What things do you, people in your country or people in other countries think are good or bad luck:
| Good luck | Bad luck |
Decide if these things are good or bad luck:
Walking under a ladder Finding a coin on the ground
Opening your umbrella inside Breaking a mirror
Itchy palms Spilling salt
Seeing a black cat A black cat crossing your path
What could be the consequences of each one?
If it had already happened and the person who it happened to didn’t know about the superstition, would you tell them? What would you say in each case?
Look at the following Korean superstitions. How could you explain the consequences of those things happening?
I heard the call of a magpie this morning
I saw a crow as I left my house this morning
My fiancée is 5 years older/ younger than me.
My fiancée is 6 years older/ younger than me
I gave a pair of shoes to my boyfriend/ girlfriend
Match the situations above to the consequences below:
“You’re going to have bad luck all day”
“You’re going to have a lucky day”
“He/ she is going to break up with you soon”
“You’re going to argue every day”
“You’re going to be poor but happy”
Have you heard those superstitions? Do you believe them?
Match the situations with the consequences according to British superstitions below:
- It’s evening and the sky is red
- It’s morning and the sky is red
- A bird is flying in your house
- Your palm is itching
- You bought your car from a rich man
- You can see one magpie
- You can see three magpies
- Pieces of the mirror that you broke are on the floor
- Your baby was born on a Monday
- Your baby’s first tooth is in their lower jaw
- You just found a coin on the ground
- I caught the bride’s bouquet
- The first day after Christmas was rainy
- Those birds are flying very low
- The cows are sitting under a tree
a) “There’s going to be a storm”
b) “He or she is going to be good looking”
c) “He or she is going to have a long life”
d) “Someone in your family is going to die”
e) “You’re going to receive some money”
f) “You’re going to become rich”
g) “The weather’s going to be a nice tomorrow”
h) “The weather’s going to be awful”
i) “January is going to be wet”
j) “You’re going to be sad”
k) “Your next baby is going to be a girl”
l) “You’re going to have seven years of bad luck”
m) “You’re going to have a lucky day”
n) “You’re going to be the next one to get married”
- o) “It’s going to rain soon”
Check some of your answers with the rhymes below and on the next page, then check the rest with your teacher or with the answer key:
A traditional rhyme about seeing magpies
One for sorrow,
two for joy,
three for a girl,
four for a boy,
five for silver,
six for gold,
seven for a secret,
never to be told,
eight for a wish,
nine for a kiss,
ten for a time
of joyous bliss
A traditional rhyme about the day a child is born
Monday’s child is fair of face
Tuesday’s child is full of grace
Wednesday’s child is full of woe
Thursday’s child has far to go
Friday’s child is loving and giving
Saturday’s child works hard for a living
But the child born on the Sabbath, is lucky, bonny, wise and gay.
A traditional rhyme about finding a coin on the ground
Find a penny and pick it up
All day long you’ll have good luck
A traditional rhyme about what the colour of sunrise and sunset means
Red sky at night
Shepherds’ delight
Red sky in the morning
Shepherds’ warning
Are any of the superstitions above also true in your country?
Write predictions for the following situations and then vote on the most interesting and probable one for each in the class.
Japan
I always carry a piece of snakeskin in my wallet
Thailand
I dreamt a snake was holding me tightly
Brazil
I always put the sugar in before the coffee
Turkey
I saw a spider in my house
Venezuela
My friend gave me a packet of handkerchiefs as a present
Someone swept over my feet with their broom
Miscellaneous/ source unknown
When I hold my hand in a fist, I have three creases (= lines) under my little finger
Korea- Answer Key
I saw a crow as I left my house this morning
“You’re going to have bad luck all day”
I heard the call of a magpie this morning
“You’re going to have a lucky day”
I gave a pair of shoes to my boyfriend/ girlfriend
“He/ she is going to break up with you soon”
My fiancée is 5 years older/ younger than me.
“You’re going to argue every day”
My fiancée is 6 years older/ younger than me”
“You’re going to be poor but happy”
Answer key- Britain
It’s evening and the sky is red
“The weather’s going to be a nice tomorrow”
It’s morning and the sky is red
“The weather’s going to be awful”
A bird is flying in your house
“Someone in your family is going to die”
Your palm is itching
“You’re going to receive some money”
You bought your car from a rich man
“You’re going to become rich”
You can see one magpie
“You’re going to be sad”
You can see three magpies
“Your next baby is going to be a girl”
Pieces of the mirror that you broke are on the floor
“You’re going to have seven years of bad luck”
Your baby was born on a Monday
“He or she is going to be good looking”
Your baby’s first tooth is in their lower jaw
“He or she is going to have a long life”
You just found a coin on the ground
“You’re going to have a lucky day”
I caught the bride’s bouquet
“You’re going to be the next one to get married”
The first day after Christmas was rainy
“January is going to be wet”
Those birds are flying very low
“It’s going to rain soon”
The cows are sitting under a tree
“There’s going to be a storm”
Answer Key- Other countries
Thailand
I dreamt a snake was holding me tightly
“You’re going to meet your soul mate soon”
Brazil
I always put the sugar in before the coffee
“You’re going to become rich”
Turkey
I saw a spider in my house
“You’re going to have visitors”
Japan
I always carry a piece of snakeskin in my wallet
“You’re going to be rich”
Venezuela
My friend gave me a packet of handkerchiefs as a present
“You’re going to have an argument”
Someone swept over my feet with their broom
“You’re never going to get married”
Miscellaneous/ source unknown
When I hold my hand in a fist, I have three creases (= lines) under my little finger
“You’re going to have three children”
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PDF for easy saving and printing: Superstitions going to predictions
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