Talking People - Skills - Speaking - Dialogues

Task-based Speaking Activity 2: Looking for a Flat - Go to Task 1
Activity designed by YT (michelle) - Printer-friendly version of Tasks 1 & 2 (1 page)

You two need to share a house with somebody else, because the rent is far too expensive. You have interviewed four people, two each, and taken some notes on them, but, of course, you know more about that interview than what you have written down. Discuss all the cases and decide who to invite to join you.

Interviewing potential (would-be) flatmates

You've got a candidate each. Before your discussion, decide what he or she is like. Then each describes his/her candidate, the others ask questions, and you finally negociate who is the best for sharing the flat with you 3!

What's he or she like?	General description
What does he or she look like?	Physical description
What's he or she like?	Personality
What does he or she like?	What she/he enjoys
What do you think?	Assessment.

Giving information

Origin
Why in London?
Occupation
Smoker
Orientation

Any children?
Any pets?
Preferred language?
Mother language?
Lifestyle (sleeping and eating)

Useful Language
Who is he or she? What does he or she do? Where's he or she from? How old is he or she?
How long has he or she lived in London? How long did he or she live in .? How long has he or she worked for .? How long has he or she lived/worked there?
How long has he or she been married/ partners/ together? Has he or she got any children?
He or she looks like ... He or she looks a bit like you, actually
Well, she's average in terms of height and weight, in her thirties. Her face is round with freckles. She's got big round brown eyes and her hair is shoulder-length, brown and straight. Her clothes are casual.
Is he or she nice? Perhaps too moody?! What was your first/general impression? He or she seems to be quite nice, actually. He or she looked a bit worried/nervous. Do you think he or she'll get on with us?

Describing physical appearance. What does he or she look like?
Height	Build	Age	Face	Eyes	Hairstyle	Clothes
tall tallish short shortish medium height	Strong frail stocky thin chubby skinny well-built	young elderly middle-aged teenager in her/his 20s, 30s, 40s	round oval square with scares with wrinkles with freckles with spots with a beard sun-tanned pale	big round blue large small wears lenses bright with glasses almond-shaped	balding bald straight curly spiky wavy	casual scruffy shabby smart tidy messy

Describing personality. What's he or she like?
smart intelligent clever curious sensitive imaginative crafty with a sense of humor	naive loyal gentle careful reliable sensible practical easy-going	hard-working self-controlled friendly funny sociable extrovert cheerful	active energetic confident shy trusting independent generous supportive	flexible open-minded tolerant strong-minded careless dull boring nervous	aggressive ambitious tough secretive clumsy stupid moody lively	selfish mean stingy stubborn narrow-minded (looks) worried (im)patient posh

More practice!

Skills - Speaking - Dialogues - Flatsharing