OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on business models offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for intermediate B1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss how different businesses make money and share opinions about pricing and advertising.
• Learn business vocabulary related to revenue, commissions, subscriptions, and profit margins.
• Watch a video about 10 common business models and complete listening comprehension activities.
• Practice using business terms and topic markers to introduce and explain different ideas.
• Present a business breakdown or discuss real companies, their strategies, and customer experiences.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin by examining six different types of businesses, including a retail store, real estate agency, language learning app, and airline. They compare how each business makes money and identify other companies that use similar business models.

Next, a vocabulary exercise introduces common business terms such as advertising, commission, revenue, subscription, profit margin, and add-ons. Students complete statements with the correct words and match them to the businesses from the previous activity.

To finish the preview, students discuss statements about advertising, discounts, paid upgrades, and customer spending. They decide whether they agree, partially agree, or disagree with each statement and support their opinions with examples.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

The video explains 10 common business models and how companies generate revenue through different strategies, including subscriptions, freemium services, product sales, and volume discounts. Students watch the first section and match six business models with descriptions of how they work.

An optional second activity covers the remaining four business models. Students examine images connected to each model and explain their relationship to the examples presented in the video.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

After watching, students discuss which business models they found most interesting, clever, or difficult to understand. They also consider why businesses and customers should understand different revenue models and identify examples from their own purchases.

Next, students examine a presentation prepared by the manager of a car rental company. They complete six slide titles with business terms related to target audiences, revenue sources, pricing strategies, marketing, customer experience, and value for money.

The final exercise introduces useful topic markers such as when it comes to, in terms of, as for, and regarding. Students take on the role of the car rental manager and present the slides to a potential business partner, using the expressions to introduce and explain each topic.

INSIDE THE BUSINESS: THE BUSINESS BREAKDOWN

Option A: Students choose a real company, a business they know, or an imaginary start-up. They develop a basic business breakdown that covers its products and services, target customers, pricing, business model, and customer experience. They then present their ideas to a classmate or teacher, using the business vocabulary and topic markers from the lesson.

Option B: Alternatively, students discuss a selection of topics related to real businesses and their experiences as customers. They explore business models, pricing, memorable advertising, value for money, customer satisfaction, and companies they would consider starting or supporting.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS BUSINESS MODELS ESL LESSON PLAN

• Introduce practical Business English vocabulary through familiar companies and services.
• Develop listening comprehension with a short video about real-world business strategies.
• Help students explain revenue models, pricing, and customer value in clear English.
• Build presentation skills with useful expressions for introducing business topics.
• Offer flexible speaking tasks for professionals, entrepreneurs, and general English students.