

2 .................................................................

3 .................................................................

4 .................................................................

C. Now take a look at the activities in exercise A. Write affrimative and negative statements saying wht you do (don't do) on a Brasilia's (or your town's) typical day.

Ex 1. I read (don't read) a magazine on my way to work (school).

2 ....................................................................

3 ....................................................................

4 ....................................................................

5 .....................................................................

6 .....................................................................

7 .....................................................................

8 .....................................................................

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Avalon: Homophones x Homographs

2011-11-05T00:06:00.002-02:00

Read the definitions below:

A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose (flower) and rose (past tense of "rise"), or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or two and too. (more at the related link)

The word homophone is made from two combining forms:
homo- (from the Greek word "homos", meaning "same"
-phone (from the Greek word "phone", meaning "voice" or "sound"

HOMOPHONES sound alike and have different meanings, but have different spellings.

Ex:

bee (insect) - be (verb)

HOMOGRAPHS are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.

Ex: lie (untruth) - lie (down)

I. Watch the movie segment and decide what words are examples of homophones (2 words) and homographs (3 words). Then write their definitions.

HOMOPHONES:

__________ AND _________

Definitions: ______________ AND _________________

HOMOGRAPHS:

______________, ______________ AND ________

Definitions: __________, _____________ AND ____________

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - AVALON

Answer key:

Homophones: Aunt AND Ant

1. Aunt: The sister of someone's father or mother

2. A very small insect that live under the ground in a very organized society

Homographs: Great AND Great AND Great

1. Great: a member of the family that is one generation away from that member

2. Great: big

3. Great: very good

An American Carol: In Case x In Case of

2011-10-29T00:04:00.000-02:00

This a totally politically incorrect movie, full of misconceived stereotypes about the Arab world. Be selective when you use the segment, especially if you have students from Arab countries. It is a funny scene though. I used it to practice the use of In Case (of) in a contextualized manner.

A. Watch the movie segment and then read the sentences below. Then complete the blanks with IN CASE or IN CASE OF.

1. Ahman said they need a guest work program _____ the Taliban don't do their job.

Ahman said they need a guest work program _____ the Taliban's desistance.

2. They believe they need a new recruitment video ____ suicide bombers stop volunteering.

They believe they need a new recruitment video _____ lack of volunteers.

3. Ahmed is usually punctual ________ something delays him.

Ahmed is usually punctual ________ delays

4. Ahmed double checks his the address of the site ________ mistakes.

Ahmed double checks his address ________ there is a mistake.

5. Ahmed wears properly, wearing clothing that is loose enough to hide his explosives _______ someone becomes suspicious of the bomb.

He wears loose clothing _______ suspicion.

B. Talk to a partner:

1. How do you describe the stereotyped characters shown in the segment?

2. Is it fair to picture Arabs this way? Why (not)?

3. How would you describe the stereotypes of the people where you live?

4. Why were the characters shown the way they were in the segment?

5. How do you think your country is stereotyped by foreigners?

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT - AN AMERICAN CAROL

Answer Key:

1. In case / in case of

2. In case / in case of

3. In case / in case of

4. In case of / In case

5. In case / In case of

A Bug's Life: Pre-Determiners - Such, What

2011-10-22T00:36:00.001-02:00

This is such an interesting animation. I used this scene to teach pre-determiners - such and what. My lesson was contextualized and fun.

Introduction:

PRE-DETERMINERS: SUCH, WHAT

These words are normally placed before the indefinite article.

Such and what are often used to express surprise or other emotions:

Examples:

a. What a lovely day!

b. She's such a lovely woman!

c. What an incredible film!

d. He's such a fantastic guitarist!

I. Watch the movie segment and choose one of the adjectives provided to complete the sentences, according to the movie. Then rewrite the sentences, using the pre-determiner in parentheses and the adjective you have chosen. Follow the examples in the introduction.

1. Ants are very (organized/intelligent/agile) insects.

(such) ................................................................

2. The pile of food is (huge/amazing/impressive).

(what) .................................................................

3. The anthill is (awesome/complicated/interesting).

(such) ...................................................................

4. The grasshoppers are (terrifying/scary/aggressive) insects.

(what) ...................................................................

5. Flik is a (clumsy/stupid/ridiculous) ant.

(such) ....................................................................

6. Princess Atta is a (beautiful/ugly/nice) ant.

(what) ................................................................

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - A BUG'S LIFE

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 21 false false false PT-BR X-NONE X-NONE

answer key:

possible answers

1. ants are such organized insects

2. what a huge pile of fod

3. it’s such a complicated anthill

4. what terrifying insects

5. flink is such a clumsy ant

6. what a beautiful ant

Kick-Ass: Story Writing - Narratives

2011-10-15T00:02:00.002-03:00

This film has some scenes which show violence, and I would never recommend them for the EFL/ESL classes. This scene, though, does not, and it is great for story telling/ narrative writing. In fact, it is a very attractive segment. Make sure your audience consists of adults.

I. Watch the movie segments with sounds off. Pay attention to the strips so you can come up with the story itself. If necessary, watch it twice with sounds off.

II. Work in pairs. Write down a story for the strips. Use your imagination and be creative.

III. Read your stories out loud.

IV. Watch the segments with sounds on now. Compare your stories. Which group wrote the closest ideas to what was shown in the segment.

V. Role play the story.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - KICK ASS

THERE IS NOT A WORKSHEET FOR THIS ACTIVITY BECAUSE IT IS NOT NECESSARY

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: As x Like

2011-10-08T00:02:00.000-03:00

This movie is wonderful. The idea is so original that it makes you wonder how life would be if it were true. I used this amazing scene to contrast the use of like and as, a very barren grammar point that becomes more interesting with the use of a movie segment to entice the students.

Talk to a partner. Decide if you agree with these statements about animal testing. Justify your answers:

"Animals are here for humans to use. If we have to sacrifice 1,000 or 100,000 animals in the hope of benefiting one child, it's worth it."

"Science has a responsibility to use animals to keep looking for cures for all the horrible diseases that people suffer from."

"If we didn't use animals, we'd have to test new drugs on people."

"If people will benefit from the experiments, it is not relevant whether the animals suffer or not."

I. Watch the segment and complete the blanks with LIKE or AS.

1. ___________ we know, animal testing is controversial.

2. The chimp is _________ a friend to the doctor.

3. She is as smart _____________ a human being.

4. __________ expected, she was unable to complete the puzzle at first, before taking the new drug.

5. She behaved _______________ if he were completely out of control.

6. She is agile, ___________ most monkeys.

7. The doctor works ___________ a genetic engineer, researching the cure of Alzheimer.

8. ___________ a doctor, he suggested that more money be invested in therapies to treat brain disorders.

Answer key:

1. as 2. like 3. as 4. as 5. as 6. like 7. as 8. as

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Killers: Have You Ever... ? x Would You Ever...?

2011-10-01T00:15:00.003-03:00

This movie did not meet my expectations, but this scene is perfect for contrasting the use of have you ever x would you ever.

I. Check the items with the activities that you have already done at least once in your life time.

1. swim in the ocean

2. buy a new dress (shirt) to go on a first date

3. go snorkling

4. sail on a yacht

5. fight with a stranger

6. give or receive flowers on a first date

7. lie on the first date

8. hide from your parents in a public place

II. Watch the segment and check who performs the activities above, the guy or the girl.

III. Ask a partner the following questions.

Follow the pattern:

Ex:

S1 - Have you ever … (swum in the ocean)?

S2 - Yes, I have.

S1 - Have you ever swum in the ocean?

S2 - No, I haven't.

S3 - Would you ever swim in the ocean?

S2 - Yes, I would / Sure, I would / No, never.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - KILLERS

Astro Boy: To be Supposed to x To be Able to

2011-09-24T00:03:00.002-03:00

This animated movie is amusing. I had a lot of fun in the theater with my little niece. I used this scene to contrast the use of to be supposed to x to be able to.

A. This scene takes place in the future. Watch the scene and write down 5 things that robots will be supposed to do in the future, according to the segment:

1.......................................................
2......................................................
3......................................................
4......................................................
5.....................................................

B. Now watch the second segment from the same movie. Make a list of 5 things that robots will be able to do and that humans can't do nowadays.

1................................................
2................................................
3................................................
4................................................
5................................................

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - ASTRO BOY - PART 1

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - ASTRO BOY - PART 2

The Ghost Writer: Giving Directions - Imperative Forms

2011-09-16T00:07:00.001-03:00

This movie is amazing. I love Roman Polanski's films and this one is no exception. This scene is great because of the clear instructions given by the car's GPS.

I. Read the instruction the driver received from his GPS while driving to his destination. Choose the right verbs from the given ones below before watching the video.

You may repeat them.

TURN - PROCEED - JOIN - MAKE - TAKE

1. __________ road when possible.

2. In 200 yards, ____________ left.

3. __________ around when possible.

4. _____________ to the indicated route.

5. In 200 yards, ____________ the next exit.

6. In half a mile, _________ a short right turn.

You have reached your destination!

II. Now watch the segment and check your answers.

Answers: 1. join, 2. turn, 3. turn, 4. proceed, 5. take, 6. make

II. Work with a partner. Choose 2 easy-to-reach destinations in your city and give each other instructions to get there driving.

Ex: From Park Shopping to Carrefour.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE GHOST WRITER

The Green Zone: Scanning - Teaching Reading

2011-09-09T00:02:00.002-03:00

Of course Scanning is not a grammar point, but it is a technique we teach students to read better. Since many readings are sources for grammar points, I used this segment to have students practice scanning for information in a written text.

Scanning is a technique to search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for, so you're concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. When scanning, look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words, first, second, or next. Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color.


I. You will watch a scene of an invetigator scanning for information. He googles Lawn Dayne / Wall Street Journal / WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction). Scan the information along with the main character in the movie and write down all key words and data you can see.

II. Watch the segment again and complete your data collection.

II. Work with a partner and come up with an article summarizing the information you put together. You may use your imagination to come up with an interesting article. Don't forget to add a title to your article.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE GREEN ZONE

Radio Days: While x During

2011-09-02T00:06:00.000-03:00

Woody Allen is one of my favorite directors. I don't usually find scenes for my purposes, but this movie is full of them. I think this scene is fantastic because burglars end up helping the family they are robbing. I used it to practice the difference between the use of while and during.

A. Watch the movie segment and decide if the best alternative is while or during.

1. The phone rang while / during they were robbing the Needleman's house.

2. The burglars answered he phone while / during the robbery.

3. The TV host called the Needlemans while / during the radio show.

4. They were supposed to guess that tune while / during the band was playing it.

5. The Needlemans received the winning prize while / during they were standing on the porch.

6. The Needlemans were so surprised that they didn't do anything while / during the delivery.

Answer key:

1. while 2. during 3. during 4. while 5. while 6. during

B. Now write down 3 things that you do:

While you are talking on the phone.

1 ........................................................
2 .......................................................
3 ......................................................

During a party:

1 ......................................................
2 .....................................................
3 .....................................................

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - RADIO DAYS

Up in the Air: Ordinal Numbers

2011-08-27T00:02:00.000-03:00

A. Watch the movie segment and decide which day of that month they are going to be in the places below. Don't forget to write down the ordinal number ( Ex: First, Tenth). Watch the scene twice.

1. Veronica - ................

2. Deston - ....................

3. Oklahoma - ..............

4. Albuquerque - ........

5. Florida - .................

B. Write ordinal numbers to answer the questions below.

1. What day is your birthday?

2. Which day of the month was last Sunday?

3. Which day of the month is today?

4. What day is your mother's birthday?

5. What is the last day of this month?

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - UP IN THE AIR

Answer key:

Veronica - twelfth - 12th

Deston - thirteenth -13th

Oklahoma - fifteenth -15th

Albuquerque - sixteenth - 16th

Florida - twentieth - 20th

1408: Reflexive Pronouns

2011-08-19T12:02:00.003-03:00

This thriller is based on a Stephen King's short story. As you can tell, it is scary, but it is not a violent movie. This is an exciting scene that I used for practicing reflexive pronouns with my students, because the snippet shows objects moving by themselves inside a hotel room, which number is 1408. This activity makes the grammar point more meaninful, I guess.

I. Work in pairs:

1. Do you believe in supernatural activities? Explain it.

2. Have you ever seen or known someone who has experienced supernatural activities?

3. Would you stay in a hotel which is famous for having ghosts? What about a history of murders? Why (not)?

4. Would you like to make contact with people who have passed away? Why (not)?

II. Watch the segment and complete the blanks with a reflexive pronoun:

MYSELF - YOURSELF - HIMSELF - HERSELF - ITSELF - OURSELVES - YOURSELVES - THEMSELVES

1. The main character, Louis, served _________a drink.

2. The radio started playing a song by ________________.

3. The alarm clock reset ________________ to 60:00.

4. Louis recorded _____________ saying what was going on in the room.

5. The window closed by ______________ and hit Louis's fingers.

6. He started washing ____________ when the faucet started doing unexpected things by ______________.

7. The curtains were moving by _________________.

8. What about you? Would you spend the night in this room by ___________.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - 1408

Answer key:

1. himself
2. itself
3. itself
4. himself
5. itself
6. himself / itself
7. themselves
8. yourself

Avalon: Modal Verbs May (Permission) x Can (Ability)

2011-08-13T00:02:00.000-03:00

This scene seems to be especially made for teachers of English who are teaching the difference between CAN and MAY. This grammar point can be quite confusing for Brazilians, because both modals have the same translation - poder - in Portuguese, so the meaning can be unclear for us. This segment helps students understand the difference.

I. Match the verbs with the definition:

1. CAN

2. MAY

( ) It is if you are capable of doing something.

( ) It is asking for permission.

II. Watch the movie segment and check your answers.

III. Now read the dialog between a Brazilian teacher of English and a Brazilian student. Then complete the blanks with Can or May.

*Cultural note:

The native language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese.

T - Hello, students.

S - Hello, teacher. __________ I go to the restroom?

T - Not now. After class, OK?

S - Okay. _______ I speak Portuguese*?

T - Only if it is really important. Is it?

S - No, it isn't. __________ I do the homework now?

T - Not now. It is HOME work, dear.

S - Okay, teacher. But _______ I do the homework or is it very difficult?

T - The homework is easy, relax.

S - ____ I speak English like an American?

T - Well, not now, but in a near future...

S - Great! _______ I drink some water now?

T - Okay, but be fast.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - AVALON

Answer key:

I. 1, 2

III. may, may, may, can, can, may

Fearless: So x Such

2011-08-05T00:08:00.003-03:00

This is an intriguing film. I used this scene to practice the use of so x such, activity which is adapted from the awesome blog If the Ship Sinks, We Have the Survival Kit, by Vania Rodrigues and Vinicius Lemos. Thank you, Vania and Vinicius, for providing us with such great and creative activities.

Vânia Rodrigues has been an EFL teacher for 20 years, 15 of which at a Binational Center in Brazil, Casa Thomas Jefferson. She has been a teacher, a Course Supervisor and is currently a Deputy Academic Coordinator at CTJ. She holds an M.A in Applied Linguistics from the Universidade de Brasília. Vinicius Lemos has been an English teacher for 15 years. He holds a B.A in Letras-Inglês (English Language and Literature) from Universidade de Brasília (UnB) and has been an EFL teacher at Casa Thomas Jefferson, Brasília, Brazil, for 9 years. He was a presenter at the 2010 TESOL Conference in Boston, USA and the 2011 ABS International Conference in Montevideo, Uruguay.

I. Imagine that you are in the plane accident that you see in the movie segment. Work in groups of three students. Somehow you know you will survive and be lost on a desert island with the other students in your group. Select 6 objects that you see in the airplane to carry with you to help you survive in a desert island. Choose the objects wisely.

II. Now that you have chosen the 6 objects, you have a surprise. You will not be able to use these objects for what they were originally designed for. So, it means you will have to find new uses for them in order to survive. Your objective is to convince your teacher that you are the ones who will survive. Use so or such to describe the object and its new use.

Ex: Glasses.

Glasses can be so useful that we can use the lenses to start a fire. / We may use glasses to start a fire in such a dangerous situation.

III. Your teacher will decide who will have more chances of surviving with the choses objects and how you will use them. The winning group gets a chocolate bar.

WORKSHEET. - Be careful - the worksheet may give away the surprise of the exercise.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - FEARLESS

License to Wed & Death at a Funeral: Letters of Complaints

2011-07-31T00:28:00.002-03:00

Of course writing a letter fo complaint is not a grammar point, but I have been adding activities to practice the 4 skills, so this one is for writing. Letters of complaints are contextualized with very funny situations here. These scenes made this writing class much more interesting and meaningful.

I. Watch the movie segments from the movies License to Wed and Death at a Funeral. Both scenes are very funny, but they show consumers who are dissatisfied with the service they were provided with. When you watch the scene, make sure you observe what the problem was and how you would like the problem to be resolved.

License to Wed's Scene:

Death at the Funeral's Scene:

Imagine now that you are one of the characters from the segments you have just seen. Put yourself in his shoes and write a letter of complaint to the company who provided you with the service. Choose one of the scenes to complain. Follow the guidelines below:

An introduction that clearly identifies the subject of the complaint. In the first paragraph you should identify what the issue is and any relevant information that you believe is important. Be sure to include the following information if it's applicable to the situation: the date/time of the issue, location, name of person on duty, name of product, what the problem was, your account number, model number, price, warranty information and reference number. Be sure to stick with the facts and avoid putting emotions into your letter.

A body paragraph that (a) clearly and specifically explains the nature of the complaint, and (b) provides the reader with all of the information needed to provide an appropriate response. It should state what you would like done to resolve the situation. If you received poor service, you could request an apology or a coupon. If a product malfunctioned, you could request that you could exchange the product for a new one or request a refund.

A conclusion that clearly states what actions are needed to remedy the problem. The last paragraph should thank the reader for thoe time. You can also throw in some compliments about something you liked about their company's product or service. You should include your telephone number/e-mail address after your printed name so that they can contact you ASAP if necessary. Be sure to keep a copy of the letter for yourself and include photocopies of any relevant documents and enclose them with your letter.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - LICENSE TO WED

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - DEATH AT A FUNERAL

WORKSHEET

Tangled: Past Perfect (with Never)

2011-07-23T00:04:00.001-03:00

This movie is amazing. The graphics and the story itself made me have a wonderful time during my trip to New Orleans, because I saw it on the plane that flew me there.

I. Write down at least one thing that you HAD NEVER DONE before the following moments in your life (select the items according to your group's ages.

- You met your current (last) boy (girlfriend) / You got married

(Ex: I had never fallen in love).

- You passed the vestibular (PAS) (College entrance exam) (started studying at college or your current school).

- You first traveled abroad (by plane).

- You got your first job.

- You got the job you have now.

- You moved to the house you live in now.

- You started studying English.

II. GAME - Work in pairs. Watch the segment and write down as many sentences as you can remember about what Rapunzel had never done before she left the castle for the first time. Each sentence with correct information and grammar use scores 1 point. The winner is the group that scores most points. You have 3 minutes to write the sentences.

- Ex: She had never seen a river.

1 ..........................................................

2 ..........................................................

3 .........................................................

4 .........................................................

5 .........................................................

6 .........................................................

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - TANGLED

WORKSHEET

Answers will vary.