Tipping is when you give extra money to someone who gives you good service, like a waiter. In England, Scotland, and Wales, a new law makes sure workers get all their tips. This helps about three million people who work in places like restaurants. Sometimes tips are shared among all the staff, so think about the whole service before deciding how much to tip.

In the UK, some places add a service charge to your bill, while others let you decide how much to tip. Many people suggest tipping around 10% to 15% of the bill. In the US, people often tip more, sometimes over 20%. Some people also like to leave good reviews online instead of tipping money.

Some people, like Nige Eaton, don’t like when service charges are added automatically to their bill. Experts say it’s good to check the restaurant’s rules about this. You can talk to the staff if you have questions about service charges. Tipping is your choice, but it’s nice to thank people for their hard work, whether with money or a kind review.

Original news source: Should you tip even if the service wasn’t worth it? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the students into two teams. Write down words related to the article (e.g., tipping, waiter, service charge) on small pieces of paper. One student from each team will come to the front and act out the word without speaking while their team guesses. Set a time limit for each round and award points for correct guesses.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary from the article on the board (e.g., tip, service charge, review). Have students take turns coming to the board to draw the word while the rest of the class guesses what it is. This activity helps reinforce vocabulary and spelling.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask students to work in pairs or small groups. Provide them with the main idea of the article about tipping. Challenge them to come up with a catchy headline that summarizes the key points. Encourage creativity and concise language in their headlines.

– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Write down synonyms of words from the article on separate cards (e.g., gratuity, server, feedback). Have students draw a card and try to explain the original word to their partner without using the actual term. This activity helps expand vocabulary and encourages students to think of different ways to express the same idea.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about their own experiences with tipping and service charges. Then, have them pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. Finally, open up the discussion to the whole class, encouraging students to share their opinions and experiences related to tipping customs.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is tipping?
2. Who does the new law in England, Scotland, and Wales help?
3. How do some places in the UK handle tips?
4. How much do many people suggest tipping in the UK?
5. What do some people do instead of tipping money?
6. Why doesn’t Nige Eaton like when service charges are added automatically?
7. Why is it important to thank people for their hard work, according to the article?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Tipping is when you give extra (1)______ to someone who (2)______ you (3)______ service, like a waiter. In England, Scotland, and Wales, a new law makes sure workers get all their tips. This helps about three million people who work in places like restaurants. Sometimes tips are shared among all the staff, so (4)______ about the whole service before deciding how much to tip.

In the UK, some (5)______ add a service (6)______ to your bill, while others let you decide how much to tip. Many people suggest tipping around 10% to 15% of the (7)______. In the US, people often tip more, sometimes over 20%. Some people also (8)______ to leave good reviews online instead of tipping money.

Some people, like Nige (9)______, don’t like when service charges are added automatically to their bill. Experts say it’s good to (10)______ the restaurant’s rules about this. You can talk to the staff if you have questions about service charges. (11)______ is your choice, but it’s (12)______ to thank people for their hard work, whether with money or a kind review.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is tipping?
2. How would you feel if you got really good service at a restaurant?
3. Do you like leaving tips for good service?
4. What do you think about sharing tips among all the staff?
5. Do you think it’s fair to add a service charge to the bill automatically?
6. Why or why not?
7. How do you feel about leaving good reviews instead of tipping?
8. Have you ever had a bad experience with tipping at a restaurant?
9. Why is it important to thank people for their hard work?
10. Do you think it’s better to tip a percentage of the bill or a set amount?
11. How would you feel if you were a waiter and someone didn’t tip you?
12. What would you do if you had a question about a service charge at a restaurant?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. tipping
2. service
3. law
4. workers
5. shared
6. bill
7. suggest
8. automatically
9. experts
10. rules
11. choice
12. review

Meanings:
(A) Instructions about what you can or cannot do
(B) Given to more than one person
(C) A rule made by the government
(D) To give an idea or advice
(E) A piece of paper that shows how much you need to pay
(F) Happens by itself without needing to be done by someone
(G) Giving extra money for good work
(H) People who know a lot about something
(I) People who do jobs
(J) An opinion or comment about something, often written online
(K) Help or work done for someone
(L) The ability to decide what you want
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is tipping?
(a) Asking for a discount
(b) Giving extra money for good service
(c) Complaining about the service
(d) Ignoring the service

2. How many people in the UK work in places like restaurants?
(a) About three million
(b) About one million
(c) About five million
(d) About ten million

3. In the UK, who decides how much to tip in some places?
(a) The manager
(b) The customer
(c) The government
(d) The waiter

4. How much do many people suggest tipping in the UK?
(a) Around 5% to 8%
(b) Around 20% to 25%
(c) Around 10% to 15%
(d) Around 30% to 35%

5. In the US, how much do people often tip?
(a) Less, sometimes under 5%
(b) Exactly 10%
(c) Exactly 15%
(d) More, sometimes over 20%

6. What do some people prefer to do instead of tipping money?
(a) Leave good reviews online
(b) Complain to the manager
(c) Ignore the service
(d) Ask for a refund

7. Who doesn’t like when service charges are added automatically to their bill?
(a) The government
(b) The restaurant staff
(c) Other customers
(d) Nige Eaton

8. What is a good way to thank people for their hard work, according to the article?
(a) Complaining or ignoring them
(b) Asking for a discount
(c) Tipping or leaving a kind review
(d) Leaving a bad review online

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. In the UK, some places add a service charge to your bill, while others let you decide how much to tip.
2. Tipping is when you give extra money to someone who gives you good service.
3. It’s not necessary to check the restaurant’s rules about service charges and talk to the staff if you have questions.
4. Some people prefer leaving negative reviews online instead of tipping money.
5. In the US, people often tip more than 20%.
6. It is suggested to tip more than 15% of the bill in the UK.
7. About only two million people who work in places like restaurants benefit from this law.
8. A new law in England, Scotland, and Wales makes sure workers get all their tips.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is tipping?
2. How many people in the UK work in places like restaurants and benefit from the new tipping law?
3. How much do many people suggest tipping in the UK?
4. Why do some people prefer leaving good reviews online instead of tipping money?
5. Why is it important to check a restaurant’s rules about service charges according to the article?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is tipping?
Tipping is when you give extra money to someone who gives you good service, like a waiter.

2. Who does the new law in England, Scotland, and Wales help?
The new law helps about three million people who work in places like restaurants.

3. How do some places in the UK handle tips?
Some places add a service charge to your bill, while others let you decide how much to tip.

4. How much do many people suggest tipping in the UK?
Many people suggest tipping around 10% to 15% of the bill.

5. What do some people do instead of tipping money?
Some people like to leave good reviews online instead of tipping money.

6. Why doesn’t Nige Eaton like when service charges are added automatically?
Nige Eaton doesn’t like when service charges are added automatically because he prefers to decide how much to tip.

7. Why is it important to thank people for their hard work, according to the article?
It is important to thank people for their hard work to show appreciation for the service they provided, whether with money or a kind review.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) money
(2) gives
(3) good
(4) think
(5) places
(6) charge
(7) bill
(8) like
(9) Eaton
(10) check
(11) Tipping
(12) nice
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. tipping
Answer: (G) Giving extra money for good work

2. service
Answer: (K) Help or work done for someone

3. law
Answer: (C) A rule made by the government

4. workers
Answer: (I) People who do jobs

5. shared
Answer: (B) Given to more than one person

6. bill
Answer: (E) A piece of paper that shows how much you need to pay

7. suggest
Answer: (D) To give an idea or advice

8. automatically
Answer: (F) Happens by itself without needing to be done by someone

9. experts
Answer: (H) People who know a lot about something

10. rules
Answer: (A) Instructions about what you can or cannot do

11. choice
Answer: (L) The ability to decide what you want

12. review
Answer: (J) An opinion or comment about something, often written online
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is tipping?
Answer: (b) Giving extra money for good service

2. How many people in the UK work in places like restaurants?
Answer: (a) About three million

3. In the UK, who decides how much to tip in some places?
Answer: (b) The customer

4. How much do many people suggest tipping in the UK?
Answer: (c) Around 10% to 15%

5. In the US, how much do people often tip?
Answer: (d) More, sometimes over 20%

6. What do some people prefer to do instead of tipping money?
Answer: (a) Leave good reviews online

7. Who doesn’t like when service charges are added automatically to their bill?
Answer: (d) Nige Eaton

8. What is a good way to thank people for their hard work, according to the article?
Answer: (c) Tipping or leaving a kind review
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. In the UK, some places add a service charge to your bill, while others let you decide how much to tip. (Answer: True)
2. Tipping is when you give extra money to someone who gives you good service. (Answer: True)
3. It’s not necessary to check the restaurant’s rules about service charges and talk to the staff if you have questions. (Answer: False)
4. Some people prefer leaving negative reviews online instead of tipping money. (Answer: False)
5. In the US, people often tip more than 20%. (Answer: True)
6. It is suggested to tip more than 15% of the bill in the UK. (Answer: False)
7. About only two million people who work in places like restaurants benefit from this law. (Answer: False)
8. A new law in England, Scotland, and Wales makes sure workers get all their tips. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧