Hibiscus Teach · Vids · Movies
Before Sunrise
Saying it without saying it
Follow an invitation built on an imagined future, then use an indirect conversation to express a first impression.
Created by Denis M., British English teacher.
Content note: Adults. Romantic conversation, brief French at the start of the café game and references to past relationships.
A little context: They have met on a train. Jesse has an early flight the next morning.
Watch each clip, then try its activities.
Study guidance
Pause after each exchange. Give your own spoken answer before opening a model.
Choose one disagreement about the scene and explain which words support your reading.
The vocabulary and model replies are original teaching examples.
Before you watch
- What makes an invitation easy to decline?
- When can pretending to talk to someone else make an honest conversation easier?
An invitation at the train door
They have met on a train. Jesse has an early flight the next morning.
First watch: What future does Jesse ask Céline to imagine?
English scene guide
Jesse wants to keep talking, so he invites Céline to spend the evening in Vienna. He imagines her looking back years later and wondering about the people she might have chosen to know.
Watch and check · 6 questions
Choose one answer for each question. Check your answers, then read the feedback.
Answer key and explanations
- Their conversation. His proposal begins with wanting more time to talk.
- Get off in Vienna and explore with him. The plan is an evening in the city.
- An early flight the following morning. The limited time shapes the invitation.
- To frame the present choice as something she could later wonder about. The imagined future is part of his persuasion.
- By joking that she may discover he is ordinary and disappointing. His self-deprecation makes the proposal playful.
- She goes to get her bag. Her practical reply commits her to getting off the train.
1–2 minGrammar in a minuteB2 · A hypothetical choice
I want to keep talking to you
New practice inspired by this scene.
Scene connection: An invitation at the train door
Keep the speaker’s intended meaning when choosing a form.
You say: Give a second example and explain how the meaning changes.
Speaking · 3 prompts
Speak before opening the support. Different answers are possible when you explain your reasons.
Which part of the invitation would persuade you, and which might make you cautious?
Support and one possible answer
One clue is …
The wish to keep talking is clear. I would still want to know my own way home.
Follow-up: Which detail makes your reading persuasive?
Make the same invitation with a clear way to decline.
Support and one possible answer
I would say …
I’d enjoy walking with you for an hour. It’s completely fine if you need to go.
Follow-up: How might the other person respond?
How can self-deprecation help or weaken an invitation?
Support and one possible answer
In that situation, …
It can reduce pressure, but too much may make the listener reassure the speaker instead.
Follow-up: Try again with a different tone.
Two pretend phone calls
The pair sit opposite each other and play a game using imaginary telephones.
First watch: Who are the remarks really meant for?
English scene guide
At a café, Céline and Jesse take turns pretending to call a friend. They use the imagined calls to describe meeting one another, share attraction and test how their impressions are received.
Watch and check · 6 questions
Choose one answer for each question. Check your answers, then read the feedback.
Answer key and explanations
- Her best friend in Paris. The imagined friend gives her a familiar listener.
- So the invented conversation can continue between them. The playful request makes the roleplay possible.
- She admits she was ready to do it quite early. The game lets her reveal more willingness than the earlier negotiation showed.
- That a story she told makes her seem frightening or manipulative. She tests an impression while pretending to describe him to someone else.
- The person being described gets to present his own version. The turn-taking creates two perspectives on the same meeting.
- It gives them a way to speak honestly with some distance. The device softens direct self-disclosure while the real listener is present.
1–2 minGrammar in a minuteB2 · A deduction about a feeling
He must be scared to death
New practice inspired by this scene.
Scene connection: Two pretend phone calls
Keep the speaker’s intended meaning when choosing a form.
You say: Give a second example and explain how the meaning changes.
Speaking · 3 prompts
Speak before opening the support. Different answers are possible when you explain your reasons.
How does the imaginary friend change the way they speak?
Support and one possible answer
One clue is …
It lets them address each other while pretending to report the encounter from outside.
Follow-up: Which detail makes your reading persuasive?
Use the game to admit a harmless first impression.
Support and one possible answer
I would say …
I thought they looked serious at first, but then they made a joke and I relaxed.
Follow-up: How might the other person respond?
What would you say directly when the game ends?
Support and one possible answer
In that situation, …
I enjoyed hearing your version. Mine changed as we talked.
Follow-up: Try again with a different tone.
Listen and repeat
Use these original expressions, then try the You say situation aloud before opening a possible reply.
Would you be open to …?
Make an invitation.
You say: You want to continue a conversation after an event.
Possible reply
Would you be open to a short walk before you leave?
Say the reply once slowly, then at conversational speed.
There’s no pressure.
Leave room to decline.
You say: Someone hesitates over your suggestion.
Possible reply
There’s no pressure. I’ve enjoyed talking either way.
Say the reply once slowly, then at conversational speed.
My first impression was …
Share an early interpretation.
You say: You compare first impressions with a new friend.
Possible reply
My first impression was that you were very serious.
Say the reply once slowly, then at conversational speed.
I’m glad I took the chance.
Reflect on a choice.
You say: A spontaneous meeting went well.
Possible reply
I’m glad I took the chance to introduce myself.
Say the reply once slowly, then at conversational speed.
1–2 minGrammar masteryC1–C2 · An earlier choice with a present result
what might have happened
New practice inspired by this scene.
Scene connection: An invitation at the train door
Keep the speaker’s intended meaning when choosing a form.
You say: Explain the contrast in your own words.
Put it all together
The imaginary call
Can a playful format make a direct conversation easier?
Role A
Pretend to call a friend about meeting your partner at a conference.
Role B
Play the friend, then switch roles and describe the meeting yourself.
Optional twist: One first impression was wrong. Correct it kindly when the game ends.
- Give a specific impression, distinguish inference from fact and invite a direct reply.
One possible exchange
A: I thought they were in a hurry, but they stayed to hear my idea.
B: Maybe they were interested.
A: I think they were. I’m glad I asked.
B: Then tell them that when you put down the phone.
Try again: Switch roles. Make the second exchange sound different while keeping the same aim.
Which wording had the strongest effect on your partner?
Tutor notes
- Accept different interpretations when learners can point to a line or a gesture in the excerpt.
- Ask learners to perform the final exchange again after changing one relationship or intention.