Module 05 —Celebrations and Special Days
Linkers (and/but/because/so/then) · modals for advice · Reading Part 2 matching
A2 Key parts in this lesson
Why this lesson now? Recycles Listening 3 with prediction strategy.
Your level · You are here
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking
Tell your partner about your favourite celebration or special day of the year. Why do you like it?
Your friend is planning a birthday party. Give them one piece of advice using 'should' or 'could'.
Join these two ideas with 'because': 'We had a party. It was my sister's birthday.'
Grammar for the Exam · 02
8–10 minLinkers (and/but/because/so/then) and modals for advice
- and = add, but = contrast, because = reason, so = result, then = next step. should/could = advice
- must/have to = necessary.
- 1Linkers help us connect ideas smoothly when we talk about events like celebrations.
- 2And adds an extra idea; but shows a contrast; because gives a reason; so gives a result; then shows the order of events.
- 3For example: We wanted a big party, but our flat was too small, so we booked a hall instead.
- 4When giving advice about celebrations, we often use should and could for suggestions (You should book the venue early), and must or have to for things that are necessary (You have to confirm numbers by Friday).
We invited fifty guests and booked a big hall.
I wanted to have an outdoor party, but it started raining.
We moved the party inside because of the weather.
The venue was fully booked, so we chose a different date.
You should send the invitations early. Then you'll know how many guests are coming.
Question 1.Which linker shows a contrast?
Question 2.Which linker gives a reason?
Question 3.Complete: 'It started raining, ___ we moved the party inside.'
Question 4.'You ____ book the venue early — it's a good idea.'
Question 5.'You ____ confirm the guest numbers by Friday — it's a rule.'
Quick check 1.Which linker shows the order of events?
Exam Vocabulary · 03
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
to do something special to mark an important event
How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
to ask someone to come to an event / the request itself
Do you prefer sending invitations by text or on paper?
something people have done for a long time, often at a special time of year
What's a tradition in your family or country?
to make a place look nice for an event
How do you usually decorate for a celebration?
something given to someone, often at a celebration
What's the best gift you've ever received?
What to do
Match each celebration word with its meaning.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Use the celebration vocabulary with linkers and modals for advice.
Ask your partner
- What advice would you give someone organising a party for the first time?
- What's a tradition you'd like to keep celebrating?
"The best gift I ever gave someone was..."gift
Should you always invite family to a celebration, even a small one? Give a reason.
Give your answer + one reason.
Write 35 words about how your family celebrates a special day, using 'because' and 'so'.
What to do
- 1.Read about five people planning a celebration.
- 2.Match each person to the service (A–H) that best helps them.
- 3.There are three services you do not need.
Tap a person, then tap the text that best matches their needs.
The 5 people
The 8 texts
Pronunciation for Speaking · 04
3–4 minLinking words smoothly in connected speech
Linkers like and, but and so are usually unstressed and said quickly, joining onto the words around them.
- • We invited guests and decorated the hall.
- • It rained, but we still had a great time.
- • We celebrated because it was a special day.
- • The cake was ready, so we lit the candles.
Reading Skills · 05
8–10 minReading — planning a family celebration
Read along — listen to the text
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Planning a family celebration can feel stressful, but a little organisation makes a big difference. Start by deciding on a date early, because popular venues and services get booked quickly, especially around holidays. Then think about your guest list — it's easier to plan food and seating once you know roughly how many people are coming.
Decorations and food don't need to be expensive to be special. Many families choose to keep old traditions, like a particular recipe or song, because it makes the celebration feel more meaningful. You could also ask guests to bring one dish each, so the cooking isn't all on one person.
On the day itself, things rarely go exactly to plan, but that's normal. If something goes wrong, don't panic — most guests won't even notice small problems, and they'll remember the atmosphere and the company much more than any small mistake. In the end, the most important thing is that everyone feels included and has a good time together.
Question 1.Why should you decide on a date early?
Question 2.Why is it useful to know the guest list early?
Question 3.Why do many families keep old traditions?
Question 4.What could guests be asked to do?
Question 5.What is the main message of the last paragraph?
Listening Skills · 06
8–10 minListening — planning a birthday surprise
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Tom:So, what should we do for Mum's birthday this year?
Sara:I think we should organise a surprise party, because she always says she loves surprises.
Tom:Good idea, but we have to keep it a secret, so don't say anything to her.
Sara:Of course. Should we invite the whole family, or just close relatives?
Tom:I think we should invite everyone, and then we could hire the community hall.
Sara:That sounds perfect. We'll need to order a cake too — I'll call the bakery this week.
Tom:Good, and I'll sort out the decorations. We could get balloons and some lights.
Sara:Great. We have to send the invitations soon, though, because her birthday is only three weeks away.
Tom:I'll do that tonight, then we can start planning the food.
Question 1.What do they decide to organise for Mum?
Question 2.Why must they keep it a secret?
Question 3.Who do they decide to invite?
Question 4.What is Sara going to do this week?
Question 5.Why do they need to send invitations soon?
Exam Strategy · 07
5 minReading Part 2 — matching people to texts
Underline the key need → scan for contradictions → confirm the full match.
Task
Match five short profiles of people planning a celebration to eight short texts about services (three are tempting wrong answers), based on their exact need.
Example
Profile: needs a venue for thirty guests. Text: Ballroom for over one hundred guests. → Not a match because the size is wrong.
Writing Task · 08
5 minPut it in writing
Q1.Which linker means 'as a result'?
Q2.Which modal verb gives friendly advice, weaker than 'must'?
Write a short message to a friend (25–35 words) about a celebration you are planning. Use at least two linkers (and/but/because/so/then).
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
Hi! I'm organising a small party for my birthday because I want to see everyone together. I booked a room at the local café, but I still need to send invitations. Could you help me choose a cake? Then we can plan the food together!
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Speaking Task · 09
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
In pairs, plan a celebration together. Use linkers to explain your ideas and modal verbs to give each other advice.
Examiner
"Now talk together about what makes a celebration memorable."
Discuss together
What makes a celebration memorable?
Now decide together
Together, agree on the two most important things for a memorable celebration.
Useful discussion language
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Use if the celebration-planning practice finishes early. ~14 min total
Homework · 10
Take-homeTake it home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
Write five sentences about a celebration using different linkers: and, but, because, so, then.
Your response
0 words SavedAttempt the task first, then check your answers.
Reread the matching texts and write one sentence explaining why each person was matched to their text.
Your response
0 words SavedAttempt the task first, then check your answers.
Listen to the birthday planning dialogue again and complete a summary using linkers.
Your response
0 words SavedAttempt the task first, then check your answers.
Recap · 11
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Use linkers to connect ideas clearly: and (add), but (contrast), because (reason), so (result), then (next step).
- should/could give friendly advice; must/have to show something is necessary.
- In Reading Part 2, underline each person's key need before scanning the texts.
- Three of the eight texts in a matching task are always tempting wrong answers.
Need more practice?
Optional · your lesson progress stays the sameNumbers, times and spelling
Practise this exam skill
Feelings, opinions and agreement
Practise this exam skill
Careful listening: distractors
Practise this exam skill