American Beauty: Restrictive x Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This is probably the best scene of this controversial movie. It is perfect to practice relative clauses, both defining and non-defining clauses. For the blog, I left the sententence out of order, but the correct matching has the same colors.




A. Watch the segment and match the two activities the same character(s) is (are) performing.

1. A man was shot
2. A couple was hugging each other on their bed
3. A beautiful blonde girl was putting on makeup in the bathroom
4. Carolyn was carrying a gun in the rain
5. A man had blood stains on his white shirt
6. Jenny was his beloved daughter



She heard a gunshot
They were surprised by the loud sound of a gunshot
She hid the gun inside her closet
He took off his wet shirt as soon as he got home
His whole life flashed in front of his eyes
She used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child



B. Combine both sentences by writing either restrictive or unrestrictive relative clauses. Mind punctuation.



C. Check which sentences you can leave the relative pronoun out.



Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.



Answer Key:

Correct matching:
3
2
4
5
1
6
Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.

2. The couple who was surprised by the loud gunshot was hugging each other on their bed.
3. The beautiful blonde who heard the gun shot was putting on some makeup in the bathroom.
4. Carolyn, who hid he gun in the closet, was carrying it in the rain.
5. The man who had blood stains on his shirt took it off as soon as he got home.
6. Jenny, who used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child, was his beloved daughter.




WORKSHEET

Blade Runner: 2nd Conditional

I like showing classic movies to my students too. They learn about good film making and they get interested in them. This is my all time favorite and this scene is great for the students to practice using the 2nd (unreal) conditionals.

A. Talk to a partner about the following questions:

1. Do you believe that in the future androids or clones will be living among us? Justify it.

2. Will there ever be artificial pets? Why (not)?

3. Will life in the future be more or less violent? Explain.

4. Would you like to have a clone of yourself living with you or somewhere else? Why (not)?

B. Imagine you are being tested to see if you are a replicant (android). Before you watch the segment, write what would answer when a Blade Runner asked you the following series of questions. Answer them as simply as you can, but use the 2nd conditional

Situations:

1. It’s your birthday. Someone gives you a calfskin wallet.

2. You’ve got a little son. He shows you his butterfly collection plus the killing jar.

3. You’re watching television. Suddenly you realize there’s a wasp crawling on your arm.

4. You show the picture of a nude girl (man) to your husband (wife) and he likes it so much he (she) hangs it on the bedroom wall.

5. You’re watching a play. The guests are enjoying raw oysters and boiled dog.


C. Now watch the segment and write Rachael’s answers to the same questions.
1............................................................................................

2............................................................................................

3...........................................................................................

4...........................................................................................

5...........................................................................................

D. Compare both Rachael and your answers. Were there any matches? Why do you think the answers revealed she was a replicant?

Answer key:
Rachael’s answers:

1. She wouldn’t accept it and report the person who gave it to her to the police.

2. She’d take him to the doctor.

3. She’d kill it.

4. She wouldn’t let him .

5. She couldn’t answer the question.

WORKSHEET

Hotel for Dogs: Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This movie is great, especially for those who like dogs. This scene is excellent for the students to practice unrestrictive relative clauses. The alternatives are in the correct order for the sake of preparation, but they are mixed up on the worksheet.


A. Talk about the following questions:

1. Do you have a pet? (Does anyone in you family have a pet?) Talk about it.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet at home?

3. What’s your opinion about hotels for pets?

4. Is it fair for people to spend so much money on their dogs with so many homeless people around the world?


B. Write the initials of the dog’s name in the parentheses next to the characteristics that describe that (those) dog (s).


M - Madison

C - Chelsea

VS - Viola and Sebastian

CRH - Coco, Rocky and Harley

GL- Georgia and Lenny

B - Bernie Wilkins


(B)
( ) He’s responsible for the kids.
He’s from social service.


( M)
( ) She was found hiding in the backyard
The family moved away.

(C)
( ) She lost her leg in an accident.
The owner didn’t pay the bill and abandoned her.

(CRH)
( ) They were found living together in the woods near a dump.
They were stray dogs

(G)
( ) They were the first two residents of the hotel
They were the last ones to be announced.

(VS)
( ) They are twins
They were together since they were puppies


Now combine both columns by wiriting relative clauses. Mind punctuation.

1. ……………………………

2. ……………………………

3. ……………………………

4. ……………………………

5. ……………………………

6. ……………………………




WORKSHEET



Answer Key:

B.

B, M, C, CRH, GL, VS

C.

1. Madison, whose family..., was found...
2. Chelsea, whose owners..., was found...
3. Viola and Sebastian, who have been together..., are twins.
4. Coco, Rocky and Harley, who were found..., are stray dogs.
5. Georgia and Lenny, who were the first..., were the last...
6. Bernie, who is responsible..., is from social service.



How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which the characters are described.
- Write at least two descriptions so that students can identify who they are describing.
- Students match the descritiond with the characters.
- Students connect both descriptions with a relative clause.

What Women Want: Simple Past

This is a great scene. The students usually like it, especially because it is not conventional and unexpected.
Ask a partner if he / she did the following things before going to work or school this morning.



Ex: Did you drink wine?
No, I didn't.
Talk to a partner and decide if Nick (Mel Gibson) performed the following activities before going to work by checking the items.


1. Drink wine



2. Smoke a cigarette


3. Have breakfast


4. Polish the nails


5. Put on some makeup


6. Shave


7. Wax the leg


8. Wear pantyhose


9. Wear socks


10. Dry the hair


11. Trip on the floor


12. Have an accident


13. Take a shower


14. Watch TV





Now write affirmative and negative statements using the information in exercise A.

EX: 1. Nick drank wine.


Now write down which of the activities above you performed today.

Ex. I didn't drink wine.



I smoked a cigarette.


WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - WHAT WOMEN WANT


How to prepare your own video activity:




- Select a scene in which the students can identify a series of activities performed by the actors




- Prepare a checklist with activities that were (not) performed.




- Students write sentences (affirmative and negative) using the past simple tense.

Bolt: Can - Ability

This is funny scene with a lot of action. Bolt is a movie star who has a lot of different super powers, which is great fo the students to practice the use of the modal for ability CAN.

I. Talk to a partner about the following questions:


1- Do you have a pet? (Why/Why not?) Tell your friend about it. If you don't have one, tell your partner about one of your friend's pet.

2- What can he/she do?

3 - Are pets important for people's lives? Why (not)?

II. Watch the movie segment and write in the boxes the initials of the characters who can perform the folowing activities:


B – Bolt

P - Penny

1. Grab a car with the teeth

2. Run faster than cars

3. Ride a scooter

4. Move faster than the cars in the Los Angeles traffic

5. Break through walls

6. Jump very far

7. Destroy machines with the eyes

8. Destroy anything with a super bark

9. Speak English

Now write sentences with CAN (CAN'T), according to the information in the movie segment:

Answer Key:

A.

1. B 2. B 3. P 4. P 5. B 6.B 7.B 8.B 9. P and B

WORKSHEET

How to prepare your own video activity:

• Select a segment in which the characters perform activities that show ability

• Prepare a few questions about the content of the segment for the sake of Communication/listening comprehension

• Students do the assessment exercise after they watch the segment