DAD, CAN I BORROW THE CAR
The siblings are both grounded (let the
Role play cards for two siblings, and one or two
parents.
Can adapt according to numbers, so T can play
the role of a parent if needed.
Roughly intermediate level.
Two siblings fight over a car, saying they both
want to go to study with friends. In reality, they
secretly each want to go to a party. There are
two different parties, which happen to be on the
same street. During the role play, both siblings
*might* find out that their parties are on the
same street, *if* they discuss the option of
going together.
There are some translations for Chinese
students on the last page of the text below: you
will need to delete these glosses if your
students are not Chinese (I teach in China).
_______________
STAGES:-
VOCAB
Teach vocabulary first. Note the use of "sibling"
to keep it gender neutral. (This is for
convenience).
READ
Read the dialogues in pairs.
COMPREHENSION
1. When did sibling 1 ask for the car?
2. When did sibling 2 ask for the car?
3. "When I wasn't in the room, right?
That's so unfair!" - Why is the younger sibling
angry about this?
ROLE PLAY 1 (OPTIONAL)
Any two siblings, simple argument about
anything (brainstorm the class for possible
things to argue about). Write some possible
dialogue from the argument on the board.
INTRO TO ROLE PLAY 2
class decide why)
ROLE PLAY 2 (MAIN EXERCISE)
1 or 2 of the siblings go out (they can
both go in the car, since the parties are
opposite each other).
It is best to specify that at least one
sibling must go out. Maybe they can find a way
to share the car.
OR: You can simplify if you like: say
exactly one sibling must get the car to go out.
NOTE: the second role play has two
stages. Firstly, the siblings argue with their
parents over the car. Secondly, someone goes
out, and something bad happens (see below).
Students can change their roles between
stages if you find this easier to organise.
ITEM CARDS FOR ROLE PLAY 2
The car keys and the house key are both
item cards. To go out, you should have both
(car keys for the car, and house key to get back
into the house when you get home, in case it is
late). Note that these item cards are optional,
but the picture of the car is important.
See the card for "STAGE 2 - SIBLING WHO
WENT OUT" on page 4: The sibling does not
have the car keys, so the teacher should
discreetly collect the item card for the car keys,
if possible. If not, it doesn't matter. (Students
might find this confusing, so it is not very
important).
_______________
VOCAB
(FROM THE DIALOGUE)
sibling
call out
specifically
discussion
to have something on.
duh!
(FROM THE ROLE PLAY CARDS)
grounded
a fight broke out
punish
Two siblings (= brother or sister) are in their
house, in different rooms.The OLDER SIBLING
is in the living room, and the YOUNGER
SIBLING is near the front door.
OLDER SIBLING (calling out): Hey, where are
the car keys?
YOUNGER SIBLING (calling out): Hey, where's
the house key?
OLDER SIBLING: I've got it. Where are the car
keys?
YOUNGER SIBLING: I've got them. And I'm
going out. So give me the house key, alright?
OLDER SIBLING: You can't go out. I've got
something on. So just give me the car keys,
ok? I'm going out, and I said I needed the car.
YOUNGER SIBLING: When?
OLDER SIBLING: I told mum and dad I needed
it last night.
YOUNGER SIBLING: What time?
OLDER SIBLING: Straight after dinner.
YOUNGER SIBLING: When I wasn't in the
room, right? That's so unfair! I've had this thing
on since last week.
OLDER SIBLING: Who did you tell?
YOUNGER SIBLING: Duh! I told everyone I
was going out.
OLDER SIBLING: Did you say you needed the
car?
YOUNGER SIBLING: Duh, of course I need the
car, idiot!
OLDER SIBLING: You know the rule, ok. You
have to specifically say you need the car, idiot.
We've had this discussion, about 500 times!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Well guess what, I've got
the car keys. What does that tell you?
OLDER SIBLING: And I've got the house key!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Give me the house key!
OLDER SIBLING: No, you give me car keys!
A car arrives. The siblings hear it.
OLDER SIBLING: That's mum and dad. Looks
like they'll have to sort this out. Again!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Thanks to you.
Two siblings (= brother or sister) are in their
house, in different rooms.The OLDER SIBLING
is in the living room, and the YOUNGER
SIBLING is near the front door.
OLDER SIBLING (calling out): Hey, where are
the car keys?
YOUNGER SIBLING (calling out): Hey, where's
the house key?
OLDER SIBLING: I've got it. Where are the car
keys?
YOUNGER SIBLING: I've got them. And I'm
going out. So give me the house key, alright?
OLDER SIBLING: You can't go out. I've got
something on. So just give me the car keys,
ok? I'm going out, and I said I needed the car.
YOUNGER SIBLING: When?
OLDER SIBLING: I told mum and dad I needed
it last night.
YOUNGER SIBLING: What time?
OLDER SIBLING: Straight after dinner.
YOUNGER SIBLING: When I wasn't in the
room, right? That's so unfair! I've had this thing
on since last week.
OLDER SIBLING: Who did you tell?
YOUNGER SIBLING: Duh! I told everyone I
was going out.
OLDER SIBLING: Did you say you needed the
car?
YOUNGER SIBLING: Duh, of course I need the
car, idiot!
OLDER SIBLING: You know the rule, ok. You
have to specifically say you need the car, idiot.
We've had this discussion, about 500 times!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Well guess what, I've got
the car keys. What does that tell you?
OLDER SIBLING: And I've got the house key!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Give me the house key!
OLDER SIBLING: No, you give me car keys!
A car arrives. The siblings hear it.
OLDER SIBLING: That's mum and dad. Looks
like they'll have to sort this out. Again!
YOUNGER SIBLING: Thanks to you.
 STAGE 1
OLDER SIBLING - INFORMATION CARD -
5:30PM, INSIDE YOUR HOUSE
Your annoying sibling wants the car tonight.
Last night, you told your parents you needed
the car tonight. You asked them first, to stop
your sibling from having the car, and they said
yes.
Your parents think you are going to the library,
to study with your friend Mark. But really, you
are going to Mark's party, at Number 11, South
St. You are not allowed to go to parties,
because you are grounded. You don't like lying,
but sometimes you have no choice. You must
go to this party.
__________
STAGE 1
OLDER SIBLING - ITEM CARD - HOUSE KEY
You have the key to your house.
____________________
STAGE 1
YOUNGER SIBLING - INFORMATION CARD -
5:30PM, INSIDE YOUR HOUSE
Your annoying sibling wants the car tonight.
S/he asked your parents last night, after dinner.
S/he knew you needed the car, so s/he asked
when you were not in the room. Then you
couldn't say anything to your parents.
Your parents think you are going to the library,
to study with your friend Jane. But really, you
are going to Jane's party, at Number 12 South
St. You are not allowed to go to parties,
because you are grounded. You must get the
car, to go to this party.
__________
STAGE 1
YOUNGER SIBLING - ITEM CARD - CAR
KEYS
You have the keys to the car.
____________________
STAGE 1
PARENT - INFORMATION CARD - 5:30PM,
INSIDE YOUR HOUSE
Your children have only one car, and they often
fight over it. So there is a simple rule. They
must ask you first. Now, they are fighting again,
and you must fix things. They are both
grounded, but they can go out to study with
friends sometimes.
Your older child has already asked for the car,
and you said yes. But sometimes, you can
change this decision. Ask your children who
they are studying with, and why they need the
car. Ask each one why he/she should have the
car. Decide who gets the car, and when they
must get home.
__________
STAGE 1
PARENT - INFORMATION CARD - 5:30PM,
INSIDE YOUR HOUSE
Your children have only one car, and they often
fight over it. So there is a simple rule. They
must ask you first. Now, they are fighting again,
and you must fix things. They are both
grounded, but they can go out to study with
friends sometimes.
Your older child has already asked for the car,
and you said yes. But sometimes, you can
change this decision. Ask your children who
they are studying with, and why they need the
car. Ask each one why he/she should have the
car. Decide who gets the car, and when they
must get home.
 STAGE 2
PARENT - INFORMATION CARD - 11:30PM,
YOUR HOUSE
You are at home, watching the news. You see a
report about a fight. There were two parties on
South St., one at number 11, the other at
number 12. A fight broke out between the two
parties, and the police came. The faces of two
people are on the news. One is Mark, a friend
of your older child. The other is Jane, a friend
of your younger child. Ask your children what
happened. They must explain themselves, or
you will punish them.
__________
STAGE 2
SIBLING WHO STAYED AT HOME -
INFORMATION CARD - 11:30PM, YOUR
HOUSE
You stay at home and do some study. Then,
about 11:00PM, you get a call from a friend.
The neighbours across the street were also
having a party. There was a fight between them
and your friends. There was lots of damage. It's
a good thing you didn't go.
Then, you get a call from another friend. There
is a party tomorrow night. See if you can get
the car for tomorrow night.

STAGE 2
PARENT - ITEM CARD - PICTURE *****IF
SOMEONE WENT*****

You look at Facebook, to check out pictures

from these parties (see STAGE 2 - PARENT -
INFORMATION CARD). Then you see a picture
of your children's car. It has been sprayed (
pnw) with paint ( yuq). (Look at the
picture: this is the car)

____________________

STAGE 2
SIBLING WHO WENT OUT - INFORMATION
CARD - 11:30PM, YOUR HOUSE

The party is great, but there is another party in

the house opposite your party. Both 11 and 12
South St. have parties on the same night. The
neighbours don't like each other, and a fight
starts. Your car gets sprayed ( pnw) with
paint ( yuq). You can't let your parents
see it. You drive it to a friend's place, because
he says he can get it cleaned cheaply. You
leave the car with him, and the car keys, and
take a taxi home.

Now you are at home. Your mother will ask you

some questions about your evening. You do not
have the car or the car keys.

__________