Plans, hopes, and how we work toward what we want. 20 questions from A1 to C1, with follow-ups and role plays. Answer out loud in full sentences.
Show questions for
A1Beginner
What do you want to learn this year?Then: Why do you want to learn it?
Do you like to make plans?Then: Do you use a calendar or an app?
Do you write lists to remember things?Then: Where do you write them?
What is a place you want to visit one day?
A2Elementary
Are you going to try anything new this year?Then: How are you going to start?
Have you ever tried to change a bad habit?Then: Was it easy or difficult?
Which is easier for you, starting something new or finishing it?
How often do you plan your week?
B1Intermediate
What is something you’ve wanted to do for a long time but haven’t done yet?Then: What has stopped you?
If you had a whole year free, what would you do with it?Then: What would you do first?
Is it better to tell people about your goals or keep them private?Then: Has telling people ever helped you?
What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their English quickly?
When you don’t reach a goal, what do you usually do next?
B2Upper intermediate
What do you think you’ll be doing differently in ten years, and what will probably stay the same?
Is there a goal you wish you had started earlier?Then: What would be different now if you had?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of setting very ambitious goals compared with small, realistic ones?
Do young people today have different life goals from the generation before them? In what ways?
C1Advanced
Some people say the real reward is the journey toward a goal, not reaching it. How well does that match your experience?
How much of a person’s future is shaped by planning, and how much by luck or circumstance?Then: Can you think of an example?
Habit-tracking apps are everywhere. Do they genuinely help people grow, or can they turn personal goals into pressure?Then: Where would you draw the line?
Role plays
Work with a partner or a tutor. Read the situation together, then each person opens only their own card. Use the phrases to help you.
B1 Intermediate
Making a realistic study plan
You want to improve your English for an important interview in three months. You meet an advisor at a language school to make a plan.
Card A: Learner
Explain your goal and your deadline. You can only study five hours a week, but you want fast results, so push for an intensive plan.
Card B: Advisor
You think the goal is possible but the time is short. Ask about the learner’s level and schedule, then suggest a realistic plan with two clear steps.
Useful phrases
My main goal is to…
How long will it take to…?
That sounds a bit ambitious.
What if we focus on…?
Realistically, you could…
B2 Upper intermediate
Checking in with a goal buddy
You and a friend agreed to support each other’s goals for three months. One month in, one of you has fallen behind.
Card A: Friend on track
You’ve kept to your plan and feel motivated, but your friend has gone quiet. Find out what happened without making them feel judged, and suggest a change.
Card B: Friend who is behind
Your schedule got busy and you lost motivation, and you feel a bit embarrassed. Explain honestly, then decide together whether to change the goal or the plan.