Interviewing each other

Grammar

Gap fill chat/gap fill paragraph

B1 and above

Personal, public, professional

90 minutes

Present simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous

and present perfect revision

This lesson focuses on the two types of questions found in the Grammar part of the
EnglishScore test:
- gap fill chat: a conversation between two people. Test-takers must choose the
correct word or phrase from three options to fill the gap.
- gap fill paragraph: a short text. Test-takers must choose the correct word or
phrase from three options to fill the gap.

- To revise the differences between present simple and present continuous

- To revise the differences between past simple and present perfect
- To revise the differences between future simple and future perfect continuous

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Topic Content Timing
(min)

Warmer Group students into pairs. Ask them to interview each other based on the 5–10
questions in Part 1, Introduction.

Presentation 1. Group students into pairs or teams of 3–4. Ask them to look at the words 25–30
underlined in the survey and elicit that they are verbs. Also elicit what the
titles in a, Part 2, Presentation are (verb tenses). Most students at B1 level
and above should be familiar with all these tenses, but if not, work together
as a class to find one example of each. Give them 5 min to complete the rest
of the table, then discuss as a class. Note: you will see that some of the
underlined text includes additional words that interrupt the verb (e.g. ‘have
cooked’ is ‘have you ever cooked’ in the questionnaire). It’s fine for students
to write the whole phrase in the table, but explain that the verb part is ‘have
cooked’, i.e. auxiliary verb + past participle. The same applies elsewhere, e.g.
‘were learning’ (auxiliary verb + gerund).

Key
Present simple Present cont. Past simple Past cont. Present perfect
prefer are eating required were doing have cooked
cook are doing was were learning have watched
eat are studying watched have studied
like did you want

(8–10 minutes)

2. Look at b, Part 2, Presentation. Go through the first example together: Do

you prefer to cook at home or to eat outside? Why?

Does this question talk about the present or the past? (present)
Is the question about a specific experience or a general fact? (general fact)

Elicit that the present simple is used for general facts that are true in the
present. Ask students to go through the rest of the questions in their
pairs/teams. Give them 6–7 min for this, then go through the questions
together.

(10–12 minutes)

3. Look at c, Part 2, Presentation. Refer back to the present simple example

and ask students to complete the first sentence with the answer present
simple. Ask students to complete the rest of the sentences in their
pairs/teams. Give them 4–5 min for this, then go through the answers
together.

Key
1. Present simple 4. Present perfect
2. Past continuous 5. Present continuous
3. Past simple

(7–8 minutes)

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Practice In the same pairs/teams, ask students to complete the multiple-choice task in 10–15
Part 3, Practice. Give them 8–10 min for this. Go through the answers
together, asking students to explain what the three tenses are in each
multiple-choice question and why they selected the answer they selected.
Focus on the last question: why is it lived? (The person is dead, so the action
of living is complete.)

Key
a. am cleaning b. was raining c. take
d. forgot e. have lived f. was walking
g. always wake up h. we’re throwing i. didn’t want
j. I’ve never travelled k. lived

Production 1. Look at the first question in Part 4, Production together and elicit the 15–20
answer. Ask students to work in the same pairs/teams to complete the rest of
the task. Give them 5–6 min for this, then go through the answers together.

Key
HOBBIES FAMILY TRAVEL MEMORIES
1. do you do 1. are you meeting 1. have visited 1. were you doing
2. did you have 2. works 2. are you 2. were
going

(8 minutes)

2. Divide students into pairs and ask them to interview each other once again.
Encourage them to ask follow-up questions and to speak for at least 30
sec/1 min for each question. If running out of time, ask them to take turns
answering a question rather than both students answering each question.

(7–12 minutes)

Optional: Select some of the practice items from the sample bank and add them to a 10
Game PowerPoint. Group students into teams and give each team the hand-out
from the materials. Show the questions one by one, allowing the teams a
minute to decide on an answer. Then, go through the answers and have them
check each other’s points to determine the winner(s).

Suggestion: if the students have mobile phones with a good internet

connection and the classroom also has internet, you can use an online ‘build
your own quiz’ platform. You can have students play on their own or keep
them in groups and elect a team leader to select the correct answer in each
round.

Wrap-up Correct any mistakes students made during the lesson, discuss any questions 5
they may have about the lesson/item studied and assign homework.

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 Discuss the questions below with your partner.

1. Do you prefer to cook at

home or to eat outside? Why?
2. Have you ever cooked a dish
that required a lot of work?
What was the dish?
3. What do you usually do when
you are eating?

4. What was the last film you watched

about? When did you watch it?
5. What type of films do you like watching?
6. What is the best film you have watched in your life?
Why?

7. What were you doing yesterday at 7 o’clock in the evening?

8. What are you doing when this lesson is over?

9. Were you learning English when you were 5 years old?

10. Did you always want to learn English? Why/why not?
11. Have you studied any other languages? Are you studying any other languages now?

a. Complete the table with the underlined words from the questionnaire.

Present simple Present Past simple Past continuous Present perfect

continuous

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b. Answer the questions below.

i. Do you prefer to cook at home or to eat
outside? Why?
Does this question talk about the present or the
past?
Is the question about a specific experience or a
general fact?
ii. Are you studying any other languages
now?
Does this question talk about the present, the
past or the future?
Is the question about a specific experience or a
general fact?
Is the question about something that might take
some time to complete?
iii. What are you doing when this lesson is
over?
Does this question talk about the present, the
past or the future?
Is the question about a specific experience or a
general fact?
Is the question about something that might take
some time to complete?
iv. Have you ever cooked a dish that
required a lot of work?
Does this question talk about the present or the
past?
Is the question about a specific experience or a
general fact?
Is it possible to cook another dish that requires
a lot of work again in the future?
Is it possible to go back to the past and cook
that specific dish again?
v. Were you learning English when you were
5 years old?
Does this question talk about the present or the
past?
Is the question about a specific experience or a
general fact?
Is the question about something that might take
some time to complete?
vi. Have you studied any other languages?
Does this question talk about the present or the
past?
Is it possible to study more languages in the
future?

c. Complete the sentences with the correct tense.

present simple present continuous past simple

past continuous present perfect

1. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used when we talk about general facts, such as age,

likes/dislikes or habits.
2. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used when we talk about something that happened
in the past before and after something else, or something that happened for a
long time.
3. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used when we talk about something that happened
in the past.
4. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used when we talk about things and experiences
that started in the past and continue in the present or may continue in the future.
5. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used when we talk about something that is
happening in the present and may take some time to complete. It is also used
when we talk about something that will happen in the future.

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Select the correct answer.

a. I’m sorry, I can’t help you right e. I _ _ _ in Buenos Aires for over i. Claire _ _ _ to come with us at
now. I _ _ _ the kitchen. ten years. I’m never moving first, but John can be very
• clean away! It’s my favourite city in convincing.
• am cleaning the world. • didn’t want
• cleaned • am living • doesn’t want
• have lived • hasn’t wanted
• live

b. We went to the theatre last night. f. I _ _ _ to the station when my j. _ _ _ abroad. There are a lot of
It _ _ _ a lot, but we took a taxi. phone rang. I didn’t answer, as I countries I want to go to, but I
• rained was in a rush. just don’t have the money.
• has rained • was walking Maybe one day!
• was raining • walked • I never travelled
• have walked • I’m never travelling
• I’ve never travelled

c. Every Sunday, I _ _ _ my kids to g. I _ _ _ early, even when I’m not k. She _ _ _ in Switzerland for
the park to play football. It’s my working. It’s very annoying! fifteen years, until her death in
favourite day! • am always waking up 2011.
• take • always wake up • has lived
• am taking • always woke up • lived
• have taken • was living

d. I _ _ _ to take my keys when I left h. Do you have any plans for the
home. What am I going to do? weekend? _ _ _ a party at my
• have forgotten house if you want to come.
• was forgetting • We’re throwing
• forgot • We’ve thrown
• We throw

Complete the questions below and discuss with

your partner.

1. What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in your free time usually? (do)

2. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the same hobbies when you were
younger as today? (have)

1. When _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ your family next? (meet)

2. Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the hardest in your family? (work)

1. What is the best place you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

in your life? Why? (visit)
2. When _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ on holidays next? Where? (go)

1. What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when the year changed on

New Year’s Day last year? (do)
2. How has the world changed since you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10 years old? (be)

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 Team name:

Team members:

Answers ✓ or ✗?

10

11

12

13

14

15

Total:

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