Romeo & Juliet

Student Worksheet
1 Reading task 1
Before reading the synopsis, read the quiz questions and try to predict the correct answers. Once you’ve
completed your answers read the play synopsis to check your answers and change them if you need to. Ask your
teachers for the correct answers.
1. Where does the story take place? 8. How does Juliet avoid marrying Paris?
A. Stratford (England) A. She runs away
B. Verona (Italy) B. She hides in a church
C. Paris (France) C. She takes a drug so she will sleep for forty
two hours
2. What is Romeo’s family name?
A. Montague 9. What news does Romeo hear?
B. Capulet A. News from Friar Lawrence about Juliet’s plan
C. Shakespeare B. Juliet has married Paris
C. Juliet is dead
3. Where does Romeo first see Juliet?
A. At a party 10. Who does Romeo meet at Juliet’s tomb?
B. In the street A. Friar Lawrence
C. On her balcony B. Paris
C. Prince Capulet
4. Who helps Romeo and Juliet get married in secret?
A. Tybalt 11. What does Romeo do next?
B. Friar Lawrence A. Drinks his poison
C. Mercutio B. Tries to wake up Juliet
C. Stabs himself with his sword
5. Who is Tybalt?

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

A. Romeo’s best friend 12. When Juliet discovers that Romeo is dead what
B. Juliet’s brother does she do next?
C. Juliet’s cousin A. She stabs a Knife into her heart
B. She has a heart attack
6. Who does Tybalt kill?
C. She finds Romeo’s poison and takes it herself
A. Mercutio
B. Friar Lawrence
C. Romeo
7. Why is Romeo banished from Verona?
A. His family discover he is married to Juliet
B. He kills Tybalt
C. He has to fight abroad

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 Romeo & Juliet
Romeo & Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Key themes: Love, fate, violence
Key characters:
• House of Escalus: Prince Escalus (Prince of Verona), Mercutio (Romeo’s friend)
• House of Capulet: Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, Juliet, Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin),
• House of Montague: Lord Montague, Lady Montague, Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin), Friar John, Balthasar
(Romeo’s servant)
• Friar Lawrence
• Paris

Synopsis
Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, home to two families at war, the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo
Montague and his friends disguise themselves and go into a masked ball at Capulet’s house. At the ball Romeo
sees Juliet, Capulet’s daughter for the first time. Romeo goes into the garden and confesses his love for Juliet, who
stands above on her balcony. The two young lovers, with the help of Friar Lawrence, make plans to be married in
secret. Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, later discovers that Romeo was at the ball, and he decides to teach Romeo a lesson.
Romeo is challenged by Tybalt, but tries to avoid a fight between them as he is now married to Juliet.
Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, takes up Tybalt’s challenge and is killed in the fight. In anger, Romeo kills Tybalt.
Romeo is banished from Verona for his actions. The Capulets, meanwhile, want Juliet to marry Paris, a cousin to
the Prince. Juliet thinks of a desperate plan to avoid her parent’s wishes. She obtains a drug that will make her
seem dead for forty-two hours; while she is in this state, Friar Lawrence will send word to Romeo of the situation
so that he can rescue her from her tomb.

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

Unfortunately, the letter from Friar Lawrence arrives late Romeo instead hears news that Juliet has died. Romeo
gets some poison and goes to Juliet to die at her side.
At the tomb, Romeo meets Paris, who mourns for Juliet. Romeo kills Paris, then enters the tomb and drinks his
poison. Juliet wakes up only to find Romeo laying dead beside her. Heartbroken, Juliet takes the knife from
Romeo’s belt and kills herself.
The Montagues and Capulets finally realise what terrible things have happened and promise stop fighting
each other.

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 Romeo & Juliet
2 READIng Task 2
What’s the problem?
Many of the characters in Romeo and Juliet encounter problems and have to make some difficult decisions. Look
at the problems they face below. Read each one and consider what advice you would give each character.

Help! Help!
Last night I met the most amazing girl at a party I’ve met this boy called Romeo who I’m not
but our families really hate each other. The allowed to see. My parents want me to marry this
problem is, it was love at first sight and now I can’t other guy called Paris. Everyone seems to dislike
stop thinking about her. It’s impossible for us to Romeo because of his family the Montagues! My
be together but love her with all my cousin Tybalt really hates him but I think he’s
heart. What should I do? amazing. I’m so confused. I
hardly know him and I have to
Romeo respect my family’s wishes so
maybe I shouldn’t see him again.
What would you do?

Juliet
esrun teiluj romeo
oemor juliet nurse friar laurence
Help! Help!
I’ve got a really huge dilemma and I don’t know I really need some advice. I know a young couple

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

what to do. I helped Juliet to marry Romeo in who are secretly in love. Her family wants her to
secret but now Romeo has left Verona and cannot marry another man, but I know she doesn’t want
return. Maybe Paris, the guy her parents want her to. She’s asked me to help her fake her death so
to marry, isn’t so bad? she can run away and get
Should I tell the truth, help Juliet married to her lover. What
return to Romeo, or encourage should I do?
her to marry Paris? Help!

Nurse Friar Lawrence

romeo
romeo juliet
juliet nurse
nurse friar
friarlaurence
laurence Mercutio
Mercutio Tybalt
Tybalt

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 Romeo & Juliet
USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR GIVING ADVICE
Work in pairs and use the expressions in the box below to discuss what advice you would give to the characters.

he/she should/could//has to

If I were him/her, I’d….

What I would do is….

He/she could try..

I think the best option is to….

3 Writing task
Write a problem/a series of problems down on individual pieces of paper. The problems could be real or imaginary.
Hand them back to your teacher who will then issue you with one of the problems your classmates has submitted.
Work in pairs and say what advice you would give the person using the language from the previous task.

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

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©2016 Macmillan Education
 Romeo & Juliet
aDDItionAl Activities
1 SPEAK SHAKESPEARE!
The speech below is an extract of a key speech from the Macmillan Readers adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. It
shows the original version and the adapted version.

Original: Adaptation:
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? “Oh Romeo, Romeo, why does
Deny thy father and refuse thy name. your name have to be Romeo?
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love Tell me that Montague is not your
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet. father, and that that is not your name.
Or, if you won’t do that, just promise to be
Wherefore = why
my love, and I shall no longer be a Capulet.”
art = are
though = you
deny = (in this case) to say you do not know someone
Thy = your
refuse = to say no to
Wilt = will
But = just
Sworn = promised

TWEET/TEXT VERSION:

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

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©2016 Macmillan Education
 Romeo & Juliet
Vocabulary-building
Romeo and Juliet is all about love and relationships. Here are just some of the idioms and expressions that
Shakespeare invented that relate to love and relationships.

Can you match the expression with its correct definition?

1. The course of true love never did run smooth A. in one’s innermost feelings
2. Star-crossed lovers B. to be a very kind person
3. Heart of gold C.to make your feelings clear to others
4. Wear your heart on your sleeve D.jealousy
5. Green-eyed monster E. there will always be problems in any relationship
6. Heart of hearts F. two people who care for each other but their
circumstances don’t allow them to be together

1 4

2 5

3 6

ROMEO & JULIET: Student worksheet

Word storm
Brainstorm all the words you know relating to love with your group. Look up any expressions or words you don’t
know but would like to using the Macmillan Dictionary website www.macmillandictionary.com.
Create a poster featuring all of your words and decorate with love hearts as desired!

shakespeare for life

www.macmillanreaders.com/shakespeare
©2016 Macmillan Education