Tractor Failure: Contact Between a Customer and the Dealership. Speaking, Listening, and Grammar (past simple and progressive).

Students learn useful expressions to deal with a customer when diagnosing a mechanical breakdown, practise their speaking and listening skills through a role play, and revise how to talk about the past.

Useful expressions

Students can also practise and learn the expressions by using the following website that contains the dedicated list I created for them:

https://wordeys.com/lists/first-contact-1af537577baf2851

Grammar: Talk about what happened (past simple and progressive)

Roleplay

Writing:

Think of three mechanical issues farmers can have on their tractor.

(This list allowed me to create the flashcards below)

Speaking:

Imagine a dialogue between a farmer and a mechanic.

The farmer explains to the mechanic what is wrong with his tractor.

The mechanic asks questions to understand the problem and explains what he is going to do.

Rubric (evaluation chart)

Cécile Sohier 

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About the Author

Cécile Sohier is an English teacher specialising in Technical English, ESP (English for Specific Purposes), Business English, and EFL/ESL teaching. She creates classroom-ready resources and shares practical ideas for teaching English in secondary schools, vocational education, and professional contexts.

Teaching Technical English focuses on:

• Technical English vocabulary and communication

• ESP lesson plans and teaching strategies

• Business English activities and resources

• EFL/ESL classroom materials for teachers

• Practical English for real-life and workplace situations

All articles are written to support English teachers, language educators, and learners looking for clear, usable, and authentic teaching materials.

© Cécile Sohier – Teaching Technical English

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How Well Do You Know Your Tractor Features? - English For Mechanics

Students read and answer questions related to tractor features. They practise their reading, speaking skills and learn some new technical vocabulary for mechanics.

You can check the answers by filling out the online version of the quiz with your students:

How Well Do You Know Your Tractor Features Blogger

You can print the following JPEG version of the quiz if you don't plan to modify it

Cécile Sohier 

How well do you know your tractor features in English?

Try out this quiz and find out how much you know about tractor features!

1. What does "PTO" stand for? Power Took-Off Power Take-Off Power Take-Over 2. Depending on where the PTO is located on the tractor, we say it is a rear, mid or front PTO back, side or up PTO left, right or wrong PTO 3. Which one is a synonym for "driver"? buyer commander operator 4. Which one is an option that helps you steer the wheel? power steering all-wheel steering power direction 5. What is the advantage of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) on a tractor? less fuel consumption less exhaust emissions more operator comfort 6. Which engine specification can be measured in foot-pounds (ft.-lbs.)? hydraulic power flow torque 7. What does "rpm" stand for? rotation per minute round per minute rent per month 8. What is the result of this equation torque (N.m) x rotation speed (rad/s)"? flow horsepower hydraulic power Cécile Sohier --- About the Author Cécile Sohier is an English teacher specialising in Technical English, ESP (English for Specific Purposes), Business English, and EFL/ESL teaching. She creates classroom-ready resources and shares practical ideas for teaching English in secondary schools, vocational education, and professional contexts. Teaching Technical English focuses on: • Technical English vocabulary and communication • ESP lesson plans and teaching strategies • Business English activities and resources • EFL/ESL classroom materials for teachers • Practical English for real-life and workplace situations All articles are written to support English teachers, language educators, and learners looking for clear, usable, and authentic teaching materials. © Cécile Sohier – Teaching Technical English ---

9. Which one is used for attaching ploughs and other implements to a tractor? PTO three-point hitch counterweight 10. What do you measure at the three-point hitch? HP RPM lifting capacity 11. Gears can be: back and forth front and rear forward and reverse 12. When a vehicle is equipped with a transmission system which provides power directly to all four wheels, we say it is a two-wheel drive power-wheel drive four-wheel drive 13. The main advantage of a four-wheel drive system on a vehicle is less fuel consumption less exhaust emissions better control on slippery ground 14. In the cab, the space between the seat, the steering wheel and the pedals is called legroom feetspace feetroom 15. What is the difference between a basic model and a deluxe model? the deluxe model is less comfortable than the basic model the basic model is more expensive than the deluxe model the deluxe model has more options than the basic model

16. Which one is not a synonym for basic model? standard model economy model regular model comprehensive model 17. How do you measure the hydraulic flow in the US and the UK? in rpm in ft-lbs in gpm 18. What does "gpm" stand for? gear per month gallon per minute gallon per month 19. How many liters are in a US gallon? 3.78541 3.14159 3.52653 20. How much is 1 hectare in acres? 0.40 2.47 1.47 21. What is the advantage of adjusting the tyre pressure? less gas emission less compaction of the ground for better yields a tighter turning radius 22. A longer wheelbase means: a smaller surface area of contact with the ground a tighter turning radius a more stable and comfortable ride

Poster: Phrasal Verbs Related to Farm Equipment and Farming

A printable A3 educational poster on phrasal verbs that can be used to talk about farm equipment and farming. 

I compiled a list of 11 phrasal verbs related to farm equipment and laid them out on the poster along with a definition and an example. This poster can be printed out and taped (or blu-tacked ;) ) on the walls of the classroom. 

If you think of any other phrasal verbs, please leave them in the comments below. I will add them and/or create another poster :) 

You are welcome to use the jpeg file. However, if you are going to print it on A3 paper, I would strongly recommend using the link to the Google Draw file above the JPEG picture. Google Draw doesn't give the choice of resolution when you convert the file to jpeg or pdf; so note to myself: never use Google Draw again to create a poster! Beginner's mistake!

I made a second attempt eventually on LibreOffice Draw which is slightly more conclusive, despite the fact that I had to change some font that I really liked from Google Draw. The main advantage here was that I was able to convert my work into a good resolution JPEG file (not possible on Google Draw)

Farm Equipment Phrasal Verbs Google Draw

Check out my other posters:

Poster: Pronunciation of Final -ED

Cécile Sohier 

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About the Author

Cécile Sohier is an English teacher specialising in Technical English, ESP (English for Specific Purposes), Business English, and EFL/ESL teaching. She creates classroom-ready resources and shares practical ideas for teaching English in secondary schools, vocational education, and professional contexts.

Teaching Technical English focuses on:

• Technical English vocabulary and communication

• ESP lesson plans and teaching strategies

• Business English activities and resources

• EFL/ESL classroom materials for teachers

• Practical English for real-life and workplace situations

All articles are written to support English teachers, language educators, and learners looking for clear, usable, and authentic teaching materials.

© Cécile Sohier – Teaching Technical English

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Tractor Warranty Issue / English for Mechanics: Listening and Speaking Exercises - BTS Final Exam (CCF)

Students learn about warranty issues on a tractor, revise the vocabulary of farming and mechanics, practice their listening skills with the video and speaking skills through a roleplay.

The Bottom Line: Tractor Trouble

1. Put the words below back into the text:

coverage, spreading, bought, sell, baling, reliable, dealer, warranty,  hydraulics, repairs, worse, owner, have to.

Tractor trouble. A young dairy farmer who said his work is already struggling to survive is dealt another blow to his bottom line. The new tractor that he recently __________ 1 for close to $ 75.000. He says is basically unusable and the issues which should be covered under __________2, he says, he couldn’t get fixed. That’s why he turned to me, to help get the bottom line. In every field, there is one item critical to the task at hand. And in this field, it is … the tractor.

What exactly would you be using this tractor for here on this farm?

Hum, _________3 hay, __________4 manure, feeding the cows.

Jeremy Corona grew up on the farm. He’s run his own Corona Extra Farm for the last few years. It’s a one-tractor farm so when he needed a new tractor, he wanted to buy it new.

I need something that’s gonna be __________5.

So he went with this beauty. A brand new Case International tractor from a local _________6. Total purchase price: close to 75 grand. His paperwork shows that it was sold with a Case factory warranty. The company’s website stipulates that includes 24 months or 2 years of full machine _________7. It took effect when he bought the tractor in August 2011 and ran right through the end of August this year and it turns out, he says, he would need it.

It functions really good for the first about year and then it started by the spring of the following year, it started acting a little bit weird. We had some problems, so they came out and worked on it.

But that work, Corona says, wouldn’t be enough. By the fall of 2012, he tells me, the transmission blew, the odd gears went and __________ 8 were needed again.

I had them come out and they worked on it and the guy said ‘there is no more damage you can really do’ so he said to keep it running.

And that’s what he did right through the winter but this time, Corona says the problems got _________9. He says he tried to have the dealer fix it once more but this is where his fight started running out of gas.

I called I talked to the service manager. He was real good, he said we’ll get it right in and then that afternoon the _________ 10 called up and he said I’m not working on it.

Corona says Case told him his case was closed and the dealer didn’t ________11 do the work even though, Corona says, he was trying to get it done within his two-year warranty.

It should be covered right till then, the engine, transmission, ___________ 12 and stuff.

So if this doesn’t work, what does that mean for you here.

Probably means for me to _______ 13 out and call it quits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=142&v=yRC_CzrYMUA

2. Vocabulary:

Match the words in bold in the transcript to their translation in French  

un producteur laitier		bénéfice
acheter (acheté)		une garantie
faire des balles de foin		étaler du fumier
un concessionnaire		prendre effet
un rapport de vitesse impair		un dégât
une usine		avoir besoin
le foin		devoir
pire		être couvert par
l’année suivante		le prix d’achat
vendre (vendu)		un directeur
fiable		des réparations
le propriétaire		son dossier
inutilisable

3. Grammar. Past simple, passive, need and have to. Translate the following extract from the transcript

A brand new Case International tractor from a local dealer. Total purchase price: close to 75 grand. His paperwork shows that it was sold with a Case factory warranty. The company’s website stipulates that includes 24 months or 2 years of full machine coverage. It took effect when he bought the tractor in August 2011 and ran right through the end of August this year and it turns out, he says, he would need it. Corona says Case told him his case was closed and the dealer didn’t have to do the work even though, Corona says, he was trying to get it done within his two-year warranty.

4. Speaking:

A You are the TV presenter and you are meeting a Case International representative in order to get the dealer to fix Corona’s tractor within the tractor warranty. Be prepared to explain the situation and the farmer’s viewpoint. You will need to provide some convincing arguments and negotiate a deal.

B You are a Case International representative and you are meeting the TV presenter. You know that she will try to get you to agree to repair a tractor that is not currently covered by the warranty. Be prepared to reject her arguments and negotiate a deal to avoid any negative publicity for your brand and the dealer.

More articles on English for Mechanics:

Fixing Tractor Hydraulics: Listening Activity to Learn English for Mechanics

Tractor Transmission: Mechanics Vocabulary Quiz

Tractor Troubleshooting Vocabulary Speaking Lesson

Tractor Buying Facts: Reading Activity and Oral Presentation Skills Practice

Tractor Troubleshooting English for Mechanics Listening Lesson

Cécile Sohier 

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About the Author

Cécile Sohier is an English teacher specialising in Technical English, ESP (English for Specific Purposes), Business English, and EFL/ESL teaching. She creates classroom-ready resources and shares practical ideas for teaching English in secondary schools, vocational education, and professional contexts.

Teaching Technical English focuses on:

• Technical English vocabulary and communication

• ESP lesson plans and teaching strategies

• Business English activities and resources

• EFL/ESL classroom materials for teachers

• Practical English for real-life and workplace situations

All articles are written to support English teachers, language educators, and learners looking for clear, usable, and authentic teaching materials.

© Cécile Sohier – Teaching Technical English

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