Speakout Advanced p 35. Housework. Extra Speaking

A- Have a conversation as natural as possible with a partner about the topic. Use the pictures above and the questions below to help you.

1. Who does the housework in your family? Do men, women, and children share in the household chores?  Do you think children should be required to do housework in order to receive pocket money? Were you assigned any housework as a child?

2. Have you ever set chore timetables? What chores do you do on a daily / weekly / monthly basis? Have you ever lived in a house with a chore timetable? How did you feel about it? How do you feel about people who do not keep to the housework schedule?

3. How do you feel about doing housework that you prefer not to do, like cleaning the bathroom?

4. Would you be prepared to do another relative / roommate’s assigned chores when they are unable to complete them, for example, when they are sick?

5. Have you ever made up an excuse to avoid doing housework?

6. How do you feel about people who make excuses to get out of doing housework?

7. Would you be prepared to pay for a cleaner? What household chores would you like him / her to do for you?

B- MONOLOGUE

 

Student A

1. How do you feel about housework? Describe your housework routine. Which chores do you least prefer to do? Which household chores do you prefer to do?
2. Have you ever had an argument with a relative / a roommate over housework?
3. What are the advantages of doing the housework in a sparsely furnished house?

Student B

1. If you saw someone was not pulling his or her weight in keeping the flat or house clean and tidy, what would you do?
2. Can you describe how doing the housework would be like in a cramped and cluttered place as opposed to a spick and span one?
3. Who has the lion’s share of housework in most households nowadays? Do you think it is fair? What would you do to reverse the trend?

 

Useful Language:
• Taking out the trash / garbage.
• Do the vacuuming.
• Washing floors.
• do the dusting.
• Changing the toilet paper roll.
• Cleaning the bathroom.
• Changing the sheets.
• Making beds.
• Doing the washing.
• Do the ironing.
The ironing board
• Do the washing-up.
• DotThe shopping.
• Cooking meals.
• Setting/laying the table.
Clear the table
• Stacking the dishwasher. (To load)
• Emptying the dishwasher.
• Mopping the floor. (To use a mop to wash something. Mop: a stick with soft material fixed at one end, especially used for washing floors. Sp. fregona )
Dust mop: Sp. mopa
• Picking up the clothes.
• Putting away the books / newspapers / magazines.
• Sweeping the floor.
• Cleaning windows.
• Looking after a child.
• Looking after a person who lives in your household and who needs special care because of an illness or a disability.
• Hanging out clothes. Would you hang the washing out (= hang it outside to dry)? Tengo ropa tendida: I have some washing on the line.

• Rag, cloth: Sp. trapo. E.g. You can polish the car with that rag/cloth. 
• Tea towel: a small towel used for drying cups, plates, knives, etc. after they have been washed. E.g. Dry the plates with a tea towel.
• Dishcloth: a cloth for washing dishes. Sp. bayeta. E.g. I think it's time to buy a new dishcloth; this one is full of holes.