Everyday Dialogues

Getting a
Car Repaired
In this lesson, you will learn useful vocabulary
and expressions for talking to a car mechanic.
You may spend less money on car repairs
if you can communicate with a mechanic.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1.  hat are some reasons for

W
bringing a car to a mechanic?

2. How can you tell if a mechanic is trustworthy?

3. What questions do mechanics ask customers?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. brakes a) a vehicle with an open back (that doesn’t have seats in the back)
2. muffler b) the part that makes the car run quietly

3. licence plate c) the sign placed on the front and back of the car
that has an identification number for the vehicle
4. mechanic
d) a person who fixes vehicles
5. rear
e) the back
6. hood
f) the part that covers the front of the car over the engine
7. pickup truck g) the type of car from a certain brand
8. model h) the part that makes the car stop
9. trunk i) the covered storage area in the back of the vehicle

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practise your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practise.

Customer: Do you have time to look at my car today?

Mechanic: Sure. What seems to be the problem?

Customer: I need new brakes. They are squeaking badly.

Mechanic: Okay. Is it your front or rear brakes?

Customer: I’m not sure. It’s also due for an oil change.

Mechanic: No problem. I’ll take a look at it right now. Have you been here before?

Customer: Yes. I had my muffler replaced a few months ago.

Okay. That means we already have your contact

Mechanic:
information on file. What’s your licence plate number?

Customer: TIKE 425. It’s a blue pickup truck.

Mechanic: Perfect. If you have the keys, we’ll get started.

Customer: How long do you think it will take?

Mechanic: We should have it ready for you by 5:00. I’ll call you when it’s ready.

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. What seems to be the problem? 5. Have you been here before?

• How can I help you? • Is this your first time here?

• What can I do for you today? • Are you a regular customer?
• What brings you in today?
6. What’s your licence plate number?
2. I need new brakes.
• What type of vehicle is it?
• I need a new muffler. • What’s the model?
• My car won’t start. • What year is your car?
• My car is making a loud sound.
• My windshield wipers are broken. 7. How long do you think it will take?
• My air conditioner isn’t working.
• When will the work be completed?
• I need an oil change.
• How long is the ride to the city centre?

3. Is it your front or rear brakes?

8. We should have it ready for you by 5:00.
• Is it your front or back end?
• It will be ready by morning.
• Is it the passenger or driver side?
• We’ll have it for you in 15 minutes.
• Is it the left or right side?
• It should take about an hour.
• Is it the hood or trunk area?

9. I ’ll call you when it’s ready.

4. It’s also due for an oil change.
• We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.
• It needs winter tires, too.
• We’ll let you know when it’s time to pick it up.
• It’s also time to get the brakes checked.

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing
words as you listen. Listen again. Now look back at page 2 and check your
work. Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Customer: Do you have time to look at my car today?

Mechanic: Sure. What seems to be the problem?

Customer: I need new . They are squeaking badly.

Mechanic: Okay. Is it your front or brakes?

Customer: I’m not sure. It’s also due for an .

Mechanic: No problem. I’ll right now. Have you been here before?

Customer: Yes. I had my replaced a few months ago.

Okay. That means we already have your contact

Mechanic:
information on file. What’s your number?

Customer: TIKE 425. It’s a blue .

Mechanic: Perfect. If you have the , we’ll get started.

Customer: How long do you think it will take?

Mechanic: We should have it by 5:00. I’ll call you when it’s ready.

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a customer and one of you will be a car
mechanic. Practise and present the dialogue to your class.

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Review
Task 1

LISTEN & ANSWER

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers.

1. Why does the customer need a mechanic?

2. What regular maintenance does the car also need?

3. Why does the customer not have to provide her contact information?

4. What does the mechanic need in order to get started?

5. How will the customer know when her car is ready?

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Review cont.
Task 2

MATCHING

Match the question to the appropriate response.

Each response can only be used once.

1. What brings you in today? a) It’s an X1.

2. Have you been here before? b) Yes, I had my muffler replaced last year.

3. How long do you think it will take? c) I think it’s coming from the middle.

4. What model is your car? d) I need an oil change.

5. Is the noise coming from the rear or the front? e) It should be ready in about an hour.

Task 3

VOCABULARY

Write five reasons why you may need to bring a car to a repair shop.

Ex. My car needs an oil change.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int / CLB 5–6

In this lesson, a customer wants to get his car repaired. TIME: 1.5 hours
The customer and the mechanic have a conversation
TAGS:  dialogues, car, vehicle, repair, repairs,
about the car’s problems. Students learn vocabulary
body shop, transportation, PBLA
and expressions to use when taking a car to a mechanic.

Pre-Reading Listening Practice

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
the completed dialogue from page 2.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. h 3. c 5. e 7. a 9. i CLB Skill Competencies

2. b 4. d 6. f 8. g Listening: I. Interacting with Others,

II. Comprehending Instructions
Dialogue Reading

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs.

Write Your Own Dialogue

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model.

CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

Speaking: III. Getting Things Done CLB Skill Competencies

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

Practice
(continued on the next page...)
Have your students read the dialogue again and
practise subbing in some of the different expressions.

CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Review (Assessment Tasks) TASK 2

Test your students’ ability to follow a conversation

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes in a car repair shop. Can they understand a
and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until mechanic’s questions without requiring clarification?
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson.
1. d 2. b 3. e 4. a 5. c
Personalize your own Listening and Speaking Task Assessment
forms for your students’ portfolios by using Assessment Tools
in the Resources section: https://esllibrary.com/resources CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

TASK 1

Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers. TASK 3

1. The customer’s car needs new brakes. Answers will vary. This task can be completed orally or in writing.

2. T he car is also due for an oil change. Your students should be able to identify some of the major

3. T he customer’s information is already on file because things that could go wrong with a vehicle as well as some regular

she had her muffler replaced a few months ago. maintenance (e.g., oil change, new brakes). You may want to go

4. T he mechanic needs the licence plate number to get started. over the major parts of a car.

5. T he mechanic will call the customer when her car is ready.

Mark the assessment form as “achieved success” if the student CLB Skill Competencies
answers 70% correctly and fulfills these expectations:
Writing: IV. Sharing Information
• Gets the gist.
• Identifies factual details, key words,
and expressions as required. SPELLING NOTE:

Note that Hood is used in North American

CLB Skill Competencies English, while Bonnet is used in British English.

Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions,

(continued on the next page...)
IV. Comprehending Information

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary

OVERVIEW

Stage: 2 CLB Range: 5–6* Primary Skill Competency: Speaking – III. Getting Things Done

PAGE TASK SKILL COMPETENCIES

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

2 Dialogue Reading
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

3 Practice
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

4 Listening Practice Listening: I. Interacting with Others, II. Comprehending Instructions

5 Write Your Own Dialogue Writing: II. Reproducing Information

6 Review Task 1 (PBLA)** Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions, IV. Comprehending Information

6 Review Task 2 (PBLA) Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

7 Review Task 3 (PBLA) Writing: IV. Sharing Information

*Note: **Note:

This CLB range is suggested by ESL Library based on PBLA refers to portfolio-based learning assessment in
the descriptors in the Canadian Language Benchmarks the LINC program (though any teacher can use these tasks
guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language- for review or assessment). Visit our Resources section for
benchmarks.pdf Assessment Tools that you can print and personalize for
PBLA: https://esllibrary.com/resources

(continued on the next page...)

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary cont.

PROFILES OF ABILIT Y

The following descriptors from the Canadian Language Benchmarks

apply to this lesson and are used with permission. For more
detailed information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/
language-benchmarks.pdf and visit: https://www.language.ca/

BENCHMARK THE LEARNER CAN:

Speaking • Communicate with some effort in short, routine social situations, and present
(5) concrete information about needs and familiar topics of personal relevance. (5)

• Understand, with some effort, the gist of moderately complex,

Listening
concrete formal and informal communication. (5)
(5–6)
• Give and respond to informal and somewhat formal suggestions and indirect requests. (6)

Writing • Write short, simple to moderately complex descriptions, narrations, and

(5) communications about familiar, concrete topics related to daily life and experience. (5)

Reading
• Understand simple to moderately complex descriptive or narrative texts on familiar topics. (5)
(5)

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 Getting a Car Repaired
Everyday Dialogues

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