What can science tell us about queuing?

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): What can science tell us about queuing? - BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content

Social scientists have found queuing behaviour is governed by "the rule of six". On average, we will wait six minutes in a queue before giving up in frustration. In addition, people are unlikely to join a queue that has more than six people in it. Finally, six inches (15cm) of personal space is the minimum distance required between participants in a queue to avoid stress. 

In this B2+ worksheet, students will 

• Study a video about the science of queuing
• Learn six line-related idioms
• Discuss six phrasal verbs based on WAIT (to WAIT around, to WAIT on someone, to WAIT up for someone, etc.)
• See advanced adjectives to describe people waiting in line
• Read and answer questions about the "rule of six" in queuing
• Differentiate between negative modal verbs of obligation (mustn't, shouldn't, to not have to)

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Click HERE for the worksheet answers

Lesson objectives:

1) To match six pictures with WAIT-related phrasal verbs (to wait up for someone, to wait on someone, to wait something out, to wait behind, to wait around, wait up!)

2) To find three adjectives from a list of advanced vocabulary that do NOT describe a group of people standing in line

3) To choose the correct negative modal verb of obligation (mustn't, shouldn't, to not have to) to complete sentences related to queuing

4) To practise listening comprehension by studying a video about the science of queuing

5) To expand the students' repertoire of idioms, matching six line-related idioms/phrases with their definitions (to draw the line at doing something, there's a fine line between..., to lay something on the line, to be out of line, down the line, to be on the right lines)

6) To improve reading comprehension by studying a short article about "the rule of six" in queuing.