Category Archives: Functional language

New e-book

Posted on 08/07/2026 by alexcase

Over 500 photocopiable pages on requests, offers, making arrangements, complimenting and about every other conceivable function, at just a penny a page. Details here and buy a copy here. Also ties that language in with things which are more likely … Continue reading →

Posted in Functional language, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, Teaching English as a Foreign Language | Leave a comment

New Teaching Negotiating e-book

Posted on 06/02/2024 by alexcase

Over 300 photocopiable pages on the most important tactics and language for the vital skill of negotiating, including much improved versions of some of my favourite activities ever and stacks of new materials: Teaching Negotiating: Interactive Classroom Activities – NEW … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Language of negotiation, Photocopiable worksheets | Leave a comment

Englishlessonhandouts articles for teachers boxset

Posted on 25/10/2023 by alexcase

It’s been nearly a year, so I guess we will never see the long-awaited Season 2 of my series of englishlessonhandouts.com articles. However, I think Season 1 works as a standalone series, as it covers everything I had left to … Continue reading →

Posted in Social English, Teaching one to one private classes | Leave a comment

Teaching checking/ clarifying on and for Zoom

Posted on 10/05/2020 by alexcase

Even more than face to face, the classroom language most needed for online classes is definitely checking/ clarifying phrases like “Can you say that one more time (more slowly)?”, “Can you say that another way?”, “Did you say… (or…)?” and … Continue reading →

Posted in clarifying, Functional language | 3 Comments

27 small talk for specific language points activities (TEFLtastic classics Part 42)

Posted on 19/02/2020 by alexcase

There is perhaps no smoother introduction to and no more realistic way of practising language than a set of especially chosen small talk questions. These could be questions including the grammar etc that you want to practise, e.g. small talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Photocopiable worksheets, Social English | Tagged | 2 Comments

The (mildly) autistic TEFL teacher

Posted on 29/10/2019 by alexcase

While adding two new articles and a list of useful phrases to my rapidly expanding small talk for EFL learners page, it suddenly struck me how ironic people who know me would find it that I’m teaching small talk, let … Continue reading →

Posted in Social English, Speaking, Teaching English as a Foreign Language | 1 Comment

35 reasons to buy Teaching Social English

Posted on 08/09/2019 by alexcase

Reasons why you should shell out a couple of quid on my new e-book You want to start term with something which is fun and light but also useful outside the classroom Your students are going to meet you and … Continue reading →

Posted in Photocopiable worksheets, Social English | 2 Comments

New teaching like and would like page

Posted on 28/08/2016 by alexcase

A year or so after publishing an article on comparing and practising like for preferences and would like for desires, I’ve finally got enough worksheets up to make it worth its own page on TEFLtastic: Like and would like games/ … Continue reading →

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Getting more complex language from your students Part Two

Posted on 15/11/2014 by alexcase

The follow up to this article, also published in English Teaching Professional. Given the likelihood that your students often communicate with people who have a lower level of English than they do, there is much to be said for even … Continue reading →

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Getting students to use more complex functional language

Posted on 20/08/2014 by alexcase

An expanded version of an article of mine just published in English Teaching Professional magazine as Keep Moving On Part One – available here on TEFLtastic for free! One of the best language learning tips that I have used and … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologies, English Teaching Professional, Functional language, interrupting, Requests, TEFL games | Leave a comment