Click on the Module Activities button for student activities.

There may be rare occasions when a hotel employee has the opportunity to give instructions to a guest on how to do something or explain a situation or process. For example, a Health Center staff may have to provide instruction on how to operate a piece of equipment, or a business center staff may have to explain to a guest how to operate a copier or FAX machine, or a front desk staff explain to a guest the process needed to extend a visa.

When asking for instructions or giving explanations there are several standard expressions that can be used. Look at these examples.         

          How do you operate ( … this tread mill)?

          Can you show me how to ( …operate this FAX machine)?

          What’s the best way to (…hold a putter)?

          Do you know how to (... get a visa extended)?

          How do I go about (... changing my departure flight)?

When giving instructions or explaining things it is useful to use sequence markers, words which guide the listener or reader through the instructions. It is also important to keep the instructions or explanations short and simple. Some of the more common sequence markers are listed below.

      first                           second                third                  forth

      after that                  next                      before that       then

      you begin by           the last step is     now                  finally    

Dialogues

Guest: How  do you operate this tread mill?

Staff: First, turn it on then set the controls for speed, distance, or time. Last,

           press the start button.

Guest: Can you show me how to hold the putter?

Staff: First, grasp the club with your left hand. Your thumb should be pointing

           down and parallel to the shaft. Next, put your right hand below your left

           hand, with your right pinkie finger touching your left index finger. Grip

           the shaft by placing the palm of your right hand over your left thumb.

           Your right thumb should also be pointing down and parallel to the shaft.

Guest: Do you know how to make a paper kite?

Staff: Sure, first, get two thin stripes of light weight balsa wood, one three feet

            long and one two feet long. Next,  join the strips together forming a T

            shape. After that, run twine from each end of the wooden strips,

            forming a diamond shape. Then, glue large sheets of paper onto the

            twine and wooden strips, so the diamond shape is covered with paper.

            Last, attach a long piece of string to the kite, where the two strips of

            wood cross to form the T.

Guest: How do I send a FAX?

Staff: First, put the paper into the feeder. Then, enter the phone number it is

           being sent to. Finally, hit send.

Practice

Practice using the above expressions by having a dialogue similar to the ones above with a partner, one partner taking the role of the guest and the other the role of the staff. For additional practice, switch roles. Practice the dialogue several times, trying to use all of the expressions noted above.

More Practice

Role play the following situations with a partner, one person taking the role of the guest and the other person taking the role of a hotel staff.

• The guest asks how to change a flight to the following day

• The guest asks how to extend his visa

• The guest asks how to play a Thai game

• The guest asks how to send a FAX

• The guest asks how to open a bank account

Other Useful TEFL Links

Yada-Yada English

 An English conversation language site for students and teachers

focusing on English expressions used for various functions

and situations.

TEFL Daddy 

Frank and friendly advice written by an experienced
EFL teacher & former Peace Corps Volunteer:
working overseas since 1989

TEFL Boot Camp

Free Online TEFL Training

What you need to know to start

Teaching English Overseas

TEFl Temp

TEFL Temp is your short-term EFL jobs directory:

Short-term English Teaching Jobs around the World

TEFL-ebooks

 TEFL eBooks featuring Country Guides, ESP Manuals

                   and other publications written by experienced teachers

who have spent significant time overseas.

The Ultimate Peru List

A guide for people living or planning to move to Peru

The Latin American Job List

Find work as an English teacher in the Caribbean,

Central America and South America. With The

LA Job List you’re given access to hundreds of

Latin American schools, institutes and universities

that need English teachers like you.

Check out TEFL

related websites