Side hustles: making suggestions for extra income

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for B1 learners explores Side hustles: making suggestions for extra income through a real article. Across 12 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• 5 extended vocabulary terms to broaden your range
• Grammar focus: Modals for suggestions with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for brainstorming side hustle ideas
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
• Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness

Lesson activities (12 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study Modals for suggestions — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Error correction — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
7. Practical English — Learn phrases for brainstorming side hustle ideas — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
9. Extended vocabulary — Go beyond the basics with additional expressions related to the topic.
10. Multiple choice — Choose the correct answer from four options — testing comprehension and language use.
11. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the article:

• To make ends meet — to have just enough money to pay for the things you need, like food and rent.
• To get something off the ground — to start a new project or business successfully.
• A steady stream of income — a regular and reliable source of money.
• To be your own boss — to work for yourself instead of for an employer.
• To turn a hobby into a business — to start making money from something you enjoy doing in your free time.

The lesson also covers 5 extended vocabulary items beyond the article:

• A nest egg — a sum of money saved for the future.
• To test the waters — to try something first before deciding to get more involved.
• Lucrative — producing a lot of money; profitable.
• To dip into your savings — to spend some of the money you have saved.
• To have multiple streams of income — to earn money from more than one source.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Modals for suggestions.

We use modal verbs like 'could', 'should', and 'might' to give suggestions and advice. When discussing ideas for a side hustle, these words are very useful for exploring options and recommending actions.

Examples from the lesson:

• You could start a blog about personal finance to earn some passive income. — Use 'could' to suggest one of many possibilities. It's a gentle and open suggestion.
• If you want to be successful, you should create a business plan first. — Use 'should' for stronger advice. It means 'I think this is a very good and important idea'.
• You might want to try selling your photos online; it doesn't require a big initial investment. — Use 'might' to offer a tentative or less direct suggestion. It's often more polite than 'should'.

Key rules:

• Use 'could' and 'might' to suggest possibilities.
• Use 'should' to give stronger advice or a recommendation.
• Never use 'to' after these modal verbs (e.g., say 'you could start', not 'you could to start').

Practical English

brainstorming side hustle ideas

When you're discussing new ideas for a side hustle with a friend or colleague, it's important to know how to suggest, agree, and express concerns politely. These phrases will help you have a more natural and productive conversation.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "What if you started..."
• "That sounds promising."
• "The only thing is,"
• "We could build on that and..."
• "How would that work in practice?"