Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 25 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 5: Free Time

Who invented the weekend?

Two days off in a row is not a very old idea. Learn how to talk about weekend plans, plan a weekend for three people, and give your final talk of Block 5.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

My weekend

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Do you work at the weekend?
  2. What do you usually do on Saturdays?
  3. Do you sleep in on Sundays?
  4. Do you go out or stay in?
  5. What is your perfect weekend?
  6. What are you going to do next weekend?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about your weekend.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. What are you doing at the ?
  2. Tomorrow is my .
  3. We to visit my grandmother.
  4. We're going on a to the mountains.
  5. It's sunny. Let's have a in the park.
  6. I like to on Sunday morning.
  7. I do on Saturday morning: cleaning and washing.
  8. Sorry, I can't come. I'm .
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. to stay in ↔ to
  2. Grilled meat in the garden is a
  3. busy ↔
  4. Saturday and Sunday are the
  5. To sleep later than usual = to
  6. A day with no plans is a
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to talk about your plans.

  • What are you doing at the weekend?Що ти робиш на вихідних?I'm meeting friends on Saturday.
  • I'm going to...Я збираюся...I'm going to sleep in on Sunday.
  • We're going to visit...Ми збираємося відвідати...We're going to visit my parents.
  • I'm not going to...Я не збираюся...I'm not going to do chores!
  • Are you free on...?Ти вільний(а) в...?Are you free on Saturday?
  • Let's meet up!Давай зустрінемося!Let's meet up for coffee.
  • I'd love to, but...Я б із задоволенням, але...I'd love to, but I'm busy.
  • Have a nice weekend!Гарних вихідних!See you on Monday. Have a nice weekend!
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Two days off

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Who invented the weekend?

Do you work on Saturday and Sunday? For most people, they are days off. But the weekend is not very old.

For a long time, many workers in Europe had only one day off, Sunday. In Britain in the 1800s, some workers also took Monday off, and later many factories gave workers Saturday afternoon off.

In 1926, the American businessman Henry Ford changed the rules in his car factories. His workers had five working days and two days off.

Many people say Ford wanted his workers to have time to enjoy life, and to use cars for trips with their families.

Soon other companies did the same. Today, the weekend is normal in many countries. What are you going to do this weekend?

3.2

True or false?

  1. For a long time, many workers had only one day off.
  2. Ford started a five-day working week in his factories in 1926.
  3. All factories gave two days off in the 1800s.
  4. Ford's workers had six working days.
  5. The text says the weekend is a very old idea.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. What are you going to do this weekend?
  2. What is your perfect weekend?
  3. Do you think two days off is enough?
  4. Would you like to work four days a week?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Going to for plans

be going to + verb for plans.

I'm going to sleep in. She's going to visit her parents. We aren't going to cook.

Questions with going to

Are you going to...? What are you going to do?

Are you going to meet friends? What are you going to do on Sunday?

Block 5 review

Use the grammar from this block.

like + -ing (L21) · play / go / do, how often (L22) · -ing / -ed adjectives (L23) · can, prefer (L24)

Common mistakes: am / is / are + going to + verb. ✗ I going to sleep → I'm going to sleep. ✗ She is going to visits her mum → She's going to visit her mum.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. I'm
    in on Sunday.
  2. She
    her parents.
  3. We
    cook.
  4. you going to meet friends?
  5. What
    on Sunday?
  6. They're going to
    a picnic.
  7. He
    going to come.
  8. I'm
    at home.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I going to sleep in. →
  2. She is going to visits her mum. →
  3. We aren't going cook. →
  4. You going to come? →
  5. He is going to plays tennis. →
  6. They are going have a picnic. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use going to for your plans and the grammar from Block 5.

  1. What are you going to do this weekend?
  2. Are you going to meet friends?
  3. What are you going to do next Sunday?
  4. Where are you going to go on your next day off?
  5. Are you going to cook or eat out this weekend?
  6. What are you not going to do this weekend?
5

Weekend plans and a final talk

8 min
5.1

Weekend plans

Three people need a plan for the weekend. Say what each person is going to do. Which weekend sounds the best?

Person 1

Lena, 29

  • Works hard all week
  • Is tired
  • Loves her bed
  • Has no money
Person 2

Oleh, 40

  • Has two small children
  • Likes being outside
  • Has a car
  • Hates staying in
Person 3

Natalia, 55

  • Is retired
  • Loves cooking
  • Likes meeting friends
  • Has a big garden
5.2

Mini-talk: my perfect weekend

This is the final speaking task of Block 5. Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: your hobbies and sport (like + -ing, play / go / do).
  3. Part 2: a film or music you like and why (opinions, can, prefer).
  4. Part 3: your plans for next weekend (going to).
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Do you work at the weekend?
  2. What do you usually do on Saturdays?
  3. Do you sleep in on Sundays?
  4. Do you do chores at the weekend?
  5. Do you go out or stay in?
  6. Do you prefer weekends in summer or winter?
  7. What is your perfect weekend?
  8. What are you going to do next weekend?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. What do your parents do at the weekend?
  2. Who do you meet at the weekend?
  3. Do your friends work on Saturdays?
  4. What do children do at the weekend?
  5. Who cooks at the weekend in your family?
  6. Who are you going to visit soon?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is a two-day weekend enough?
  2. Would a four-day working week be good?
  3. Is it better to relax or to do things at the weekend?
  4. Should shops be open on Sundays?
  5. Why do some people say “I hate Mondays”?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Making plans

You

Friend

You want to meet a friend (your teacher) at the weekend. Invite them and plan:
  • ask if your friend is free on Saturday
  • suggest a plan (a picnic, a trip, a film)
  • agree on the time and the place
  • say what you are going to bring
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use going to and weekend words.
Your teacher

Friend

Says things like:
  1. Hi! I'm not busy on Saturday.
  2. What are we going to do?
  3. I'd love to, but I'm busy in the morning.
  4. OK, see you at three!
7.2

A weekend trip

You

Travel planner

You and a friend (your teacher) plan a weekend trip. Decide together:
  • ask where your friend wants to go
  • say where you are going to stay
  • talk about what you are going to do
  • decide how you are going to get there
You do most of the talking. Use: Are you going to...? · We're going to... · What are we going to do?
Your teacher

Friend

Says things like:
  1. I want to see the mountains.
  2. How much money do we need?
  3. Are we going to go by car or by train?
  4. Great plan!
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

weekendday offplantrippicnicsleep inchoresbusy
  1. Have a nice !
  2. Friday is my , so I'm free.
  3. Let's our holiday together.
  4. We're going on a to the sea.
  5. We take sandwiches for a .
  6. I'm going to tomorrow morning.
  7. I hate doing like washing and cleaning.
  8. Sorry, I'm on Friday.
H2

Block 5 review: choose the correct form

  1. I'm tomorrow.
  2. She dinner.
  3. you going to come?
  4. They stay.
  5. What do?
  6. I prefer tea coffee.
  7. He the piano.
  8. I enjoy out.
H3

Correct or incorrect? (Block 5 review)

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I'm going to visit my friend.
  2. She going to sleep in.
  3. Are you going to cook?
  4. We aren't going to come.
  5. He is going to plays tennis.
  6. What are you going to do?
  7. They're going to having a picnic.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. I'm going to
  2. We're going to visit
  3. I'm not going
  4. Are you free
  5. Let's meet up
  6. I'd love to, but
  7. See you on Monday.

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.