Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan helps B2 students demystify 'legalese,' making complex legal English understandable. Based on a clear video, the material covers essential legal vocabulary and key grammatical structures, such as the formal passive voice. The lesson guides learners through interpreting contracts and formal documents, culminating in a practical role-play to simplify confusing contract clauses.
Activities
- Students watch a video to understand the concept of 'legalese'. They then complete comprehension questions and a matching exercise to learn key terms like 'small print', 'ambiguity', and 'precise', building a foundational legal vocabulary.
- This lesson provides a clear explanation of the formal passive voice, a key feature of legal writing. Students practice transforming active sentences into the passive to understand its objective and impersonal tone in official documents.
- Learners decode archaic legal words like 'hereby' and 'whereas' and match common legalese phrases to their plain English meanings. The lesson culminates in a role-play where they must explain a complex contract clause in simple terms.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary focus is on demystifying legal English. Key terms include 'legalese', 'small print', 'ambiguity', and 'precise'. The lesson also introduces archaic but common legal adverbs like 'hereby', 'whereas', 'heretofore', 'thereof', and 'notwithstanding' to help students navigate authentic legal documents.
Grammar focus
This lesson concentrates on the use of the formal passive voice (e.g., "The rent must be paid"). Students learn why this structure is frequently used in legal writing to create an objective and impersonal tone. An exercise helps them practice converting active sentences to the passive, a crucial skill for understanding and writing formal texts.
