Part One: Warm Up
Look at the following reasons to cancel plans with a friend. Which are good reasons? Which are bad reasons? Discuss with your partner(s).
- You’re sick
- You have to work
- You have too much homework
- You were invited to do something more exciting
- You’re feeling lazy
Work with your partner(s) to think of one more good reason and one more bad reason.
Part Two: Vocabulary / Listening / Getting Ready to Speak
In this lesson, you will see the following vocabulary.
- a big deal
- come up
- head
- looks good for me
- make it
Open the exercise and follow the instructions. Try to match the definitions without looking at the dictionary first. Then, use the links above to check and confirm your answers.
Exercise
Part Three: Your Turn
With a partner, decide who is Student 1 and who is Student 2. Open your tabs and role-play the two situations. Use expressions from the Listening and Getting Ready to Speak sections. Your instructor will give you feedback.
- You are hosting a BBQ for your birthday next weekend. You’re really excited. Your best friend calls you to cancel. Respond to their cancellation.
- Your sibling is having a dinner party tomorrow night. You have just realized that you can’t go. Call them to cancel. Make sure that you apologize and express the need to cancel, give a reason, avoid offence, try to rearrange, and reaffirm your apology.
- Your best friend is having a BBQ for their birthday next weekend. You have just realized that you can’t go. Call them to cancel. Make sure that you apologize and express the need to cancel, give a reason, avoid offence, try to rearrange, and reaffirm your apology.
- You and your partner are hosting a dinner party tomorrow night. You have spent all day preparing. Your sibling calls you to cancel. Respond to their cancellation.