Raincheck?

This B1 ESL lesson dives into friendship, fashion choices, and the indecisiveness that comes with picking the perfect outfit. It follows the story of a girl who’s excited to go out with her friends but gets stuck in front of her closet, unable to decide what to wear. Along the way, students will discuss personal style, social expectations, and what it really means to be a good friend. They’ll also learn the phrase “raincheck”—a polite way to postpone plans. Based on a short, engaging video, this lesson is packed with useful vocabulary, lively discussions, and plenty of real-world conversation practice. Perfect for B1-level teens and adults.

Lead-in

The lesson begins with seven questions about clothing, outfit styles, and fashion choices to prepare students for discussing how to choose an outfit for a party.

Vocabulary

The vocabulary section begins with six words that students must define and discuss. Next, they match 13 outfit pictures to the correct words and identify two that don’t belong. If they get stuck, they can refer to the key file.

Video preview, Video, Summary

Before watching the video, students examine three screenshots and discuss what they expect to see based on previous topics. The video is short—just 1.5 minutes long. You can pause it to let students read the outfits or replay it for better comprehension. Note that the outfits in the vocabulary section and the video are similar but not identical. After watching, students summarize the story using frames from the video and target vocabulary.

Your comment, Comments, Agree/disagree

In the next activity, students take a minute or two to write down their own comment before reading others, ensuring they express their genuine thoughts. Afterward, they read the comments and share their opinions on them. You can extend the discussion by having students agree or disagree with statements on the following page.

Matching, Practice

The matching task includes all the outfits from page four and the video, but this time students must match each outfit to a suitable venue or event. This could be a bit challenging, so feel free to assist them or have them work in small groups or pairs. The next page is more straightforward, with six sentences for students to complete with their own thoughts and ideas. Encourage them to add details and make their sentences longer.

Quote

The final page features a quote about friendship and offers additional topics for discussion, such as what students have in common with their friends, how they met their friends, and whether it becomes easier to make new friends as they get older. This section allows for a lot of flexibility, encouraging open-ended conversation based on the students’ experiences and perspectives.