Can You DIY?
This DIY and home repairs ESL lesson teaches tools, practical jobs and tradespeople. Students explain what hammers, drills and other tools are used for, then describe repairs happening around a home. They complete a job-matching task and roleplay calling a handyman to diagnose and fix a household problem.
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Lesson format
2 × 45 minutes
Level
Intermediate
Age group
Ages 12–14
Main focus
Speaking first
What students will learn
Lesson flow
Students guess tools from images asking 'What is it? It's a hammer. Do you have one at home?', learn what each tool is used for ('You use pliers to grip. You use a shovel to dig.'), and describe people using them ('He is chopping wood with an axe. She is drilling the wall.'). The second lesson learns DIY job vocabulary — plumbing, changing a bulb, painting walls, putting up shelves, panelling floors, plastering wallpaper, installing doors, tiling floors, and hanging pictures — asking 'Is it easy or difficult? Can you do it?' and 'Who does this at home — Mum, Dad, or a handyman?' Students then match tradespeople to their jobs ('Who is he? He's a builder. What does he do? He builds houses.'), complete a DIY worksheet, and roleplay calling out a handyman to fix a broken appliance.
Target language
- • 'What is it?' / 'What do you use it for?'
- • 'Can you...?' for DIY abilities
- • 'Who is he? What does he do?' for jobs
- • DIY tools and tradesperson vocabulary
Key vocabulary
- axe
- pliers
- shovel
- hammer
- drill
- saw
- screwdriver
- chainsaw
- paint roller
- tape measure
Speaking questions students answer
- • Do you have a hammer at home?
- • Can you change a lightbulb?
- • Who does the DIY at home — Mum, Dad, or a handyman?
- • Is it easy or difficult to tile a floor?
- • What does a carpenter do?
Recommended teaching contexts
Why this lesson works
The lesson follows a clear progression: Guess tools in a What Is It? warm-up, ask 'Can you...?' about DIY jobs like plumbing and painting, complete a DIY worksheet and roleplay a handyman call-out. Teachers can open the materials and start immediately, while students move from supported vocabulary practice to purposeful spoken English.