Pick-up lines – the beginning of love?
Levels: Intermediate/Upper-intermediate
Aimed at: Young adults/adults
Aims: Speaking/identifying words in an authentic listening text/
Time: +/- 1h
Materials: Handout 1
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLZqsx9wua8
- Write the following question on the board:
What are the most popular places to meet a partner?
Have the students brainstorm ideas and write the responses on the board.
(e.g. a park when walking your dog, coffee shop, library, yoga class, language course, speed dating event, art gallery, canteen, bus stop, in line for hot dogs at the stadium, church, sushi making class, sports club, local museum, etc.)
Ask the students what they consider to be the best and worst place to meet someone. What are the reasons for this? +/- 10 minutes
Ask the students if they know what a pick up line is. Put the following pick up line on the board and ask the students to guess the missing word:
Boy: Did it hurt?
Girl: Did what hurt?
Boy: Did it hurt when you fell from __________? (Answer: heaven)
Have the students work in pairs and discuss the questions:
When and where do we use pick-up lines?
Have they ever used one, or had one used on them? How did they feel? Did they like it?
Why do we use pick-up lines?
Is it mainly men or women who use them? Have a brief whole class feedback.
+/- 10 minutes
Ask the students if they know what a put down (n) is (telling someone you are not interested in what they are saying) and explain that now you are going to look at some really bad pick-up lines and put downs. Have the students work in pairs and match the pick-up lines with their put downs from Handout 1.
+/- 10 minutes
Have the students work in pairs and come up with their own pick-up lines and put downs! +/- 10 minutes
Tell the students they are going to watch a short clip from a film called CRAZY STUPID LOVE and put the following words on the board:
OBJECTION / PICK-UP LINE / FUNNY / CARROT / ATTRACTIVE / HI
SEXY / DRINK / LOVE / LAWYER / REGRET / HOME / CHEESY / BENCH
dance good-looking heaven chair phone number date tomorrow silly
(UPPER CASE: words in the video; lower case: extra words)
Tell the students to draw a BINGO CARD with nine squares and to choose nine words from the board they think they will hear. The students cross off words on their cards as they hear them. The first student to cross of all his/her words is the winner. If no one finishes, then the student with the most words crossed off wins the game.
+/-10 minutes
- Ask the students to discuss in groups of four whether they think she should go out with him or not. Did his pick-up lines work?
Handout 1
- Can I buy you a drink? A) Why? Don’t you already have one?
- Can I have your name? B) Sorry. I’m having a headache this weekend.
- I’m a photographer; I’ve been looking for a face like yours. C) I’m a plastic surgeon;
- Is this seat empty? D) Why? Are you leaving?
- Haven’t I seen you before? E) Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.
- Will you go out with me this Saturday? F) Actually I’d rather have the money.
- I think I could make you very happy G) Yes. That’s why I don’t go there anymore.
Key: 1 F/2 A/ 3 C/ 4E/ 5G/ 6 B/ 7 D
Katarzyna Piotrowska
