What makes you laugh? (synonyms for laugh)

Title separator

Vocabulary - synonyms for laugh

synonyms for laugh

photo of the author Kasia |

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson students study advanced synonyms for laugh, watch a video about laughter and discuss different aspects of laughter. The video idea comes from one of our subscribers. Phil, thank you! #yousuggestwecreate

C1 / Advanced60 minStandard LessonPremium Plan
Unlock these lesson worksheets with the Premium subscription

WARM-UP & VIDEO

The lesson starts with an activity in which students read five incomplete jokes and decide what words to put in the gaps. Afterwards, students have a short discussion about jokes and how our cultural background influences our sense of humour. Then, students watch the first part of a BBC video about laughter and note down the reasons why people laugh. During the second viewing, students make notes on several topics from the video (e.g. how apes and humans laugh, benefits of laughter). After that, they answer some questions about laughing in different situations (e.g. at inappropriate times, being unable to stop laughing). 

SYNONYMS FOR LAUGH & SPEAKING

This part of the lesson starts with an exercise in which students learn seven synonyms for laugh (e.g. cackle, giggle, chuckle). They do it by listening to the types of laughter represented by the verbs (audio available for teachers online) and reading sentences which put the verbs in context. Then, they come up with other contexts for the words by describing short situations with the use of the verbs. After that, students read the definitions of the verbs from the previous exercise and correct the mistakes in them (e.g. Chuckle means to laugh quietly, not loudly.). The vocabulary is then practised in a multiple choice task in which students choose the correct synonym for the verb laugh in a few sentences. The last part of the lesson is an extended speaking exercise (similar to Part 2 of the CAE speaking exam). Students work in pairs or groups of three and compare and contrast sets of photos showing people laughing in different situations. After the conversation about the photos, students discuss some questions related to laughter and wellbeing.

WORKSHEETS

0

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. At_the_marble_sea

    Thank you for such a great lesson plan!:)

    1. Kasia

      Thank you so much for the comment 🙂

  2. Gail Crous

    Thank you! It’s so refreshing to find a lesson that’s not about COVID, global warming, stress, etc.

    1. Pnn

      Absolutely!! Please provide more positive topics like this! They are much needed

    2. Weetum

      Great lesson – my students loved the recorded laughter samples even if some of the nuances went over their heads !
      They loved the groaner jokes too – a few said they were worthy of Christmas crackers !
      Big thanks from Rita in France ( doing a demure little simper as I send this )

      1. Justa

        Thank you so much for such positive feedback! It’s awesome your students enjoyed the lesson! Cheers 🙂

  3. AA

    This looks like such a fun lesson, i can’t wait to use it with my students this week. I also agree with the feedback below that it’s so nice to have something more positive and upbeat to teach. Thank you!!!

    1. Stan

      Fantastic! Good vibes are always needed. Let us know how this lesson went with your students!

  4. shirleyj

    Agree with all the previous comments. It was very well-received by my class ?

  5. Mariola Moçka

    Great material, thank you! My students loved this lesson plan! 🙂

    We also watched this video to find out our laughing type https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJNZ8g_k84

    1. Justa

      Thanks for sharing it with us 🙂

  6. [email protected]

    Absolutely amazing lesson! Great activities. Relevant vocabulary for the intended level and the exam-type activity at the end is splendid. Thanks for this. Cheers! filipe

    1. Justa

      Thanks for feedback, Filipe!

  7. Lidia Miller

    Perfectly described!!! I loved this lesson plan. Thank you so much for the research about laughter and its effects.

    1. Justa

      We’re happy to hear it, thanks 🙂

  8. Megan Prattley

    Thanks for this uplifting lesson!

  9. hana.beraki

    Simply fantastic!!

  10. JOAQUIN VELEZ

    Great stuff!

    1. Justa

      Thanks!

  11. beavertonliteracy

    What a great lesson, thank you! The online presentation is wonderful – I just had to make all the type much bigger and bold to work against eye strain for my students. I split some of the content between 2 slides to make it all fit.

    1. Justa

      Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us!

  12. Ece

    Such a fun lesson plan, laughed all the way through it with my students.

  13. Ani

    Thank you so much for this great lesson plan! My students really enjoyed it. 🙂

    1. Justa

      Awesome, we’re happy to hear that 🙂

  14. Pedro Schlemper

    Thank you for this class, the students loved it and the material provided such as the video and the audios were great!

    1. Justa

      Thanks! We’re thrilled to hear such positive feedback!

  15. UlianaDuban

    My students are in love with all your materials that I use at our lessons 💞💌 thank You 😊

    1. Justa

      Super happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you!

  16. Teresa Al.

    Every lesson plans here are amazing !

    1. Justa

      Thanks for the comment! You made our day 🙂

  17. [email protected]

    When I click in the link for the audio it says there is no audio available. Could you check, please?

    1. Justa

      Hi! We’ve just checked that and it works on our side. Please, check out the link in the e-lesson plan or PDF files and if you still experience the issue, reach out to as at [email protected].

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
ESL lesson on laws and precedents
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Revisiting laws and precedents

General

Explore laws with this lesson! Students watch a video and listen to a recording related to laws and judicial precedents, practise verbs for discussing legal systems and discuss landmark cases.

Premium Plan Show
talk about the impact of nature
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Flipped Lesson 60 min

Nature at your fingertips

General

Talk about the benefits of nature with this lesson! Students explore adjectives, practise phrasal verbs and watch a video on nature’s calming effects. They also discuss the benefits of nature without visiting it and share their experiences.

Unlimited Plan Show
discuss the importance of memes
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min

Meme culture

General

Explore memes with this advanced lesson! Students watch part of a video on the history of memes, share their thoughts and read about some popular memes. They can also do an extra vocabulary task.

Unlimited Plan Show
advanced lesson on humour
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

It’s seriously funny!

General

Have fun talking about humour! Students practise rhetorical devices, watch a humorous description of a typical London day and discuss what makes jokes funny. They also talk about their day in a humorous way.

Premium Plan Show
talking about multitasking
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Can you multitask?

Business General

Talk about multitasking with this advanced lesson! Students practise vocabulary to discuss the topic, watch a video on multitasking and our brains and share their opinions. They also discuss inattention blindness and read a short text.

Premium Plan Show
ESL lesson on rejection
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min

Learning to cope with rejection

General

Talk about rejection with this lesson! Students discuss ways to handle it, watch part of a podcast on ‘rejection therapy’ and share their opinions. They can also do an extra vocabulary activity.

Unlimited Plan Show
vocabulary to describe behaviour
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

The quirky side of you

General

With this lesson, students talk about quirky behaviours! They watch a video of celebrities sharing their unusual habits, practise vocabulary to describe behaviour and share their opinions and experiences. Students also discuss famous characters’ quirkiness.

Unlimited Plan Show
phrases to talk about scams
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

How to spot a scammer

General Technology

With this lesson, students talk about scams and online safety! They practise phrases to discuss scams, share their thoughts and watch a video about a scam tactic. Students also talk about prevention efforts and discuss online security habits.

Premium Plan Show
speaking lesson on Thanksgiving
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min

Challenging historical narratives

General

In this speaking lesson on Thanksgiving, students think about the history of the celebration and its modern-day customs. They watch a video featuring Native Americans’ feelings about the holiday and have a broader discussion about challenging dominant historical narratives.

Unlimited Plan Show
Show more lessons

Questions

Title separator

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there's no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won't be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).
Read more FAQ
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with
Don't have an account? SIGN UP