Summary
This ESL lesson for B2 English students explores Billing issues, customer service. Using a real audio as the basis for discussion, students develop listening comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills across a 90-minute class.
The grammar focus is Polite requests and indirect questions. Key vocabulary includes utility bill (noun), considerably higher (adverb + adjective), discrepancy (noun) and more, all drawn directly from the source material. The practical English section gives students useful phrases for real-life situations: You need to contact a service provider (e.g., utility company, bank, internet provider) to question a charge on your bill..
Activities
- A warm-up discussion to activate prior knowledge and get students thinking about the topic before listening.
- Comprehension exercises based on the audio to check understanding of the main ideas and key details.
- A grammar focus on Polite requests and indirect questions. When we want to ask for something or inquire about information in a polite or formal way, especially in customer service situations, we often use polite requests or indirect questions. These structures make our language softer and less direct than a simple 'Can you...?
- Vocabulary expansion with advanced expressions related to Billing issues, customer service not found in the source material.
- Practical English phrases for You need to contact a service provider (e.g., utility company, bank, internet provider) to question a charge on your bill., with exercises to practise using them naturally.
- A speaking task where students role-play a real-world scenario, applying vocabulary and phrases from the lesson.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary section introduces B2-level words and phrases related to Billing issues, customer service. Key terms include utility bill (noun), considerably higher (adverb + adjective), discrepancy (noun), review the charges (verb phrase), detailed breakdown (noun phrase). Students practise using these terms in context through exercises drawn from the source material.
Grammar focus
This lesson focuses on Polite requests and indirect questions. When we want to ask for something or inquire about information in a polite or formal way, especially in customer service situations, we often use polite requests or indirect questions. These structures make our language softer and less direct than a simple 'Can you...?
