English · Seconde bac pro · A2 towards B1

Final task: The Holiday Survival Guide

Recap: what do you remember?
  1. Give one rule with must and one piece of advice with should.
  2. What happens on Boxing Day?
  3. Name three British Christmas traditions.
Answer key
  1. For example: You must wear your badge. You should stay calm with customers.
  2. It is a bank holiday, and the Boxing Day sales start in the shops.
  3. For example: Christmas jumpers, crackers, mince pies, carols, the John Lewis advert, stockings.
Key question: Can you write a Holiday Survival Guide for the next intern?
Your mission

You are an intern in a big London department store. Your placement ends soon. Write the Holiday Survival Guide for the next French intern (150 to 200 words). Your guide has three parts.

  1. Traditions to respect (present simple): what British people do at Christmas.
  2. Politeness rules at work (must, mustn't, should): how to behave with customers and coworkers.
  3. Stock crisis management (many, much, too many, few, little): what to do when products are out of stock.

Add one personal memory of your placement in the past simple: Last week, I helped…

Step by step

  1. Reread your homework and the four Point prof boxes.
  2. Make a plan: three titles, three ideas under each title.
  3. Write your guide. Use the checklist below.
  4. Read your guide to a partner. Your partner checks the checklist.
  5. Correct and publish your guide (on paper or as a digital poster).
ChecklistYes / No
Three parts with a title
At least three verbs in the present simple
must, mustn't and should
Two quantifiers (too many, very few, not much…)
One memory in the past simple
Polite tone, British words (shop, queue, lorry, car park)
Model guide

Holiday Survival Guide

1. Traditions. In December, everybody wears a Christmas jumper on Christmas Jumper Day. People eat mince pies and pull crackers at the staff party. Customers usually buy their turkey on 23 or 24 December.

2. Politeness. You must wear your name badge. You mustn't use your phone on the shop floor. You should always say « Merry Christmas » to customers, even when the queue is long.

3. Stock crisis. On 24 December, there are very few turkeys left and too many puddings. Don't panic: send a short message to your manager and suggest a special offer.

Last week, I helped a lady who couldn't find crackers. I called another branch and they had a few left. She was very happy!

Homework
  1. Finish your guide and correct it with the checklist.
  2. Learn your three best sentences by heart to present them in class.