Gestures- Present Continuous

Gestures cultural differences Present Continuous

Choose one of the things below and mime it until your partner works out which one it is.

1. You are pointing at yourself

2. You are asking for two of something

3. You are asking for six of something

4. You are promising

5. You are telling the other person to stop talking

6. You are telling someone that they are crazy

7. You are counting from one to ten

8. You are hoping for good luck

9. You are asking for the bill in a restaurant

10. You are showing that you don’t like something

11. You are showing that you don’t know

12. You are telling someone not to be nosy/ to mind their own business

13. You are complaining about someone being late

14. You are saying hello

15. You are congratulating someone

16. You are showing that you think a child is cute

17. You are trying to stop someone

18. You are hitchhiking

19. You are trying to get past/ get between two people

20. You are complimenting something

21. You are showing that something is not allowed

22. You are saying “No”

23. You are saying “Yes”

Were there any which you couldn’t think of an action for?

Do you know about any other ways of showing these things without speaking, e.g. gestures in different countries?

Do one of the actions below and see if your partner can guess what it means

1. You are pointing at your chest
2. You are holding up two fingers with your palm towards the other person
3. You are holding up all the fingers on one hand and the index finger (= first finger) of the other hand
4. You are drawing a cross on your heart
5. You are pretending to zip your mouth shut
6. You are tapping the side of your head with your index finger
7. You are crossing your first finger and middle finger
8. You are putting up one thumb
9. You are kissing your finger tips
10. You are holding one palm in front of you
11. You are putting up two thumbs
12. You are tapping the side of your nose with your finger
13. You are sticking out your tongue
14. You are raising one hand
15. You are raising your eyebrows
16. You are playing with a child’s hair
17. You are clapping
18. You are clicking your tongue

How often do you do the things above?

Choose one of the actions above and say what it means, where people do it etc until your partner guesses which one you are talking about 

Useful language for talking about cultural differences “In my country/ region/…,…” “They do this in…” “I very often/ often/ sometimes/ rarely/ never do this (because…)” “It means…”/ “It can be mean…”

You should have used Present Simple in the last speaking task. Why? What are the differences between the Present Simple and Present Continuous? 

How can you say the things above as sentences, e.g. “I promise”?

Suggested gestures and cultural differences

1. You are pointing at yourself – In most countries, pointing with the first finger or thumb at your chest. In Japan, pointing at your nose.
2. You are asking for two of something – Hold up two fingers. Holding up the first two fingers in a V shape is rude in the UK if your palm is facing towards yourself.
3. You are asking for six of something – Hold up five fingers of one hand and one finger of the other. In Japan, the one finger goes in front of the other palm. In China, it is just your little finger.
4. You are promising – Crossing your heart or holding your hand against your heart. In Japan, linking little fingers with someone.
5. You are telling the other person to stop talking – Putting one vertical finger in front of your lips, or making a zipping gesture across your lips. In Saudi Arabia, blowing on your finger tips.
6. You are telling someone that they are crazy – Making a circular motion with your first finger by the side of your head, or tapping the side of your head.
7. You are counting from one to ten – Bringing one finger up at a time, starting on your first finger or thumb. In some countries, folding the fingers down instead.
8. You are hoping for good luck – Crossing your fingers, making a cross in front of you or touching wood (UK) or metal (Spain).
9. You are asking for the bill in a restaurant – Putting up one hand and making a signing gesture. In Japan, crossing your index fingers.
10. You are showing that you don’t like something – Sticking out your tongue.
11. You are showing that you don’t know – Palms up and/ or shoulders raised.
12. You are telling someone not to be nosy/ to mind their own business/ not to ask personal questions – Tapping the side of your nose.
13. You are complaining about someone being late – Tapping your watch or the place where a watch would be.
14. You are saying hello – Raising one palm, raising your eyebrows, bowing or bowing with your palms together (Thailand).
15. You are congratulating someone – Patting them on the shoulder, raising up their arms, shaking their hand or clapping them.
16. You are showing that you think a child is cute – Playing with the child’s hair (taboo in some places like Thailand) or pinching his or her cheeks.
17. You are trying to stop someone – Holding out one palm (taboo in Greece).
18. You are hitchhiking – Holding up one thumb (taboo in some parts of Middle East and Latin America) or moving one hand up and down with an open palm facing down.
19. You are trying to get past/ get between people – Turning your body towards or away from the person, and making a chopping motion with an open palm (Japan)
20. You are complimenting something – Thumbs up, kissing your finger tips (for food), or pressing your fingertips and thumb of one hand together and moving them up and down (Turkey)
21. You are showing that something is not allowed – Clicking your tongue and/ or shaking your head, or holding up crossed arms, hands or index fingers
22. You are saying “No” – Shaking your head or tipping your head back, raising your eyebrows and/ or clicking your tongue (some Balkan countries)
23. You are saying “Yes” – Nodding your head (once or several times) or wobbling your head from side to side (India)