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?

As soon as I go back 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. Later, 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 back 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.

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!

VOCABULARY - TELLING THE TIME IN ENGLISH

- ASKING AND TELLING THE TIME:

Question: What time is it? / What’s the time?

Answer: It’s…

- THE MAIN STRUCTURES IN ENGLISH:

1. HOUR + O'CLOCK: (= Spanish)

Two o'clock, five o'clock, ten o'clock.

2. MINUTES/ QUARTER/HALF + PAST/ TO + HOUR: (≠ Spanish)

Seven past five, ten to eight, quarter to nine, half past twelve.

- IMPORTANT EXPRESSIONS:

IN SPANISH	IN ENGLISH	EXAMPLES
En punto	O’clock	Diez en punto: ten o’clock
Y cuarto	(A) quarter past	Diez y cuarto: (a) quarter past ten
Menos cuarto	(A) quarter to	Diez menos cuarto: (a) quarter to ten
Y cinco	Five past	Diez y cinco: five past ten
Menos cinco	Five to	Diez menos cinco:  five to ten
Y media	Half past	Diez y media: half past ten

- USEFUL WORDS:

Midday, noon: (12:00) Mediodía. Example: At noon à a mediodía.

Midnight: (0:00) Medianoche. Example: At midnight à a medianoche.

Attention:

a.m: (Ante Meridiem = "before noon") Antes del mediodía. Example:  At 8:00 a.m.

p.m: (Post Meridiem = "after noon") Después del mediodía. Example: At 8:00 p.m.

- PREPOSITION OF TIME: “AT” (Spanish: “a”)

Question: (At) What time?

Answer: At…

Examples:

(At) What time is Science? It’s at ten o’clock.

(At) What time is the break time? It’s at (a) quarter to twelve.

(At) What time is your last class? It’s at half past one.