LESSON OVERVIEW

This worksheet looks into an interesting linguistic phenomenon, i.e. the so-called eggcorn. It happens when somebody substitutes a word or phrase for another one that sounds similar or identical. For example saying ‘curve your hunger’ instead of ‘curb your hunger’.

READING & DISCUSSION

First, students learn about the phenomenon through a short article explaining it. Make sure that they understand the meaning of the term and move on to the questions we prepared. Ask students whether there are any eggcorns that they use or notice people using, as well as whether they can give any examples of eggcorns in their mother tongues.

PRACTICE

Next, students need to identify top 10 most common eggcorns by choosing the correct ways of using certain words and phrases. The exercise includes such words and phrases as e.g. a scapegoat, all of a sudden, iced tea, utmost, etc. and their wrong versions commonly used by people. Last two tasks are there to practise using newly learnt phrases – first in writing and then in speaking.

RELATED LESSON PLANS

This worksheet goes well with our lesson plan:

• The hungover origins of brunch