The Rules of Perfume
This B2 lesson is all about perfume, from fragrance types and scent vocabulary to Tom Ford’s personal rules for wearing it. Students learn words like “subtle,” “intensity,” and “fragrance,” watch a short video, and discuss their own perfume preferences. It’s a great conversation lesson for groups who enjoy lifestyle topics.
Lesson overview
- Learn vocabulary related to perfume and scent, including “subtle,” “mood,” and “apply”
- Explore the four main fragrance families: fresh, floral, oriental, and woody
- Watch Tom Ford share his three rules of fragrance and discuss whether you agree
- Research a perfume on Fragrantica and present your findings to the class
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Video Length | Lesson Time |
| B2 / Upper-Intermediate | 16 words | 1:54 min | 60 min |
Vocabulary
- Fragrance
- Scent
- Aroma
- Odor
- Fresh
- Floral
- Oriental
- Woody
- Impression
- Fragrance
- Apply
- Generous
- Subtle
- Intensity
- Mood
- Fabulous
Contents
- Lead-in
- Discussion
- Vocabulary match
- Vocabulary practice
- Video
- Questions
- Speaking
- Agree or disagree
- Speaking
Start with the Jean-Paul Guerlain quote on slide 2 and ask students what they think it means. Then move to the lead-in questions about what perfume they’re wearing, how they choose one, and what smells they like. B2 students usually have strong opinions about perfume, so this warm-up runs itself. Give pairs three or four minutes before sharing a few answers with the class.
The fragrance types reading on slide 5 is short and gives students the language they need for the rest of the lesson. After reading, ask them to categorize the perfume notes from slide 4 into the four families. This gets them using the new terms right away. Then move into the vocabulary section. The difference between “fragrance,” “scent,” “odor,” and “aroma” on slide 6 is worth spending a couple of minutes on because students often mix these up. The matching and replacement exercises on slides 7 and 8 give solid practice with the eight target words.
Play the Tom Ford video on slide 9. It’s under two minutes, so you can play it twice. Students note down his three rules while watching, then answer the comprehension questions on slide 10. The follow-up speaking task where students write their own three perfume rules is a nice way to personalize the topic. Some students get really creative here.
Finish with the agree or disagree statements on slide 12, then the Fragrantica research task. Students spend a few minutes browsing for a perfume they like and come back to tell the class about the notes, the description, and any comments that caught their eye. This last activity ties everything together and gives quieter students something concrete to talk about.
