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This is a vocabulary and conversation activity for higher levels (high B2+) on the subject of travelling. Download the student hand out and powerpoint below:
Travelling Expressions – Hand out
Holiday Destinations – Powerpoint
Lower levels may require more help with the expressions, use this definition matching sheet to help them:
Travel expressions definition match
Warmer
In pairs students discuss the following questions
- What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?
- How often do you travel?
- Do you have any trips planned for the near future?
Travel Expressions
Give out the hand out and have students complete the first exercise:
Complete the sentences (1-14) with the expressions (a-n)
| 1. My friends always ________________________ they hitchhike and couchsurf everywhere.
2. We had to get up _________________________ to catch the 4am sleeper train. 3. My parents are real ________________________ they love museums, ancient ruins and art galleries. 4. I’ll meet up with you guys later, I’m gonna chill by the pool and _________________________ for a bit. 5. When I’m on holiday I like to _________________________ I can’t stand getting up late or lying around on the beach. 6. My uncle always ______________________ when he goes on holiday, 5-star hotels, private beaches, pool parties, you name it. 7. You have to _________________________ when you’re travelling alone; there are a lot of dangerous people out there. 8. When I went to India it was a real _____________________ for the first few days, you get used to it after a while though. 9. I always try to _____________________, people always pack so much stuff they don’t need. 10. I _________________________ in Stockholm, the people are so friendly and they all speak English! 11. I don’t like planning my holidays meticulously, I’d rather just _______________________. 12. I’ve definitely ________________________, I’ve only been home for a week and I’m already planning my next trip. 13. There’s nothing I like more than to sip a coffee in a nice Italian piazza and ___________________________________. 14. I’ve lived in Berlin for 6 months, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll stay, I’m starting to________________________________. |
a. Get itchy feet
b. Get the travel bug c. Culture vulture d. Catch some rays e. Sit and watch the world go by f. Pack a lot in/Have a full plate g. See how the mood takes me h. Travel on a shoe string i. Live it up j. A culture shock k. Feel right at home l. Watch your back m. Travel light n. At the crack of dawn |
Key
- H
- N
- C
- D
- F
- I (i)
- L
- J
- M
- K
- G
- B
- E
- A
Discussion
Students discuss the following questions in groups of 3.
- Do you travel light? If so, how do you decide what to pack?
- You have to watch your back when you’re travelling alone; there are a lot of dangerous people out there. Do you agree?
- Which place that you’ve visited was the biggest culture shock? Where did you feel right at home? Why?
- Do you normally travel on a shoestring or live it up? How can you save money while travelling? Would you consider hitchhiking or couchsurfing?
- Have you got the travel bug? Have you got itchy feet? If so, where’s next on the list?
- Do you like to pack a lot in/have a full plate or see how the mood takes you when you’re travelling?
- What’s the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by for you?
- How important is it for you to catch some rays when you’re on holiday?
- How do you choose a holiday destination? Are you a culture vulture?
Holiday Destinations Discussion
Project the powerpoint, tell students that they are going to choose a holiday destination in their groups from a number of popular places around the world.
Show them the second slide and have them copy down the different expressions:
| I’d like to go | I wouldn’t like to go | I wouldn’t mind |
| Right up my street
My dream destination It’s on my list … really floats my boat |
Not my cup of tea
I don’t see the appeal of… It just doesn’t do it for me. …isn’t really my thing … don’t/doesn’t really float my boat … are a big no-no for me. |
Why not?
Go on then, I’ll give it a go. I’ll try anything once! |
Then have students discuss the different holiday destinations in groups and decide on one which the whole group would like to visit.
Follow up
Students could write a CAE/CPE style Proposal composition about the process of deciding on a holiday destination for the group. They could evaluate the different merits and drawbacks of three of the destinations from the powerpoint and recommend one as the destination for an end of year trip.
Alternatively they could write a review of a holiday to one of the places.
