Housework - make or do? (A2 Vocabulary)

A2 VOCABULARY · HOUSEWORK

make or do?

PICTURE

(you add this)

"That is not housework - that is basic life."

Housework jobs; make vs do; other housework verbs

Reading

Speaking

LEAD-IN

The audit

Tick everything you did this week:

• cleaned the floor

• cooked a meal

• went shopping for food

• tidied your room

• washed clothes

• nothing on this list

Compare with a partner: who is the flat hero this week?

BEFORE YOU READ

Flat 12B

You're going to read a group chat from Flat 12B - three flatmates: Sam, Jess and Dave.

PREDICT

1. What do flatmates usually argue about? Write two ideas.

2. Read and check if your ideas appear in the text.

PICTURE

(you add this)

READ

Group chat: "Flat 12B"

SAM Who used all the plates and didn't load the dishwasher??

JESS Not me. I did the vacuuming AND the ironing yesterday. And I made dinner on Monday.

DAVE I made my bed this morning.

SAM Dave. That's YOUR bed. That's not housework - that's basic life.

DAVE OK, OK. I'll do the washing-up tonight. And I'll take out the rubbish.

JESS Can somebody do the shopping? There is no milk. And no coffee. This is an emergency.

SAM I'll go after my exam - I'm doing an exam at four. Wish me luck.

DAVE You'll be fine. Don't make excuses to come home without coffee.

READ (continued)

The deal

JESS Also, Dave - your clothes are all over the floor. Pick up your dirty clothes and put them away. Please.

DAVE Making friends is easy. Living with them is hard.

SAM New plan. Saturday morning, we all do housework together. One hour. I'll clean the floor and dust the furniture. Jess does the washing. Dave tidies his room.

DAVE One hour??

JESS Deal. Then I'll make lunch for everybody.

DAVE ...Deal.

UNDERSTANDING

Answer the questions.

1. Why is Sam angry at the start?

2. What two jobs did Jess do yesterday?

3. What will Dave do tonight?

4. Why can't Sam go shopping now?

5. What happens on Saturday - and what does Jess offer?

QUICK TALK

Housework

Discuss in pairs.

1. Which flatmate are you most like? Be honest.

2. Is making your own bed "housework"? Where is the line?

3. Is "one hour on Saturday, all together" a good system? What is yours?

PICTURE

(you add this)

FIND THE WORDS

Look at the chat again.

1. Find six jobs with do or make. __________________

2. Find three jobs with other verbs (not do / make). __________________

3. Dave says "make excuses" and "making friends". Are these housework?

HOW IT WORKS

make or do?

make = create / produce

do = work / activities

make lunch (dinner), make the bed, make a mistake, make a noise, make a phone call, make friends, make plans, make an excuse, make a video.

do the shopping / washing / washing-up / ironing / vacuuming, do housework, do an exam (homework, an exercise), do a course, do sport.

There is no perfect rule - learn each phrase as one piece.

OTHER HOUSEWORK VERBS

clean the floor · dust the furniture · lay the table (opposite: clear) · load the dishwasher (opposite: unload) · pick up dirty clothes · put away your clothes · take out the rubbish · tidy your room.

PRACTICE

A - make or do?

____ a course · ____ a noise · ____ an exam · ____ friends · ____ the shopping · ____ plans · ____ a phone call · ____ exercise · ____ an excuse · ____ homework

B - Complete with one word.

1. Can you ______ the table? Dinner's ready.

2. Please ______ out the rubbish - it's Tuesday.

3. ______ the dishwasher after dinner, and I will unload it tomorrow.

4. ______ up your clothes and ______ them away!

FREER

The rota negotiation

In groups of three, you are new flatmates. Write eight weekly jobs from this lesson.

NEGOTIATE A FAIR ROTA

Everybody speaks. Nobody gets two jobs they hate. You must agree in five minutes. Report: "I do the... , she makes..."

PICTURE

(you add this)

The class votes: which flat will still be friends in June?

HOMEWORK Write Dave's message on Saturday at 13.00 (two or three lines). Did the plan work?

TEACHER'S REFERENCE · HIDE OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key

Understanding. 1 nobody loaded the dishwasher 2 the vacuuming and the ironing 3 the washing-up + take out the rubbish 4 she is doing an exam at four 5 all do housework for an hour; Jess makes lunch.

Find the words. 3 not housework; make also goes with abstract things you create.

A - make or do? do, make, do, make, do, make, make, do, make, do

B. 1 lay 2 take 3 Load 4 Pick, put