REALLY??? EXPRESSING SURPRISE IN DIFFERENT WAYS

This unit is dedicated to my 3rdESO C students who are not academically gifted but are always ready for a laugh. You can show surprise in English by repeating the final words of a given sentence with a rising intonation: They´ve found oil in Málaga........OIL IN MÁLAGA?
You can also use a negative tag followed by a positive one, as in  He came back on foot  HE DIDN´T, DID HE ? ; or just an appropriate adjective. My granny had sixteen children...HOW INTERESTING/AMAZING/ SURPRISING; or  REALLY with a rising intonation, which the students seem to enjoy so much or any of the following means:

1. What?
2. What a surprise!
3. Well I never! / Blimey!
4. That's the last thing I expected
5. You're kidding!
6. I don't believe it! / Are you serious?
7. I'm speechless!
8. I'd never have guessed.
9. You don't say!

REACT IN SURPRISE TO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

 

MY GRANDFATHER  GOT DIVORCED THREE TIMES

I DO IT ALL THE TIME

I AM DOING THE SPLITS

SHE´S  DOING TIME

I AM THE WAY , THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

THIS IS TOP SECRET

I AM AN ADULT

FERNANDO DID IT

I´M TRYING TO QUIT

I´M PROUD OF YOU ALL

WE ARE A PRODUCT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT

YOU ARE PART OF A SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT

YOU WENT TO BED WITH WET HAIR

IT IS HEALTHY TO EAT VEGETABLES

I TRIED SOME NEW DRUGS(MEDICINES)

MY ELECTRICY WENT OUT THIS MORNING

I WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

IT´S A NEW FASHION

I NEED A NEW PILLOW

I RAN OUT OF MONEY/ PETROL

I  AM YOUR MOTHER

THIS HAS TRULY SENTIMENTAL VALUE

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DECLUTTERING/ DEJUNKING

I HAD A LITTLE TOO MUCH TO DRINK

WE RECONNECTED ON FACEBOOK

YOU ARE A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

WHITE CLOTHES MAKE ME LOOK FAT

I DECIDED TO SLEEP ON IT

I WASN´T WEARING MY GLASSES

THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A ROUGH TIME IN THEIR MARRIAGE

SHE´S GOING THROUGH A SEPARATION

SHE HAS PUT ON A LOT OF WEIGHT

MY BOSS IS AN IDIOT

LIBRARIES SCARE ME.

I´M A BORN-AGAIN DYSLEXIC

SHE SUFFERS FROM ED ZACCHARY DISEASE

WE´RE BETTER AS FRIENDS

YOU ARE TOO GOOD FOR ME

I NEEDED SOME TIME OFF

WE SAW YOU WITH THAT OTHER GIRL

YOU´VE MET SOMEBODY ELSE

YOU WANT TO CATCH WHAT I HAVE

I AM A DOG PERSON

YOU ARE CONVERTING TO A RELIGION INCOMPATIBLE WITH MINE

SOMEBODY HAD A CAMERA PHONE

SHE WAS AN ARTIST

I WAS TRYING TO GET ADOPTED

THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE AIR

THEY HAD TO EAT

THIS TOWN IS SO BAD

MY HIGH SCHOOL REALLY PREPARED ME

THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE FRIDGE

IT CAN BE CHEAPER TO EAT OUT

HE LOST HIS DRIVING LICENCE

WE WERE OUT OF EGGS AND FLOUR

MY HOUSE HAS A HUGE KITCHEN

SHE KNEW ALL OF HIS PASSWORDS

WE HAD THE KEY

HIS WIFE WAS RUINING HIS LIFE

HE DESERVED BETTER

SHE GAVE ME THE BEST THREE WEEKS OF MY LIFE

I WAS DRINKING TEQUILA

MY BOOTS WERE KILLING ME

WE WEREN´T PICKING UP THE PHONE

THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY

I HATE WEARING THE SAME THING EVERY DAY

SHE PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT ANYWAY

WE WERE JUST TRYING TO HELP.

HE RAISED HIS OWN CHILDREN

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE

MY KIDS MISSED THE BUS

I GOT A NEW BABYSITTER

SHE WORKS ALL DAY

YOU ARE VERY ATHLETIC

HE HAS THE TYPICAL HEADACHE

WE RUINED OUR NAILS

I HAD A BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE

I´M ON HOLIDAY

SHE WAS GOING TO THE GYM

WE ARE STARTING OUR DIET TOMORROW.

I´LL SHOP TILL I DROP

I HAD A COUPON

I SAVED THE RECEIPT

HE BORROWS MY CLOTHES ALL THE TIME

MIDDLE CHILDREN ARE FREAKS

THIS MAKES ME FEEL SEXY

WE ARE INTERESTED IN  THIS SUBJECT.

YOU ARE TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

YOUR LOVE WAS FOREVER

WE ARE TIRED OF COVERING FOR HER

I DRANK TOO MUCH

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A PLUM

I HAD A BIG TURKEY DINNER

I´M CATHOLIC

I LOVED GREEN APPLES

SHE HAD AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO PEANUTS/ SUNSHINE

THEY NEEDED  A HAIRCUT

MY FEET HURT

I GOT FRUSTRATED

IT´S NICE TO SHARE

A STAR WAS BORED/ BORN

I READ THIS IN A BOOK SOMEWHERE.

 

(some sentences taken from The Complete Excuses Handbook by Julia Spalding & Lou Harry)