Accommodation rules guessing game (modals)

Hotel, youth hostel, dorm, university halls, B and B, and host family rules (Modals/ Travel English)
A: Choose and circle any one of the rules below and see if your partner can guess which one you have chosen by asking yes/ no questions, e.g. “Are there any special rules about the bathroom?” or “Do I have to do anything at any particular time?”

B: Circle one more rule. The rule you have circled is one of the rules of the accommodation that you are the owner of. Your partner can choose if they are looking for a youth hostel, host family, university halls (dorm), hotel or B and B (bed and breakfast). Take questions from your prospective guest and try to persuade them to stay in your accommodation. You can try to avoid telling them any bad rules you have, but you cannot lie about it.

You are supposed to hoover (= vacuum) your room after you have finished staying in it.

You are only allowed one shower a day.

You mustn’t shower for more than 10 minutes.

You are supposed to pray before you start eating.

There is a 10 pm curfew (= you can’t go in or out after 10 pm.)

You aren’t allowed to invite people of the opposite sex into your room after 8pm.

You have to bring your own towels.

You have to bring your own bedding (sheets, pillowcase, duvet cover etc.)

You can’t enter your room from 10 am to 3 pm.

You have to sleep in bunk beds.

You have to clear away your dishes after you have finished eating.

You have to take all your rubbish with you when you leave.

You aren’t allowed to flush the toilet after other people have gone to sleep.

You have to turn the lights out by half past ten at night.

You have to use a communal shower (= a big shared shower)

You are allowed to keep a pet, but only one that can hold its breath underwater for at least 6 minutes.

You aren’t allowed to cook meat in the saucepans provided.

You aren’t allowed to swear (use bad words)

You can’t dye your hair in the shower

Discussion questions

All the rules above are true somewhere. Have you ever stayed anywhere with any of these rules?

Which ones do you think are the best and the worst rules? Why do you think they exist?

In pairs, one person take the role of a host parent and one person take the role of a student staying in their house. Negotiate the house rules.

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PDF for easy saving and printing: AccommodationRulesModals

Related pages

Travel English page

Modals of obligation etc page