Going with the theme of unusual holidays, there is a fun one coming up on 13th May – World Cocktail Day. It’s a perfect opportunity to bring something light yet highly engaging into your classroom. This B1 cocktail recipe ESL lesson focuses on giving instructions through the topic of making cocktails, using a classic mojito recipe as the main context.
Students learn more complex vocabulary related to ingredients and drink preparation, adapted from a blog post by Love & Lemons. They also refresh their knowledge of imperative forms and practise using sequencing words to describe a process clearly. The lesson gradually moves from controlled practice to more creative speaking, allowing students to build confidence and use the language in a meaningful way.
Does this sound like something your students would enjoy? Scroll to the end of the post to download the worksheet and teacher’s notes, and access the presentation.
Warmer: Guess the Cocktail
Begin by looking at pictures of ingredients (mint, lime, rum, syrup, sparkling water, and ice). Students work in pairs, name as many ingredients as they can, and then guess the cocktail. Since a mojito is a well-known drink, this stage is simple but effective. It activates prior knowledge and naturally introduces the topic of cocktails. Encourage students to explain their answers using full sentences rather than one-word responses.
Reading 1: Ingredients and Their Function
Next, students read short descriptions of the ingredients, adapted from the Love & Lemons Mojito recipe, and match them to the pictures. Instead of simply naming the items, they focus on what each ingredient does in the drink—for example, adding sweetness, providing freshness, or keeping the drink cold. This stage helps build a deeper understanding of the vocabulary and prepares students for the next part of the lesson, where they describe the process of making the cocktail.
Guided Writing: How to Make a Mojito
Show step-by-step pictures of how to prepare a mojito as part of this cocktail recipe ESL lesson. Students are given the first instruction as an example (Press the mint leaves in the glass) and write the remaining steps using the imperative form. At B1 level, students usually have a good grasp of imperatives, so the aim of this task is to help them focus on key action verbs, which can later be compared with more advanced synonyms.
Reading 2: Ordering the Steps
After writing their own instructions, students read a short recipe, also adapted from the Love & Lemons Mojito recipe, and match each step to the correct picture. This allows them to check their ideas and see how instructions are presented in a clear and logical order. At this stage, students also begin to notice key action verbs in context, such as top, garnish, and muddle.
Vocabulary Focus: Action Verbs
Students match the verbs from the reading to their meanings. These verbs are essential for describing processes and are often unfamiliar to learners, so this stage is important for building confidence. You can also reinforce understanding by using gestures or quick demonstrations, such as miming shaking or pouring, which students usually enjoy.
Controlled Writing: Your Favourite Drink
Before moving on to sequencing words, students practise the imperative form once more. They apply the vocabulary by writing instructions for making their favourite drink, keeping their sentences short and clear and using the target verbs. To make the activity more interactive, students read their instructions aloud while their classmates guess the drink.
Reading: Another Recipe (Gap Fill)
Next, present students with another recipe adapted from Love & Lemons, this time focusing on a classic margarita. Students read the text and complete the gaps using the target verbs. The recipe already includes sequencing words (e.g. first, next, after that), which helps reinforce the structure of instructions. After completing the task, students guess the drink and explain their answers, just as they did in the warmer.
Noticing: Sequencing Words
Go back to the recipe and ask students to underline the words that show the order of the steps. They then organise these words into three categories: beginning, middle, and ending. This activity helps students understand how instructions are structured and prepares them to use sequencing language in their own writing.
Expand students’ knowledge by adding extra sequencing expressions (e.g. to start with, later, afterward) to the table. This gives them more flexibility and helps them avoid repeating the same words.
Editing Task: Improving Their Work
Ask students to return to their own recipes and add sequencing words where necessary. They don’t need to rewrite the text, but simply improve it by making the order of steps clearer. This encourages self-correction and helps them see their work as something that can be developed and refined (the work is never over🙈).
Creative Task: Create Your Own Cocktail
Students work in pairs and look at a list of unusual ingredients. They select 4–6 items and create their own cocktail, writing the recipe and giving it a name. This is where the lesson becomes more student-centred, as learners use all the language they have practised in a fun and meaningful way.
To finish the lesson, students present their cocktails and listen to others. They then vote for the most creative, the most delicious, and the most unusual drink. If there is time, you can ask them to justify their choices, which adds an extra speaking element and encourages more natural communication.
This cocktail recipe ESL lesson is a great way to celebrate World Cocktail Day while practising useful, real-life language. By combining visual input, structured practice, and creative output, students learn how to give clear instructions and describe processes in an engaging and memorable way.
If you’d like to try this lesson with your students, you can download the worksheet, teacher’s notes, and presentation below.
What would you put in your perfect cocktail?🍹
