A fun lesson for ESL students to learn vocabulary, phrases, and idioms to talk about New Year’s resolutions. Learn about common resolutions, American culture, and useful language.
Watch the ESL video, use the ESL storytelling flashcards to retell a story about New Year’s Resolutions, and do the exercises below. Get the downloadable PDF, digital flashcards, digital quiz questions, listening and reading exercises, and everything for the perfect digital and remote English lessons when you subscribe.
Discussion Questions about New Year’s Resolutions
- Do you have a bad habit you would like to change?
- Can you think of a new habit you would like to start?
- Do you think the beginning of the year is a good time to start something new?
- Write down 3 things that you would like to accomplish by the end of the year.
Vocabulary Check
habit, gym, healthy, overdo
cut down, resolution, diet,
productive, hangover, take up
ESL Video on New Year’s Resolutions
Watch the YouTube video and answer the following questions.
New Year’s Resolutions Questions
- What is Shelley concerned about?
- What day is it today?
- What does Johnny suggest Shelley do?
- What is Natasha going to do this year?
- What does Shelley decide to do this year?
- Is Johnny happy about Shelley’s decision?
- How does Johnny feel?
- What does Shelley suggest Johnny do from now on?
- What is Johnny’s response to Shelley’s suggestion?
- Does Shelley think Johnny’s idea is going to help?
ESL Vocabulary on New Year’s resolutions
Match the words on the left with words or expressions on the right that are closest in meaning.
| 1. take up |
| 2. habit |
| 3. diet |
| 4. gym |
| 5. hangover |
| 6. healthy |
| 7. productive |
| 8. cut down |
| 9. resolution |
| 10. overdo |
| A. a place where people exercise |
| B. a severe headache and other problems caused by drinking too much alcohol |
| C. something you regularly do or say without thinking that is hard to stop |
| D. able to produce large amounts of goods. able to do a lot of work or other activities |
| E. to do something in excess |
| F. a strong decision to do or not do something |
| G. to start something new, especially a new sport or interest |
| H. to decrease or reduce something |
| I. in good health |
| J. to limit or reduce the food you eat in order to lose weight or for health reasons |
Discussion Questions New Year’s Resolutions
- Have you ever made a New Year’s Resolution?
- Do you use social media? What (if any) is your favorite?
- What could you do this year to be a better student?
- Are there any habits you would like to stop doing this year?
- What language other than English would you like to learn?
- What are some bad habits that some of your friends have?
- Are bad habits hard to break? Why?
Words in Context – Fill-in-the-blanks
Use the words from the vocabulary box to complete the following sentences. You may need to modify the tense or word form.
- Bill does more work than any other person in the office. He is the most __________ employee we have!
- Sarah ______________ swimming this month. She is at the pool every night practicing.
- I like to lift weights at the ______ three days a week.
- My dad has a _________ of taking a walk every day after breakfast/
- My sister made a ____________ to study English for one hour everyday.
- Cindy regretted drinking so much at the birthday party yesterday. Today she has a really bad _________ so she stayed in bed until noon,
- Thomas decided to go on a ________ to lose some weight.
- Shelley really ____________ the food for the party. There is so much leftover we have no place to keep it!
- Billy spends over six hours a day playing video games. Mom told him he needs to __________ on his video game time and study for school more!
- Eating a lot of vegetables and exercising regularly is part of a _________ lifestyle.
Gap Fill on New Year’s Resolutions
Fill-in-the-blanks – Watch the video and complete the sentences.
New Year’s Resolution
Shelley: Pie, cake, cookies, ooh!
Johnny: What is it Shelley? What’s ________?
Shelley: Nothing really, it’s just that there is so much amazing food to eat over the holidays, I think I overdid it. I have really gained a lot of __________!
Johnny: Well today is the start of a new year. It’s the time of the year to start good habits, or stop bad ones.
Shelley: You mean make a New Year’s Resolution? You know I don’t believe in making New Year’s Resolutions.
Johnny: Why not? It’s a great time to get _________. One of my co-workers is planning to quit smoking, a couple have said they are planning to hit the gym and get in shape.
Natasha said she’s going to give up _________ media completely and take up Spanish.
Shelley: Hmmm…I think this year I am going to go on a diet! I need to lose the weight I gained. I’ll only eat _________ once a week. I’ll also eat more salads instead of carbs for lunch and dinner.
Johnny: Good for you Shelley! I’m sure you will be able to keep your New Year’s Resolution! You just need to limit how much dessert and snacks you eat during the day. It will be a __________!
Shelley: What about you Johnny? What are you going to do this year?
Johnny: Me? Well…I really don’t know…ooh, my head _________ hurts!
Shelley: Hmmm. You did drink a lot of champagne at the party last night, didn’t you?
Johnny: Yes, I guess I did. Maybe I should stop __________ so much. But, I just have so much fun! But…
Shelley: Well? I bet you would feel better and be more productive if you didn’t drink so much. Having a hangover isn’t a very ________ way to start the day, is it? What do you think?
Johnny: Hmmm. You are right! Okay. I’ll cut down on my drinking. I will limit myself to _________ drinks when we go out.
Shelley: Johnny! Seriously?
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