The Unwritten Rules of Attraction
Grammar: Advanced collocations and fixed expressions in the context of relationships and cultural norms
A Level 5 English lesson exploring relationships.
What's in this lesson
A Level 5 (advanced) ESL lesson on relationships, practising advanced collocations and fixed expressions in the context of relationships and cultural norms. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Unwritten Rules of Attraction
In 2023, a Pew Research Center survey of adults across 24 countries found something that surprised almost nobody and explained almost everything: what people consider a romantic deal-breaker varies so dramatically between cultures that no single framework can contain it. In Japan, the concept of amae — a kind of loving dependence, the expectation that a partner will indulge your vulnerabilities without needing them explained — is widely regarded as a sign of intimacy. In Brazil, the same behaviour would likely be read as emotional immaturity. What one culture calls devotion, another calls suffocation.
Vocabulary
- embed in
- encode
- scramble
- signal
Grammar
- Collocation: verb +
- The app encodes assumptions about gender. — fixed verb + noun pairing; no substitution
- Collocation: adverb +
- This is deeply embedded in social life. — adverb strengthens the adjective precisely
Discussion questions
- Have you ever been confused by how someone from a different culture behaved in a relationship?
- Is romantic love a universal feeling, or is it mostly a cultural invention?
- What is one unspoken dating rule in your culture that outsiders would find strange?
The Unwritten Rules of Attraction
Grammar: Advanced collocations and fixed expressions in the context of relationships and cultural norms
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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