Giving Advice
Who do you go to for advice?
Do they give good advice? Why? Why not?
Who comes to you for advice?
Do you give good advice?
Do you follow your friend’s advice?
What’s the best / worst advice you’ve ever received?
Does advice help? Or do most people ignore it?
Sometimes advice can make you less decisive. Do you agree?
Do you think some people are too proud to ask for advice?
You should quit smoking
You ought to quit smoking
You had better quit smoking Commented [ПW1]:
Commented [ПW2]: should and ought to are
basically synonyms although ought to is generally more
formal, they are used for giving advice: It would be a
If I were you, I would / n’t…………. good idea if you quit smoking.
had better has a slightly different meaning; it implies
that if the advice is not followed something
If I were in your shoes, I would / n’t………… bad could happen. In this context maybe the speaker
could be a doctor warning a patient about the results of
a recent test.
In this way had better can also be used to threaten:
1: Hey! Where’s that money you owe me?
Katy: Hi guys, I need your help with a problem I’m having. I want to give up smoking but I’m finding it 2: I’ll pay you on Monday.
very difficult. What should I do? 1: You had better.
Here had better contains the implication of violence.
The grammatical form is as follows:
Joanne: Well, if I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually. You know, smoke 10 cigarettes today, subject + should / ought to / had better + bare infinitive
then 9 tomorrow, 8 the next day until you’ve stopped. (infinitive without to)
Katy: Hhmmm, I don’t think that’ll work. I tried it last year and it was too difficult.
Ian: I think you should buy an electronic cigarette. My girlfriend has one and she loves it!
Katy: I’m not sure. I think they’re bad for me too.
Joanne: Ok well, why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches? My sister used them to give
up.
Katy: Ok, that’s a good idea.
Ian: Or you could try hypnosis, my friend Sarah is a hypnotist, I could give you her number.
Katy: Hhmm, maybe not. I think I’ll try the nicotine chewing gum. Thanks for your advice guys.
Language
Put the expressions in bold (1-10) in the correct box (A-D)
1. What should I do?
2. If I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually.
3. I don’t think that’ll work.
4. I think you should buy an electronic cigarette.
5. I’m not sure. I think they’re bad for me too.
6. Why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches?
7. Ok, that’s a good idea.
8. You could try hypnosis.
9. Hhmm, maybe not. I think I’ll try the nicotine chewing gum.
10. I recommend giving up gradually
A. Asking for B. Giving advice. C. Accepting D. Rejecting
advice. advice. advice.
Grammar
Look at the expressions in the language exercise, how does the grammar work?
1. If I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually.
If I were you, I’d + BASE FORM (stop/go/have/buy etc.)
2. I think you should buy an electronic cigarette.
I think you should + __________________________________
3. Why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches?
Why don’t you + _____________________________________
4. You could try hypnosis/going to a hypnotist.
You could try + _________________________________________
5. I recommend giving up gradually.
I recommend + _______________________________________
Writing a new dialogue
Write a new dialogue with your group, you HAVE TO follow the structure below.
A: Hi guys, I need your help with a problem I’m having. (Explain
problem)____________________________. What should I do?
B: Well, if I were you, I’d (gives advice) ____________________.
A: (rejects advice) ___________________________.
C: (gives advice) ___________________________.
A: (rejects advice) ____________________________.
B: Ok well, (gives advice) ___________________________.
A: (rejects advice) ____________________________.
C: (gives advice) ______________________________.
A: (accepts advice) __________________________. Thanks for your advice guys!
1. I have a friend who is really tight-fisted. Every time that we go out for a drink or a meal he
says he hasn’t got any money or he mysteriously disappears to the toilet when the bill
arrives. At first we thought “poor John he never has any money”, but he works 6 days a
week so he must have some money. What should we do?
Do you have any tight-fisted friends?
What do they do?
What is the custom when it comes to paying the bill in your country?
Have you ever had an argument over a restaurant bill?
2. My best friend is always flirting with my girlfriend. He always pays her lots of compliments
like “Wow! You look fantastic tonight!” Also when we go to parties he often asks her to
dance. It’s making me really angry. What should I do?
Who has a problem in this situation?
Is the speaker right to feel angry?
Who is to blame for the anger?
Have you or any of your friends ever been in this situation?
Are you a jealous person?
3. I share a flat with a friend and she keeps borrowing my things without asking. At first it was
just little things like books and DVDs but now she’s started borrowing my clothes and when I
want to wear my favourite dress for example, I find it on her bedroom floor unwashed!
What should I do?
Have you ever been in a situation like this?
Do you lend things to friends? Why? Why not?
Do you borrow things from friends? Why? Why not?
Have you ever lived in a shared house? What problems did you encounter?
4. I have invited 20 people over for a big dinner party, they are arriving in 20 minutes. I was
going to cook a big roast turkey but I put the oven temperature too high and it burned! The
dinner is ruined! What should I do?
Have you ever been in this situation?
What did you do?
What was the worst meal you ever cooked?
Recently my husband has started My best friend’s boyfriend/girlfriend
getting very jealous. He gets angry asked me to go to a club with him
when he sees me talking to another next Saturday night. I think he fancies
man and he says I must stop wearing me. I must admit that I fancy him too.
makeup. I think it’s because he’s What should I do?
started to go bald
What should I do?
I work full-time and love my job but It’s my boyfriend/girlfriend’s birthday
my husband/wife has decided that tomorrow and I haven’t got any
he/she wants me to stay at home money to buy a present!
and be a housewife/husband. What
should I do?
I don’t like my son’s new girlfriend. I My friends are trying to convince me
think she is a bad influence on him. to smoke cigarettes but I don’t want
She loves punk music and has green to.
hair and lots of piercings.
There’s a big party on Saturday night I’ve got tickets for El Clasico but it’s
but I have to stay at home and look on the same night as my
after my little sister. girlfriend/boyfriend’s birthday and
he/she hates football.
My grandparents gave me €100 for My friend from England is coming to
my birthday and I don’t know what visit, she’s staying in Barcelona for
to do with it. the weekend, what should we do?
I saw my best friend’s I have a date with the girl/boy of my
girlfriend/boyfriend flirting with dreams, where should we go?
another girl/boy. What should I do?
I have a really important exam It’s my best friend’s birthday next
tomorrow and I haven’t studied for week and I want to organise a
it. What should I do? surprise for him/her.
