Remember that the idea behind the anecdote technique to develop our speaking skills is that we have to think about a specific situation in our life. To help us do so, we are guided with some leading questions. After a few minutes' preparation thinking about what we are going to say, we can deliver our story.
It is advisable to watch or listen to someone tell an anecdote in the first place, and then try to imitate them.
Here's Laila on her homestay experience. Answer the questions below to check that you have fully understood what she says.
1 Where did she stay?
2 Who did she stay with?
3 Who did she go with?
4 How long did they stay?
5 Why did she recognize her uncle?
6 What nationality is her aunt?
7 What is it like where her uncle and aunt live?
8 Which floor do they live in?
9 How many children do their uncle and aunt have?
10 What’s auntie Loli like?
11 Where was her uncle born?
12 How long did he take him learn Spanish?
13 What does Laila compare auntie Loli with?
14 What didn’t auntie Loli allow Laila and her sister to do on their own?
15 What was bad about it?
16 What job do uncle and auntie do?
17 What was the problem with their room?
18 What was the worst moment of the trip?
19 What was the problem with Loli?
20 Would she stay there again?
Now it's over to you. Use the quetions below as a guideline to talk about a time when you stayed at someone else's home.
Where did you stay?
When was it?
Who did you go with?
How long did you stay?
What was your room like? Did you have to share it?
What was the house/flat like? And the area?
Who usually lives there?
What do they do?
What did you like best about the experience? And least?
Would you stay there again?
Key:
1 In Madrid 2 Her Dad's uncle Ally and aunt Loli 3 Her sister 4 Ten days 5 He looks very much like her father (spitting image of my dad) 6 Spanish 7 Noisy, dusty, vibrant, with a lot of city life 8 On the top floor 9 None 10 A bit of a control freak, quite overbearing, she would steamroll all over everything her uncle would say 11 Iran 12 Four months, or one year according to auntie Loli 13 A puppet, as she always answers for her husband 14 Go to the city center 15 She wanted to go shopping with them and gave her opinion about any article of clothing they wanted to buy 16 They are retired, which allows them to travel a lot and have an active social life 17 It was very hot (absolutely boiling, sweltering, about 40 degrees), with no air-conditioning, they melted, they didn’t get a week of sleep 18 When they drove them to see their friends in the countryside. It was a six-hour drive along winding mountain roads. Laila got very car sick 19 She couldn’t fathom (understand) why Laila was sick, as she had never been sick in her life. She also thought Laila was pretending and just seeking for attention 20 No, but she would like to go back to Madrid (I would visit Madrid in a heartbeat)
2 Who did she stay with?
3 Who did she go with?
4 How long did they stay?
5 Why did she recognize her uncle?
6 What nationality is her aunt?
7 What is it like where her uncle and aunt live?
8 Which floor do they live in?
9 How many children do their uncle and aunt have?
10 What’s auntie Loli like?
11 Where was her uncle born?
12 How long did he take him learn Spanish?
13 What does Laila compare auntie Loli with?
14 What didn’t auntie Loli allow Laila and her sister to do on their own?
15 What was bad about it?
16 What job do uncle and auntie do?
17 What was the problem with their room?
18 What was the worst moment of the trip?
19 What was the problem with Loli?
20 Would she stay there again?
Now it's over to you. Use the quetions below as a guideline to talk about a time when you stayed at someone else's home.
Where did you stay?
When was it?
Who did you go with?
How long did you stay?
What was your room like? Did you have to share it?
What was the house/flat like? And the area?
Who usually lives there?
What do they do?
What did you like best about the experience? And least?
Would you stay there again?
Key:
1 In Madrid 2 Her Dad's uncle Ally and aunt Loli 3 Her sister 4 Ten days 5 He looks very much like her father (spitting image of my dad) 6 Spanish 7 Noisy, dusty, vibrant, with a lot of city life 8 On the top floor 9 None 10 A bit of a control freak, quite overbearing, she would steamroll all over everything her uncle would say 11 Iran 12 Four months, or one year according to auntie Loli 13 A puppet, as she always answers for her husband 14 Go to the city center 15 She wanted to go shopping with them and gave her opinion about any article of clothing they wanted to buy 16 They are retired, which allows them to travel a lot and have an active social life 17 It was very hot (absolutely boiling, sweltering, about 40 degrees), with no air-conditioning, they melted, they didn’t get a week of sleep 18 When they drove them to see their friends in the countryside. It was a six-hour drive along winding mountain roads. Laila got very car sick 19 She couldn’t fathom (understand) why Laila was sick, as she had never been sick in her life. She also thought Laila was pretending and just seeking for attention 20 No, but she would like to go back to Madrid (I would visit Madrid in a heartbeat)
