Language Circle Lesson

1. LanguageCircle:
PumpkinCarving
basedon
AutumnIdioms
1

2. 2
Objectives
• Review and practice the Autumn Idioms. Use them in
a related activity
• Speak about your experience with carving pumpkins
• Learn new vocabulary
• Watch a video and answer comprehension questions
• Grammar – Tag Questions
• Read an article and reflect on the content
• Reflect on your learning today

3. 3
Review the idioms
in this related lesson
https://livelearn.ca/lessons/%settlement-topic%/autumn-idioms/

4. 4
Review the idioms in this related lesson
“To Hear Through The Grapevine” – to learn about something via an
informal source or hearsay
“Autumn Years”– someone's autumn years are the later years of their life, especially after they have
stopped working
“To Turn Over A New Leaf” – to start a new stage in life or a major change in behaviour
“To Save For A Rainy Day” – to put something aside for a future time of need
“To Drive Someone Nuts– to annoy or frustrate someone to the point of exasperation
“To Beat Around The Bush” – to avoid giving a definite answer or position

5. 5
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
1. To hear through the grapevine means:
a) grapes are good for hearing
b) grapevines have ears
c) to hear a rumour or a gossip

6. 6
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
1. To hear through the grapevine means:
a) grapes are good for hearing
b) grapevines have ears
c) to hear a rumour or a gossip

7. 7
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
2. Autumn years are counted:
a) only in the places that have four seasons
b) by elderly towards their retirement time
c) they are not counted

8. 8
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
2. Autumn years are counted:
a) only in the places that have four seasons
b) by elderly towards their retirement time
c) they are not counted

9. 9
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
3. When your mother tells you that you have to
“save for a rainy day” she means:
a) put something aside for when you will really need it
b) save money to buy an umbrella
c) to postpone doing something until it rains

10. 10
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
3. When your mother tells you that you have to
“save for a rainy day” she means:
a) put something aside for when you will really need it
b) save money to buy an umbrella
c) to postpone doing something until it rains

11. 11
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
4. To drive somebody nuts does NOT mean:
a) to annoy someone to the point of exasperation
b) to drive someone to buy nuts from the market

12. 12
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
4. To drive somebody nuts does NOT mean:
a) to annoy someone to the point of exasperation
b) to drive someone to buy nuts from the market

13. 13
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
5. Fill in the missing words:
a) Don't ______it around the ____, admit you cheated
on the test!
b) She is famous for ______around the bush.
c) He _____it around the bush when asked which essay he liked the most.

14. 14
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
5. Fill in the missing words:
a) Don't beat it around the bush, admit you cheated
on the test!
b) She is famous for ______around the bush.
c) He _____it around the bush when asked which essay he liked the most.

15. 15
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
5. Fill in the missing words:
a) Don't beat it around the bush, admit you cheated
on the test!
b) She is famous for beating around the bush.
c) He _____it around the bush when asked which essay he liked the most.

16. 16
Practice the idioms. Quiz Time!
5. Fill in the missing words:
a) Don't beat it around the bush, admit you cheated
on the test!
b) She is famous for beating around the bush.
c) He beat it around the bush when asked which essay he liked the most.
(Yes, the past tense of the verb “to beat” is “beat”. The past participle is
“beaten”. To beat-beat-beaten)

17. 17
Agenda
1. Speaking
2. Vocabulary
3. Listening
4. Grammar
5. Reading
6. Reflect on learning

18. 18
Speaking

19. 19
Speak about your personal experience
• Have you ever carved a pumpkin?
• Share your experience with the class.

20. 20
Vocabulary

21. 21
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

22. 22
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

23. 23
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something tips and tricks
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

24. 24
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something tips and tricks
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
utensils
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

25. 25
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something tips and tricks
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
utensils
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
dry erase markers
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

26. 26
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something tips and tricks
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
utensils
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
dry erase markers
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing one-of-a-kind
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)

27. 27
tips and tricks (phr.) one-of-a-kind (adj.)
to scrape (v.) utensils (n. pl.)
dry erase markers (phr.) to sprinkle (v.)
1. push or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or
object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
to scrape
2. Advice for an easier way of doing something tips and tricks
3. an implement, container, or other article, especially for
household use
utensils
4. alcohol-based markers which makes the ink easy to wipe
clean with an eraser.
dry erase markers
5. a person or thing that is not like any other person or thing one-of-a-kind
6. scatter or pour small drops or particles of a substance over
(an object or surface)
to sprinkle

28. 28
Listening

29. 29
Watch the following video and answer some True/False
comprehension questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7my4pDj5kA

30. 30
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom.
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop.
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin.
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin.
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin.

31. 31
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom. False
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop.
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin.
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin.
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin.

32. 32
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom. False
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop. True
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin.
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin.
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin.

33. 33
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom. False
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop. True
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin. True
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin.
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin.

34. 34
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom. False
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop. True
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin. True
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin. False
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin.

35. 35
Watch the video again and answer if the following questions
are true or false:
1. Cut the top first and then the bottom. False
2. You can “scoop the goop” with an ice-scream scoop. True
3. It is preferable to use dry erase markers to draw on the pumpkin. True
4. You cannot apply bleach on the pumpkin. False
5. You can sprinkle some cinnamon for a “delicious smell” when you light up the
candle inside a carved pumpkin. True

36. 36
Grammar

37. 37
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
A tag question is a special construction in English.
It is a statement followed by a mini-question (tag).
We use tag questions to ask for confirmation.
They mean something like: "Is that right?" or "Do you agree?"
They are very common in English.
Source: English Club

38. 38
Grammar TAG QUESTIONS
The basic structure of a tag question is:
positive statement negative tag
Snow is white, isn't it?
negative statement positive tag
You don't like me, do you?
Notice that the tag repeats the auxiliary verb (or main verb when the verb is
“to be”) from the statement and changes it to negative or positive.
Source: English Club

39. 39
Grammar TAG QUESTIONS
Look at these examples with positive statements
Source: English Club
+) positive statement (-) negative tag
subject auxiliary main verb auxiliary not personal
pronoun same
as subject
You are coming, are n't you?
We have finished, have n't we?
You do like coffee, do n't you?
You like coffee, do n't you?
Look at the use of do in the two coffee questions. Remember that in Present
Simple, do is optional in positive statements (You like coffee/You do like coffee).
But the do must appear in the tag. The same applies to Past Simple did.

40. 40
Grammar TAG QUESTIONS
Look at these examples with positive statements
with modal verbs and the main verb “to be”
Source: English Club
They will help, won't they?
I can come, can't I?
We must go, mustn't we?
He should try harder, shouldn't he?
You are English, aren't you?

41. 41
Grammar TAG QUESTIONS
Look at these examples with negative statements.
Source: English Club
(-) negative statement (+) positive tag
subject auxiliary negation main verb auxiliary personal
pronoun
same as
subject
It is n't raining, is it?
We have never seen that, have we?
You do n't like coffee, do you?
They will not help, will they?
Notice:
The tag repeats the auxiliary verb, not the main verb.
Except for the verb “to be” in Present Simple and Past Simple.

42. 42
Grammar TAG QUESTIONS
Look at these examples with negative statements
with modal verbs
Source: English Club
I can’t do it right, can I?
We mustn't tell her, must we?
He shouldn't drive so fast, should he?
You won't be late, will you?

43. 43
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, ________
2. You do go to school, ________
3. We won't be late, ________
4. They called, ________
5. They will wash the car, ________
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

44. 44
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, ________
3. We won't be late, ________
4. They called, ________
5. They will wash the car, ________
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

45. 45
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, ________
4. They called, ________
5. They will wash the car, ________
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

46. 46
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, will he?
4. They called, ________
5. They will wash the car, ________
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

47. 47
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, will he?
4. They called, didn’t they?
5. They will wash the car, ________
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

48. 48
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, will he?
4. They called, didn’t they?
5. They will wash the car, will they not?
6. We must lock the doors, ________
7. I'm not right, ________

49. 49
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, will he?
4. They called, didn’t they?
5. They will wash the car, will they not?
6. We must lock the doors, mustn’t we?
7. I'm not right, ________

50. 50
Grammar
TAG QUESTIONS
Let’s Practice! Add the tag question to these statements.
Source: English Club
1. He's still sleeping, is he not?/isn’t he?
2. You do go to school, don’t you?
3. We won't be late, will he?
4. They called, didn’t they?
5. They will wash the car, will they not?
6. We must lock the doors, mustn’t we?
7. I'm not right, am I?

51. 51
Reading

52. 52
Reading – Why do We Carve Pumpkins At Halloween?
The jack-o’-lantern has a long history with Halloween, although our favorite demonic
faces haven’t always been carved out of pumpkins.
Their origin comes from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for
his own monetary gain. When Jack died, God didn’t allow him into heaven, and
the Devil didn’t let him into hell, so Jack was sentenced to roam the earth for
eternity. In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack’s wandering
soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o’-lanterns from pumpkins, as
these were native to the region.
But how did jack-o’-lanterns become associated with Halloween? Halloween is based on the Celtic
festival Samhain, a celebration in ancient Britain and Ireland that marked the end of summer and the
beginning of the new year on November 1. It was believed that during Samhain the souls of those who
had died that year traveled to the otherworld and that other souls would return to visit their homes.
In the 8th century CE, the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints’ Day, a day celebrating the church’s
saints, to November 1. This meant that All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) fell on October 31. Traditions from
Samhain remained, such as wearing disguises to hide yourself from the souls wandering around your
home. The folklore about Stingy Jack was quickly incorporated into Halloween, and we’ve been
carving pumpkins—or turnips—ever since.
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-we-carve-pumpkins-at-halloween

53. 53
Reading/Speaking
Why do We Carve Pumpkins At Halloween?
Reflect on the history of the Pumpkin Carving. Share your thoughts with the class.

54. 54
Reflect
on
learning

55. 55
What did you learn today?
• Review and practice the Autumn Idioms. Use them in a
related activity
• Speak about your experience with carving pumpkins
• Learn new vocabulary
• Watch a video and answer comprehension questions
• Grammar – Tag Questions
• Read an article and reflect on the content
• Reflect on your learning today

56. 56
Homework
1. Make a summary (main ideas) of the reading passage.
2. Write tag questions for the following statements using the
Autumn Idioms:
a) She was mad as she heard about her sister’s marriage through
the grapevine, _______
b) They started dancing the tango in their autumn years, ____
c) It’s never too early to start saving for a rainy day, _______
d) Finally he will tell her that he loves her, ________

57. Thankyou!
Questions?
Created by : Ruxandra Nicolescu – English Online
57
https://pixabay.com/photos/cup-of-coffee-laptop-office-macbook-1280537/ shared under CC0