Complex Prepositions ESL Lesson Plan (C1, 60 Minutes)

Who it is for. Advanced students whose formal reports rely on because of, about and but. They misuse due to + clause and in spite of + clause.

Everything the lesson needs is on this page: the language analysis, the timed stages with the teacher's own words and instruction-checking questions, the differentiation, the printable handouts and the answer key.

Main aim. To develop accurate use of complex prepositions (with regard to, in accordance with, on behalf of, owing to, in spite of, regardless of, by means of) and formal prepositional phrases (under review, at stake, on the grounds that), and preposition placement in formal relative clauses.

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can write a 200-word formal report using at least eight complex prepositions accurately.

• Subsidiary aim. To write a formal report collaboratively.
• Subsidiary aim. To develop awareness of register.

What to know before the lesson: the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language, and the problems learners usually have with it.

• Clause after because / although: because it was raining; although it was late.
• Noun / -ing after complex prepositions: due to the rain; in spite of being late; in spite of the fact that it was late.

under review, under consideration, in jeopardy, at stake, on the grounds that, in the event of, with a view to + -ing.

• Informal: the person I spoke to. Formal: the person to whom I spoke.

The final report uses at least eight complex prepositions accurately. No due to / in spite of + clause errors. 7 out of 8 or better on Handout 3, Exercise A.

Did students over- or under-use formal phrases? Was the phrase vs clause distinction clear?

Match each informal sentence (1–5) to a formal version (a–e).

Answers: 1 ___ 2 ___ 3 ___ 4 ___ 5 ___

Report on the School Canteen

Purpose: This report has been prepared on behalf of the student council with regard to the school canteen. It is based on a survey of 300 students conducted in accordance with school guidelines.

Findings: In spite of recent improvements, only 35% of students are satisfied with the quality of food. Owing to rising costs, 72% feel that prices are too high. In addition to price, healthy eating is a major concern: 81% want more healthy options. Queues are also a problem on account of the short lunch break.

Recommendations: In the light of these findings, we recommend that the menu be placed under review. Regardless of the cost, fresh fruit should be available daily. With a view to reducing queues, a pre-order system could be introduced by means of a simple mobile app. The success of the canteen is at stake, and we would be grateful for the principal's support.

Find and categorise the complex prepositions.

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Rewrite using the phrase in brackets.

B. Rewrite this informal paragraph in a formal style. About the school trip, lots of parents complained because it was too expensive. But even though it cost a lot, most students enjoyed it. I'm writing for the parents' committee.

• About your request, we can offer a discount. (with regard to) → ______________________________
• Because of the rain, the match was postponed. (owing to) → ______________________________
• I'm writing for my parents. (on behalf of) → ______________________________
• Although it was expensive, they bought it. (in spite of) → ______________________________
• The man who I wrote to has replied. (to whom) → ______________________________
• We'll follow the school rules. (in accordance with) → ______________________________
• The decision is being reviewed. (under) → ______________________________
• It doesn't matter how old you are; you can apply. (regardless of) → ______________________________

You are the student council. Write a formal report (about 200 words) to the principal about the school canteen.

Survey results (300 students)

Your report should include:

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

• the purpose of the report
• the main findings
• at least three recommendations

Handout 1: 1 d · 2 a · 3 b · 4 c · 5 e

Handout 2

Handout 3, Exercise A

Common errors to watch for

• Reference: with regard to · Cause: owing to, on account of, in the light of · Contrast: in spite of, regardless of · Means / agency: on behalf of, in accordance with, by means of · Other: in addition to, with a view to, under review, at stake
• With regard to your request, we can offer a discount. · 2. Owing to the rain, the match was postponed. · 3. I'm writing on behalf of my parents. · 4. In spite of the cost / being expensive, they bought it. · 5. The man to whom I wrote has replied. · 6. We will act in accordance with the school rules. · 7. The decision is under review. · 8. Regardless of your age, you can apply.