This document outlines an English lesson plan focused on reviewing and practicing happiness and excitement idioms. The objectives are to review idioms like "on top of the world" and "over the moon" through a reading activity, speak about personal experiences using the idioms, learn about intonation patterns in English including rising and falling tones, watch a video on intonation in questions, and practice asking questions with different intonations. The lesson includes a reading passage with idioms, comprehension questions, a speaking activity, explanations and examples of intonation types, pronunciation practice identifying intonation, and homework on recording question intonations and reading an article on paying kindness forward.

1. LanguageCircle:
PayItForwardbasedon
HappinessandExcitement
Idioms
1

2. 2
Objectives
• Review and practice the Happiness and Excitement Idioms
Use them in a related reading activity and answer reading
comprehension questions
• Speak about your personal experience
• Pronunciation – learn about intonation
• Watch a video about intonation used in questions and practice
• Practice asking questions with various intonations based on the
reading text.

3. 3
Review the idioms
in this related lesson
https://livelearn.ca/lessons/language-training/happiness-and-excitement-idioms/

4. 4
Review the idioms in this related lesson
“On top of the world” – happy and elated
“In seventh heaven”– in a state of overwhelming happiness
“Over the moon” – extremely happy, delighted
“On cloud nine” – extremely happy
“To have a whale of a time ”– to have an exciting or fun time

5. 5
Reading

6. 6
Idioms activity + Reading
Read the dialogue below and identify the idioms in context,
then answer six comprehension questions.
Tatiana: I’ve heard your older sister is visiting you these days.
Erum: Yes. I am having a whale of a time.
Tatiana:
That’s great! I haven’t seen my brother for more than two years. That makes me sad at
times.
Erum:
Oh wow, you guys need to plan a get-together soon. Last week, I was on cloud nine when
she surprised me by sending a message that she was coming the next day.
Tatiana: That’s so sweet. So did she notice that you had renovated the house?
Erum:
I was over the moon when she patted me on the back for doing such a great job with the
bathroom design.
Tatiana:
Well, now I really want to visit my brother and his family. And I am thinking of giving him a
surprise visit. I am sure he will be on top of the world when he sees me.
Erum: That will be nice. Buy some gifts for the kids, they will be in seventh heaven.
Tatiana: That’s a great idea! Thanks for your advice.

7. 7
Idioms activity + Reading
Read the dialogue below and identify the idioms in context,
then answer six comprehension questions.
Tatiana: I’ve heard your older sister is visiting you these days.
Erum: Yes. I am having a whale of a time.
Tatiana:
That’s great! I haven’t seen my brother for more than two years. That makes me sad at
times.
Erum:
Oh wow, you guys need to plan a get-together soon. Last week, I was on cloud nine when
she surprised me by sending a message that she was coming the next day.
Tatiana: That’s so sweet. So did she notice that you had renovated the house?
Erum:
I was over the moon when she patted me on the back for doing such a great job with the
bathroom design.
Tatiana:
Well, now I really want to visit my brother and his family. And I am thinking of giving him a
surprise visit. I am sure he will be on top of the world when he sees me.
Erum: That will be nice. Buy some gifts for the kids, they will be in seventh heaven.
Tatiana: That’s a great idea! Thanks for your advice.

8. 8
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
2. How does he feel about it?
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
4. How does she feel about it?
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

9. 9
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
4. How does she feel about it?
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

10. 10
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
He is having a “whale of a time”, meaning he is extremely happy.
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
4. How does she feel about it?
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

11. 11
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
He is having a “whale of a time”, meaning he is extremely happy.
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
She has not seen her brother for more than two years.
4. How does she feel about it?
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

12. 12
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
He is having a “whale of a time”, meaning he is extremely happy.
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
She has not seen her brother for more than two years.
4. How does she feel about it?
She is sad at times.
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

13. 13
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
He is having a “whale of a time”, meaning he is extremely happy.
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
She has not seen her brother for more than two years.
4. How does she feel about it?
She is sad at times.
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
Because his sister liked the bathroom design.
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?

14. 14
Idioms activity + Reading Comprehension
Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. Who is visiting Erum these days?
His older sister.
2. How does he feel about it?
He is having a “whale of a time”, meaning he is extremely happy.
3. For how long has Tatiana not seen her brother?
She has not seen her brother for more than two years.
4. How does she feel about it?
She is sad at times.
5. Why was Erum over the moon?
Because his sister liked the bathroom design.
6. What will make the kids be in the seventh heaven?
Buying them gifts when she will visit her brother.

15. 15
Speaking

16. 16
Speak about your personal experience
When we are happy, we should make other people
happy too. This is called “paying it forward.”
Can you think of a time when you did that or someone
did that for you? Share your story with the class.

17. 17
Pronunciation

18. 18
Intonation
Intonation is the rising or falling of voice pitch across phrases
and sentences.
Controlling your intonation is important for communicating in
English.
The three main patterns of intonation in English are:
1) rising
2) falling
3) A combination of the two: (falling-rising or rising-falling)

19. 19
Falling Intonation
The most basic intonation pattern in English is falling
when you finish a statement.
We have a pronunciation class.
We live in Winnipeg.
However, we can use a rising intonation to show our
sentence is not finished yet.
I live in Winnipeg , but I was born in India.

20. 20
Falling Intonation
Another typical example of a falling intonation is the
way your voice falls in pitch at the end a sentence that
lists items.
I like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.
There were only four students in the last class: Ola,
Sedna, Nabila and William.

21. 21
Raising Intonation
We use a raising intonation with the statements that
express surprise or in exclamations.
I can’t believe she is a doctor and an engineer!
Really!

22. 22
Intonation in Questions
Listening Activity
Listen to this English teacher talking about intonations used when
asking questions in English.
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aoj4HZlLQBY&list=PLrqHrGoMJdTTSRNwRh0VVjO_KXA1La4Dw&index=3

23. 23
Intonation
A typical example of rising intonation is the way your
voice raises in pitch at the end of the yes and no
questions.
Do you live here?
Is Anita happy?

24. 24
Intonation
Exception: We use a falling intonation at the end of
questions that indicate choice, even if they are
yes/no questions.
Do we have reading workshops Tuesdays or
Thursdays?
Would you like action movies or romance movies?

25. 25
Intonation
For the open ended questions, which are most
questions we form with the “wh” words (what, who,
when, where, why, how, how much) we use a falling
intonation.
When does the movie start?
Where are you going?

26. 26
Pronunciation
Practice

27. 27
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate Does
the sentence have a raising or falling intonation? Can
you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic?
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in
the city centre.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it?
4. How is your dog today?
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake?
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math,
Physics and Chemistry.

28. 28
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate
Does the sentence have a raising or falling intonation?
Can you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic? At the end of “yes” and “no” question.
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in the city
centre.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it?
4. How is your dog today?
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake?
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math, Physics
and Chemistry.

29. 29
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate
Does the sentence have a raising or falling intonation?
Can you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic? At the end of “yes” and “no” question.
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in the
city centre. To show that your sentence continues.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it?
4. How is your dog today?
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake?
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math, Physics
and Chemistry.

30. 30
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate
Does the sentence have a raising or falling intonation?
Can you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic? At the end of “yes” and “no” question.
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in the city
centre. To show that your sentence continues.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it? Express surprise/concern.
4. How is your dog today?
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake?
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math, Physics and
Chemistry.

31. 31
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate
Does the sentence have a raising or falling intonation?
Can you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic? At the end of “yes” and “no” question.
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in the city
centre. To show that your sentence continues.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it? Express surprise/concern.
4. How is your dog today? A typical Wh- question.
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake?
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math, Physics and
Chemistry.

32. 32
Intonation
Read the following sentences out loud and indicate
Does the sentence have a raising or falling intonation?
Can you identify the reason why?
1. Do you speak Arabic? At the end of “yes” and “no” question.
2. I live in the Northern part of the city, but I work in the city
centre. To show that your sentence continues.
3. Do you think everyone knows about it? Express surprise/concern.
4. How is your dog today? A typical Wh- question.
5. Do you want tiramisu or cheesecake? A choice.
6. To graduate we need to pass the exams in Math, Physics and
Chemistry. A list of items.

33. 33
Intonation
Practice formulating questions with correct intonation
Imagine you could ask Tatiana and Erum two questions about
their families.
What would you ask?
Explain what intonation you would use and why.

34. 34
Reflect
on
learning

35. 35
What did you learn today?
• Review and practice the Happiness and Excitement
Idioms
Use them in a related reading activity and answer reading
comprehension questions
• Speak about your personal experience
• Pronunciation – learn about intonation
• Watch a video about intonation used in questions and
practice
• Practice asking questions with various intonations
based on the reading text.

36. 36
Homework
1. Record yourself reading these questions with the
correct intonation. Send the audio file to your instructor:
a) When was the last time you were on cloud nine?
b) Have you seen your brother this month?
c) Is talking to your sister a happy occasion for you?
d) Do you prefer veal, chicken or fish?
2. Read more about Paying Forward in this article:
Pay It forward
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/pay_it_forward

37. Thankyou!
Questions?
Created by : Ruxandra Nicolescu – English Online
37
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