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Big Ben

Episode of the series Great Stuff

CEFR: A1

In this episode

Illustrated slideshow (11 images)
Glossary (10 words)
Comprehension quiz (17 questions)
19 cultural notes

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The episode

Is Big Ben the famous clock tower in London? Not quite! Two friends find out what Big Ben really is, and how many steps it takes to climb to the top.

Teaching guide

Objective & content

This Great Stuff Short answers one question: "What's Big Ben?" One speaker believes it is the clock tower in London, and the other explains that Big Ben is the bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, which first rang in 1859. The episode also gives the height of the tower (about 96 metres) and the number of steps (399). The language focus is present simple and "be" sentences used to state facts, with large numbers and sightseeing vocabulary. The skill is listening comprehension, with cultural awareness of a London landmark.

Materials & prerequisites

A student sheet and a teacher sheet with the answer key (PDF).
Prerequisites: present simple of "be" and numbers up to the hundreds.

Curriculum alignment

Tagged `c3-child-and-wider-environment` (cycle 3, 6e). The episode targets CEFR level A1-.

Possible adaptations

Lower levels: Offer segmented listening and additional visual aids.
Advanced levels: Encourage an oral summary and a debate in English on the theme.
Large groups: Organise group work with differentiated roles.

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