This document provides instructions and materials for a speaking exercise about what makes a good friend. Students are given a list of adjectives describing different personality traits and asked to categorize them as traits of either a best friend or an undesirable friend. They are then asked to consider why they sorted the traits the way they did. Finally, students must deliver a three-minute speech summarizing what traits they believe make someone a good friend based on their sorting activity and analysis.

1. SPEAKING. ADVANCED LEVEL
BEST FRIEND OR FRIEND FROM HELL?
Get ready to talk about the following topic: What makes a good friend?
First, have a look at this set of adjectives:
confident in his/her abilities handsome or beautiful trustworthy outgoing timid
punctual intelligent fun-loving rich or well off artistic abilities inquisitive mind
possess athletic abilities well-traveled creative free spirit speaks English well
interested in the same things interested in different things from the same social
background from different social background loves to tell stories rather reserved
ambitious plans for the future happy with what he/she has
Second, put the following adjectives/phrases into one of the two categories: Best Friend or
Undesirable Friend.
Best Friend Undesirable Friend
Third, think about why you have chosen to put the various descriptions into one or
the other of the categories.
Finally, deliver a three-minute speech about what makes a good friend.
Adapted from About.com by Mª Jesús García San Martín 1