Idioms: challenges

In this lesson students will learn 12 idioms to use when talking about challenges. They will practise reading and speaking.
The first activity introduces 6 idioms (e.g. take the bull by the horns, an uphill battle, spread yourself too thin). Students read a short text and match the idioms to their definitions. Then they are given 3 sentences which they need to complete and use to start a conversation with a partner.
In the next activity, students are given 6 sentences which introduce the rest of the idioms (weather the storm, cut your losses, a bitter pill to swallow). To practise these idioms, students are asked to complete 3 questions with the correct idiom and then discuss the questions.
Next, students rephrase 4 sentences using a suitable idiom.
The last 2 activities are speaking activities. First, students are given a few questions to discuss. Then they are given 3 situations and are asked to create short dialogues for each one.
The set of conversation cards can be used for additional speaking practice, to replace an exercise from the worksheet or to revise the target vocabulary.
This worksheet works well in combination with lessons about challenges, competition, ambition, success and failure and solving problems.