6 Tips to Spot a Liar - ESL Worksheet

Good Morning & Happy Monday from Riyadh!

I arrived in Riyadh a few days ago, in the middle of the night, with three kids in tow. Thankfully the kids slept most of the way! My husband met us at the airport, sleepy but happy to see us. I was worried about handling customs without my husband there, but thankfully everything worked out alright. The visa official asked me a few polite questions, smiled at my kids and - voila! - we found ourselves on the Kingdom side of the fence 15 minutes after arrival.

We are all still quite jet-legged. My body thinks it's Monday morning, but it's actually Sunday night here! That said, I have discovered two things about Riyadh.

1) Riyadh is really big! Huge, in fact.  

2) Riyadh has a lot of malls.

They must have every store you could want from Paris, London, and New York. I breezed through Dior, Christian Louboutin, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Marc by Marc Jabos, and Coach in one evening - not that I bought anything, mind you! Yet, even though I was dazzled by all the stores, I felt a pang of homesickness as I thought of my simple street and the leaves turning colors, back home.

This week's article is not about Riyadh, though I do hope to have something in honor of my move, soon. Today's worksheet came out of trying to get my kids to 'fess up more while making trouble at the grandparents' this past summer. It'll be a long journey for them and me, I know. However, I hope the article will be relevant for ESL students.

I've made arrangements to start teaching soon; I already miss being in the classroom! I'm looking forward to testing out my worksheets myself. Meanwhile, I'd love to hear any feedback from you about any of the activities that you've browsed or used from my blog.

As always, thank you for visiting, and have a great week!

How to Spot a Liar

Have you ever spoken to someone and had a feeling that they were lying to you? We've all experienced this feeling at one time or another. However, you do not have to worry any longer. Here are some tips to help you figure out if someone is lying to you or not. Most of us feel unhappy about lying. As a result, we may do things that we do not always do. Here are some behaviors you may see in a person when they are lying.

1. Eye Contact 

Liars tend to avoid eye contact when they are lying. This is often because they feel guilty about their lies. Some liars will have too much eye contact. They may do this because they want to convince you that they are telling the truth.

2. Touching the Nose 

Liars tend to touch their noses when they lie. This is because blood rushes to the cheeks and nose when people lie. The person who is lying will then touch this area.

3. Looking up or down 

A person tends to look away. This may be because they are busy thinking about their story.

4. Crossed Arms 

People often feel stressed when they lie. They may cross their arms to make themselves feel better.

5. Fidgeting 

A person who is lying tends to move around a bit. They may play with their hair or their watch. They may clasp their hands or brush something off of their shirt.

6. A Serious Face 

People who are lying find it difficult to smile. This is because their minds are too busy thinking. They cannot use their mental energy to be pleasant. A serious look could be a clue that the person is lying.

To download the worksheet for this activity, please click below.

Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree