KELSEY’S ADULTS CLASSES
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
APRIL 2021
WEEK1 : Solving a crime in the airport. Role play to practice « Past Continuous ».
MARCH 2021 : ACCOMODATIONS & TRAVELING
WEEK4 :
Wednesday: Prepositions of movement review.
ED pronunciation. Introduction to « past continuous »
Thursday: Spoken expressions part 1
Introduction to « past continuous »
Homework: Tell about something surprising that happened while you were traveling. What were you doing when it happened? Use the past continuous.
Useful spoken English phrases for intermediate learners:
Gap-Fillers
Filler words have many functions in conversation:
- To start a new topic or give yourself more time to think
- Well
- Okay
- So
- Um / er / uh
- Hmm
- Like
- Adverbs: to give nuance or emphasis to what you are saying
- Actually (careful! This means “In fact”, NOT “currently”)
- Totally
- Basically
- Seriously
- Clearly
- Literally
- Specifying the kind of information
- You see (the information is new to the listener)
- You know (the listener already knows the information)
- I guess / I suppose (the speaker isn’t sure about the information)
- …or something (at the end of the sentence, to show that the information isn’t precise)
- To clarify, confirm, or summarize something
- I mean (to clarify or explain)
- (Do) you know what I mean? (to confirm that the listener understands or agrees)
- At the end of the day (to summarize the most important point)
- To show that you are listening actively
- Right
- Mhm
- Sure
- Uh huh
- Yeah
80 English phrases with pronunciation: https://www.englishteacheradriana.com/80-common-english-phrases/
Themes:
- Asking how someone is
- Saying how you are
- Saying thank you
- Responding to thank you
- Ending a conversation
- Asking for information
- Saying you don’t know
- Not having an opinion
- Agreeing
- Disagreeing
- Responding to great news
- Responding to bad news
- Inviting someone somewhere
- Talking about food
- Talking about prices
- Talking about the weather
- Talking about being tired
Interjections: https://eslgrammar.org/interjection/
WEEK3 :
Wednesday: Week 2 lesson + Venice travel video.
Thursday: Prepositions of movement review.
Introduce « Spoken expressions » list
Venice travel video.
WEEK2 : TALK & WALK
OR Chat about St. Patrick’s Day.
« Galway Girls » Irish dancers:
Presentations and discussions of famous homes.
Homework: Review prepositions of movement for next time: https://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/direction_prepositions.htm
FEBRUARY 2021 : HOME and HOUSE
WEEK3 : Home improvements discussion.
Types of homes: cottage, bungalow, apartment/flat, semi-detached, detached, terraced, palace, castle, studio. What are the features of each type of home? Which features of a home are essential to you? Which type of home do you prefer? What is a typical French home?
Video: James Bond visits Buckingham Palace.
Homework: Describe a famous home. When was it built? Who lives there? What features does it have? etc.
WEEK2 : Go over « reported speech » homework. More « reported speech » practice.
Begin topic: « house and home »
What is the difference between house and home?
Expressions with « house » and « home »
Homework: Tell about a time when you made home improvements. Did you ask for help or DIY?
WEEK1 : « TALK AND WALK » OR January week 4 lesson
JANUARY 2021 : HEALTH & WELLNESS
WEEK4 : « TALK AND WALK » OR To the doctor’s office
Discuss homework and review 2nd conditional. Video: « Friends »: Rachel’s visit to the eye doctor:
Grammar point: Indirect reported speech- Read the statements from the video. Can you change them to indirect speech?
Discuss similarities and differences between French and American health systems.
Useful vocabulary:- doctor’s office- prescription- drugs- medicine- drugstore / pharmacy- checkup- insurance
Homework: more exercises at this link https://www.esl-lounge.com/level4/lev4reportedspeechwsheet.php(You can find suggested answers on the website. We will check in class next time.)
Grammar explanation and extra practice: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/reported-speech-1-statements
**** CORRECTIONS FOR PASSIVE VOICE EXERCISES FROM LAST WEEK****https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/Passive_voice/Health_comes_first_PASSIVE_VOICE_qz1222900inQ2: 2. Bicycles were rented (by the visitors) at the resort.3. Hundreds of people visit the spa every week.4. A spa holiday was booked (by them).5. In this health resort, they don’t allow children.
WEEK3 : We learned about two islands:
– Santa Cruz de Islota, off the coast of Columbia, is the most densely-populated island in the world.
– Budelli island has only one inhabitant, who has lived there alone for more than 30 years.
Watch the video and read the text. Which island would you rather live on? Which lifestyle would be better for your health? Video about Santa Cruz de Islota:
Passive voice practice: Put the following sentences and ideas from the video in passive voice:
– Fisherman used the island for shelter from storms.
– They built houses on the island.
– They caught fish.
– They built a generator.
Vocabulary from the text about Budelli Island:
– caretaker- decades- to spread- to scatter
Here is an article about Budelli Island for those who are interested. You can click on « slideshow » to see images of the island and its caretaker, Mauro Morandi.https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/europe/italy/photos-of-life-alone-on-a-paradise-island/
Grammar Point: 2nd Conditional
[If + Simple Past … would + infinitive]
We use the 2nd conditional to talk about things that are unlikely or impossible.
Ex. If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
If you had to choose between the two islands, which would you choose to/rather live on?
– I would rather live on the second island
– I would prefer to live on the first island
***With the verb BE, always use « were » (even if it’s singular!)***
Ex. If he were here, he would sing a song.Homework: If you were stranded on an island, which three things would you choose to bring with you? (and why?)Optional exercises for more practice: https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/second-conditional-exercise-1.html
WEEK2 : What does health and wellness mean to you?
Video: Forest Bathing
https://healingforest.org
Discussion: What is forest bathing? What are its benefits?
Grammar point: Passive vs Active voice. What are examples of passive voice in the video?
Exercices: https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/Passive_voice/Health_comes_first_PASSIVE_VOICE_qz1222900in
Homework: Watch the video again. Do you agree or disagree with this claim?: « Spending time in nature is better for you than spending time in the city. »
Grammar explanation and extra practice:
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/passive.html
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/passive-exercises.html
WEEK1 – Kelsey: Listen and read article (LEVEL 5): « New Year’s Resolutions Difficult to Keep » (click on the link: you can listen at different speed s and read the article again)
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1501/150102-new-years-resolutions-l.html
Common new year’s resolutions are about health, money, food, friends, hobbies and the world. We make resolutions to quit, change, or start something. For example:
– save money
– quit a bad habit
– get fit
– lose weight
Discussion: Which resolution is the easiest to keep? Which is the most difficult? Why?
Homework : The January Topic is Health and Wellness. What does being healthy mean to you?
WEEK1 – Klaudia:
Speaking
- How did you celebrate Christmas? New Year’s Eve?
- What are your New Year’s Resolutions?
- What is your favo(u)rite Christmas tradition?
- How did you celebrate Christmas/New Year’s Eve when you were a child?
- How would you organize your perfect winter holiday/vacation?
HOLIDAY – when you go abroad
VACATION – when you stay at your place
Story
Write a short story using the words below.
- Fireplace
- Holly
- Letter to Santa
- Joyful
- Surprise
- Children
- Snow
Writing New Year’s Resolutions
Some examples
- Travel more
- Exercise more
- Lose weight
- Get organized
- Learn a new skill or a hobby
- Live life to the fullest
- Quit smoking
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Eat healthier
- Save more money/spend less money
- Go abroad
Now write your own New Year’s Resolutions.
GRAMMAR POINT – EXPRESSING ACTIONS IN THE FUTURE
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/will-or-be-going-to.html
FINALLY, let’s speak about Present Continuous. Even though Present Continuous is a present tense, it can allude to the future.
I am seeing Martha in town tomorrow.
We use the present continuous tense for definite future arrangements. Often, it doesn’t really matter if we choose ‘be going to’ or the present continuous. In the following example, there is really very little difference in meaning:
- I‘m going to the cinema tonight.
- I‘m going to go to the cinema tonight.
We use the present simple tense in two cases. First, we use it for a timetabled event in the future, like public transport or the start of a class:
- My train leaves at six tonight.
- His class starts at 9am tomorrow.
Second, we use it after certain words, when the sentence has a future meaning. These words are: before / after / as soon as / until / when:
- I’ll call you when I get home.
- She’s going to study after she finishes dinner.
- Please drink some water as soon as you complete the race.
LISTENING: VIDEO (FRIENDS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ELglSwEON8
- Where are they going?
- Who is going there?
DECEMBER : Holidays and Celebrations
WEEK 1: Weird Christmas traditions around the world. https://www.prezzybox.com/apps/christmas-around-the-world.aspx
Homework: what are your Christmas traditions?
WEEK2 : Talk about holiday traditions.
Grammar point depends on group:
– B + V-ing for plans;
– « May » for a wish vs. possibility/permission
Christmas songs vs Christmas carols.
Christmas song gap fill: « White Christmas » by Lady Gaga.
Homework: What is your favorite Christmas song? Suggest a song or carol for next week.
More resources:
Christmas songs, lyrics and exercises :
https://www.esolcourses.com/topics/christmas-songs.html
NOVEMBER 2020 : FOOD & DRINKS
WEEK 1: Introduce topic. What’s your comfort food?
Cornbread recipe.
Homework: bring a recipe to share.
WEEK 2: Share recipes. Cooking vocabulary; imperative form of verbs for instructions.
WEEK 3: Kitchen items vocab. “to” vs “for”.
Homework: describe your kitchen
WEEK 4: “This is just to say” poem. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56159/this-is-just-to-say
Review: present perfect for recent events.