Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses- Bluff Game

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Students use relative clauses to explain useful vocabulary for the B2 First exam, also useful practice for talking around unknown vocabulary in the Cambridge First Speaking test.

By: Alex Case
Level: Intermediate
Theme: General
Study Area: Relative Clauses and Pronouns
Download Lesson Plan (PDF) 271 KB
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Lesson Plan Content:

Defining and non-defining relative clauses definitions bluff game

with useful language for Cambridge First Certificate Speaking, Writing and Use of English

 

Choose words and expressions from the list you are given and write a mix of true and false definitions from your own knowledge or imagination (without help such as the internet or a dictionary). The false ones could be:

  • True definitions with something changed
  • True definitions with some false information added
  • Completely made-up definitions (including because you don’t know the expression)

You must write at least one true definition and at least one false definition. All definitions must have defining and/ or non-defining relative clauses by using the structures like those below.

 

Useful language for defining words and expressions

Possible sentence structures

..., which means…, …

…, which…, means…

…, which…,…

…, whose…,…

(a)… which/ that/ whose…

 

Useful words and phrases

whose opposite/ noun/ verb/ adjective is…,

whose normal meaning is…, also means…

whose definition/ meaning is…

is a noun/ verb/ phrasal verb

is an adverb/ adjective/ idiom/ expression/ abbreviation

is a regular/ irregular…

is British English/ American English/ slang

is used to describe/ is used to talk about…

is a positive/ negative/ neutral/ mixed/ common/ rare/ spoken/ written word

is a synonym of…

stands for…

(literal/ word for word) translation

(literally/ approximately) translated

can be used in/ with…

collocates (strongly) with…/ goes together with…

follows…

is followed by…

similar to – different from

comes from French/ Latin/ Greek/ German

 

Read out or give your definitions to another team to see if they know or can guess which are true and which are made up.

 

When you finish, look at both vocabulary sheets and ask your teacher about any words or expressions that you don’t know.

 

Vocabulary to define (for Cambridge First Speaking, Writing and Use of English)

 

Group A

  1. CV
  2. a break
  3. a good command of…
  4. a lift
  5. a position
  6. a relief
  7. adaptable
  8. adore
  9. afford
  10. ages
  11. appearance
  12. astonish
  13. atmosphere
  14. attract
  15. be in no hurry to…
  16. beat
  17. blame
  18. bland
  19. brought up
  20. bump into
  21. can’t wait to
  22. cheesy
  23. classmate
  24. clichéd
  25. cloying
  26. coincidence
  27. commuter town
  28. concentrate
  29. condo
  30. costume drama
  31. cram
  32. day off
  33. day out
  34. days off
  35. deliberately
  36. determined
  37. detest
  38. distinctive
  39. drawback
  40. dread
  41. dreadful
  42. drop me a line
  43. dull
  44. décor
  45. enclosed
  46. expertise
  47. fancy
  48. feedback
  49. flawless
  50. fond of
  51. force
  52. furious
  53. get on with
  54. get used to
  55. glance
  56. go out with
  57. gripping
  58. had better
  59. hardly
  60. haunting
  61. hearty
  62. hilarious
  63. ideal
  64. if so
  65. impeccable
  66. in touch
  67. interrupt
  68. intriguing
  69. keep fit
  70. kick yourself
  71. lip smacking
  72. loads
  73. loathe
  74. location

 

Group B

  1. manage
  2. mansion
  3. market
  4. meet up with
  5. misgivings
  6. monotonous
  7. my fault
  8. no point
  9. not worth
  10. notorious
  11. off the top of my head
  12. on balance
  13. other side of the coin
  14. out of the blue
  15. outgoing
  16. outweigh
  17. over the top
  18. overrated
  19. pick up
  20. piping hot
  21. plot
  22. pointless
  23. posh
  24. predictable
  25. prequel
  26. pretentious
  27. qualification
  28. questionnaire
  29. re:
  30. really into
  31. remake
  32. remind
  33. resemblance
  34. revolting
  35. rom-com
  36. sci-fi
  37. screenwriter
  38. sequel
  39. shortcoming
  40. sickly
  41. sitcom
  42. skip
  43. snail mail
  44. soap opera
  45. souvenir
  46. spectacular
  47. stands out (from the crowd)…
  48. student halls
  49. studio flat
  50. suit
  51. sum up
  52. survey
  53. take after
  54. take up
  55. tedious
  56. the bee’s knees
  57. the other day
  58. thrilled
  59. timeless
  60. trailer
  61. trip
  62. turn out
  63. typical
  64. underrated
  65. unforgettable
  66. unmatched
  67. uplifting
  68. vacancy
  69. vast majority
  70. well
  71. whodunit
  72. wish

 

 

Brainstorming stage

Without looking above for now, try to remember or think of suitable words or phrases for each of the categories below. Some vocabulary can go in more than one place, and lots of vocabulary not above is also suitable.

Positive words and expressions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Negative words and expressions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job applications

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telling stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talking about likes and dislikes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Describing people

 

 

 

 

 

 


Describing places you live

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phrasal verbs and other idioms

 

 

 

 

 

 

Informal expressions (such as those used in an informal email)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocabulary for describing movies

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocabulary for describing food

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocabulary for reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look above to check and expand your answers. Almost all of the expressions fit in at least one place. Then compare your extra ideas as a class.

Download Lesson Plan (PDF) 271 KB

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