Campus Finds and Smart Choices

Students discuss surprising places to find useful items, read a realistic flyer, and listen to a short story about an unexpected classroom discovery. They practice comparing options, using should, might, and could, and explain whether the item is worth buying in speaking and writing tasks.

B1 Intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher

1. Image

A school noticeboard, swap box, and campus fair can hide surprisingly useful finds.

Teacher note: A school noticeboard, swap box, and campus fair can hide surprisingly useful finds.

2. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Discuss and compare

Talk about a time you found a useful product or service in a surprising place, such as a school noticeboard, a classroom swap box, or a campus fair.

Use these questions:

What was the item or service?
Where did you find it?
What made you notice it?
Did you trust the flyer, ad, or recommendation?
Was it worth the money?
Would you recommend it to someone else?

Try to give reasons and make simple comparisons, for example:

It was cheaper than I expected.
It was more practical than the other option.
I think it should be useful for busy students.
It might be a good idea, but I would compare it first.
It could save time, but it is not the best choice for everyone.

If you want, add a light humorous comment too, such as:

The flyer looked so serious that I almost trusted it immediately.
The swap box was full of surprises, like a mini treasure hunt.
I thought it was a joke at first, but it was actually useful.

Teacher note: Students discuss unexpected useful finds, how they noticed them, and whether they trust ads or recommendations, with a light, practical tone.

3. Vocabulary

worth it
good value for the money, time, or effort
bargain
something cheaper than expected
practical
useful in real life
affordable
not too expensive
recommend
say that something is good for someone
compare
look at two or more options and notice differences
feature
a special part or quality of something
discount
a lower price than usual
trial offer
a short free or cheap test period
subscription
a regular payment for a service
handy
useful and easy to use
budget
the amount of money you want to spend

Teacher note: A B1 vocabulary set for comparing options, talking about value, and making practical decisions about a useful find.

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4. Grammar

Comparatives and modals for advice: should, might, could

When you compare two options, you use comparatives. When you give advice or make a practical decision, you often use should, might, and could.

1) Comparatives

Use comparatives to say one thing is different from another.

Form

short adjectives: adjective + -er + than
- cheap → cheaper than
- useful → more useful than
long adjectives: more + adjective + than
- practical → more practical than
- expensive → more expensive than

Examples

The campus app is cheaper than the printed guide.
A digital note service is more practical than copying everything by hand.
This swap box is better than buying a new folder.
The fair offer is more useful than the one on the noticeboard.

2) should for advice

Use should when you think something is a good idea.

Form

You should + base verb

Examples

You should try the free trial first.
We should compare the prices before we buy anything.
She should choose the cheaper option.
They should read the flyer carefully.

3) might for possibility

Use might when something is possible, but you are not sure.

Form

might + base verb

Examples

It might save time.
The service might be worth the money.
The item might be more useful than it looks.
We might find a better deal at the campus fair.

4) could for possibility or suggestion

Use could to suggest an option or say something is possible.

Form

could + base verb

Examples

You could ask a classmate for their opinion.
We could reject the offer if the price is too high.
I could buy it if the discount is good.
They could offer a trial period.

5) Putting them together

You can compare options and then give advice:

This service is more practical than doing it yourself.
It should help before exams.
It might be worth the money.
You could try it for one week first.

6) Common mistakes

Wrong: This app is more cheap than the free one.
- Right: This app is cheaper than the free one.
Wrong: You should to try it.
- Right: You should try it.
Wrong: It might to save time.
- Right: It might save time.
Wrong: You could to compare the prices.
- Right: You could compare the prices.
Wrong: This is more better than that one.
- Right: This is better than that one.

Quick tip

Use comparatives to compare the options. Use should for advice, might for uncertainty, and could for a possible choice or suggestion.

Teacher note: Clear B1 grammar guide for comparing campus options and giving advice with should, might, and could. Includes examples and common mistakes tied to the lesson’s bargain/decision theme.

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5. Text

Campus NoteScan: turn messy notes into clean digital files

Do your handwritten notes look a little wild? Campus NoteScan is a student service that takes photos of your notes and turns them into neat digital files in minutes. It is useful for revision, sharing notes, and saving time before exams.

Offer:

Free 3-day trial
20% student discount this month
Choose a one-time payment or a monthly subscription
Works from any phone or laptop

Why students like it:

Faster than typing everything again
Handy when your handwriting is hard to read
Easy to use, even after a long class

Price:

One-time scan pack: $6.99
Monthly plan: $4.99

Question for you: Is it worth it, or would you rather do it yourself?

Discussion questions:

What is the main feature of this service?
Which option is cheaper in the short term: the one-time pack or the monthly plan?
Would this service be practical for your study habits?
What would make you recommend it or reject it?

Teacher note: A short B1 reading flyer about a useful campus service, with a light humorous tone and discussion prompts for deciding whether it is worth the money.

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6. True / false

7. Listening

Listen to the story and answer the questions.

Where does the speaker first notice the service?
What does the service do?
Why does the speaker laugh?
What makes the service seem like a good deal?
What is the speaker’s final decision?
Do you think the speaker made a practical choice? Why or why not?

Teacher audio script

Yesterday, after my evening class, I stopped by the classroom noticeboard to look for a room change. Instead, I saw a small flyer for a note-scanning service. At first, I thought, “Great, another expensive campus idea that sounds useful but costs too much.” But this one was different. The service takes your handwritten notes, scans them, and turns them into clean digital files. I laughed because my notebook usually looks like it was written during a bus ride in a storm. The flyer said there was a student discount and a short trial offer, so the price was not too high. I compared it with typing everything again myself, and that would take much longer. The service seemed more practical than doing it all by hand, especially before exams. I still checked the details twice, because I did not want to waste money on something fancy but useless. In the end, I decided it was worth the money. I might not use it every week, but for busy periods, it could save a lot of time. So I signed up and told my classmate she should try it too.

Teacher note: A short B1 listening about an adult learner spotting a useful campus service on a noticeboard and deciding it is worth the money. Includes comprehension questions focused on the main idea, details, and final opinion.

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8. Multiple choice

9. Grammar practice

10. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Work in pairs. One student recommends the item or service, and the other rejects it. Give at least two reasons, use one comparative, and include should, might, or could. Then switch roles and try a different item from the lesson.

Teacher note: Pair speaking task for B1 learners: students take opposite positions, give reasons, use one comparative, and include should/might/could while deciding if the item is worth buying.

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11. Writing task

Students write a short message to a friend explaining whether they would buy the product or service from the flyer. They must use at least two comparatives and two modals: should, might, and could. The tone should be clear, practical, and lightly conversational.

Aim for at least 70 words.

Your answer

Teacher note: Writing task: students draft a short message to a friend explaining whether they would buy the campus item/service, using comparatives and decision modals.

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12. Board game

Student's turn (preview)

Student

Roll

Teacher

Preview — dice sync when the lesson is live

Move around the board, compare options, and decide if the bargain is really a bargain.

Teacher note: Move around the board, compare options, and decide if the bargain is really a bargain.

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13. Short answer

Answer the questions in 1–3 sentences each.

Would you buy the item or service from the lesson? Why or why not?

What feature matters most to you when you compare options?

What advice would you give a friend who is thinking about buying it?

Teacher note: Three reflective short-answer questions about buying decisions, key features, and advice to a friend.

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11 more activities in this lesson

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Campus Finds and Smart Choices

B1 Intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher

4. Grammar

Comparatives and modals for advice: should, might, could

When you compare two options, you use comparatives. When you give advice or make a practical decision, you often use should, might, and could.

1) Comparatives

Use comparatives to say one thing is different from another.

Form

short adjectives: adjective + -er + than
- cheap → cheaper than
- useful → more useful than
long adjectives: more + adjective + than
- practical → more practical than
- expensive → more expensive than

Examples

The campus app is cheaper than the printed guide.
A digital note service is more practical than copying everything by hand.
This swap box is better than buying a new folder.
The fair offer is more useful than the one on the noticeboard.

2) should for advice

Use should when you think something is a good idea.

Form

You should + base verb

Examples

You should try the free trial first.
We should compare the prices before we buy anything.
She should choose the cheaper option.
They should read the flyer carefully.

3) might for possibility

Use might when something is possible, but you are not sure.

Form

might + base verb

Examples

It might save time.
The service might be worth the money.
The item might be more useful than it looks.
We might find a better deal at the campus fair.

4) could for possibility or suggestion

Use could to suggest an option or say something is possible.

Form

could + base verb

Examples

You could ask a classmate for their opinion.
We could reject the offer if the price is too high.
I could buy it if the discount is good.
They could offer a trial period.

5) Putting them together

You can compare options and then give advice:

This service is more practical than doing it yourself.
It should help before exams.
It might be worth the money.
You could try it for one week first.

6) Common mistakes

Wrong: This app is more cheap than the free one.
- Right: This app is cheaper than the free one.
Wrong: You should to try it.
- Right: You should try it.
Wrong: It might to save time.
- Right: It might save time.
Wrong: You could to compare the prices.
- Right: You could compare the prices.
Wrong: This is more better than that one.
- Right: This is better than that one.

Quick tip

Use comparatives to compare the options. Use should for advice, might for uncertainty, and could for a possible choice or suggestion.

Teacher note: Clear B1 grammar guide for comparing campus options and giving advice with should, might, and could. Includes examples and common mistakes tied to the lesson’s bargain/decision theme.

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Yesterday, after my evening class, I stopped by the classroom noticeboard to look for a room change. Instead, I saw a small flyer for a note-scanning service. At first, I thought, “Great, another expensive campus idea that sounds useful but costs too much.” But this one was different. The service takes your handwritten notes, scans them, and turns them into clean digital files. I laughed because my notebook usually looks like it was written during a bus ride in a storm. The flyer said there was a student discount and a short trial offer, so the price was not too high. I compared it with typing everything again myself, and that would take much longer. The service seemed more practical than doing it all by hand, especially before exams. I still checked the details twice, because I did not want to waste money on something fancy but useless. In the end, I decided it was worth the money. I might not use it every week, but for busy periods, it could save a lot of time. So I signed up and told my classmate she should try it too.