Warm-up
Now and Next
What’s happening now, plans and arrangements
Today’s grammar
Talk first
- What are you doing right now?
- What sounds can you hear at this moment?
- What are you doing this weekend?
After this lesson you will be able to...
- Say what is happening now and around now.
- Talk about plans and intentions.
- Make arrangements and invitations.
- Choose between present simple and present continuous.
Vocabulary
Words to learn
| at the moment | зараз, на цей момент I’m working at the moment. |
| these days | тепер, нині I’m learning English these days. |
| arrangement | домовленість We have an arrangement for Friday. |
| plan | план My plan is to travel in July. |
| intend to | мати намір I intend to start a course. |
| be busy | бути зайнятим She is busy this week. |
| invite | запрошувати I want to invite you to dinner. |
| accept / refuse | прийняти / відмовити He accepted the invitation. |
Grammar
Present continuous — now and around now
We use the present continuous for actions happening now (I am talking), temporary situations (I am staying with my sister this week) and changing situations (Prices are rising).
Form: am / is / are + verb-ing. Spelling: work → working, make → making (drop e), run → running (double the consonant), lie → lying.
Negative: I’m not working. Question: Are you working? What are you doing? Some verbs are not used in the continuous when they describe states: know, like, love, want, need, understand, believe. We say “I know”, not “I am knowing”.
| I’m speaking with my teacher now. |
| It’s raining, and the wind is blowing. |
| Are you working this week? — No, I’m on holiday. |
| What are you listening to? |
Be going to — plans and predictions
We use “be going to + base verb” for plans and intentions we have decided before speaking: I’m going to visit my grandmother on Sunday. We also use it for predictions with present evidence: Look at those clouds! It’s going to rain.
Negative: I’m not going to… Question: Are you going to…? What are you going to do?
For fixed arrangements with a time and a place we often use the present continuous: I’m meeting Sarah at six o’clock.
| I’m going to cook dinner tonight. |
| We’re not going to travel this year. |
| What are you going to do at the weekend? |
| He’s meeting his teacher at five. |
Present simple or present continuous?
Present simple: habits, facts, regular timetables. “I drink tea every morning.” Present continuous: now, temporary, changing. “I’m drinking coffee today because we have no tea.”
Time words help: always, usually, every day → present simple. Now, at the moment, today, this week, these days → present continuous.
| She usually walks to work, but today she is taking the bus. |
| I work in a bank. Right now I’m talking to you. |
| Do you often travel? Are you travelling this summer? |
Speaking
Easy — warm up your speaking
- What are you doing at the moment?
- What are you doing this weekend?
- What are you going to eat today?
- Who are you going to talk to today?
- Are you working or studying this week?
- What are you learning these days?
- What are you listening to right now?
- What are you going to do tomorrow?
- Are you going to travel this year?
- Where are you going to go on holiday?
- What are you looking forward to?
- Are you going to see any friends this week?
Medium — say more
- Describe what is happening around you now: sounds, voices, smells.
- What big plans do you have for this year?
- What are your friends and family doing these days?
- What are you going to do after this lesson?
- What are you going to cook for a special dinner?
- Tell me about a plan you are excited about.
- What is changing in your life at the moment?
- What are you going to do for your next birthday?
- What kind of events do you like to be invited to?
- How do you usually make plans with friends? By phone, voice message or app?
- Are you going to learn something new next year? What?
- What are you going to do this summer?
Deeper — explain and give reasons
- How much do you plan your life, and how much do you leave to chance?
- Are plans useful, or do they make us stressed?
- What are you going to change in your life in the next five years?
- How is the world changing right now? Is it for the better?
- What is the most important decision you are going to make this year?
- What do you think people are going to do differently in the future?
- If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be and what would you be doing?
- What is your biggest plan for the next ten years?
More questions
- What are you wearing today?
- What is happening in your street right now?
- Who are you talking to at the moment?
- What are you reading or watching these days?
- What are you going to cook tonight?
- Where are you going on your next holiday?
- What are you learning at the moment?
- Who are you going to see this week?
- What is your best friend doing right now, do you think?
- Are you working on any big plans this year?
- What is the weather like now, and what are you going to wear tomorrow?
- What are you going to do after this lesson?
Opinions and what-ifs
- Is it good to plan everything, or is it better to be spontaneous?
- What are you going to change in your life next year?
- Are you doing enough exercise these days?
- What is changing in your city right now?
- How is your life different from last year?
- Where are you going to be in five years?
- What is something you are going to start tomorrow, not next week?
- What are people around you worried about these days?