40759 relative clauses based on the devils dictionary

(Based on the “ Devil’s Dictionary “ by Ambrose Bierce and some of its new versions.)
ACTIVITY 1
Try to complete the following ironic definitions using who, which or where and
find out which word they refer to. Every definition is connected to one picture
below: can you match them?? Have fun!!
1. A________ is a person ______ puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket.
2. A ________ is a place______ horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and
children acting the fool.

3.

A _______________ is a teenager _______ must behave like an adult so that the adults ______ are
out can behave like teenagers

4.
5.

A __________ is a person ______ is early when you are late and late when you are early.

6.
7.

An ___________ is a person ______ has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

8.
9.

An ____________ is a place ______ you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life.

A ______________ is an invention of the devil ______ abrogates some of the advantages of making a
disagreeable person keep his distance.

A __________ is a flying ship ____________ is considered by most studies to be the safest mode of
transportation, at least while it remains aloft
A ___________ is a device ______ has a relation to the eye similar to that of the telephone to the ear,
and ______ enables distant objects to plague us with a multitude of needless details.

10. A __________ is a reptile ______ has edible legs.
11. A ______________ is a small mechanical device ______ wakes up people without children
12. A ___________ is an adult schoolchild ______ refused to leave school.
13. A _____________ is a place _______ will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it.

□
□ C____________

□
B____________

□

□
T___________

□
B_____________

A___________

□

□
F______

B __________

□

C___________

□

P________________

□
O____________

□

T_____________

T____________

□
D____________


(Activity cards: matching pairs)
ACTIVITY 2

Dentist: A person whose job is to
take care of people’s teeth.

Circus: A group of entertainers,
sometimes with trained animals,
who perform skilful or amusing
acts in a show
Baby-sitter: A person who takes
care of babies or children while
their parents are away from home
and is usually paid to do this.
Boss: A person who is in charge of
other people at work and tells
them what to do.
Telephone: A system for talking to
somebody else over long distances,
using wires or radio.
Adult: A fully grown person who is
legally responsible for their
actions.

Plane: A flying vehicle with wings
and one or more engines.


Office: A room, set of rooms or
building where people work, usually
sitting at desks.
Telescope: A piece of equipment
shaped like a tube, containing lenses,
that you look through to make objects
that are far away appear larger and
nearer.

Frog: A small animal with smooth
skin, very long legs for jumping,
and no tail, that lives both on land
and in water.
Clock:
An
instrument
for
measuring and showing time, in a
room or on the wall of a building.

Teacher: A person whose job is
teaching, especially in a school.
Bank:
An
organization
that
provides various financial services,
for example keeping or lending
money.


ACTIVITY 3
Now it’s your turn!!! Here are some more pictures with the definitions from the
Oxford Dictionary. Can you try to make up some funny, ironic ones for them?
Have a try!!

CAT
Oxford: A small animal with soft fur

which people often keep as a pet.
You:

ARCHITECT
Oxford: A person whose
designing buildings, etc.

job

is

You:

CABBAGE
Oxford: A round vegetable with large
green, purplish-red or white leaves
which can be eaten raw or cooked.
You:

ACCOUNTANT
Oxford: A person whose job is to keep
or check financial accounts.
You:


ACTIVITY 1

This is an activity to practice the use of the relatives : who, which, where. It’s based on the “Devil’s
Dictionary” by Ambrose Bierce and on some of its new versions.
The “Devil’s Dictionary” is a dictionary in which the definitions are funny and quite ironic. Students enjoy

them!!

1.
2.
3.

A DENTIS is a person WHO puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket.

4.
5.

A BOSS is a person WHO is early when you are late and late when you are early.

6.
7.

An ADULT is a person WHO has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

8.
9.

An OFFICE is a place WHERE you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life.

A CIRCUS is a place WHERE horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool.
A BABY-SITTER is a teenager WHO must behave like an adult so that the adults WHO are out can behave like
teenagers
A TELEPHONE is an invention of the devil WHICH abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person
keep his distance.
A PLANE is a flying ship WHICH is considered by most studies to be the safest mode of transportation, at least while it
remains aloft

A TELESCOPE is a device WHICH has a relation to the eye similar to that of the telephone to the ear, and WHICH
enables distant objects to plague us with a multitude of needless details.

10. A FROG is a reptile WHICH has edible legs.
11. A CLOCK is a small mechanical device WHICH wakes up people without children
12. A TEACHER is an adult schoolchild WHO refused to leave school.
13. A BANK is a place WHICH will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it.
ACTIVITY 2

This is a group activity: the students work with the real definitions of the words in activity 1.
Cut out the cards – pictures and definitions separately; you can laminate them so as to make them last in
time.
Divide your students in two groups: give the definitions to one group and the pictures to the other. Explain
that the ones with the pictures must think of a definition for their picture and then move around telling it to
the students in the definition-group till they find their picture’s match. Fix a time so as not to make the
activity last for too long. In the end make students read their definitions and show the pictures to the whole
class.

ACTIVITY 3

In pairs or small groups, the students try to make up their own funny, ironic definitions of the pictures given
in the activity. You can also allow them to invent definitions for any other object, person, profession or place
they can think of. It’s up to you!
Here are the funny definitions of the pictures in activity 3, in case you want to tell your students after their
tries:
CAT: A soft, indestructible automaton which has been provided by nature to be kicked when things go wrong in the
domestic circle
ARCHITECT: A person who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money
CABBAGE: A familiar kitchen-garden vegetable which is about as large and wise as a man's head.
ACCOUNTANT: One who tells you approximately how much you are worth and exactly what you owe them.