Present Continuous - Dilly #1

Teaching grammar with comics strips is incredibly flexible! You can adapt your lesson plans to fit just about every verb tense. This lesson plan focuses on the present continuous. Common mistakes students make

1. forgetting the be verb (is, am, are)

   I have students young and old who either forget to use the be verb or think that it is not important. But we know how crucial it is! Students will have a much harder time making the PAST continuous if they have not mastered the present continuous.

   
   

2. forgetting the -ing

   Students are often taught the present simple first, and then get confused why they have two options for seemingly the same thing. For example, "She sits" versus "She is sitting."

Lesson Plan

Review the structure

1. Give examples and remind them of the timeline

   

2. Have students finish a sentence prompt

   He is _____.

   She __ walking.

   They ___ dancing.

3. Have students create their own sentences (I usually ask them a quick question such as "What are you doing right now?" or "Are you sitting or standing?")

Introduce new vocabulary

Depending on how advanced your students are, the applicable verbs for Dilly #1 could be:

• put

• pack

• close/shut

• zip up

• look for

• throw

• toss

• hold

• show

• point

• climb

*Tip for introducing new words:

Students should read , write, and speak the word, but they should SPEAK it more than they do anything else.

Give them

• the definition

• examples in a variety of contexts

• questions with the word inside

Definition: Pack = to put things in a suitcase or bag

Example 1: I pack pants, shirts, and socks into my suitcase.

Example 2: Oh no! I forgot to pack underwear!

Question 1: What do you pack for the beach?

Question 2: Do you pack ice cream in your suitcase?

Speaking Activity

With a partner, take turns telling the story. There are six pictures, but the story must be twelve sentences.

Student 1 will say a sentence (in the present continuous) about picture #1. Student 2 will say a different sentence (in present continuous) about picture #1 as well! Then they will both make different sentences for picture #2, and so on.

Writing Activity

The same task as the speaking activity, but have the students write their twelve sentences, and then read out loud to the class.

Follow-up Activity

Questions:

• Who is climbing the curtain?

• Who is holding the small suitcase?

• Who is wearing a skirt?

/