Teaching Present Continuous

Level:  intermediate to advance (not suitable for elementary learners)

Aim: Ss are able to use present continuous to talk about things happening now or action in progress.

Warmer: Running dictation

1. Sarah is driving to work.

2. He’s having a shower.

3. I’m reading a really good book.

4. Is your English getting better?

5. She isn’t learning Italian, she’s learning Japanese.

6. It isn’t raining anymore.

1. Cut the paper and stick them around the wall outside the class.
2. Divide Ss into several groups. Ask them to stand in lines.
3. The first person listens for the number the teacher says then goes outside to find the sentence. After that s/he needs to tell the second person.
4. Second person writes the sentence.
5. Ss take turn until all of the sentences have been written.

Lead-in:

Ss talk with partners about something they’re doing (a project, a book they’re reading, plan, etc). Ss don’t need to tell the teacher about the conversation.

Note: make sure that they need to make responses to their partners’ answer.

Pre-teaching: Hangman

Vocabulary à drive a car, ride a bike

Present: Present Continuous

Sarah is on her way to work. She’s driving a car. She’s stuck in a traffic jam. It’s better for her to take a bike, but she isn’t riding her bike.

Concept checking questions:

-          When is she driving?

-          Is it something in progress?

-          What do we need after the subject?

-          Do you use v-ing or verb 1?

-          If you want to make a negative statement, where do you put ‘not’?

Teacher to students drill:

Use PowerPoint to view the slides(one number one slide). Ask Ss to make the sentences based on the prompts.

1. Please, don’t make so much noise. I / try / to work.
2. (At a party) Hello Jane. ? / you / enjoy / the party
3. What’s all that noise? What / go / on / ?
4. etc

Student to student drill: Foldey activity

Fold the paper and ask ss to make the sentences or questions based on the prompts.

Students who have number one should ask, students who have number two should make the answers.

Note: make sure that they need to make responses to their partners’ answers.

1. (On the phone) Hi, Steve. What / you / do / ?	2. I / read / a really good book / at the moment
2. She wants to work in Italy, so / she / learn / Italian.	1. Why / she / learn / Italian / ?
1. What / you / talk / about / ?	2. Some friends of mine / build / their own house / . They hope top finish it next summer.
2. Yes, I have a lot to do. I / write / the annual report.	1. You look so tired. You / work hard / today.

 Practice: Matching exercise (taken from English Grammar in Use)

1 Please don't make so much noise.                                        a lt's getting late.

2 I need to eat something soon.                                              b They're lying.

3 I don't have anywhere to live right now.                             c lt's starting to rain.

4 We need to leave soon.                                                        d They're trying to sell it.

5 They don't need their car any more.                                    e I'm getting hungry.

6 Things are not so good at work.                                          f I’m trying to work.

7 lt isn't true what they said.                                                   g I'm looking for an apartment.

8 We're going to get wet .                                                       h The company is losing money.

Production:

1. Communicative Controlled Practice: I spy game
2. Freer Practice: Board game of Present Continuous

Exit ticket: Ask ss one by one the same question as in the lead-in before they go home.

Leave a comment bellow for suggestions or questions, or maybe to show some support. Thanks :)