Everyday things II.

Vocabulary Building

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Keywords	Main word	Example sentence
noodles, spaghetti, four sharp points	fork	I need a fork to eat my spaghetti.
soup, a round dish	plate	Please put the food on this plate.
to eat soup, to stir soup	spoon	She uses a spoon to eat her hot soup.
wine, water	glass	I filled my glass with cold water.
coffee, tea	cup	He drinks coffee from his favorite cup every morning.
a metal fastener to turn into wood, head	screw	The screw holds the shelf to the wall.
a cutting instrument, paper, cloth	scissors	I use scissors to cut paper for my project.
a knob, shirt	button	One button is missing from my shirt.
heated, makes clothes smooth	iron	My mother uses an iron to make her clothes smooth.
to cut wood / metal, long blade	saw	My father has a saw to cut wood in the garden.
used for turning screws	screwdriver	I need a screwdriver to fix my chair.
handle, metal head, hitting nails, breaking things	hammer	The hammer is used to put nails in the wall.
thin pointed metal, used for hanging things on, to hit it with a hammer	nail	I need some nails to hang this picture.
to cut, pocket, one or more blades	penknife	My penknife is small but very useful.
flame, lighting cigarettes	lighter	He uses a lighter to start the fire for cooking.
to push, 1 wheel, 2 handles, to carry things	wheel-barrow	The gardener uses a wheel-barrow to move soil.

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Everyday Things Around Us

In our homes, we use many different things every day. In the kitchen, we eat with a fork that has four sharp points perfect for picking up food like noodles and spaghetti. We put our food on a plate, which is a round dish. When we eat soup, we use a spoon to stir and eat it.

For drinking, we use a glass for water or wine, and a cup for hot drinks like coffee or tea.

For fixing things around the house, we need some tools. A screw is a metal fastener with a head that turns into wood. To turn screws, we use a screwdriver. A hammer has a handle and a metal head for hitting nails and sometimes breaking things. A nail is a thin pointed piece of metal that we hit with a hammer to hang things on walls.

To cut things, we have different tools. Scissors are a cutting instrument for paper and cloth. A saw has a long blade to cut wood or metal. A penknife is small with one or more blades that we can keep in our pocket.

For our clothes, a button is a small knob we use on shirts and other clothes. An iron gets hot and makes our clothes smooth.

A lighter makes a flame and people use it to light cigarettes or candles. In the garden, a wheel-barrow has one wheel and two handles to push and carry heavy things.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

What do we use to eat soup?
What tool do we need to turn screws?
What do we use to make our clothes smooth?
What has four sharp points for eating noodles?
What do we use to cut paper and cloth?
What tool has a metal head for hitting nails?
What garden tool has one wheel and two handles?

True/False Statements:

A fork is used for drinking coffee.
A spoon is good for eating soup.
A hammer is used to cut wood.
A lighter creates a flame.
Scissors are used for cutting paper.
A wheel-barrow has two wheels.
A plate is a round dish for food.

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Personal Questions

Do you have a [fork | hammer | scissors | cup | lighter] at home?
Model answer (fork): "Yes, I have many forks at home. They are in the kitchen drawer. We use them every day when we eat dinner. I like forks with simple designs. Sometimes I use small forks for desserts."

How often do you use a [plate | iron | glass | screwdriver | wheel-barrow]?
Model answer (plate): "I use plates every day. I use them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I have big plates for main meals. I also have small plates for snacks. My favorite plate is blue."

What is your [cup | button | nail | penknife | spoon] like?
Model answer (cup): "My cup is big and white. It has a picture of a cat on it. The handle is comfortable to hold. I drink tea from it every morning. It was a gift from my friend."

Can you use a [saw | screw | scissors | hammer | iron] well?
Model answer (scissors): "Yes, I can use scissors well. I use them to cut paper for my projects. I also cut my hair sometimes. I have big scissors in the kitchen too. I am careful when I use them."

Where do you keep your [screwdriver | fork | lighter | plate | glass]?
Model answer (screwdriver): "I keep my screwdriver in a toolbox. The toolbox is in the closet. I have two screwdrivers - one big and one small. I don't use them very often. They are my father's tools."

What material is your [spoon | button | plate | glass | hammer] made of?
Model answer (glass): "My glasses are made of glass. They are clear and not very big. I have six glasses at home. Some are for water, and some are for juice. I wash them carefully."

When did you last use a [wheel-barrow | iron | saw | penknife | nail]?
Model answer (iron): "I last used an iron two days ago. I ironed my shirt for work. It took about ten minutes. The iron was very hot. My shirt looked nice and smooth after that."

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One-Minute Talking Points

Fork

What is a fork? (eating tool, points)
Types you know?
When do you use it?
What foods need forks?
Describe your favorite fork.
Ever used fancy forks?
Can children use forks safely?
Fork versus chopsticks - opinions?

Plate

What is a plate? (round, food)
Types you know?
Describe plates in your home.
Paper or real plates preference?
Ever broken a plate?
Special occasion plates?
How to wash plates properly?
Do you collect decorative plates?

Spoon

What is a spoon? (soup, stirring)
Types you know?
Foods eaten with spoons?
Wooden or metal spoons preference?
Ever collect souvenir spoons?
Tea spoons versus soup spoons?
Describe your favorite spoon.
Spoons for cooking or eating?

Glass

What is a glass? (drinking, clear)
Types you know?
What do you drink from glasses?
Ever broken a glass?
Plastic or real glass preference?
Special occasion glasses?
How to clean glasses properly?
Glass size preferences?

Cup

What is a cup? (coffee, tea)
Types you know?
Describe your favorite cup.
Paper cups or real cups?
Tea cups versus coffee cups?
How many cups daily?
Cup collections or special cups?
Cup as a gift idea?

Hammer

What is a hammer? (tool, nails)
Types you know?
When did you last use one?
Do you own a hammer?
Ever hit your finger?
Jobs that use hammers?
Hammer safety tips?
Other uses for hammers?

Scissors

What is scissors? (cutting tool)
Types you know?
What do you cut with scissors?
Left or right-handed scissors?
Children's scissors versus adult scissors?
Scissors safety rules?
Ever cut your hair yourself?
Professional scissors users?

Iron

What is an iron? (smoothing clothes)
Types you know?
How often do you iron?
What clothes need ironing?
Iron or steamer preference?
Ironing difficulties?
Who irons in your family?
Ironing tips?

Screwdriver

What is a screwdriver? (turning screws)
Types you know?
When did you last use one?
Do you own screwdrivers?
Electric or manual preference?
Things you've fixed with screwdrivers?
Important tool for homes?
Screwdriver safety tips?

Wheel-barrow

What is a wheel-barrow? (garden tool)
Types you know?
Ever used a wheel-barrow?
What to carry in wheel-barrows?
Difficult to push?
Who uses wheel-barrows typically?
Wheel-barrow alternatives?
Useful for what jobs?

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Every home should have basic tools

Linkers: It's true, but..., I agree because..., I don't agree..., On the other hand..., For example...

For

Tools help fix small problems at home — keywords: fix, repair, leak
Having tools saves money on simple repairs — keywords: save money, DIY, cheap
Tools help in emergencies (stop a leak, tighten a bolt) — keywords: emergency, quick, fix
Tools teach useful life skills to children and adults — keywords: learn, practice, skill
Tools let you do small jobs like hang pictures or build a shelf — keywords: hang, shelf, build

Against

Tools can be dangerous for children and untrained people — keywords: sharp, unsafe, hurt
Buying many tools costs money for the family — keywords: cost, buy, expensive
Tools need space and can make the home messy — keywords: space, messy, garage
Wrong use of tools can make things worse or break them — keywords: wrong, break, more damage
Some people prefer to hire a professional for safety and skill — keywords: hire, expert, plumber