Most topics on Workshido come as a full set: a Grammar worksheet, a Reading, a Writing, often a Practice sheet and a Full Quiz. But some sets — Making Complaints, Asking for Clarification, Ordering Food, Making Invitations — have only Reading, Practice and Writing. That isn't a missing piece. These are Functional English topics, and for them a grammar worksheet is the wrong tool.
1. Grammar topics and functional topics are built differently
A grammar topic is organised around a form: the past simple, the passive, comparatives. Everything in the set serves that one structure. A functional topic is organised around a purpose — something people need to do with English in daily life: invite a friend, complain about a faulty product, disagree without offending, ask someone to repeat what they said.
| Grammar topic | Functional topic | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | One structure (past simple, passive) | One communicative goal (complain, suggest, invite) |
| Key question | Is it formed correctly? | Does it work in this situation, with this person? |
| Students learn | A rule they can apply to new sentences | A set of ready-made phrases and when to use each one |
| Typical error | "He goed home." | "I want my money back." — correct, but too blunt |
2. Why there's no Grammar worksheet
The phrases cut across grammar
Look at the language for making suggestions: Let's + base verb, Why don't we + base verb, How about + -ing, We could + base verb. That's four different structures for one job — and Why don't we…? is a negative question that isn't negative at all. A grammar worksheet would have to teach four unrelated rules, or teach one of them out of the context that gives it meaning. Neither helps students make a suggestion.
They're learned as chunks
Fluent speakers don't build "Would it be possible to…?" from modal-verb rules in real time; they retrieve it whole, like a single word. Students who learn these expressions as fixed chunks use them sooner and more confidently than students who try to assemble them.
The real difficulty is choosing the right phrase
"I disagree" and "I see your point, but…" are both grammatically perfect. Only one keeps the conversation friendly. What students need to practise is appropriacy: register, softening, knowing what to say first and how to respond. The CEFR treats this as pragmatic competence — a separate area from grammatical accuracy — and it needs its own kind of practice.
3. Where the grammar went
It isn't missing; it lives in two places. First, inside the phrases: students meet would, could and -ing forms as part of an expression, before they need the rule behind them. Second, in its own sets. The modals behind polite requests are covered in how to teach modal verbs, and the connectors that hold an opinion together in how to teach linking words. If a group struggles to form Could you…?, teach the modal set first and come back to the functional set afterwards.
4. How a functional set works
Every functional set follows the same three steps, from meeting the language to using it:
- Reading — meet the language in a real exchange. A conversation, an email or a discussion where the phrases are doing their job. Students see who says what, to whom, and how the other person responds.
- Practice — choose the right phrase. In a functional set this sheet does the job a grammar worksheet does elsewhere: matching phrases to functions, choosing the most polite option, completing mini-dialogues and rewriting blunt sentences politely.
- Writing — use it for real. A guided dialogue, email or short text with a planner and a checklist, so students produce the phrases in a complete piece of communication.
Teach them in that order: Reading → Practice → Writing. In grammar sets the Practice sheet is optional extra repetition; in a functional set it is the controlled-practice step, so don't skip it.
A 45-minute lesson shape that works
- 5 min — Set up the situation before any language and board what students would say.
- 10 min — Reading: gist first, then highlight every phrase that does the job.
- 10 min — Sort the phrases by function and from most direct to most polite.
- 10 min — Practice worksheet: the right phrase for the situation and the person.
- 10 min — Role-play in pairs, then swap roles. The writing task follows next lesson.
Common problems and how to fix them
- Correct but too direct: "I want a refund." "Repeat, please." Draw a politeness scale on the board and have students move each sentence one step up: I'd like a refund, please. Sorry, could you repeat that?
- One phrase for everything: every opinion starts with "I think". Add "use three different phrases" to the writing checklist.
- Knowing the phrase but not the reply: students can invite but freeze at "Sorry, I can't make it." Always practise both sides of the exchange and swap roles.
- Translating from their first language: polite formulas rarely transfer word for word. Ask students how they would say it in their own language and compare what each version does.
- Right words, wrong tone: a polite phrase in a flat or impatient voice still sounds rude. Model it aloud and drill the intonation chorally before the role-play.
Functional English sets on Workshido
Each set below has the same structure — Reading, Practice and Writing at the same level — so you can teach it as a ready-made mini-unit:
A2
- Making Invitations — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Ordering Food — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Health Problems and Advice — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Asking for and Giving Directions — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Shopping and Asking for Help — Reading · Practice · Speaking
B1
- Expressing Opinions and Giving Reasons — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Agreeing and Disagreeing Politely — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Making Suggestions and Responding — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Making Complaints and Requesting Solutions — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Asking for Clarification — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Travel Problems and Solutions — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Formal and Informal Emails — Reading · Practice · Writing
- Writing Reviews — Reading · Writing · Writing
- Writing a Personal Narrative — Reading · Writing · Writing
- Writing an Opinion Text — Reading · Writing · Writing
More functional topics are on the way, following the same structure. B1 continues with travel problems, formal and informal emails, reviews and presentations, and B2 moves on to negotiating, speculating, managing a discussion and writing reports. Every worksheet is free to download and print — browse the full A2, B1 collections.