Tag Archives: cleaning

Let’s Talk About Cleaning

Let’s Talk About Cleaning

Work with a partner or small group to practice your speaking and listening skills and talk about cleaning!

New Vocabulary   Mark the stressed vowel sound in each word or phrase:

  1. bacteria
  2. bin
  3. brush and dustpan
  4. chore
  5. cleaner
  6. cloth
  7. cobweb
  8. crumbs
  9. dirt
  10. disinfectant
  11. dust
  12. feather duster
  13. hygiene
  14. mop and bucket
  15. nooks and crannies
  16. polish
  17. rubber gloves
  18. soap
  19. spring cleaning
  20. vacuum cleaner

Discussion Questions   Ask and answer them with a partner or small group:

  1. Do you like cleaning or do you find it a complete chore? Do you know where the brush and dustpan are?
  2. What is your favourite and least favourite cleaning task? Why? How often do you… a) vacuum, b) dust, c) sweep the floor, d) mop, e) tidy up, f) wipe the surfaces, g) wash windows, h) polish the furniture, i) scrub the bath, j) wash clothes, k) hang out washing, l) iron, m) clean behind the fridge, n) wash the car, o) organise cupboards, p) throw out old stuff, q) change the beds? How good are you at each task?
  3. How do you usually get rid of… a) cobwebs, b) dust, c) mould, d) stubborn stains, e) pet hair, f) dirt, g) mud, h) chocolate, i) pen marks, j) creases in clothes, k) baked-on food, l) smears on windows?
  4. What is the hardest thing to get clean? Why? How do you manage it?
  5. What products do you use for cleaning? What are the best brands? Isn’t soap and water good enough?
  6. Would you consider hiring a cleaner to do the jobs that you hate? How much would you pay per hour?
  7. Would you like to work as a cleaner? Why? / Why not? Do cleaners receive a fair wage? If not, why not?
  8. ‘A spotless house is a sign of a misspent life.’ – Anonymous. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
  9. Why is hygiene important? How important is it to you and your family? Do you take pride in the cleanliness of your surroundings? Are you upset when somebody makes a mess in your home? Why?
  10. What does the phrase ‘spring cleaning’ mean to you? Are you excited about making a fresh start with a clean home? Can we do spring cleaning at any time? Why do we feel like cleaning in springtime?
  11. Discuss the meaning of this one-liner by Phyllis Diller: ‘Housework can’t kill you but why take a chance.’
  12. Is cleanliness next to godliness, as the idiom goes? Why? / Why not?
  13. Is housework ‘women’s work’, as some people think? Do you think that men can be equally proficient with a cloth and an old pair of rubber gloves? Is everybody equal when it comes to manual jobs?
  14. When cleaning do you do a quick clean or make sure that every nook and cranny is spick-and-span?
  15. Do you pay a window cleaner? How much do you pay them? How often do they clean your windows? Do they do a good job? Why don’t you do it? Why does somebody decide to become a window cleaner?

English Idioms about Cleaning   Say a new sentence with each idiom:

  1. a new broom sweeps clean
  2. be clean as a whistle
  3. be squeaky clean
  4. clean somebody out of something
  5. clean up [win a lot of money]
  6. come clean about something
  7. do the dirty on somebody
  8. get stuck in
  9. get your hands dirty
  10. have a clean record
  11. it’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it
  12. keep your nose clean
  13. maintain a clean sheet / slate
  14. make a clean break
  15. make a clean getaway
  16. put your back into it
  17. show a clean pair of heels
  18. use some elbow grease
  19. wipe the slate clean

Discussion Situations about Cleaning   What would you do if…?

  1. One of your friends is a ‘clean freak’ who cannot relax unless their environment is entirely free of bacteria.
  2. You hate cleaning but can’t afford to hire a cleaner.
  3. You’ve just finished mopping the floor when a wayward toddler runs in and drops crumbs all over it.
  4. After beating the carpet for ten minutes, your partner is still dissatisfied, demanding you remove every speck of dust.
  5. Your friend’s home looks like a pigsty every time you visit.
  6. On your first day as a cleaner you find £100,000 in used notes underneath a floorboard.
  7. You can’t decide which kind of disinfectant to use.
  8. Your family refuses to help you clean and tidy up at home.
  9. While employing your feather duster you break a priceless vase belonging to your Great Aunt Gwendolen.
  10. You’re afraid of spiders and can’t bear to disturb them.
  11. Nobody in your flat empties the kitchen bin for four days.
  12. You can’t find your mop and bucket.
  13. Your mother always criticises your cleaning.
  14. Your window cleaner falls off their ladder.

Talking about Pictures

  1. Describe the pictures below.
  2. Discuss them.
  3. Compare them.
  4. Create a quiz about them using different question types: comprehension, wh-, yes/no, true/false/unknown, etc.
  5. Improvise a dialogue or story.

Picture A:

Let’s Talk About… Cleaning - Picture A

Let’s Talk About Cleaning – Picture A

Picture B:

Let’s Talk About… Cleaning - Picture B

Let’s Talk About Cleaning – Picture B

Answers:

Let’s Talk About… Cleaning - Answers

Let’s Talk About Cleaning – Answers

Note: vowel sounds are indicated with Clear Alphabet. For more about Clear Alphabet, please click here.

 Images: Ashwini Chaudhary and @victor_g from https://unsplash.com/ and ds_30 from Pixabay


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Robot Vacuum Cleaners - 15 Discussion Questions for ESOL Classes

Robot Vacuum Cleaners – 15 Discussion Questions for ESOL Classes

Robot Vacuum Cleaners – 15 Discussion Questions for ESOL Classes

Robot vacuum cleaners are those little round space-age gadgets that trundle around the floor in your flat or house and promise to clean the carpet. Have you ever seen one in action? Have you considered buying one? Maybe you already own one.

Whatever you think of them, robot vacuum cleaners are probably going to be everywhere soon, so why not create an ESOL class based around this topic, using the activities and discussion questions below?

Discuss the following questions with a partner or small group:

  1. Do you do the vacuum cleaning in your home? Do you like doing it? When do you do it? How long does it take? Do you find it a chore? What would you do with the time if you didn’t have to do it? If not, who does it? How well do they do it?
  2. Tell me about your vacuum cleaner. What kind is it? What make is it? When did you buy it? Where did you buy it? How much was it? Why did you choose it? How efficient is it at cleaning different kinds of floor? Are you planning on replacing it soon? Why? / Why not?
  3. Do you have a robot vacuum cleaner? If yes, tell me about it. Why did you buy it? If not, why not? Are you planning to buy one? Do you think they look cool? Do you think your friends, family, and colleagues would be impressed if you had one?
  4. Compare a robot vacuum cleaner to your current vacuum cleaner. Do you think it would work better than your current regular vacuum cleaner? Why? / Why not?
  5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of robot vacuum cleaners? Do you think that the benefits outweigh the potential problems/costs? Is it worth spending up to £1,000 to buy a top-of-the-range robot vacuum cleaner? Why? / Why not? Is it worth cutting costs and buying a cheaper model, e.g. for £150? Why? / Why not? Are you happy for it to stand there in your living room or corridor all the time, instead of in a cupboard? How good is it if it can be stopped by a stray sock? Could it be a tripping hazard, especially if it is a quiet model and you don’t see it coming? Can it be better than a human doing the job, when it can’t pick up and move anything, or reach high places?
  6. If you bought a robot vacuum cleaner would you keep your old cleaner? Do you think you need both kinds of cleaner to do a good job? How could a robot vacuum cleaner clean hard-to-reach areas, e.g. corners of ceilings?
  7. Would you feel embarrassed to let a robot do the housework, when you feel that you should do it? Would you feel embarrassed about a robot doing a better job than you? Or would you feel thrilled to chill out on the sofa while a machine is doing your duties? Wouldn’t it be healthier to be active and move around doing your own cleaning, than resting? Do you have a dishwasher? Did you have misgivings before buying one, thinking that you could do better? How do you feel now? How is a robot vacuum cleaner any different?
  8. How do you define a robot? Do you have any other robots in your home? How do you think robot vacuum cleaners could be improved? How will they develop and improve in the next: a) five years? b) ten years? Do you think that every home will have a robot vacuum cleaner in time? Is this inevitable progress? Do you think that people complained about vacuum cleaners replacing sweeping brushes?
  9. Can you think of any other ways in which robots improve your life at present? What jobs would you like a robot to do for you, in an ideal world?
  10. Do you believe a robot could do your job? Could you be replaced by a robot? Why? / Why not? What about robot cars? Will they become popular? Why? / Why not?
  11. What is your favourite household appliance? If you had to keep only one, which would it be? Why? How long have you had it? What value does it bring to your life?
  12. Do you think that robot vacuum cleaners are helpful for disabled people? How could they help?
  13. Could we use robot vacuum cleaners to save money on cleaning staff costs at places like office blocks and hotels, which have large areas for cleaning? Why? / Why not?
  14. Is this kind of cleaner good for the environment? Why? / Why not?
  15. If somebody gave you a robot vacuum cleaner as a gift, how would you feel? Would you try to sell it?
Robot Vacuum Cleaners - 15 Discussion Questions for ESOL Classes

Robot Vacuum Cleaners – 15 Discussion Questions for ESOL Classes

Other fun communicative activities you might like to try:

  • Find video reviews online and discuss / compare two different robot vacuum cleaner models. You could use the table below to make notes about each one:
Compare Robot Vacuum Cleaners - Table

Compare Robot Vacuum Cleaners – Table

Then write 10 sentences comparing the two models.

  • Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of buying a robot vacuum cleaner. Discuss them, and try to appreciate the opposite point of view for each point.
  • Write 5 wh- questions and 5 yes/no questions that you would ask a shop assistant about one of these gadgets. Find a real model online and write down the answers to your questions.
  • Role play a conversation between a customer and a shop assistant re. buying one. It could include an in-store demo.
  • Role play a conversation between a customer and a shop assistant re. getting a refund due to… a) broken model, b) unwanted gift, c) too difficult to use, d) inefficient.
  • Choose one model and imagine that you bought it. Write a review about it in your notebook. Give it between one and five stars. Match your review to the star rating accordingly. Read it aloud to the class.

Images: https://pexels.com (top), https://pixabay.com