Rules and regulations bluff
modals of obligation and prohibition
New Cutting Edge Intermediate Module 11
Part One- Extreme reactions to annoying rules bluff
Choose any rule that is true in your country, city, home, company etc (or any other place you know), and express your frustration and annoyance with it and reasons for those feelings. Your partner has to guess whether you really do hate that rule, or whether you are just pretending to have that reaction.
Possible topics
Rules about:
- air travel
- animals, e.g. dog’s mess
- beaches and swimming pools
- children
- cycling
- driving
- education
- family rules, e.g. who has to do the housework
- going to the toilet
- holidays
- hotels and other accommodation
- marriage
- parks
- politics
- public transport
- rubbish (= trash/ garbage)
- shops/ shopping
- smoking
- sports
- toilets
- working
When your teacher stops you, ask about any topics above which you are not sure about, thinking of related feelings and/ or guessing if your partner’s complaint is true or not each time.
What rules do you actually think are crazy?
Do you know any crazy rules in other places and/ or times?
Part Two – Crazy rules from the past bluff
Student A/ Group A
Your teacher is going to give you the true story of one of the strange past laws below. Before you read the true story, try to imagine what each of the laws could have been and where and when those laws might have existed:
- No beards
- Window tax
- No marriage for teachers
Read the one real rule your teacher gives you. Is it similar to what you thought it would be?
Your teacher is going to ask you to describe each of the rules above. When they ask you to explain the one true one, tell the story you were given (from memory). When they ask you to explain any of the other stories, explain the story you imagined as if it was the true story. Each student/ team must then guess which of the stories was true.
Do the same with your own ideas, with a mix of true and false stories. Your teacher will tell you if, when and how you can do research to help.
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Student B/ Group B
Your teacher is going to give you the true story of one of the strange past laws below. Before you read the true story, try to imagine what each of the laws could have been and where and when those laws might have existed:
- A man in front of the car with a red flag
- No ice-cream soda on Sundays
Read the one real rule your teacher gives you. Is it similar to what you thought it would be?
Your teacher is going to ask you to describe each of the rules above. When they ask you to explain the one true one, tell the story you were given (from memory). When they ask you to explain any of the other stories, explain the story you imagined as if it was the true story. Each student/ team must then guess which of the stories was true.
Do the same with your own ideas, with a mix of true and false stories. Your teacher will tell you if, when and how you can do research to help.
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Related pages
Modals of obligation, permission and prohibition page
Cutting Edge Intermediate Module 11 page
