Thongsook College BA TESOL Teaching Tips

Cheap and Expensive

Avoiding unnecessary questions when using fluctuating adjectives.

Timothy Cornwall, PhD

By introducing the idea that vocabulary can have different meanings for different people and by extolling the benefits of not having to answer a multitude of questions and avoiding misunderstandings because something is not clear, students are asked to review the vocabulary they use and to add concrete definitions that should help reduce confusion and potential questions.

When I teach writing or conversation, one important aim is to help students reduce the number of questions and the confusion others might have in understanding what they have written or said. This is not so much about grammar but rather defining words in their original message that could have varied ‘interpretations’ by different people.

To show this idea so that students can understand and to provide a single point I can return to at will, I introduce an exercise based on two adjectives, ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’.

Defining cheap and expensive

Most students know what ‘cheap,’ ‘expensive,’ and ‘lunch’ mean. However, when I combine these words into ‘cheap lunch’ and ‘expensive lunch’ – answers vary considerably when expressed in Thai Baht.

I begin by asking students to write A and B on any piece of paper they have handy. I then tell them I am going to do a word association exercise. Surprisingly, many are unaware of this in theory and, even at the more advanced level, find it difficult in practice. I explain that when I say a word, they should answer with the first word that comes to mind. ‘Cat’ should lead to ‘mouse’ or ‘dog’. ‘King’ should be ‘queen’. Right leads to ‘wrong’ or ‘left’.

Once they have the idea, I ask two questions. Question A: write down the first number that comes to mind, “How much does a cheap lunch cost? Question B: “How much does an expensive lunch cost?

To further illustrate the need to be clear, I define the situation. It is a Saturday, you go out to eat lunch in a restaurant, be it indoor or outdoor. You then go home and mention to someone that you just had a cheap lunch. How much did you pay? Likewise, you go out on a Saturday for lunch, have lunch, and return home and mention that you had an expensive lunch. How much did you pay for what you had, not the total bill for everyone?

If they have any questions, I try not to reply except to ask them to write down an amount in Thai Baht. I find that the more answers I give, the smaller the range of answers I receive, and as this involves word association and is an end to a means, I want to get through the first part quickly.

Although I find students are very quick to answer, some are reluctant to record a number without knowing what their classmates have written. I urge them to write down a number and to avoid classroom aerobics, that is, leaning over to look at other people’s answers. I also do my best to ensure they do not voice the amount but only write it down, as I want their opinion and not that of their classmates.

The answers

When all students have recorded their answers, I elicit and record the amounts on the board. Currently, a ‘cheap lunch’ ranges from 35 Baht up to 199 Baht, with most answers 50, 60, and 70 Baht. An ‘expensive lunch’ has varied from a low of 150 Baht to 2,500 Baht. Whether students are undergraduates, graduates, young business people, or middle management, the amounts have remained relatively the same with each class.

The point

Students are usually surprised by the answers and the range of numbers, in particular, for an expensive lunch, and while a difference of 35 and 70 Baht might not seem that remarkable, the latter is 100 percent more expensive. Expensive lunches are also interesting and quite revealing – especially 2,500 Baht for lunch! In some cases, there is an overlap between the two, with one person suggesting 150 Baht is cheap’. In contrast, another might have suggested this amount is expensive.

However, the point I want to make is that while we know what ‘cheap lunch’ and ‘expensive lunch’ mean, but when we define them concretely, answers can vary considerably, and that there is no right or wrong answer. On looking at the range of answers, many students agree that while they know all three words, they do not know how others might concretely define them, in this example, in Baht terms.

Finally, to avoid embarrassment, students are asked why they consider 100 or 150 Baht expensive, which is usually due to a major life event, a car or condo purchase, university tuition, or the birth of a baby, all of which can lead to a different conversation.

Once this stage if completed, it can lead to other discussions, for example, getting up ‘early’ or a ‘short’ meeting. What is early? What is late? What do you mean by short? I find an hour meeting long; others think two hours is short.

In addition, having completed this exercise, anytime other ideas present themselves during the course, a short paper, a quick trip to work, or a long vacation, I remind them of the ‘cheap lunch/expensive lunch’ exercise, and invariably, they add a few words to define the adjective or adverb they have employed, thereby addressing potential confusion.

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