1424028795_36021

28833_00_Great_ELT_P01-31.QXD 11/17/09 9:04 PM Page I 

TEACHER’S RESOURCE PACK FOR 

GREAT EXPECTATIONS 

THE ELT GRAPHIC NOVEL 

Charles Dickens 

Written by Carol Nuttall 

Australia • Brazil • Japan • Korea • Mexico • Singapore • Spain • United Kingdom • United States

28833_00_Great_ELT_P01-31.QXD 11/17/09 9:04 PM Page II 

Teacher’s Resource Pack for 

Great Expectations 

Carol Nuttall 

Publisher: Jason Mann 

Development Editor: Heidi North 

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Natalie Griffith 

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Herbert 

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A Macmillan Company 

Character Designs & Original 

Artwork:John Stokes 

Audio: EFS Television 

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ISBN 10: 1-4240-2883-3 

ISBN 13: 978-1-4240-2883-2 

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28833_00_Great_ELT_P01-31.QXD 11/17/09 9:04 PM Page 1 

1 

CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

BEFORE YOU READ 

Worksheet 1 Teacher’s Notes – Charles Dickens’s Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Worksheet 1 – Charles Dickens’s Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Worksheet 2 Teacher’s Notes – The Historical Setting of the Novel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Worksheet 2 – The Historical Setting of the Novel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Worksheet 3 Teacher’s Notes – The Story and Main Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Worksheet 3 – The Story and Main Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Worksheet 4 Teacher’s Notes – Social Classes in the Novel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Worksheet 4 – Social Classes in the Novel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Worksheet 5 Teacher’s Notes – Crime and Punishment in Dickens’s England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Worksheet 5 – Crime and Punishment in Dickens’s England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

QUIZ 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

WHILE YOU READ 

Worksheet 6 Teacher’s Notes – A Fateful Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Worksheet 6 – A Fateful Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Worksheet 7 Teacher’s Notes – Unsettling Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Worksheet 7 – Unsettling Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Worksheet 8 Teacher’s Notes – Pip’s Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Worksheet 8 – Pip’s Expectations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Optional Worksheet Teacher’s Notes – The News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Optional Worksheet – The News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

Worksheet 9 Teacher’s Notes – New Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Worksheet 9 – New Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Worksheet 10 Teacher’s Notes – Rising Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Worksheet 10 – Rising Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

QUIZ 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Worksheet 11 Teacher’s Notes – Warning Signs! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Worksheet 11 – Warning Signs! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Worksheet 12 Teacher’s Notes – The Cold Truth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

Worksheet 12 – The Cold Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Worksheet 13 Teacher’s Notes – Protecting Magwitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Worksheet 13 – Protecting Magwitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 

Worksheet 14 Teacher’s Notes – Detective Pip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

Worksheet 14 – Detective Pip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Worksheet 15 Teacher’s Notes – Unexpected Reunions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Worksheet 15 – Unexpected Reunions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

QUIZ 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

AFTER YOU READ 

Worksheet 16 Teacher’s Notes – Double Trouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Worksheet 16 – Double Trouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Worksheet 17 Teacher’s Notes – ‘Always the best of friends’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 

Worksheet 17– ‘Always the best of friends’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

Worksheet 18 Teacher’s Notes – Expectations and Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Worksheet 18 – Expectations and Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

Worksheet 19 Teacher’s Notes – ‘. . . and I love her!’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Worksheet 19 – ‘. . . and I love her!’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

Worksheet 20 Teacher’s Notes – Act It Out! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Worksheet 20 – Act It Out! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

Optional Worksheet Teacher’s Notes – Great Expectations Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Optional Worksheet – Great Expectations Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 

TESTS 

Test 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 

Test 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 

ANSWER KEYS 

Test 1 and 2 Answer Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 

Quizes 1 and 2 Answer Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 

Quiz 3 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 

Appendix – Extra Writing Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 

Audio Track Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62


2 Great Expectations for ELT 

INTRODUCTION 

WELCOME TO THE TEACHER’S RESOURCE PACK FOR 

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: THE ELT GRAPHIC NOVEL 

This photocopiable resource is designed with ease of use in mind. 

Our aim is to create engaging, fun, easy ¯ to ¯ use worksheets with the busy teacher in mind! 

These worksheets are created to encourage ELT students to both widen and develop their use of English, 

working on reading, writing, listening and speaking, while also developing valuable study skills. 

While these worksheets focus mainly on language, there are also applications for history and drama. The 

question types are formulated to reflect the FCE Paper 3 Use of English. 

We hope you, and your students, enjoy them.


THE NOVELS AND WRITINGS OF CHARLES DICKENS 

Charles Dickens penned many plays and was a tireless correspondent, exchanging letters with important 

figures all over the globe. 

He campaigned within his writings on numerous social causes – such as the dreadful conditions found in 

workhouses and Yorkshire’s boarding schools, on poor relief, conditions in prison, prostitution, child labour, 

and a wide range of health and welfare issues. Because of his work he was viewed by many as being a 

champion of the poor; a man who wanted to reform decaying and corrupt systems for the benefit of all. At 

his height of popularity he was recognised as being the best–read writer in the world. 

3 Great Expectations for ELT Photocopiable © 2010 Heinle, a part of Cengage Learning


TEACHER’S NOTES 

WORKSHEET 1 – CHARLES DICKENS’S LIFE 

1 Students work individually. Tell them to read pages 154–155 of their books in order to find the 

information to complete the table. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Date What Happened at the Time? 

7 February 1812 Charles Dickens was born, the second of eight children. 

1821, aged 9 He was sent to school. 

1822 The family moved to London. 

1824 His father was arrested and sent to a debtors’ prison. Charles went to 

work in a blacking warehouse. 

Late 1824 His father was released from prison. Charles returned to school. 

1830–1836 He wrote for several newspapers as a journalist. 

1833 His first story, A Dinner at Poplar Walk, was published. 

2 April 1836 He married Catherine Hogarth. 

1837 His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, was published. 

1837–1839 He wrote Oliver Twist as a monthly series. 

1843 A Christmas Carol was published. 

9 June 1870 Dickens died. 

2 This task aims to show some of the connections between the book and Dickens’s life and to focus 

students’ attention on some useful vocabulary connected with talking about the book. 

Students work individually. Before they start, check that they understand the words in the box. Make it 

clear to them that the missing words are all nouns. Tell them to read through the text and complete the 

sentences with a word from the box. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 plot 2 events 3 protagonist 4 education 5 circumstances 

6 wealth 7 convict 8 matters 9 debt 10 characters 

3 Students work in pairs. Ask them if they know of or have read any of Charles Dickens’s books. Perhaps 

they have read them in their own language, or they may have seen films based on his stories. For 

instance, they may know Scrooge (from A Christmas Carol) as a character. Tell them to look at the list of 

titles and circle the ones they think Dickens wrote. 

ANSWER KEY: The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, The Old Curiosity Shop, 

Great Expectations. 

Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte 

Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley 

The Bostonians was written by Henry James 

4 Great Expectations for ELT


WORKSHEET 1 – CHARLES DICKENS’S LIFE 

1 Read pages 154–155 of your book and complete the timeline of Dickens’s life. 

Date What Happened at the Time? 

7 February 1812 Charles Dickens was born, the second of eight children. 

1821, aged 9 He was sent to school. 

1822 

1824 

Late 1824 His father was released from prison. Charles returned to school. 

1830–1836 

2 April 1836 

His first story, A Dinner at Poplar Walk, was published. 

1837 His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, was published. 

1837–1839 

1843 A Christmas Carol was published. 

9 June 1870 

2 Great Expectations is one of the most autobiographical of Dickens’s novels. Complete the passage using 

the nouns below. 

convict events debt circumstances characters 

education wealth protagonist matters plot 

Dickens’s early life 

The (1) ___________ of Great Expectations contains a lot of details which reflect (2) __________ from Charles 

Dickens’s early life. As a boy, Pip, the (3) __________ in the story, lives in the marsh country in south-east 

England. Like Dickens, Pip is forced to work at a job he hates and he thinks he is too good for his surroundings. 

He longs to get an (4) __________, to improve himself and change his (5) __________. 

Material (6) __________ comes to Pip at an early age and his life is affected by the law, his experiences 

with an escaped (7) __________ and justice in general. Dickens himself was greatly affected by such 

(8) __________, since his father had fallen into (9) __________ and had been sent to prison for a time. 

Also, one of the (10) __________ who helps and influences Pip while he is in London is a law clerk called 

Wemmick, and this was Dickens’s first job upon leaving school. 

3 Circle the titles of the books that were written by Charles Dickens. Do you know any others? 

The Pickwick Papers Jane Eyre Oliver Twist 

Frankenstein A Christmas Carol The Old Curiosity Shop 

The Bostonians Great Expectations Hard Times 




WORKSHEET 2 – THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF THE NOVEL 

The aim of this worksheet is to provide students with some useful background historical information to 

help them further understand as they read the story. As you prepare to do this with students, you might 

like to expand on some of the information, or advise students to do so. The following websites provide 

useful information aimed at young children, so the language level is suitable for B1–2 level ELT students: 

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/prosegreatexpect/ 

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/victorians/ 

1 Students can work individually or in pairs. The words chosen for this exercise will be useful for students 

as they read the story, and the aim of the task is to help students guess the meaning of unknown words as 

they read. Tell students to find the words in column A in the text, and work out which meaning in 

column B suits each one. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 f 2 e 3 b 4 a 5 d 6 c 

2 Students work individually. Tell them to turn to page 156 of their books. Explain that Great Expectations 

contains many aspects of life in Victorian England. The text they are going to read outlines some of 

these. They must read the text and then decide if the statements are true or false. Although this task is 

not an exam ¯ style task, it is designed to help develop students’ reading skills for multiple ¯ choice reading 

comprehension tasks, which appear in most B2 level examinations. Students should pay careful 

attention to the wording of the statements and whether they reflect information in the passage or not. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 T 2 F 3 T 4 T 5 F 

3 This task provides students with practice in an open cloze task, while at the same time affording them a 

useful insight into the historical context of Pip’s situation at the beginning of the story. Should students 

show interest, the BBC website on Victorians (see above) will provide them with a stimulating means of 

gaining extra information as it contains visuals and only short pieces of text. 

Tell students to read through the text. Elicit any unknown words. Then tell them to fill each gap with 

only one word. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 as 2 no 3 while / whereas 4 would 5 his 6 but / yet 

7 like 8 had 9 when 10 due 11 will 12 some / many 

4 Allow for opinions to vary here. You could ask them, at what age do you think children should be 

allowed to work? And what kinds of jobs are suitable for them? You might also like to describe current 

British / American attitudes towards Saturday jobs and part ¯ time jobs that teenagers often do to earn 

pocket money and then elicit students’ attitudes towards this. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary. 



WORKSHEET 2 – THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF THE NOVEL 

1 Match the words in column A with their meaning in B. 

A B 

1 marsh a country controlled by another 

2 protestor b person who owes money 

3 debtor c prisoner 

4 colony d ships used for transporting prisoners 

5 prison hulk e person who publicly demands change 

6 convict f wet and muddy area of land 

2 Read page 156 of your book and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F): 

1 Great Expectations is set in the early nineteenth century. T / F 

2 The Industrial Revolution led to a rise in crime all over England. T / F 

3 The majority of long-term prisoners at Newgate owed money. T / F 

4 One form of punishment was to send prisoners to live in another country. T / F 

5 The ships which took the prisoners to the colonies were very comfortable. T / F 

3 Open Cloze. Read the passage below and choose one suitable word to fill each gap. 

Children in Dickens’s England 

In the nineteenth century, factory owners regarded children (1)__________ a source of cheap labour. There 

were (2)__________ child labour laws until the 1860s, so the children were forced to work long hours, doing 

unpleasant and often dangerous jobs. Children as young as five were sent to work in coal mines, pushing 

trucks of coal to the surface, (3)___________ others, like Dickens himself, worked in factories, where many 

were injured or became ill. A particularly unpleasant job for young orphans was that of a chimney sweep. 

Small boys (4)__________ be forced to climb up the chimneys of large houses to clean them. Charles 

Dickens was active in the campaign to stop child labour and (5)__________ writing highlighted many of the 

terrible conditions under which Victorian children were forced to live. 

Education was available, (6)__________ few children attended school, as the money they earned from 

working was too important to the family. ‘Dame’ schools (7)__________ the one run by Mr Wopsle’s greataunt 

in Great Expectations were little more than childcare centres. Dickens’s own education (8) __________ 

been interrupted (9)__________ he was forced to go and work in a shoe¯blacking factory. He became 

successful (10)__________ to his own determination to acquire an education and improve himself. In Great 

Expectations, Pip feels certain that an education (11)__________ help him become a gentleman and it is 

believed that he reflects (12)__________ of the writer’s own childhood ambitions. 

4 Today it is still acceptable for children to work. For example, many teenagers have part-time jobs to earn 

pocket money. Do you think this is a good idea? 




WORKSHEET 3 – THE STORY AND MAIN CHARACTERS 

The aim of this worksheet is to provide students with a brief summary of the main plot and introduce the 

main characters. As the full story is fairly complex, with various sub ¯ plots intertwined with the main thread, 

providing students with this information before they read will aid their understanding while they read. 

1 Students work individually. Before students tackle the task, check that they understand the following 

vocabulary: adopted, child, apprentice, inherit, benefactor, file (tool). Tell students to read through the 

text first and then try to fit the sentences into each gap. Elicit the answers and give feedback. 

This task focuses on reading skills and reflects the gapped text task type seen in Paper 1, Part 2 

of the Cambridge FCE examination. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 e 2 b 3 d 4 f 5 a 6 c 

2 The aim of this task is to familiarise students with the names and descriptions of the main characters. 

Several important characters have been omitted here, but these will be addressed in later worksheets. 

Students work individually or in pairs. Based on their reading of the plot summary, they create an outline 

description of each character. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary, but expect the following. 

Magwitch: A prisoner whom Pip helps. He never forgets his kindness and devotes the rest of his life to 

making money so that Pip may become a rich gentleman. 

Joe: The village blacksmith who is married to Pip’s sister. He is a kind, simple man, and loves Pip dearly, 

remaining loyal to him even when Pip treats him coldly. 

Pip: A young orphan boy who is raised by his sister and brother ¯ in ¯ law. He becomes determined to 

improve himself and his social standing. 

Estella: A beautiful, but cold, young lady who is cruel to Pip. Pip falls in love with her despite her 

repeatedly telling him she has no heart. 

Miss Havisham: A wealthy old woman who is broken ¯ hearted and bitter towards all men. She takes 

revenge by raising her adopted daughter to be cold and to hate all men. 

Optional extension: With advanced students, follow up these tasks with a discussion question, ‘According 

to the summary you have just read, what do you think Pip learns from his experiences?’ 

ANSWER KEY: Allow for discussion, but do not give students any definite answers. Simply tell them 

that this question will be addressed again after they finish reading the book. 



WORKSHEET 3 – THE STORY AND MAIN CHARACTERS 

1 Read the summary of the central story below. Six sentences have been removed. Decide which missing 

sentences (a–f) best fit each gap (1–6). 

Pip is a young boy whose parents have died. He is being brought up by his sister, who is married to the local 

blacksmith, Joe Gargery. Mrs Joe is cruel to her brother, but Joe cares for him. (1) _______. Magwitch gets 

caught, but doesn’t tell anyone that Pip helped him. 

A rich old lady, Miss Havisham, asks Pip to go and play with her adopted daughter Estella. (2) _______. 

Pip is fascinated by Estella and becomes dissatisfied with his own situation. Miss Havisham is a strange 

bitter woman who wants to take revenge on men by making Estella hate them. When Miss Havisham 

tells Pip she no longer needs his services and makes him Joe’s apprentice, Pip is unhappy. (3) _______. 

He is ashamed of his poor home and his rough, dirty job. Then Pip’s sister is attacked, and Biddy comes 

to live with them to care for her. 

Pip’s life suddenly changes when he learns that he has inherited a fortune from someone who wishes their 

identity to remain a secret. He must go to London and become a gentleman. (4) _______. Pip meets Estella 

in London, and knows he loves her dearly, but she keeps telling him that she cannot love anyone. Pip learns a 

lot in London, but he becomes ashamed of his background and is cold towards Joe when he visits him. Pip 

learns the truth about his inheritance when Magwitch appears. He tells him that he never forgot Pip’s 

kindness on the marshes and has spent his life making money in Australia so that Pip could become a 

gentleman. (5)_______. 

At first he hates Magwitch, but comes to care for him as he realises how good the old convict really is. He and 

his friend, Herbert, decide to help Magwitch escape from England, but they are caught and Magwitch is put in 

prison. Magwitch dies and Pip loses his wealth. (6) _______. On arriving, he discovers that Joe and Biddy are 

married. Estella is also to marry, so Pip has no reason to stay. He goes abroad to work for Herbert. 

When he returns years later, he finds that Joe and Biddy have a family, Miss Havisham has died and Estella’s 

marriage was unhappy, but that her husband has now died. He is drawn to Miss Havisham’s old house, where 

he finds Estella. She is no longer cold and cruel, but sad. They renew their old friendship and the story ends 

with them walking away together hand in hand. 

a Pip’s dreams are shattered. 

b Estella is beautiful, but thinks she is too good for Pip and laughs at him. 

c He regrets his treatment of Joe and returns to the village to try to make it up to him. 

d He tells his friend, Biddy, that he wants to be a gentleman so that Estella might accept him. 

e One day Pip helps an escaped convict, called Magwitch, taking him food and a file to cut through his 

leg ¯ irons. 

f Pip believes that his benefactor is Miss Havisham and that she is preparing him to marry Estella. 

2 Based on your reading of the plot, write a brief description of the following characters. 

1 Magwitch 2 Joe Gargery 3 Pip 4 Estella 5 Miss Havisham 




WORKSHEET 4 – SOCIAL CLASSES IN THE NOVEL 

The aim of this worksheet is to provide students with an idea of the ‘social hierarchy’ of the characters in 

the novel, to help them understand some of the attitudes expressed by such people as Miss Havisham, 

Estella, Uncle Pumblechook and Mrs Joe. Later worksheets will address the prejudices and social ambitions 

of some of these characters, but here the structure of the Victorian class system is introduced. 

1 Students work individually. Tell them to read the text about the social structure of Victorian society and 

how it is reflected in the novel. Then they must choose the best answer to each question. Elicit answers 

as a class. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 b 2 a 3 b 4 a 

2 Put students in pairs. Ask them to place the characters into their correct social position on the scale. 

Note: There are a couple of tricky ones! For example, Miss Havisham is not at the highest level, as her 

father was a self-made man – he made money brewing beer. Students also might find it difficult to place 

Uncle Pumblechook. Be prepared for some disagreement when eliciting the answers. Also, explain to 

students that the word underclass is used to show how the Victorians viewed criminals. It is not a term that is 

used today. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Rich upper class – Bentley Drummle 

‘Self-made’ upper middle class – Miss Havisham 

Middle class – Matthew Pocket 

Lower middle class – Uncle Pumblechook 

Upper working class – Joe Gargery 

Lower working class – Dolge Orlick 

Underclass – Magwitch 

A useful website for further investigation is: 

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/prosegreatexpect/ 



WORKSHEET 4 – SOCIAL CLASSES IN THE NOVEL 

1 Read the text and choose the best answer to the questions that follow. 

The characters and events in Great Expectations reflect the social attitudes and changes that affected 

British society in the nineteenth century. As a direct result of the Industrial Revolution, self-made 

businessmen could also become rich. 

No longer were there simply the upper class of landowners and the working class, based on birth, but a 

middle class of educated professionals and businessmen was emerging. This middle class also had several 

levels, according to the kind of work one did and the amount of money one earned. Charles Dickens, a 

self-made man, strongly believed in the virtue of an education and hard work. This attitude is 

represented in the novel by the characters that do well because they work hard. 

Pip’s journey of discovery brings him into contact with all levels of society. Both his meeting with an 

escaped convict at the beginning of the story and his own simple beginnings influence how he sees the 

world. He moves from the working ¯ class world of a blacksmith’s apprentice to Miss Havisham’s world 

of the very rich. In London he gets a taste of life as a middle ¯ class gentleman, but is forced back to his 

humble beginnings before settling in the middle ¯ class world of a respectable, hardworking businessman. 

On the way, he experiences the prejudices and attitudes of each social level and is taught a valuable 

lesson about his own prejudices. 

1 In the nineteenth century, British society ... 

a was made up of two main classes. 

b was changing dramatically. 

2 Charles Dickens was a member of ... 

a the new middle class. 

b the upper class. 

Dolge Orlick: works as an unskilled 

labourer for Joe Gargery, in the forge 

Matthew Pocket: Pip’s schoolteacher 

in London 

Miss Havisham: rich, due to her father 

making money brewing beer 

3 In the story, Pip belongs to a ... 

a middle-class family. 

b working-class family. 

4 Towards the end of the story, Pip ... 

a is forced to revise his social views. 

b becomes ashamed of his background. 

2 The following characters are some of the people Pip encounters on his journey. Place them in the most 

suitable position on the social scale below. 

• Rich upper class ______________ 

• ‘Self-made’ upper middle class ___________ 

• Middle class ______________ 

• Lower middle class ______________ 

• Upper working class ______________ 

• Lower working class _____________ 

• Underclass _____________ 

Joe Gargery: skilled craftsman – 

blacksmith 

Bentley Drummle: member of a rich 

family of landowners 

Magwitch: criminal, deported to 

Australia where he works hard and 

makes money 

Uncle Pumblechook: shop owner 





WORKSHEET 5 – CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN DICKENS’S ENGLAND 

This worksheet aims to focus on crime and punishment in Victorian England and give students an idea of 

what life must have been like. Although Great Expectations was published in 1861, after the prison hulks 

had been abolished, the story is set at the beginning of the century, when they were still very much in use. 

Dickens was strongly affected by his own experiences as a child of Pip’s age and determined to free himself 

from the poverty of his family. This is reflected in Pip’s desire to improve his station in life. 

1 Students work individually. Ask them to read through the text and write the suitable preposition in each gap. 

For weaker classes, you may like to write the prepositions they will need to choose from on the board. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 in 2 to 3 by 4 of 5 in 6 at 7 into 8 in 9 on 10 on 

2 Students work in pairs. Tell them to look at the crimes that were punishable by death in the early 1800s 

and compare them with the kind of punishment that would be likely today. Suggest that they compare 

horse stealing with car theft today, as the horse was a person’s main form of transport in the 1800s. Also, 

explain that a shilling was an old coin, equivalent to 5 pence today. 


Should you wish to investigate this further, a useful website for information is: 

http://vcp.e2bn.org/justice/section2194-sentences-and-punishments.html 

3 Elicit students’ impressions of what life must have been like during the early nineteenth century for the 

people mentioned. If you have the equipment available, you might find it useful to show your students 

one of the BBC documentaries on the Victorian period. Alternatively, you could create your own diary 

entry for one of the characters mentioned, record it and play the recording to the students to give them 

some initial ideas. 


Optional extension: As homework, ask each student to choose one of the above people and write a diary 

entry for a day in their life. While students often complain about going to school, ask them to consider what 

life would be like if they couldn’t get an education, but had to work instead. Tell them that their diary 

entries do not need to be long but should contain the person’s feelings about their situation. Remind them 

that while Dickens felt frustrated about his situation as he had had a taste of education, most children who 

worked in a coal mine would have considered this situation normal.


WORKSHEET 5 – CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 

IN DICKENS’S ENGLAND 

1 Punishing Prepositions! 

Read through the following text and choose a suitable preposition to fill each gap. 

The rise (1) __________ population during the early nineteenth century, particularly in the cities, led 

(2) __________ an increase in poverty and therefore in crime. To try to control this, the government 

decided to impose stricter laws, making many crimes punishable (3) __________ death. Theft (4) 

__________ someone’s property worth over 40 shillings could result (5) __________ the death penalty. 

Newgate Prison, which features in Great Expectations, was the main prison in London (6) __________ the 

time. It was divided (7) __________ three main areas, one for men, one for women and one for debtors. 

Debtors were people who owed money, and they formed the largest group (8) ___________ the prison. 

Serious criminals were either executed or transported to the colonies. As the prisons were overcrowded, those 

prisoners who were to be transported were usually kept in old warships on the River Thames, known as prison 

hulks. The decks (9) __________ the hulks were divided into caged cells and the prisoners would be kept 

there with chains round their waist and ankles until their transportation. The conditions (10) __________ 

board were terrible. With between eight and ten prisoners kept in each cell, disease was common. 

THINK 

2 Look at the table below of crimes that were punishable by death at the beginning of the nineteenth 

century. What punishment would criminals receive today for such crimes? 

Crime Punishment in the Early 1800s Probable Punishment Today 

Treason – crime against 

one’s country 

Hanging 

Murder Hanging. Occasionally this sentence 

was replaced by transportation. 

Horse stealing Hanging or transportation (until 1830) 

Housebreaking – stealing Hanging or transportation (until 1830) 

property worth over 40 shillings 

DISCUSS 

3 Life could be very hard in the nineteenth century. Imagine you are each of the following. Describe some 

of the difficulties you face. 

1 A nine¯year¯old child working in a coal mine. 

2 A convict, awaiting transportation. 

3 Charles Dickens, aged 12, leaving school to go and work in a factory. 



O 1 

Name the prison in 

London that housed a 

large number of debtors 

during Dickens’s time. 


QUIZ 1 – NOUGHTS AND CROSSES 

BEFORE YOU READ (WORKSHEETS 1–5) 

4 

What kind of job did 

Dickens do as a boy? 

7 

Name Pip’s secret 

benefactor. 

2 

Name the law clerk who 

helps Pip in the story. 

5 

Name two other novels 

by Charles Dickens. 

8 

Who is Joe in the story? 

3 

What was the name 

of the woman Dickens 

married? 

6 

What is the name of the 

girl Pip loves in the 

story? 

9 

Name Pip’s best friend 

in London. 

X




WORKSHEET 6 – VOLUME I, CHAPTERS I–VI – A FATEFUL MEETING 

The aim of this worksheet is to gently introduce the students to the story. For this reason, the first exercise 

simply focuses on the first main event in Pip’s life and some of the key vocabulary necessary for students’ 

understanding. 

Ask students to turn to page 6 of their book. Either read the Introduction to them or ask them to read it 

silently. If you have a map of England available, ask students to speculate where on the map the marshes are 

and where the prison hulks would have been. Draw students’ attention to the fact that the story starts in 

1812 – the year that Charles Dickens was born. Some of the events that shape Pip’s development in the 

story also influenced Dickens during his childhood. 

1 Books open. Tell students they are going to listen to the first three chapters, and ask them to follow in 

their books. Play CD1, Tracks 1–3. Ask students to complete the summary using the words from the box. 

Do not pre-teach vocabulary at this stage. Play the CD tracks again and allow students to complete the 

task. Elicit answers and explain any words the students had difficulty with. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 orphan 2 prisoner 3 hulk 4 blacksmith 5 file 6 brought 

7 steal 8 fired 9 forge 10 leg-iron 

2 Books closed. You might like to treat this as a class discussion. Ask students what they think happens to 

Pip and to speculate about the prisoner’s fate. 


3 Books closed. Tell students to read the statements 1–5 and then listen closely to what happens next. Play 

CD1, Tracks 4–6. Allow students time to answer the questions. Play the tracks again so that students can 

check their answers, before eliciting them. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 F 2 T 3 F 4 F 5 T 

4 1 Elicit students’ views on Joe’s and Pip’s attitudes towards the prisoner. 


They feel sorry for him. Students may not know why, but try to elicit that Joe and Pip feel that 

prisoners are treated unfairly, that the conditions on board the hulks are terrible and that some 

people’s attitude was that the laws regarding petty crime were too strict. 

2 Encourage students to talk about their first impressions of the characters. Try not to lead their 

thoughts too much. It doesn’t matter at this point if students disagree. 


Pip: A young orphan; scared; not sure of his place in the world. He wants to do the right thing but is 

afraid of what might happen to him. 

Joe: A good, kind man, simple in his ways, who seems almost as afraid of his wife as Pip is. 

Mrs Joe Gargery: Strict and mean. She seems unhappy and resents having to look after Pip. 

The prisoner: Rough and frightening to start with, but is kinder when he learns that Pip is an 

orphan. He wants to protect him from getting into trouble, which suggests that he’s not all bad.


WORKSHEET 6 – VOLUME I, 

CHAPTERS I–VI – A FATEFUL MEETING 

RESEARCH 

1 Books open. Listen to Chapters I–III and read along in your book. Fill each gap with one suitable word 

from the box to complete the summary below. 

steal prisoner blacksmith hulk brought 

forge fired file leg-iron orphan 

It’s 1812, and a young boy called Pip lives in the Marshlands of south-east England. Pip is an 

(1) __________ and is looking at the graves of his parents and brothers when he meets a stranger. The 

stranger is a (2) __________ who has escaped from a prison (3) __________ on the river nearby. When 

Pip tells him that he lives with the local (4) __________, Joe Gargery, the man immediately orders him 

to bring food and a (5) __________. Pip runs home and is very frightened. His sister, who has (6) 

__________ him up, is strict, and he wonders how he is going to (7) __________ food for the prisoner. 

That evening, a gun is (8) __________ as a warning that a prisoner has escaped from the prison ship. Pip 

does not sleep well, but wakes up very early the next morning, takes some food from the kitchen and the 

file from Joe’s (9) __________ next door, and runs to meet the man. He finds another man at first, who 

runs away without speaking to him. Then he finds the one he is looking for, who eats the food hungrily. 

When Pip tells him about the other man, he stops eating and grabs the file to cut his (10) __________. 

Pip is frightened of him and runs home. 

THINK 

2 Books closed. What do you think happens to Pip when he gets home? Do you think the prisoner gets 

caught? 



WORKSHEET 6 CONTINUED – VOLUME I, 

CHAPTERS I–VI – A FATEFUL MEETING 

3 Books closed. Listen to Chapters IV–VI and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or 

False (F). 

1 When Pip gets home, his sister has discovered that food is missing. T / F 

2 When Uncle Pumblechook drinks some brandy, it tastes horrible. T / F 

3 The soldiers come to arrest Joe. T / F 

4 Pip tells the soldiers where to find the prisoner. T / F 

5 The soldiers catch the prisoner. T / F 

DISCUSS 

4 1 Books open. How do Joe and Pip seem to feel about the prisoners? Why? 

2 What are your first impressions of the following characters? Discuss and make notes: 

Pip 

Joe 

Mrs Joe Gargery 

The prisoner 





WORKSHEET 7 – VOLUME I, CHAPTERS VII–XIII – 

UNSETTLING EVENTS 

The aim of this worksheet is to encourage students to form their own impressions of the key characters and 

express their ideas. 

1 Books open. This is a comprehension exercise. Tell students they are going to listen to and read 

Chapters VII–X. They should read through the questions and options. Play CD1, Tracks 7–10. Students 

follow in their books. Allow them time to consider the answers to the questions. Play the tracks again so 

that they can check their answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 b 2 a 3 a 4 b 5 b 6 a 7 a 8 b 

2 Books open. Students work alone. This task aims to encourage students to express their own ideas, 

without too much prompting. 


1 Estella is very rude and condescending towards Pip. She treats him very badly because 

Miss Havisham has taught her to feel that she is too good for any man. 

2 Pip is shocked at being treated this way but then feels ashamed. He does not feel good enough for 

Estella. We see that he lacks confidence and feels afraid and ashamed easily. He is concerned about 

what people think of him. 

3 The last option to this question leaves it open to interpretation. Some students may choose, ‘So that 

Estella can hurt him’, but they may come up with some interesting ideas of their own. When eliciting 

the answer to this question, allow for some disagreement. Tell students to explain their choice in 

each case. 

3 Tell students to think about Joe’s character. Why can’t he speak to Miss Havisham? Is Pip surprised by 

this? 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary, but expect the following. 

1 Joe is happy with his low position in society. He has no expectations. He thinks Miss Havisham is too 

important to talk to him directly, and he is uncomfortable in her presence. 

2 Pip seems surprised by Joe’s behaviour and it lowers him in his eyes, as it makes him seem common. 

He doesn’t realise that Joe is happy with his life as it is.



CHAPTERS VII–XIII – UNSETTLING EVENTS 

RESEARCH 

1 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters VII–X. Choose the best answer to the following questions. 

1 Pip is taught to read by ... 

a Mr Wopsle’s great-aunt. 

b another orphan, called Biddy. 

2 Miss Havisham is a rich old lady who 

knows ... 

a Uncle Pumblechook. 

b Joe. 

3 When Pip arrives at the house, Estella is ... 

a rude to him. 

b quite friendly towards him. 

4 Miss Havisham is dressed in ... 

a a white nightdress. 

b an old wedding dress. 

THINK 

2 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XI–XIII. Think about the following: 

1 How does Estella treat Pip? Why? 

2 Why does Pip react in the way he does? What does this tell us 

about his character? 

3 Why has Miss Havisham asked Pip to visit Satis House? Choose 

the best answer: 

a To play with Estella. 

b So that Estella can hurt him. 

c To keep Miss Havisham company. 

d Another reason. 

DISCUSS 

3 When Pip takes Joe to visit Miss Havisham, Joe does not talk directly to her. 

1 Why? 

2 How does Pip feel about this? 

5 Estella makes Pip feel ... 

a angry with her. 

b ashamed of himself. 

6 At home, Pip lies about his visit because he . . . 

a is upset about it. 

b wants to trick his sister. 

7 The man in the pub has ... 

a something for Pip. 

b a message for Joe. 

8 What is Mrs Joe’s reaction to the appearance 

of the money? 

a Excitement. 

b Suspicion. 






CHAPTERS XIV–XVIII – PIP’S EXPECTATIONS 

The listening and reading tasks have been separated into two parts to help students understand the 

developments. 

1 Books closed. Tell students they are going to listen to Chapters XIV–XVI. They should read through the 

quotes and match them to each character as they listen. Play CD1, Tracks 14–16. Allow students time to 

make their choices. Then draw their attention to the second part of the question. Tell them they are 

going to listen to the piece again and that they should write down who each speaker is referring to. Play 

the tracks again. Check answers as a class. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 e – Pip 2 c – Orlick 3 b – Mrs Joe 4 d – Miss Havisham 5 a – Mr Wopsle 

2 ANSWER KEY: 

1 Pip is talking about Joe. 

2 Orlick is talking to Mrs Joe. 

3 Mrs Joe is replying to Orlick’s rude remark. 

4 Miss Havisham says this to Pip about Estella. 

5 Mr Wopsle says this to Pip at the pub, when Mrs Joe is attacked. 

Optional extension: You may wish to extend this, by asking such questions as: 

• Who do you think attacks Mrs Joe? 

• How does Pip feel about working in the forge? 

• Do you feel sorry for Orlick? 

3 Books open. Tell your students they are going to listen to and read Chapters XVII–XIX, which brings us 

to the end of Volume I. Play CD1, Tracks 17–19. Ask them to read the beginning of the summary. Tell 

them they should complete it in not more than 70 words. Explain that a summary simply gives the basic 

events, without details of conversations etc. 


. . . and tells Pip he has inherited a fortune. The man is Mr Jaggers, Miss Havisham’s lawyer. Pip cannot 

believe his luck, but Joe is upset, as he realises he will lose Pip. Pip now believes he is really too good for 

Joe and Biddy as he is going to be a gentleman. He upsets both of them and the parting is difficult. 

4 This task aims to get students thinking about Biddy’s position. She obviously loves Pip but he is blind to 

her feelings. Try to place the students in her position. Tell them to open their books at page 46 and read 

the last two frames. They should imagine what Pip and Biddy are thinking while they are talking. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary.



CHAPTERS XIV–XVIII – PIP’S EXPECTATIONS 

1 Books closed. Listen to Chapters XIV–XVI. Match the quotations in column A with the characters who 

say them in column B. 

A B 

1 ‘I did not think he was good enough for me.’ a Mr Wopsle 

2 ‘You’d be everybody’s master if you could.’ b Mrs Joe 

3 ‘I know what to do with all kinds of lying, cheating men!’ c Orlick 

4 ‘She’s learning to be a lady, far away. Do you feel that you have lost her?’ d Miss Havisham 

5 ‘Something’s happened at your place, Pip!’ e Pip 

2 Who are they talking about? 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

3 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XVII–XIX. Complete the summary of what happens to Pip. 

Pip accepts life as a blacksmith’s apprentice and notices some pleasant changes in Biddy, but cannot forget Estella. 

He tells Biddy of his feelings, not realising that he is hurting her. Suddenly, one evening, a man comes up to him 

in the pub . . . 

4 We know what they say, but what are they thinking? 

Read what Pip and Biddy say on pages 45–46 of your book. Then imagine what they are thinking and 

write their thoughts. 





OPTIONAL WORKSHEET – THE NEWS 

1 Hold a class discussion to elicit and generate ideas about the characters’ reactions and the reasons for 

them. Check students’ understanding of the words in the box. In particular, elicit their ideas for 

overlapping feelings. Then allow students time to fill in the Venn diagram. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary, but expect the following. 

Biddy: disappointed, heartbroken, angry, insulted (by Pip’s snobbish attitude) 

Joe: heartbroken, upset, disappointed (by Pip’s attitude) 

Pip: excited, afraid, frustrated and insulted (by Biddy’s disapproving attitude), lonely 

2 ANSWER KEY: 

Pip is obviously excited, as this is his dream come true. However, he is a little afraid of the changes he is 

about to make and is frustrated by Biddy’s disapproving attitude. He mistakes it for jealousy. He suddenly 

feels lonely, as he realises this separates him from both Joe and Biddy. 

Biddy is disappointed and heartbroken, as she realises there is now no chance of Pip being interested in 

her. Then she becomes offended and angry at Pip’s snobbish attitude towards both her and Joe. 

Joe realises he will lose Pip completely. He loves him deeply, and so expresses his anger at the situation 

by getting angry with Jaggers. He knows Pip wants this, and so tries not to show his frustration at Pip’s 

attitude. However, he cannot hide his sadness. 

Both Joe and Biddy realise this means the end of their close relationship with Pip. Pip doesn’t fully 

realise this yet. 

3 Elicit students’ impressions of Biddy’s feelings here. Tell them to put themselves in her position and 

imagine how they would feel about the way Pip has treated them since hearing the news of his wealth. 

Encourage some heated reactions! 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary but expect the following. 

Expressions of hurt, bitterness, anger and possibly resignation. She knows he’s gone for good and he’ll 

never be hers.


OPTIONAL WORKSHEET – THE NEWS 

1 Mr Jaggers’s news of Pip’s inheritance brings mixed reactions from the three characters below. Using the 

words in the box to help you, build a picture of their feelings in the Venn diagram. Where the circles 

overlap, place feelings that they share. 

angry upset heartbroken excited afraid 

snobbish disappointed insulted lonely frustrated 

2 Why do they react like this? 

Pip: 

Biddy: 

Joe: 

Pip 

Biddy Joe 

3 Imagine you are Biddy. Pip has just left for London. Write your diary entry for the events leading up to 

his departure. 





WORKSHEET 9 – VOLUME II, CHAPTERS I–VI – NEW EXPERIENCES 

1 Books open. The aim of this task is to get students speculating about Pip’s reactions to what he sees and 

experiences, by responding to the language he uses to describe them. The vocabulary box is there to 

generate vocabulary, but encourage students to extend this. Check that they understand unpredictable, 

distant and snobbish. 

Tell them to open their books to page 57. Ask them to pay particular attention to what Pip says about 

the items in the box – London, Jaggers and Wemmick. Play CD2, Tracks 1 and 2. Allow students time to 

complete the table. Elicit answers as a class. 


London dark, unpleasant, frightening, dirty, ugly 

Jaggers cold, distant, unpredictable, rude, snobbish, frightening 

Wemmick polite, formal, distant 

2 Books closed. Make sure students read the rubric carefully. The statements are all incorrect. They must 

listen to Chapters III and IV (CD2, Tracks 3 and 4) and then write correct statements in the spaces 

provided. Play tracks 3 and 4. Pause, then play them again. Allow students time to finish writing and 

then elicit answers. Encourage them to support their answers with examples from what they hear. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 Estella is Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter. 

2 Handel was a composer who wrote a piece of music about a blacksmith. 

3 Miss Havisham had a (half ¯ ) brother, as her father secretly married his cook and had a son. 

4 The man she fell in love with took lots of money from her. 

5 Miss Havisham stopped the clocks when she received a letter from her fiancé breaking off the wedding. 

3 1 Books open. Tell students they are going to listen to and read Chapters V and VI. They should 

compare Wemminck’s behaviour at the office and at home. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary slightly, but expect the following. 

Wemmick at the Office Wemmick at Home 

polite, but formal and distant friendly, relaxed, creative, talkative, caring 

towards his elderly deaf father 

2 He has to deal with many unpleasant situations and characters in his work, and so is determined to 

keep his home life separate. He has built a kind of ‘castle’ to protect himself and his father from all 

the unpleasantness in the world. 

4 Elicit students’ responses to this question by encouraging discussion. If students are struggling, write the 

following on the board for them to consider: 

• Jaggers wants people to be afraid of him. 

• He doesn’t like showing his feelings. 

• As a lawyer, he doesn’t like people to know what he is thinking. 

Encourage students to explore these possibilities. 



WORKSHEET 9 – VOLUME II, 

CHAPTERS I–VI – NEW EXPERIENCES 

RESEARCH 

1 Books open. Listen to and read Volume II, Chapters I and II. Using the words in the box below, 

complete the table with Pip’s first impressions of London, Mr Jaggers and Wemmick. 

London 

Jaggers 

Wemmick 

dark unpleasant snobbish frightening dirty cold 

distant ugly unpredictable rude formal polite 

Pip’s First Impressions 

2 Books closed. Listen to Chapters III and IV. Correct the following statements. 

1 Estella is Miss Havisham’s niece. 

2 Handel was a famous blacksmith. 

3 Miss Havisham had no brothers or sisters. 

4 The man she fell in love with gave her lots of money. 

5 Miss Havisham stopped the clocks when her fiancé was killed. 

THINK 

3 1 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters V and VI. Compare Wemmick’s behaviour at the office and 

at home in the table below. 

Wemmick at the Office Wemmick at Home 

2 What reasons could Wemmick have for this difference in behaviour? 

DISCUSS 

4 Why do you think Mr Jaggers likes it if people do not understand him? 






CHAPTERS VII–XII – RISING EXPECTATIONS 

1 Books closed. Tell students they are going to listen to Chapter VII. Tell them to read the questions. 

Explain that there are no definite answers but that students must decide how likely they are, judging 

from what they hear. Play CD2, Track 7. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 can’t 2 may 3 must 4 might 

2 1 Books open. Put students in pairs. Tell them they are going to listen to and read Chapter VIII. The 

meeting between Joe and Pip is awkward and not successful. They should look at the words they have 

been given and decide which words represent the two men’s feelings. In some cases, they may share 

the same feelings, but for different reasons. Play CD2, Track 8. Allow students time to write their 

notes. Elicit answers. 


Joe’s Attitude towards Pip Pip’s Attitude towards Joe 

awkwardness, embarrassment, sadness shame, frustration, awkwardness, snobbishness 

2 Pip is moving in higher society and is worried that Joe’s simple ways will embarrass him in front of his 

new friends. 

3 Books open. Tell students they are going to listen to and read Chapters IX–XII (CD2, Tracks 9–12). 

Explain that the words provided are prompts and they should add to them. Play Tracks 9 and 10. Allow 

students time to write their answers. Elicit answers and give feedback. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Pip’s Expectations The Truth Is . . . 

Miss Havisham is his benefactor, and she is preparing Miss Havisham is not his benefactor but is using him to 

him to marry Estella. allow Estella to practise taking advantage of men. 

Estella is meant for him, and that they will eventually Estella is not intended for him, but is using him as bait 

live together in Satis House. to attract other suitors. 

Joe is common and should no longer be a part of his life. Joe is the only one who really cares about Pip. 

4 A lot of things happen here which tell us something about the desires and prejudices of certain 

characters. Students should think about why the following people act as they do. Encourage them to 

express and discuss their ideas. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 Pip thinks that he’s too good for Joe and Biddy now and wishes to distance himself from them. 

2 As long as he has this hope, Pip will be in her power, so Miss Havisham uses this to keep him close to 

Estella. 

5 Students should now have formed a fairly clear picture of Pip’s character. Tell them to imagine that they 

are Mr Jaggers. What view does he seem to have of Pip? What would he write in his report to Pip’s 

benefactor? Generate some useful vocabulary to stimulate ideas. 





THINK 

1 Books closed. Listen to Chapter VII. Decide how probable the following statements are and circle the 

most suitable auxiliary. 

1 Mr Jaggers must / can’t have invited Pip and his friends to dinner because he wants to be friends with Pip. 

2 Mr Jaggers should / may want to show his guests his housekeeper’s hands to embarrass her. 

3 Mr Jaggers can’t / must enjoy controlling people. 

4 Molly, the housekeeper, might / can’t have been one of Mr Jaggers’s clients. 

2 1 Books open. Listen to and read Chapter VIII. Joe visits Pip in London. Compare their attitudes and 

feelings towards each other. Use the words below to help you. 

shame snobbishness embarrassment frustration sadness awkwardness 

Joe’s Attitude towards Pip Pip’s Attitude towards Joe 

2 Why does Pip feel this way? 

3 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters IX–XII. Pip visits Miss Havisham and sees Estella. His hopes 

and expectations increase. Make notes in the table below on what Pip thinks is true about the characters 

and what actually is true. Use the words below to help you. 

Pip’s Expectations The Truth Is . . . 

Miss Havisham 

Estella 

Joe 

inheritance common marry wealth benefactor 



DISCUSS AND WRITE 

WORKSHEET 10 – CONTINUED – VOLUME II, 


4 Discuss the reasons the characters have for acting in the following ways: 

1 When Pip returns to the village, he stays at the Blue Boar. 

Why? 

2 Miss Havisham lets Pip believe she is his benefactor. 

Why? 

5 Imagine you are Mr Jaggers. Pip’s benefactor has asked you to report to him about Pip’s progress in 

London. Write him a letter telling him about Pip’s personality and what he has been doing since he 

arrived in London. You could also comment on the people he has met. 



QUIZ 2 – WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 

Look at the comic card. It’s taken from Volume I, Chapter VIII. Answer the questions. 

1 What has just happened? 

2 What is happening? 

3 What happens next? 






CHAPTERS XIII–XVI – WARNING SIGNS! 

1 Pip’s visit to Newgate Prison with Wemmick shows him the hopelessness of many of the prisoners. For 

the purposes of this adaptation, this section has been simplified. However, the vivid artwork allows 

students to form their own response, providing useful practice in responding to visual stimuli. Explain to 

students that Dickens had visited Newgate Prison himself as a reporter and had written an article on it 

in his famous Sketches from Boz. To read this article, go to: 

http://www.victorianlondon.org/prisons/newgate.htm 

Books open. Tell students to read the words in the box. Check they understand all the vocabulary. Play 

CD2, Track 13. Allow students time to study the frame, then allow them time to write their descriptions. 

Elicit answers orally. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary, but expect all or most of the words in the box to be used. 

Note: They may wish to say that some prisoners’ clothes appear to have once been of good quality, but 

are now worn and dirty. Prompt this response, if necessary. 

Optional extension: Ask advanced students ‘What do you notice about the prisoner who speaks?’ ‘Why 

does he not seem to care about being hanged on Monday?’ 

ANSWER KEY: Suggested answer: 

The nature of his clothes and the way he speaks suggest an educated, perhaps wealthy, man. He could be 

happy to be escaping from the awful conditions in the prison. 

2 Books closed. Tell students that they are going to listen to Chapters XIV and XV. Read through the 

statements with them, and warn them to pay careful attention to the wording in each case. Play CD2, 

Tracks 14 and 15. Elicit answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 F 2 T 3 F 4 T 5 F 

3 Books open. The aim of this task is to give students some practice in using vocabulary to express feelings. 

This can be useful when responding to pictures in Paper 5 of the Cambridge FCE examination. Tell 

students to read through the questions, and check that they understand all of the options. Play CD2, 

Track 16. Pause, then play it again. Elicit answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 b 2 a 3 b 4 c 

4 Class discussion. Explain that several things happen that should warn Pip of the dangers of expecting or 

hoping for too much. Ask them to think about each item in turn, and encourage ideas. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary but expect the following. 

1 Judging by his clothes (of good quality, but worn) and the fact that he is fairly well spoken, the 

prisoner seems to have been a gentleman at one point but is now poverty-stricken. This should act as 

a warning to Pip against being too extravagant, as he could end up there and as we see, he nearly 

does! 

2 Estella reminds him that they are both Miss Havisham’s puppets. She is simply doing her duty. She 

does not give him false hopes of her loving him. 

3 Even though Pip realises this, he still isn’t more careful with his money. 

4 Pip should realise that his snobbish attitude has driven them apart.



CHAPTERS XIII–XVI – WARNING SIGNS! 

1 Books open. Listen to Chapter XIII and read along in your book. Imagine you are Pip. You describe 

your visit to Newgate Prison to Herbert that evening. What do you say to him? Use the pictures on 

page 79 and some of the words in the box below to describe the prison cell and the people in there. 

overcrowded dark damp noisy unpleasant cold 

cramped dirty worn clothes tired unhappy sick 

2 Books closed. Listen to Chapters XIV and XV. Decide whether the following statements are True (T) or 

False (F). 

1 When she arrives, Estella seems very happy to see Pip. T / F 

2 Pip tries to tell her how he feels about her. T / F 

3 Estella tells Pip that people are praising him to Miss Havisham. T / F 

4 Pip and Herbert owe a lot of money. T / F 

5 Pip receives some good news in a letter. T / F 

3 Books open. Listen to Chapter XVI and read along in your books. Read the questions and decide which 

answer best describes how the characters feel. 

1 How does Pip feel about his sister’s death? 

a angry b sad c heartbroken 

2 At dinner, after the funeral, how does Joe 

seem to feel in Pip’s company? 

a awkward 

b relaxed 

c pleased 

3 How does Pip seem to feel about Joe’s 

situation now? 

a indifferent b concerned c guilty 

4 What is Biddy’s attitude towards Pip? 

a cold and disapproving 

b warm and affectionate 

c honest and realistic 

4 How do the following in Chapters XIV–XVI warn Pip against having expectations that are unrealistic 

and too great? 

1 The ‘gentleman’ prisoner who is in the debtors’ prison at Newgate. 

2 Estella’s cold attitude on arriving in London – ‘We must obey our instructions.’ 

3 Pip’s realisation that he and Herbert are spending too much money. 

4 The awkwardness between Joe and Pip after Mrs Joe’s funeral. 


28833_01_Great_ELT_P32-62.qxd 11/17/09 9:15 PM Page 32 




CHAPTERS XVII–XX – THE COLD TRUTH 

1 Books closed. Students read through the summary and try to predict what they need for each gap. 

Explain that in some cases they will need a short phrase and in others just one word. Play CD2, Tracks 

17 and 18. Pause, then play the tracks again. Elicit answers. This question offers practice in the 

sentence completion task, similar to Paper 4, Part 2 of the Cambridge FCE examination. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 £500 2 who his benefactor 3 look after his money / affairs 

4 Wemmick 5 a partner 

2 Books open. The aim of this question is to focus on Estella’s character and the impression she is creating. 

Tell students to listen to and read Chapter XIX. They should pay particular attention to the way in which 

Estella treats people. Play CD2, Track 19. Allow time for them to make notes. Elicit answers. Estella is not 

likeable here, but some students may feel sorry for her; she is Miss Havisham’s puppet, just as Pip is. 


Pip Estella is cruel to Pip, but honest. She does not pretend to be interested in his attentions. He is the 

only one whom she is not ‘false’ towards. 

Her admirers Estella is charming and flirtatious, encouraging men who are attracted to her, even though she isn’t 

interested in them. We get the impression that she is simply doing her duty to Miss Havisham. 

Miss Havisham This is the only time in the story that Estella stands up to Miss Havisham. She is cold towards her 

benefactor and blames her for making her that way. She seems tired of playing Miss Havisham’s 

game. Her engagement to Drummle could be a desire to break away. In this, it is possible to feel 

sympathy for her. 

3 Books open. The aim of this task is to help students understand Pip’s shock at the news that a convict is 

his benefactor, that Miss Havisham has deceived him, and to encourage them to think of Magwitch’s 

expectations of Pip. Students listen to and read Chapter XX. Play CD2, Track 20. Allow time for the 

students to make notes. You may wish to discuss Magwitch’s feelings in more detail here. What does his 

generous gift to a young boy whom he met only once say about him? 

ANSWER KEY: 

Pip is horrified at the news that his benefactor is nothing but a criminal. His dreams of marrying Estella 

and inheriting Miss Havisham’s fortune are shattered. Magwitch may give him wealth, but not the social 

status he desires. 

4 The aim of this task is to show how generous a sum of £500 was in the 1830s. Despite this, Pip manages 

to run up huge debts, showing him to be irresponsible. Students could do this in pairs. Explain to them 

the value of old English money. Tell them that in 1840, approximately 60 per cent of adult male workers 

earned an average wage of under 25 shillings a week. Eighteen shillings a week was considered to be 

beneath the poverty line. This was in sharp contrast to the lifestyle of the wealthy, highlighting how 

extravagant and irresponsible Pip has been. Dickens was clearly making a social comment here about the 

decadence of the wealthy. 


Pip would have about £20 to live on each week. Other expenses include food, clothing and 

entertainment. Elicit that Pip could live comfortably on this allowance, without getting into debt. 

Optional extension: For a writing task see Appendix, page 61, question 1.




CHAPTERS XVII–XX – THE COLD TRUTH 

1 Books closed. Listen to Chapters XVII and XVIII. Complete the summary below with suitable words or 

short phrases to fill each gap. 

On Pip’s twenty ¯ first birthday, Mr Jaggers announces that he will be given (1) _______________ a year 

until his anonymous benefactor reveals himself. Jaggers refuses to tell Pip (2) _______________ is. Pip 

must now (3) _______________ himself. Pip visits (4) _______________ at his home and asks him 

how he can help Herbert become successful, without his friend knowing. With the clerk’s help, Pip 

anonymously pays for Herbert to become (5) _______________ with a shipping broker called Clarriker. 

Herbert is delighted and suspects nothing. 

2 Books open. Listen to and read Chapter XIX. Make notes on how Estella treats the following people. 

Pip 

Her admirers 

Miss Havisham 

3 Books open. Listen to and read Chapter XX. 

How does Pip react to Magwitch’s news that he is the mysterious benefactor? 

4 Pip’s budget 

Imagine you are Pip. You have been given £500 to live on for the next 12 months and have just paid 

Clarriker half of it to sponsor Herbert. You must live on £250 for 12 months. Below is a list of your basic 

weekly expenses. How much money can you afford to spend each week? What other expenses are 

missing from the table? 

Pounds (£) Shillings (s) Pence (d) 

Item (£1 = 20 shillings) (1 = 12 pence) 

rent 8 6 

soap and candles 2 4 

coal for the fire 2 6 

cleaner 2




WORKSHEET 13 – VOLUME III, 

CHAPTERS I–VII – PROTECTING MAGWITCH 

1 Books closed. The aim of this task is to provide students with some practice in jigsaw reading. Tell 

students to read through the options. Play CD3, Tracks 1–3. Pause and if necessary, play them again. 

Allow students time to read the chapters and then check the answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 d 2 c 3 b 4 a 

2 Books open. Tell students that they are going to listen to and read Chapters IV and V. Read through the 

items in the box. Students should keep their notes brief. For weaker students, give them an example by 

completing the first item with them. Play CD3, Tracks 4 and 5. Allow students time to complete the 

box. Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 He arrives to find that Bentley Drummle is there. He is not happy, and goes to Satis House 

immediately. 

2 Estella tells Pip that she is going to marry Drummle. 

3 He is heartbroken, and begs her not to. He tells her he loves her, but she is not interested. He walks 

back to London. 

4 He receives a note from Wemmick telling him not to go home. 

3 Books closed. Tell students that they are going to listen to Chapters VI and VII. Read through the items 

in the box with them and tell them to pay careful attention to who is speaking as they listen. Play CD3, 

Tracks 6 and 7. Check the answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 b 2 c 3 d 4 a 

4 1 Check students’ understanding of the descriptive words and ask them to choose which ones they 

wish to use. Try not to ‘lead’ them too much in their choice, but help with any vocabulary. 

2 Elicit ideas and encourage some discussion by asking them to address the questions. Individually, 

students write their descriptions. Alternatively, you could set this for homework. 




CHAPTERS I–VII – PROTECTING MAGWITCH 

1 Books closed. Listen to Volume III, Chapters I–III. Form a synopsis of the story by placing the events 

listed below in the correct order. 

a Herbert knows the name and tells Pip that this was the man 

who pretended to love Miss Havisham. 

b First, though, they want to hear his life story. Magwitch tells 

them of his fight for survival as a child and how it became 

necessary for him to steal. He talks of being in and out of 

prison regularly, until he met an educated thief called 

Compeyson, who tricked him. This was the man he fought 

with on the marshes all those years ago. 

c Then Herbert returns home and agrees to help. Pip and 

Herbert decide they must get Magwitch out of the country, 

and that Pip must go with him. 

d Pip disturbs an intruder on the stairs, he then learns from Jaggers that if the convict is caught, he will 

be sentenced to death. He realises that it is not safe for Magwitch to be there. He arranges a disguise 

and accommodation for the convict. 

Read Chapters I–III in your book to check your answers. 

2 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters IV and V. Things are going wrong for Pip. Answer the 

following questions. 

1 What does Pip discover when he arrives at the Blue Boar? 

2 What does he learn at Satis House? 

3 How does he react? 

4 What message does he receive on his return to London? 

3 Books closed. Listen to Chapters VI and VII. Match the quotations in column A with the characters 

who say them in column B. 

A 

B 

1 ‘I told him that if there was anyone in the rooms or nearby, he should move 

him somewhere else.’ 

a Pip 

2 ‘We could take him down the river ourselves ...’ 

b Wemmick 

3 ‘I don’t know when we may meet again, but I don’t like goodbye. Say 

goodnight!’ 

c Herbert 

4 ‘Have you heard of a man called Compeyson? Is he alive? Is he in London?’ 

d Magwitch 

4 1 Which of the following words describe Abel Magwitch? Can you think of others? 

intelligent loving dangerous proud determined heroic 

generous brave ambitious afraid cruel frightened 

2 Write a description of Abel Magwitch’s character. Think about the following: 

1 Why has he chosen to give all his money to Pip? 

2 What does he hope to receive in return? 

3 Why does Pip react so negatively towards him at first, but then decide to help him, placing himself in 

danger? 






CHAPTERS VIII–XIV – DETECTIVE PIP 

1 Books closed. Tell students they are going to listen to Chapters VIII–X. Read through the questions 

with them and elicit any unknown words. Play CD3, Tracks 8–10. If necessary, play them again. 

Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 1 c 2 b 3 b 4 a 5 b 6 c 

2 Books open. Several things occur which lead Pip to the conclusion that Molly is Estella’s mother and 

Magwitch her father. Tell students to listen to and read Chapters IX and XII. They should concentrate 

on the information surrounding Estella’s parents. Direct them to the prompts in each thought bubble. 

Play CD3, Tracks 9–12. Allow students time to note down their answers. Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 Pip notices a striking resemblance between Molly and Estella. 

2 Herbert tells Pip that Magwitch told him about a woman he had a child with. The woman was 

accused of murder and had threatened to kill her child. 

3 When Pip confronts Mr Jaggers with all the information, he confirms what he knows, but suggests it 

would be best not to tell any of them. 

Optional extension: Ask students whether they think Mr Jaggers is right in his advice to Pip. 

3 Books open. Tell students to listen to and read Chapters XIII and XIV. Play CD3, Tracks 13 and 14. 

Allow students time to make notes. Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary, but should include the following. 

Orlick tells Pip he hates him and wants to kill him for the following reasons: 

1 Pip was favoured by his sister and Joe. 

2 Pip was favoured by Biddy, whom Orlick loves. 

3 Pip warned Jaggers about Orlick, so he lost his job at Miss Havisham’s. 

Orlick also admits to having attacked Mrs Joe. He tells Pip that he works for others now who know all 

about Provis and will make it impossible for him to escape. 

Optional extension: Ask students if they think it is sensible of Pip and Herbert to leave Orlick to escape 

after his attack on Pip?



CHAPTERS VIII–XIV – DETECTIVE PIP 

1 Books closed. Listen to Chapters VIII–X. Choose the best answer for the questions below. 

1 At the theatre, the person sitting behind Pip is: 

a Miss Havisham’s brother 

b Pip’s rival, Bentley Drummle 

c Miss Havisham’s ex-fiancé 

2 At dinner with Mr Jaggers and Wemmick, Pip 

notices something familiar about: 

a the lawyer 

b the housekeeper 

c the clerk 

3 When Pip visits Satis House, Miss Havisham is: 

a pleased to see him 

b filled with regret 

c angry at Estella 

4 Miss Havisham agrees to give £900 to: 

a Herbert 

b Mr Jaggers 

c Pip 

5 How does Pip feel towards Miss Havisham 

now? 

a He’s angry with her. 

b He forgives her. 

c He wishes he’d never met her. 

6 In the fire, how does Pip save Miss Havisham? 

a He runs out and calls for help. 

b He throws a bucket of water over her. 

c He covers her with the old tablecloth. 

2 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters IX–XII. What does Pip learn from each of the following that 

leads him to his conclusion about Estella’s parents? 

1 Dinner with Jaggers and 

Wemmick 

2 Herbert 

3 Mr Jaggers 

3 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XIII and XIV. Pip has a narrow escape from Orlick, when 

Herbert and Startop rescue him. What do we learn from Orlick? 






CHAPTERS XV–XX – UNEXPECTED REUNIONS 

1 Books open. Students listen to and read Chapters XV and XVI. Read through the questions and tell 

them to make brief notes only. Play CD3, Tracks 15 and 16. Pause, then play them again. Allow students 

time to finish their notes in pairs. Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 With help from Herbert and Startop, they are going to row down the river in the dark, stay the night 

in an inn, then meet a ship going to Germany early in the morning. 

2 Pip’s arm is injured from the burns and his fight with Orlick, so he can’t row. 

3 Compeyson brings the police to catch Magwitch. 

4 He will be sentenced to death and will lose all his money. 

5 Herbert offers Pip a job with Clarriker’s as a clerk. 

6 Wemmick gets married and takes Pip along without telling him. 

2 Books open. Play CD3, Tracks 17 and 18. Pause, then play them again. Check answers. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 Magwitch says this to the judge on receiving his death sentence. 

2 Pip says this to the dying Magwitch. 

3 A police officer says this to Pip as he lies ill in bed. 

4 Joe says this to Pip when Pip wakes up and finds him there. 

5 Pip says this to himself as he plans to visit his village again. 

3 Books closed. Encourage students to speculate about what happens next. Be careful, however, as some 

may already know the ending! 


4 Books open. Read through the question. Play CD3, Tracks 19 and 20. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Pip and Joe: After Joe helps Pip recover from his illness and pays off his debt, Pip goes to see him to ask 

his forgiveness. He finds that Biddy and Joe are married. This is a shock to him, but he wishes them well. 

They both forgive him for his bad behaviour and he promises to pay Joe the money he owes him. 

Pip and Estella: When Pip returns, 11 years later, he visits the ruins of Satis House. Estella is there. 

Bentley Drummle treated her badly, but then he died in a riding accident. She asks Pip to forgive her 

and they leave hand in hand. 

5 Encourage discussion to generate ideas. Answers will vary. 

6 1 Elicit which words and phrases apply to Joe and Magwitch in their attitude towards Pip. How does 

Pip feel about them? Ask students to support their ideas. 

ANSWER KEY: Suggested answers. 

Joe Magwitch 

In what ways do they He stands by him no matter what he He gives him the money to realise 

help Pip? has done. He pays his debts and keeps his dreams. This makes Pip realise 

his room at home available for him. that there is good in everyone. 

Who does Pip In the end, Pip realises Joe’s worth. He Pip does appreciate Magwitch as he 

appreciate more? Why? loves Joe deeply and finally appreciates grows to realise that the man has 

him the most, as the man who raised him given him everything, after having 

and loved him despite his bad behaviour. met him just once. 

What has Pip learned from Money doesn’t make you a gentleman. Not to judge people purely on their social 

these men about values Pip realises Joe is a true gentleman, due standing or financial circumstances. He 

by the end of the novel? to his honesty and unbending loyalty. learns there can be good in everyone. 

2 Answers will vary.




1 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XV and XVI. Answer the following questions: 

1 How are Pip and Magwitch going to escape? 

2 Why do they need Startop’s help? 

3 Who chases after them? 

4 What is going to happen to Magwitch? 

5 How does Herbert try to help Pip afterwards? 

6 What surprise does Wemmick have for Pip the next day? 

2 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XVII and XVIII. Who says the following and who are they 

talking to? 

Quotation Who says this? Who are they talking to? 

1 ‘I have already received my sentence of death 

from God, but I accept yours.’ 

2 ‘Your daughter is alive. She found powerful 

friends.’ 

3 ‘Well, sir, you’re arrested. You owe £123 to 

a jeweller.’ 

4 ‘I thought you would be among strangers and 

that you would like a visit.’ 

5 ‘Biddy, I think you liked me once. If you can like me 

again, will you spend your life with me?’ 

3 What do you think happens next? 




WORKSHEET 15 CONTINUED – VOLUME III, 


4 Books open. Listen to and read Chapters XIX and XX. How is Pip reunited with (a) Joe (b) Estella? 

Make notes under the pictures. 

Joe 

5 Now you have reached the end of the story, discuss the following questions: 

1 How has Pip’s life been? 

2 Are you disappointed by the ending? Why / Why not? 

3 Do you think Pip will find happiness with Estella? 

6 1 Compare Pip’s relationships with Joe and Magwitch. Use the vocabulary in the box to help you, then 

answer the questions below. 

understanding sensible need to love someone brotherly love 

desire to do good desire to see Pip happy need to be loved kind 

In what ways do they help Pip? 

Who does Pip appreciate more? Why? 

What has Pip learned from these men about 

values by the end of the novel? 

Estella 

Joe Magwitch 

2 Based on your answers to the questions in the table above, write an essay comparing Pip’s relationship 

with Joe to his relationship with Magwitch.


RULES 

QUIZ 3 

TWENTY QUESTIONS GAME 

Work in pairs. Take turns to choose a character and keep it hidden from your partner. 

Using the adjectives in the box, your partner is allowed to ask you up to 20 questions about the character, in 

order to learn who it is. 

The student holding the card is only allowed to answer yes or no. 

If the players are not able to guess the character correctly after 20 questions, the person holding the card 

gets 50 bonus points. 

If you guess correctly after only five questions, you get 30 points. 

If you guess correctly after six questions or more, you get 25 points. 

Pip Estella Joe Miss Havisham Magwitch 

Jaggers Orlick Biddy Compeyson Wemmick 

intelligent snobbish cold polite rude distant unpredictable kind 

simple scared bitter rough frightening caring formal gentle 

foolish dishonest cruel weak honest greedy sensible immature 





WORKSHEET 16 – DOUBLE TROUBLE 

1 Students could do this exercise in pairs. Allow time for discussion before they make their notes. 

For weaker students, you may wish to write some of the vocabulary contained in the answer key on 

the board to help them. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary; the following is a suggested answer. 

Estella Biddy 

Beautiful, cruel, cold, ‘dangerous’ (so, possibly Attractive, kind and generous, honest, loyal, down-to-earth, 

exciting), snobbish, but honest towards Pip, as she clever, sensible, ‘safe’ (so, not exciting?). She never reveals her 

warns him she has no heart. love for Pip, as she quickly realises that he will never return it. 

She influences Pip in a negative way, by making him She influences Pip in a positive way, by helping him to 

become a snob and a social climber. She uses him, but learn to read and write. She often acts as Pip’s conscience, 

lets him know this, and repeatedly tries to warn him reminding him of true values and of how valuable a friend 

against loving her. This perhaps makes her more Joe is. 

attractive to the reader. 

2 Highlight that students should decide both Miss Havisham’s and Magwitch’s motives for becoming 

benefactors. Then, they should decide what positive and negative effects their actions have on their 

respective beneficiaries. 

Optional extension: See Appendix, page 61, question 2, for a writing task. 


Miss Havisham Magwitch 

Miss Havisham’s initial reasons for adopting a child may Magwitch’s motives for giving Pip ‘great expectations’ are 

have been partly to reduce her loneliness, but then she more noble. He genuinely wants to reward Pip’s kindness 

uses Estella to take her own revenge on men. She is kind towards him. However, a possibly selfish motive could be 

and affectionate to her, but poisons her mind and heart. that he wants to feel like he has a family. Through Pip he 

acquires a status beyond that of a convict, becoming a 

father figure. 

The effects are negative, since she all but destroys His actions have both positive and negative effects on Pip: 

Estella’s ability to give or even receive love. She also uses the boy is able to improve himself and to help Herbert. 

Pip cruelly, by letting him think she is his benefactor, and However, he becomes a snob, and rejects the people who 

allowing him to entertain false hopes of winning Estella. really love him. He is careless with his money, too. 

3 There are several more ‘pairs’ of characters. Tell students to turn to pages 4–5 and elicit ideas from them. 

ANSWER KEY: Possible answers. 

Magwitch and Pip – two secret benefactors 

Magwitch and Compeyson – two convicts (good versus bad) 

Herbert and Wemmick – two loyal friends of Pip’s in London 

Miss Havisham and Mrs Joe – two invalids 

Bentley Drummle and Orlick – two contrasting rivals of Pip’s 

4 Elicit ideas about Dickens’s possible reasons for presenting his characters in ‘pairs’. Allow for opinions to differ. 


Dickens used his writing to make social comment and his characters reflect certain stereotypes of society 

at the time at which he wrote. So, he may have presented them in this way to contrast good with evil, 

greed with generosity, meanness with kindness, etc. He also shows that both evil and good are found in 

people at all levels of society.


WORKSHEET 16 – DOUBLE TROUBLE 

1 Many of the characters in Great Expectations can be placed in pairs. Compare the two women in Pip’s life 

and how they influence him. 

Biddy and Estella: two young women who interest Pip 

Estella Biddy 

2 Compare the motives these two characters have for treating Estella and Pip as they do, and the positive 

and negative effects their actions have on them. 

Miss Havisham and Magwitch: two adults who try to shape children 

for their own purposes 

Miss Havisham Magwitch 

3 There are other ‘pairs’ of characters in the novel. Look at the list of characters on pages 4–5 to help you. 

How many can you find? 

4 Why do you think Dickens presents his characters in this way? 





WORKSHEET 17 – ‘ALWAYS THE BEST OF FRIENDS’ 

The aim of this task is to explore the theme of friendship in the novel. 

1 Elicit / explain the fact that Joe is really family to Pip, as he is his brother ¯ in ¯ law. Elicit views and ideas 

on each character in turn. 


His friendship with Pip Is Pip a good friend to him? 

JOE GARGERY Warm, caring, down-to-earth. He knows he He loves Joe but is ashamed of his simple ways and 

isn’t as clever as Pip, but he loves him dearly the fact that Joe can’t read. For much of the story, 

and does not try to stand in his way when he Pip thinks he is better than Joe and avoids his 

receives news of his ‘great expectations’. company. So, he is not a good friend to him. 

He never shows that Pip has hurt him. However, he is genuinely sorry when he realises 

his mistake. 

HERBERT Naturally friendly, Herbert sees how He immediately likes Herbert and enjoys his 

desperately Pip wants to do the right thing. company. But he feels responsible when he sees 

They have fun in London together. However, that Herbert is spending too much money on going 

he really proves to be a loyal friend when he out with him. He wants to help his friend fulfil his 

helps Pip to hide Magwitch. After the failed dream, so he becomes his secret benefactor. It is 

escape attempt, he offers Pip a job, knowing ironic that he then goes to work for Herbert. 

that he has no money. 

WEMMICK He realises that Pip is discreet and so invites He isn’t as close to Wemmick as he is Herbert, but 

him to his home, and his wedding, which he he trusts his judgement and discretion. He respects 

keeps separate from work.He also helps Pip Wemmick’s desire to keep his home life separate 

to protect Magwitch. from his work. He is moved to be invited to 

Wemmick’s wedding. 

2 1 Check students’ understanding of the words in the box, then elicit ideas about Jaggers’s character. 


cold, calculating, kind in a secretive way, guarded, cautious, stern, manipulative, clever 

2 ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary. He is not a friend to Pip in a real sense, but he does try to give 

him advice. He refuses to get directly involved in anything, however, unlike Wemmick and appears 

afraid of getting his hands dirty metaphorically, as well as literally, as seen in his constantly washing 

his hands. 

3 Elicit the fact that Biddy is Pip’s best female friend and that he looks upon her almost like a sister. 

Explain what a best man does at a wedding. Biddy would be the one Pip would go to for advice on this 

matter. Elicit students’ views on who they think should be the best man, but try not to lead them. They 

could write their answers as homework. 



WORKSHEET 17 – ‘ALWAYS THE BEST OF FRIENDS’ 

1 Three characters prove to be loyal friends to Pip in the story – Joe, Herbert and Wemmick. Describe 

their friendship and answer the question ‘Is Pip a good friend to him?’ 

JOE GARGERY 

HERBERT 

WEMMICK 

His friendship with Pip Is Pip a good friend to him? 

2 Mr Jaggers 

1 Based on your reading of the story, which of the following words and phrases do 

you think best describe Mr Jaggers’s character? Give reasons to support your 

ideas. 

cold calculating friendly kind secretive guarded 

cautious stern honest manipulative caring clever 

2 Is he a friend to Pip? 

3 Imagine you are Biddy. Pip is finally going to marry Estella, and he has written you a letter to ask for your 

help in choosing his best man. Should he choose Herbert, Wemmick or Joe? Write a reply to Pip, telling 

him who you think would be the best choice and why. 





WORKSHEET 18 – EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITY 

1 This task aims to highlight how unrealistic Pip’s ambition and dreams of Estella are compared with 

Biddy’s dreams of becoming a teacher. Check students understand the vocabulary. Some items may 

apply to both characters. 


Pip: socially ambitious, intelligent but immature, desire to learn, ashamed, arrogant, snobbish, desires 

material wealth 

Biddy: realistic goals, intelligent, honest, down-to-earth, sensible, aware of own identity 

2 ANSWER KEY: 

Although Pip does achieve some of his dreams, Biddy is happier. She becomes a school teacher and 

marries Joe. For a woman of her low social status in Victorian times this was an admirable achievement. 

They are happy and share the same values; while even at the end of the story, Pip has to be content with 

Estella’s friendship, rather than her love. 

3 Encourage class discussion. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Pip’s expectations of Estella: He hopes to win her love and marry her. This is harmful to him, as he 

wastes his best years living a dream. 

Miss Havisham’s expectations of Estella: She wants Estella to take revenge on men. This harms Estella 

by making her cold and unfeeling. Ironically, she marries Drummle, is treated badly and is unhappy. 

Magwitch’s expectations of Pip: Magwitch wants to give Pip a chance to lead a better life than he has 

had, but he also hopes to spend his last years with Pip. This is kind but unrealistic. Handing great wealth 

to young Pip harms him by making him arrogant and lazy. He learns the true value of hard work only 

when the money is lost. 

Pip’s expectations of Joe: Pip’s snobbish attitude towards Joe prevents him from realising how well 

respected Joe is in the community as a successful, skilled craftsman. Pip’s desire for him to educate 

himself makes Joe feel uncomfortable. It creates distance between them, but is not truly harmful. 

Pip’s expectations of Herbert: Not harmful. Pip sees that Herbert’s dreams are more practical than his 

own, i.e. Herbert is happy to work for his living, whereas Pip dreams only of Estella. He provides Herbert 

with the means to achieve his goal, allowing his friend to then prove his worth as a businessman. 

4 Pip’s sense of guilt and responsibility affect the way he behaves in the story. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers may vary. The following are possible. 

1 Pip assumes that his sudden wealth means that all his dreams will now come true. Miss Havisham is 

the only wealthy person he knows, and he mistakenly believes that she has grown fond of him. 

However, part of the blame lies with Miss Havisham who allows him to believe this. 

2 Pip is blinded by his own desperate desire for this to be true, but part of the responsibility lies with 

Miss Havisham, who encourages Pip to love Estella. 

3 Pip is guilty, as his motives are purely selfish. He wants Joe to change because he is ashamed of his 

low social status and lack of education. He fails to see Joe’s true worth as an honest, hard¯working man. 

Optional extension: See Appendix, page 61, question 3, for a writing task.


WORKSHEET 18 – EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITY 

THINK 

1 At the beginning of the story, Pip and Biddy are in the same position: both are orphans, living with 

relatives whose social status is similar. Both have hopes and expectations of a better future, but in 

different ways. Pip dreams of becoming a gentleman and marrying Estella, while Biddy wants to become 

a teacher and have a family. Compare their expectations, using the words and phrases below. 

socially ambitious 

immature 

realistic goals 

intelligent 

honest 

desire to learn 

ashamed 

arrogant 

down-to-earth 

snobbish 

sensible 

desires material wealth 

aware of own identity 

2 Who is more successful in their life? Give reasons for your choice. 

3 The following characters have expectations of others. In what way are these expectations harmful? 

Pip’s expectations of Estella 

Miss Havisham’s expectations of Estella 

Magwitch’s expectations of Pip 

Pip’s expectations of Joe 

Pip’s expectations of Herbert 

Expectations How They are Harmful 

4 Guilty or not guilty? 

Throughout the story, Pip feels a sense of guilt and shame – over his poor circumstances in the 

beginning, then over the way he behaves towards Joe and Biddy. In what way is Pip responsible 

for the following? 

1 He believes that Miss Havisham is his benefactor. 

2 He thinks Estella is meant for him. 

3 He wants Joe to change and become a gentleman before he will accept him in London. 





WORKSHEET 19 – ‘... AND I LOVE HER!’ 

1 This task is meant to be fun for students and, at the same time, provide an insight into the theme of love 

in the novel. Students could work in pairs. 

The diagram highlights the contrast between the loving environment that Pip grows up in, where love is 

both given and received, with the relatively barren, loveless environment in which Estella is brought up. 

ANSWER KEY: 

Kind of Love Given to… Ability to Give Love 

Pip Joe and Biddy love Pip for who he is, without This means that Pip is also able to give love. He seems 

expectations. Joe’s love, in particular, is the to love Estella despite everything. He is ultimately able 

unconditional love of a parent or brother. to return Joe’s love, and he offers love to Magwitch. 

Estella Miss Havisham loves Estella like a favourite Miss Havisham deprives Estella of the ability to love, 

object, such as a pretty jewel. She manipulates and so Estella marries someone she does not love, and 

her to fulfil her own ambitions. Similarly, she is consequently unhappy. 

Drummle also treats Estella as an object. 

2 You may wish to concentrate on one task type here, or give students the choice. In either case, elicit a 

list of relevant points for writing each and elicit ideas. 

For the essay remind students to address all parts of the question in their answer. 

Advise students to organise their answer into no more than three paragraphs.


WORKSHEET 19 – ‘... AND I LOVE HER!’ 

THINK 

1 Look at the diagram below. It shows the role of love in the relationships between key characters in the 

story. Use it to help you compare the kind of love that surrounds Pip and Estella, and how this affects 

their own ability to give love. Who is the ‘richest’ in love? Make your notes in the table below. 

Pip 

Joe 

Estella 

Magwitch 

Pip 

Biddy 

Miss Havisham 

Kind of Love Given to… Ability to Give Love 

Estella 

Bentley Drummle 

WRITE 

2 1 ‘In Great Expectations, the quality that saves Pip is his ability to love.’ Do you agree? Give examples 

from the book to support your views. Write your essay. 

2 Your local bookshop’s website is asking for customers to send in a review of a book they’ve read 

recently which contained a strong love theme. You have decided to write a review of Great 

Expectations: The ELT Graphic Novel, examining the importance love plays in affecting what happens 

in the story. Write your review. 





WORKSHEET 20 – ACT IT OUT! 

The aim of this worksheet is to examine some of the minor characters in a light-hearted manner, and also 

to encourage students to look at Pip’s story from a different angle. The role play provides them with 

some useful speaking practice, and encourages practice in question formation. This task provides useful 

content for the following writing task, which reflects one of the task types for Paper 2 of the Cambridge 

FCE examination. 

You may find it easier to approach this in several parts, as it would save valuable classroom time if students 

were to prepare their role / script at home. 

Scenario and Role Play Task 

1 Read through the scenario and question 1 of the task with your students and elicit what they need to do. 

Place your students into ‘acting groups’ and allow them to choose their roles. Brainstorm ideas about 

what each character might say in answer to each of the reporter’s questions. This should not encourage 

them all to answer in the same way, but is intended to give weaker students ideas. Allow opinions to 

differ slightly. 

2 The reporter prepares questions to ask each character. Remind them of the structures necessary for direct 

and indirect questions. Tell students to prepare their role and script in class or at home. 

3 In the following lesson, each group should perform the interviews. If you have access to the necessary 

equipment, you might like to record them on video, if students are open to this. 

4 Elicit the reporter’s response. Then invite comments from the characters. 

Discuss and Write 

5&6 Focus on question 2 of the worksheet. Elicit characters’ quotations from the reporters, and write 

these on the board for all the students to note down. Read through the rubric for question 6 and 

check that students understand the meaning of the headline options. If your class is about to take 

an examination, you may wish to suggest that their article should follow the length specifications 

for the examination in question. For instance: 

• FCE students should write an article of 110–180 words to reflect a Part 2 task. 

• CAE students should write 220–260 words. 

• CPE students should write 300–350 words. 

Use your own judgement for this. 

ANSWER KEY (1–6): Answers will vary.


WORKSHEET 20 – ACT IT OUT! 

Scenario: A newspaper reporter from The Evening Chronicle hears something at a party about Pip’s 

remarkable rise from poverty to become a rich gentleman. Curious, he decides to investigate Pip’s 

background and the sources of his sudden wealth. To help write his article he tracks down some ‘friends’ of 

Pip. They are: Mr Pumblechook; Sarah Pocket; Orlick; Compeyson; Bentley Drummle. 

Task 

In groups of six, choose one person to be the reporter and the rest to each 

take on the role of one of the characters listed above. 

1 Each character should study his role in the book carefully and make 

notes about how that person feels about Pip and what he / she would 

want to say about him. 

2 The reporter prepares questions for interviews with each character. 

Make sure you ask them: 

• what they know about Pip’s rise to riches; 

• when and where they first came into contact with Pip; 

• how they felt about him then; 

• what they think of him now; 

• why everybody appears to dislike him. 

3 In your group, act out the interviews. As the reporter interviews each character, the other members of 

the group should keep notes on what they say. 

4 As the reporter, what conclusions do you draw about Pip from what people have told you about him? 

Discuss and Write 

5 As a class, discuss the impressions each reporter got of Pip from their interviews. Make a list of 

quotations from each person interviewed. 

6 Write a newspaper article about Pip’s rise from poverty. Remember to include some quotations from the 

people interviewed in your report. Choose a headline for your article from the following: 

‘The Frog Prince From The Marsh’ 

‘From Rags to Riches Overnight?’ 

‘The Mysterious Rise and Fall of “Mr” Pip’ 

Or choose another headline. 





GREAT EXPECTATIONS OPTIONAL FILM WORKSHEET 

Note: There are several film versions of the book. We recommend the 1946 film directed by David Lean. 

This is fairly easy and inexpensive to obtain, and is arguably the most suitable for students to watch. It won 

two Oscars and was nominated for another three. As you will see, David Lean leaves out lots of key events, 

drops some important characters and often changes perspective to create his own interpretation. Make sure 

students understand that some of this is necessary in order to fit the story into a film of approximately two 

hours duration. 

1 Students will need to concentrate on the film while they are watching, so simply ask them to read 

through the rubric of the questions before they watch. Then, as they watch, they could tick the 

appropriate box for each item, filling in their comments at the end. 

Ask them to think about what they like and dislike about the film, in comparison with the book, and to 

pay particular attention to any differences they notice. Encourage them to write down their thoughts 

before discussing the film as a group. This may evoke some different ideas and generate more interesting 

discussion. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary, depending on which film version they see. 

2 Ask your students to notice any parts of the story that have been omitted from the film. Elicit these, and 

invite students to comment on whether they think this affects the film’s effectiveness. 


3 ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary. 

4 Read through the rubric with students. Elicit the fact that the question requires a comparison between 

the film version and the book. Remind them that they should conclude their review with a comment on 

whether or not they would recommend the film to others. 

Note: The rubric is in the style of the Cambridge FCE, with the same word limit. You may wish to adapt 

this to suit students following a different examination course.


GREAT EXPECTATIONS OPTIONAL FILM WORKSHEET 

While Watching 

1 As you watch the film, compare it with the book. Make notes in the table below. 

Starting point: 

Pip: 

Estella: 

Miss Havisham: 

Joe: 

Biddy: 

Abel Magwitch: 

Herbert: 

Wemmick: 

Development of plot: 

Ending: 

Same Different 

After Watching 

2 Is anything in the story missing from the film? If so, do you think this affects the film 

1 positively 2 negatively 3 hardly at all? 

Explain your choice. 

3 Would you change anything about the film? If so, what? 

4 You have decided to write a review of the film version of Great Expectations. Make sure you say how you 

think the film compares with the book and what you liked and disliked about it. Also, say who you 

would recommend it to. Write your review. (120–180 words). 

Film Review: 




GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR ELT 

TEST 1 (PAGE 1) 

WORKSHEETS 1–10 

1 Open Cloze 

Fill the gaps with one suitable word. There is an example at the beginning (0). 

There was a pub (0) in the village that Joe liked to go to. My sister told me to call there for 

(1) __________ on my way home from school (2) __________ to bring him home. I found him 

there with Mr Wopsle and a (3) __________. 

When Joe spoke to me, the stranger turned and (4) __________ at me. He nodded and made 

(5) __________ for me to sit beside him. (6) __________, I wanted to sit beside Joe, so I did. 

The stranger nodded at me again and pressed his hand against his leg again and again in an odd 

(7) __________. 

‘You were saying you were a (8) __________? What will you drink, Mr – Gargery, is it? I’ll pay.’ 

‘Rum, please,’ replied Joe. 

‘Three rums! I don’t know (9) __________ part of the country, but towards the river seems a 

(10) __________ place,’ said the stranger. 

‘Most marshes are lonely. No one’s there, usually. (11) __________ an escaped prisoner sometimes,’ 

commented Joe. 

‘Have you (12) __________ gone looking for one?’ The stranger (13) __________ at me again and said, 

‘What’s his name?’ 

‘Pip.’ 

No one else saw the file. I knew it was the file I (14) __________ given the prisoner. I knew that he 

knew my prisoner. The stranger took little notice of me. (15) __________ half an hour, Joe got up to go. 

‘Wait a moment, Mr Gargery. I’ve got a shilling for the boy.’ He put it in some paper. ‘It’s just yours,’ he 

said. 

‘Thank you, sir.’ 

2 Can You Remember ...? 

1 who the stranger is: 

2 why he is there: 

3 what the stranger gives to Pip: 

4 what happens next in the story: 

5 how Pip feels about the gift. Why? 

6 who Mr Wopsle is: 

7 who says: ‘On this day, many years ago, all these things were brought here. They and I have got old 

together.’: 

8 who says: ‘. . . if you think that money can pay me for losing the little child – that came to the 

forge – and always the best of friends. . .’:


3 Key Word Transformations 




For questions 1–8, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. 

Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given. 

1 The story of Great Expectations reflects many aspects of Charles Dickens’s own life. 

autobiographical 

Great Expectations is one of _____________________________________________________ novels. 

2 Like Dickens, the central character in the story, Pip, spends his early life in the marsh country in 

south-east England. 

protagonist 

As a boy, Pip, ______________________________________________________ , lives in the marsh 

country in south ¯ east England, as did Dickens. 

3 Pip dreams of improving his life and becoming rich by getting an education. 

circumstances 

Pip longs to ____________________________________________________ by getting an education. 

4 At first, Pip believes that Miss Havisham has secretly given him wealth. 

benefactor 

Initially, Pip thinks ____________________________________________________ Miss Havisham. 

5 Miss Havisham has taken in and brought up a beautiful young girl, called Estella, and Pip falls in love 

with her. 

adopted 

Pip falls in love with _________________________________________________________, Estella. 

6 Miss Havisham was badly hurt by a man and wants Estella to hate all men and treat them badly. 

revenge 

Miss Havisham is a bitter woman who wants to _______________________________________ men 

by making Estella hate them. 

7 Once he learns of his great expectations, Pip adopts an unfair attitude towards Joe, thinking that the 

blacksmith is not good enough for him. 

prejudiced 

After learning of his sudden wealth, Pip becomes ______________________________________ and 

thinks that he is not good enough for him. 

8 When he goes to work as Joe’s apprentice, Pip feels dissatisfied with his work and his situation. 

frustrated 

As Joe’s apprentice, Pip ________________________________________________ and his situation. 







1 Gap-fill 

For questions 1–12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits the gap. There 

is an example at the beginning (0). 

A have B have had C were having D have been having 

Pip and Herbert (0) have been having a wonderful time, but have (1) __________ debts all over London. 

They total them up but cannot seem to live (2) __________ a budget. News arrives that Mrs Joe, Pip’s 

sister, has died. Pip is expected to attend her funeral. 

Mrs Joe’s funeral takes (3) __________. Afterwards, Pip tells Biddy that he will visit Joe more often. 

She does not believe him. He tells her she’s (4) __________, but as he leaves, he realises she is right. 

On Pip’s twenty-first birthday, Jaggers (5) __________ that he is to be given £500 a year, 

(6) __________ his secret benefactor is made known to him. The lawyer refuses to (7) __________ this 

mysterious person. Pip visits Wemmick at his castle and asks how he can help Herbert (8) __________ 

his way in the world, without him realising. Eventually, Pip secretly sponsors his friend into a new 

(9) __________ as a shipping broker. 

(10) __________, Estella’s life is a frantic whirl of social activities. She captivates young men across the 

city but treats them all badly. Pip is a jealous friend, and is very upset when Bentley Drummle becomes 

her admirer. 

Two years pass, and Pip and Herbert now live in the nicer Temple (11) __________ of London. 

Alone on a stormy night, Pip hears a noise. The convict he helped long ago is at his door. He tells him 

he is his secret benefactor. Pip realises that his hopes for Estella are all gone, and that he wrongly 

(12) __________ Joe. 

1 A run up B run down C run on D run out 

2 A without B into C within D inside 

3 A space B place C room D time 

4 A unfair B untrue C unwilling D unfaithful 

5 A decides B announces C recommends D suggests 

6 A after B when C before D until 

7 A call B tell C name D show 

8 A go B make C come D take 

9 A position B case C task D job 

10 A However B Whereas C In fact D Meanwhile 

11 A house B district C road D village 

12 A accused B criticised C abandoned D trusted





2 Can You Remember ...? 

1 who says, ‘Pip, be careful. Don’t tell me anything. I don’t want to know.’: ______________________ 

2 Magwitch’s name while he’s hiding in London: ____________________________________________ 

3 the name of the girl Herbert wants to marry: ______________________________________________ 

4 what we learn about Magwitch’s enemy, Compeyson: _______________________________________ 

5 who says, ‘If you can ever write under it, “I forgive her”, please do it!’: __________________________ 

6 why Pip can’t have Magwitch’s money in the end: __________________________________________ 

7 what Pip tells Magwitch just before he dies: _______________________________________________ 

3 Word Formation 

For questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the words on the right to form a word that fits the gap in 

the line with the same number. There is an example at the beginning (0). 

Many of the events from Charles Dickens’s early life are echoed in Great 

Expectations. It is one of his most (0) autobiographical novels. Pip, the 

main character, lives in the marsh country. He works at a job he hates and 

considers himself too good for his (1) __________. He also experiences 

material success in London at a very early age, just as Dickens himself did. 

In (2) __________, the law, justice and the courts are all important parts of 

the story. One of the novel’s most (3) __________ characters, Wemmick, 

is a law clerk. 

Great Expectations is set in early Victorian England. It was a period when 

great social changes were spreading across the nation. The (4) __________ 

Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries had completely changed 

the social landscape. (5) __________ could become very rich. Yet although 

social class no longer depended entirely on birth, the (6) __________ 

between rich and poor remained almost as wide as ever. Dark and smokey 

London was very different from England’s (7) __________ populated rural 

areas. More and more people moved from the country to the city in search 

of money. 

With the increase in (8) __________, London also increased in crime. 

To fight against the increase in crime, the government (9) __________ 

the law. Many crimes became punishable by death – even small crimes of 

(10) __________. Prisoners were hanged in public. Dickens himself was 

among the protestors who helped stop public hangings in 1868. 

(0) AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

(1) SURROUND 

(2) ADD 

(3) ENGAGE 

(4) INDUSTRY 

(5) MANUFACTURE 

(6) DIVIDE 

(7) THIN 

(8) POPULATE 

(9) STRONG 

(10) THIEF 




TEST ANSWER KEYS 

TEST 1 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 1 him 2 and 3 stranger 4 looked / stared 5 room 6 However 7 way / manner 

8 blacksmith 9 this 10 lonely 11 Just / Only 12 ever 13 looked 14 had 15 After 

2 1 A friend / fellow convict of Pip’s prisoner. 

2 Pip’s prisoner has sent him to give something to Pip (Pip doesn’t know this yet). 

3 He gives Pip a shilling wrapped in two pound notes. 

4 Pip goes home and he and Joe show Mrs Joe the money. When they realise that there are two pound 

notes, Joe takes them back to the pub, but the stranger has gone. 

5 Pip is afraid of the money – it was a large amount of money in those times – and he is afraid of people 

asking him questions about it. 

6 Mr Wopsle is an acquaintance / friend of Joe and Mrs Joe’s from the village. He later goes to London 

and becomes an actor. 

7 Miss Havisham says this to Pip on her birthday. 

8 Joe says this to Jaggers when the lawyer tells him and Pip about Pip’s great expectations, and offers 

Joe some money for taking the boy away. 

3 1 Dickens’s most autobiographical 

2 the protagonist in the story 

3 improve his circumstances 

4 (that) his secret benefactor is 

5 Miss Havisham’s (beautiful) adopted daughter 

6 take revenge on 

7 prejudiced against Joe 

8 is / feels frustrated with / by his work 

TEST 2 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 1 A 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 B 6 D 7 C 8 B 9 A 10 D 11 B 12 C 

2 1 Jaggers, when Pip goes to ask him about Magwitch being his benefactor. 

2 Provis. 

3 Clara (Barley). 

4 Compeyson is the man who pretended to love Miss Havisham and tricked her out of money. 

5 Miss Havisham says this to Pip after Estella has married Bentley Drummle. 

6 Magwitch was sent to Australia for life, and the punishment for returning is death. As a convict, he 

loses all rights to personal wealth, which means that Pip cannot inherit it. 

7 Pip tells the old convict that his daughter is alive and has prospered. 

3 1 surroundings 2 addition 3 engaging 4 Industrial 5 Manufacturers 6 division(s) 

7 thinly 8 population 9 strengthened 10 theft



QUIZ 1 & QUIZ 2 

QUIZ 1 – NOUGHTS AND CROSSES 

The aim of this quiz is to revise the information gained from worksheets 1–5. 

Place your students in two teams: one will be the ‘noughts’ team and one the ‘crosses’ team. The aim of the 

game is the same as in the game of noughts and crosses. The teams should aim to make a line – vertical, 

horizontal or diagonal – with their symbol. 

In order to do this, they must answer the question in each square correctly. Toss a coin to see which team 

goes first. Place a time limit on how long each team may take to answer. If a team answers a question 

incorrectly, that square remains intact. The other team must answer the question correctly in order to place 

their symbol there. The winners are the team to complete a line first. 

ANSWER KEY: 

1 Newgate 

2 (John) Wemmick 

3 Catherine (Hogarth) 

4 He worked in a shoe-blacking warehouse. 

5 (Answers may vary, but expect) Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Pickwick Papers, 

The Old Curiosity Shop, etc. 

6 Estella 

7 Abel Magwitch 

8 He is a blacksmith and Pip’s brother-in-law. 

9 Herbert Pocket 

QUIZ 2 – WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 

This task is designed to revise events in the early part of the story and to give students some valuable 

language practice. 

For weaker classes: Ask open questions to elicit information from the class as a whole, then encourage 

students to use specific target language to produce suitable answers on their worksheets. 

For more advanced classes: Ask students to do this in pairs. 

ANSWER KEY: Answers will vary slightly, but should include: 

1 What has just happened? 

• It is Pip’s first visit to Satis House; he and Estella have been playing cards. 

• Estella has been rude to him all the time. 

2 What is happening? 

• Miss Havisham asks Pip what he thinks of Estella. He tells her (he thinks she’s proud, pretty and very 

rude). He asks to go home. 

• Miss Havisham tells Estella to give Pip some food and allow him to look around. 

• Pip is upset, but he goes and has a look at the brewery. He sees a ghostly figure of Miss Havisham. 

3 What happens next? 

• Pip runs outside and meets Estella, who laughs at him. 

• He walks home, feeling very ashamed of being a ‘common working boy’. 





QUIZ 3 

TWENTY QUESTIONS GAME 

You will need some scissors, preferably several pairs, to save time. 

Students do this in pairs or small groups. Tell them to cut out the character squares. They should also cut 

along the dotted line in the middle of the worksheet. 

One student chooses a character, keeping it hidden from the other(s). The other student(s) holds the list 

of adjectives describing the various characters. They use these to help them ask up to 20 questions about 

the character, in order to learn who it is. The student holding the character card is only allowed to answer 

yes or no. 

Note: With weaker classes, go through vocabulary first and check understanding. 

If the players are not able to guess the character correctly after 20 questions, the person holding the card 

gets 50 bonus points. 

If you guess correctly after only five questions, you get 30 points. 

If you guess correctly after six questions or more, you get 25 points. 

Students take turns choosing the cards and asking questions, until everyone has had a go. The winner is the 

player with the most points at the end.


APPENDIX 

Extra Writing Tasks 

These are designed to be used whenever you feel students would benefit from some extra writing practice. 

There are suggestions in the Teacher’s notes for use of questions 1 ¯ 3, but please feel free to use them 

whenever. 

1 You are a reporter for a society gossip column in a London newspaper. You have been asked to write an 

article about the arrival on the London social scene of a beautiful young lady known as Estella of 

Richmond. Write your article, describing Estella and the impression she is making, and mention 

something of the mystery surrounding her background. 

2 When Miss Havisham’s will was found by Jaggers, following her death, he also discovered a sealed letter 

for Pip, hidden within the package of papers. The letter was a record of the ways in which her actions 

had harmed both Pip and Estella. It ended by her begging their forgiveness for all the damage she had 

done. Imagine you are Miss Havisham and write this letter. 

3 Imagine you are Pip. You have returned to London after learning that Estella is going to marry Bentley 

Drummle. You are hurt and angry and decide to write a letter to Miss Havisham blaming her for the way 

Estella has become, and begging her to stop the marriage. Use the notes you have made on Miss 

Havisham to help you write your letter. 

4 The website of your local bookshop has invited readers to send in a review of their favourite story 

involving the central character’s journey of self-discovery. You have decided to write about Great 

Expectations: The ELT Graphic Novel by Charles Dickens, adapted by Brigit Viney. State briefly what Pip 

learns in the story, whether or not you like the way the story develops, and how successful the comic 

format is in helping the reader understand the story. Remember to say if you would recommend it to 

others or not. 

5 A student magazine is doing a survey on the value of reading literature in the language classroom. They 

have invited readers to send in reports of books they have read with their class. You have decided to 

write about Great Expectations: The ELT Graphic Novel by Charles Dickens, adapted by Brigit Viney. 

Comment on the effectiveness of the comic format – the pictures, dialogue, etc. – and also the value of 

having the audio CD to accompany the book. Say whether you think the class benefited from reading 

the book. To whom would you recommend it, and why? 

6 Your teacher has asked everyone in the class to write an essay on the character they find most interesting 

in Great Expectations: The ELT Graphic Novel by Charles Dickens, adapted by Brigit Viney. Include a 

description of the character and the role he / she plays in the novel. Comment on why you find this 

character interesting. Use examples from the story to support your views. 



Track Listings for Great Expectations 

CD 1 

Track 1 Copyright info 

Track 1 Volume I Chapter I 

Track 2 Volume I Chapter II 

Track 3 Volume I Chapter III 

Track 4 Volume I Chapter IV 

Track 5 Volume I Chapter V 

Track 6 Volume I Chapter VI 

Track 7 Volume I Chapter VII 

Track 8 Volume I Chapter VIII 

Track 9 Volume I Chapter IX 

Track 10 Volume I Chapter X 

Track 11 Volume I Chapter XI 

Track 12 Volume I Chapter XII 

Track 13 Volume I Chapter XIII 

Track 14 Volume I Chapter XIV 

Track 15 Volume I Chapter XV 

Track 16 Volume I Chapter XVI 

Track 17 Volume I Chapter XVII 

Track 18 Volume I Chapter XVIII 

Track 19 Volume I Chapter XIX 

CD2 

Track 1 Volume II Chapter I 

Track 2 Volume II Chapter II 

Track 3 Volume II Chapter III 

Track 4 Volume II Chapter IV 

Track 5 Volume II Chapter V 

Track 6 Volume II Chapter VI 

Track 7 Volume II Chapter VII 

Track 8 Volume II Chapter VIII 

Track 9 Volume II Chapter IX 

Track 10 Volume II Chapter X 

Track 11 Volume II Chapter XI 

Track 12 Volume II Chapter XII 

Track 13 Volume II Chapter XIII 

Track 14 Volume II Chapter XIV 

Track 15 Volume II Chapter XV 

Track 16 Volume II Chapter XVI 

Track 17 Volume II Chapter XVII 

Track 18 Volume II Chapter XVIII 

Track 19 Volume II Chapter XIX 

Track 20 Volume II Chapter XX 

CD3 

Track 1 Volume III Chapter I 

Track 2 Volume III Chapter II 

Track 3 Volume III Chapter III 

Track 4 Volume III Chapter IV 

Track 5 Volume III Chapter V 

Track 6 Volume III Chapter VI 

Track 7 Volume III Chapter VII 

Track 8 Volume III Chapter VIII 

Track 9 Volume III Chapter IX 

Track 10 Volume III Chapter X 

Track 11 Volume III Chapter XI 

Track 12 Volume III Chapter XII 

Track 13 Volume III Chapter XIII 

Track 14 Volume III Chapter XIV 

Track 15 Volume III Chapter XV 

Track 16 Volume III Chapter XVI 

Track 17 Volume III Chapter XVII 

Track 18 Volume III Chapter XVIII 

Track 19 Volume III Chapter XIX 

Track 20 Volume III Chapter XX

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