LISTENING SKILL - PRACTISING THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE WITH A SONG

LISTENING ACTIVITY: “Lemon Tree” (Band: Fool’s Garden)

You are going to watch an animated music video in order to examine the use and form of the Present Continuous tense. The video contains the lyrics of the song.

Tasks:

- First, copy all the verbs in the present continuous form.

- Second, transform those verbs into the negative form of the present continuous.

- Third, transform these verbs into the third personal singular of the present continuous.

READING SKILL - "THE DAILY ROUTINE OF A TYPICAL TEENAGER"

My name is Mary and I am fourteen years old. I am English and I am a student at the Charles Dickens School in Dover.  

Every day, I get up at seven o’clock and I have milk and cereal for breakfast. After that, I have a shower. Then, I get dressed and I go to school. I am bad at Maths, because I don’t like numbers. I am very good at French, because my father is from France. My mum is from Spain and she teaches me Spanish, so I can speak two languages! I like my school and I always have fun with my classmates. But this week we are studying for our exams. It’s boring!

When I get home, I have lunch with my parents and my sister Carmen. In the afternoons, I do homework and I tell beautiful stories to my little brother, Jim. Later, I go to the sports centre to do ballet. Tomorrow we are performing "Sleeping Beauty". Isn’t it fantastic?

When I go home, I have dinner with my family. I never watch TV at night. I am often tired, so I go to bed at half past ten.

That’s a typical day in my life. My everyday life is quite ordinary, but I love it!

READING COMPREHENSION EXERCISE

Answer the following questions about Mary’s everyday life:

1. How old is Mary?

2. Why is Mary bad at Maths?

3. How many languages can she speak?

4. Where are her parents from?

5. How many brothers and sisters has Mary got?

6. What are Mary and her friends doing this week?

7. Why does Mary love doing aerobics?

8. What time does Mary go to bed?

WRITING SKILL - DAILY ROUTINES

1. COMPOSITION MODEL: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A STUDENT

My name is ……. and I am …years old. I live in … and I am a student at … secondary school.

Every day I get up at …  and I have ……. for breakfast. After that I have a shower. Then I get dressed and I go to school. I am good / bad at …. because ……. My favourite subject is …. because (I think) it’s …. I also like … During break time I always + V (Present Simple) in the playground but this week I + V (Present Continuous) because of the exams.

When I get home, I have lunch. I + (adverb of frequency) take a nap. In the afternoons, I do homework. In the evenings I usually play / go / do + sport. I love it because it is ... and ... I can + V + sport + (adverb of manner).

Then I go home and I have dinner. I + (adverb of frequency) watch TV at night. I read before I go to sleep because I love reading books / I don’t read before I go to sleep because I am + (adverb of frequency) very tired.

That’s a typical day in my life. My everyday life is ordinary / simple, but I love / like it, especially at the weekends. This weekend my family and I + V (Present Continuous). Isn’t it great?

ACTIVITIES

1. Correct the mistakes:

1. Everys days I get up at seven o'clock.

2. Then have lunch.

3. I love play football.

4. I am good in Science.

5. I do my homeworks.

6. My subject favourite is French.

7. I watch TV in night.

8. I never am very tired.

9. I can go skating goodly.

10. I have twelve years old.

2. Write a composition about your daily routine, using this model as a guide.  

3. Ask your partner about his / her daily routines and write a similar composition about him / her in the third person singular.

EXERCISES - CONTRAST PRESENT SIMPLE / PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS? Choose the correct option:

1. You write / are writing a letter at the moment.

2. I tidy / am tidying my bedroom every morning.

3. David plays / is playing tennis tomorrow.

4. My sister and my cousin go / are going to the cinema on Sundays.

5. I never read / am reading the newspaper.

6. We don’t draw / aren’t drawing right now.

7. Jennifer does / is doing homework this week.

8. Now Mike and Nora don’t sit / aren’t sitting on the bench.

2. ERROR CORRECTION – Correct the sentences:

1. You are studing French at the moment. 

2. I’m no going to the park today,

3. Listen! Bruce plays the piano.

4. Are you listening? Yes, I do.

5. She always meet her friends on Saturdays.

6. He is eatting pizza right now.

7. My friends are going to the park on Wednesdays.

8. They are singing songs every day.

GRAMMAR - CONTRAST PRESENT SIMPLE / PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT SIMPLE

1. USES:

- To talk about habits. Examples: I go to school. They have lunch at two o’clock. He studies hard.

- To talk about permanent actions. Examples: You live in Logroño. She works in an important factory.

2. TIME EXPRESSIONS:

Adverbs of frequency (always, generally, usually, often, sometimes, never), on + days of the week in the plural, every …, once a / twice a / three times a …

ATTENTION! 

STATIVE VERBS describe a state rather than an action and they are used in the Present Simple form:

- Emotions and feelings: LOVE, LIKE, DISLIKE, HATE, HOPE, PREFER, WANT

- Thought and opinion: THINK, BELIEVE, FORGET, KNOW, REMEMBER, UNDERSTAND, (DIS)AGREE, MEAN, RECOGNISE, REALISE, SEEM, SUPPOSE

- Perception and senses: SEE, HEAR, FEEL, SMELL, TASTE, SOUND, TOUCH

- Possession: HAVE, OWN, BELONG

- Prices and measures: COST, MEASURE, WEIGH

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. USES:

- To describe activities which are happening at the moment of speaking. Examples: I am listening to the radio now. They are writing a letter right now. He is doing his homework at the moment.

- To talk about temporary actions. Examples: This week my father is painting the house. This month we are living with my grandparents. This year my brother is studying in Liverpool.

Also: Present Continuous with future meaning → To talk about definite plans in the future (arrangements). Examples: I am having dinner with my friends tonight. He is going to the dentist tomorrow. We are playing an important football match next week.

2. TIME EXPRESSIONS:

Now, right now, at the moment // this week /these days // all the morning/afternoon, evening // today, tomorrow, tonight, next ...

Also: Look! Listen!

SPEAKING SKILL - DESCRIBING PICTURES: PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE USUALLY DO ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS? 

Use the Present Simple form of the following verbs to describe their actions:

stick photos in an album - do her homework - drink a cup of tea - play with a ball - sleep - prepare coffee with milk and sugar

Example: Dad usually prepares coffee with milk and sugar on Sunday afternoons.

WHAT ARETHESE PEOPLE DOING RIGHT NOW? 

Use the Present Continuous form of the following verbs to describe their actions:


shout at two boys - run - smile - talk on their phones - laugh - do his homework - listen to music

Example: Carla and Lucía are laughing.