Worth Doing and No Point in Doing
By the end: I can evaluate whether an action is useful or worthwhile.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Say an action is worthwhile
Worth takes an -ing form, not a to-infinitive, in this pattern. The noun before is worth may be the thing affected by the action.
This short article is worth reading.
It’s worth checking the address.
Say an action has no useful purpose
Use there’s no point in and an -ing form to say the action will not help in the stated situation.
There’s no point in waiting; the shop is closed for the day.
There’s no point in printing an empty page.
State the reason before making the judgement
Give a limited reason
Worth and no point are evaluations. State the circumstances rather than claiming an action is always useful or useless.
It’s worth calling because the opening times may have changed.
It isn’t worth taking a taxi for a two-minute walk in this situation.
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare form and meaning with the model.
1. Complete: It’s worth ___ the details. Use check.
Compare a model and explanation
checking
Worth takes an -ing complement.
2. Correct: This film is worth to watch.
Compare a model and explanation
This film is worth watching.
Do not use a to-infinitive after worth here.
3. Complete: There’s no point in ___ now. Use wait.
Compare a model and explanation
waiting
In takes the -ing activity.
4. Correct the target pattern: There’s no point in to call.
Compare a model and explanation
There’s no point in calling.
Use calling after in.
5. Who reads in The book is worth reading?
Compare a model and explanation
An understood reader; the book is what is read.
The book does not perform the reading.
6. Does no point in waiting mean waiting is useless in every imaginable situation?
Compare a model and explanation
No.
The judgement is tied to the stated circumstances.
7. Give a reason for worth checking the address.
Compare a model and explanation
It’s worth checking the address because the office moved recently.
Other relevant reasons work.
8. Contrast a useful check with an unnecessary repetition.
Compare a model and explanation
It’s worth checking the total, but there’s no point in copying the same blank form twice.
Keep both evaluations supported.
A short conversation
Listen first, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: Is it worth going to the shop now?
B: No, there’s no point in going today. It’s closed until tomorrow.
A: Then it’s worth checking the website first.
B: Yes. We can confirm tomorrow’s opening time.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have a separate score.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking 1
Recommend two small useful checks using worth.
Reveal a possible response
It’s worth checking the time. It’s worth reading the instructions.
Success check: Use -ing after worth.
Speaking 2
Explain one action that would not help in a specific scenario.
Reveal a possible response
There’s no point in calling that number; it has been disconnected.
Success check: Give a relevant reason.
Put it all together
Help a friend decide how to handle a closed office. Include a worthwhile action, an unhelpful action and a reason for each.
Reveal a possible response
It’s worth checking tomorrow’s hours because they may be different. There’s no point in waiting outside today because it won’t reopen.
Success check: Keep the language accurate and the judgement tied to the supplied facts.
Take it with you
I can evaluate whether an action is useful or worthwhile.