Block 3 of 6 · Real English
Teenage Life & Problems
Identity, pressure, social media, mental health — the English to talk about what really matters when you’re young.
30:00
AVocabulary — Emotions & teenage life30 min
10 expressions for feelings and social situations
These are the real English expressions used when talking about emotions, pressure, identity and social media. Click each card to reveal the meaning and an example.
Notice that several of these are metaphorical — «bottling up», «fit in», «burned out». English uses physical images to describe emotional states. These are impossible to guess from Spanish.
Fill in the blanks — real conversations about teen life
Context: Four teenagers are talking about their experiences at school and online. Complete each line with the correct expression.
Click a word from the bank, then click the blank where you want to place it.
fit in
overwhelmed
scroll
bottling up
peer pressure
self-conscious
1. I feel really about the way I look — I compare myself to everyone online.
2. I just through Instagram for hours without even realising it.
3. I think she’s a lot of stress — she never talks about how she’s feeling.
4. When I started at a new school, it was really hard to .
5. I felt completely by all the coursework — I didn’t know where to start.
6. He started vaping because of — everyone in his group was doing it.
BGrammar — Modal verbs for advice & Wish / If only30 min
Grammar focus — Giving advice + expressing regret
Giving advice:You should talk to someone you trust. / You ought to take a break from social media.
If I were you, I would ignore them. / Have you tried talking to a teacher?
Expressing regret / wishes about the present:
I wish I had more friends. / If only I weren’t so shy. / I wish things were different.
Expressing regret about the past:
I wish I hadn’t said that. / If only I had listened to her.
Choose the correct form
Select the most natural and grammatically correct option for each situation.
Reorder the sentences
Context: These sentences are about feelings and advice, but the words are in the wrong order. Drag to put them right.
Drag and drop each word to build the correct sentence.
CListening — A teenager talks about online pressure30 min
Context: You are going to hear Zara, 16, from London, talking honestly about the pressure she feels from social media — how it affects her confidence and what she has started doing about it.
Press Play to listen. Change speed and replay as many times as needed. Transcript appears after your first listen.
Zara — Social Media & Self-Confidence
Ready to play
Comprehension questions
DAdvice — Giving & responding to advice30 min
Matching — advice language
Context: Match each expression on the left with what it’s doing — its communicative function in a conversation about a problem.
Click an expression, then click its matching function. Complete all 6 pairs.
Advice decision tree — what do you say?
Context: Your friends come to you with real problems. In each situation, choose the most helpful and appropriate response. Think about both language and empathy.
Choose the best response for each situation. You get feedback on language and approach.
EDiscussion — Social media & young people30 min
Guided discussion paragraph
Topic: «Social media does more harm than good to teenagers.» Do you agree or disagree? Write a structured discussion paragraph of 80–100 words.
Use the scaffold below. Include your opinion, arguments and a conclusion. Aim for 80–100 words.
Your opinion on the statement
I agree / disagree with this statement because… / I think this is partly true, but…
Evidence or example (supporting your view)
For example, … / Research shows that… / Many young people…
Counter-argument (the other side)
On the other hand, … / However, it could be argued that…
Your conclusion
Overall, I believe… / In conclusion,…
Total words: 0 / 100 (aim for 80–100)
it can lead to…
young people are vulnerable to…
it depends on how you use it
it can also be positive because…
the key issue is…
FRegister — Talking about problems: formal vs informal30 min
Sort the expressions — school counsellor or close friend?
Context: You want to talk about a problem you’re having. Some expressions are appropriate for a school counsellor or trusted adult. Others are fine with a close friend but too casual for a formal context.
Click an expression to select it, then click the correct zone.
Counsellor / trusted adult
Close friend
Multiple choice — which response is more appropriate?
Context: A classmate tells you they’ve been feeling really low recently. Choose the most appropriate and helpful response in each case.
Select the response that is most helpful, empathetic and appropriate in English.
★★★
Block 3 complete!
Teenage Life & Problems
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