TEACHER'S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Greetings from Italy!

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, writing, In this engaging teaching activity, students write and then ask
listening and speaking present simple and present continuous questions in order to
activity, pair and group complete missing information in an email.
work
Procedure
Language Focus Divide the students into two groups (A and B) and give each
student a corresponding A or B worksheet.
Present simple and
present continuous Tell the students to read the email on their worksheet and write
the questions they need to ask in order to complete the missing
information. Explain that the questions should be either in the
Aim present simple or the present continuous.
To write and then ask Students then work together with the people in their group and
present simple and write the questions in the spaces provided. When the students
present continuous have finished, go through the questions with each group and deal
questions in order with any vocabulary queries.
to complete missing
information in an email. Answer key
1. Where are you sitting?
3. What are you eating?
Preparation
5. What is the boy doing?
Make one copy of the two 7. What time do you (and Henry) wake up?
worksheets for each pair 9. Where do you (and Henry) work?
of students. 11. Who are you (and Henry) staying with?
13. What do you and Henry do every afternoon?
15. What does Henry do every afternoon?
Level 17. What is Henry looking for?
19. Where are you (and Henry) going in a few days?
Pre-intermediate
2. What are you drinking?
4. What are the two fishermen doing?
Time 6. What are you and Henry writing?
8. What time do you (and Henry) start work?
35 minutes 10. Why do you like where you (and Henry) work?
12. Where does Lorenzo live?
14. What do you do every afternoon?
16. What do you (and Henry) usually do in the evening?
18. What does Henry want to do?
20. What do you (and Henry) want to do next year?

Next, have the students pair up with someone from the other
group (Student A and B). Tell the students not to show their
worksheet to their partner until they have completed the text.
The students then take it in turns to ask and answer the questions
they have prepared, starting with question 1. The students write
the answers in the spaces in the email. When the students have
finished, they check their answers by comparing worksheets.

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 PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Greetings from Italy!

Student A

Hi Jessica,

Greetings from Naples, Italy! At the moment, I'm sitting (1) ............................................,
drinking coffee and eating (3) ............................................ I often come here for lunch. It's
a nice place to relax and watch people. Right now, two fishermen are casting out their nets and
a boy is (5) ............................................ I love it here!

However, it's not a holiday. Henry and I are writing travel articles for our new website. We are
really enjoying it, but it's hard work. We wake up at (7) ............................................ and
start work at 7 o'clock. We work in a (9) ............................................ I like where we work
because I get to meet a lot of new people.

At the moment, we are staying with (11) ............................................, who lives in the city
centre. Naples is a lovely city. Every afternoon, we travel around and (13) ...........................
................. I make notes on where we go and Henry (15) ............................................ In
the evening, we usually go for a walk along the seafront. Then, we go to a restaurant. The food
here is amazing.

Henry really likes it here too. He can't stop taking photos! At the
moment, he's looking for a (17) ............................................ He
wants to buy a new lens for his camera. We are going (19) .................
........................... in a few days, but we want to come back again next
year. Anyway, write back soon.

Love

Olivia

1. ...............................................................................................................................

3. ...............................................................................................................................

5. ...............................................................................................................................

7. ...............................................................................................................................

9. ...............................................................................................................................

11. .............................................................................................................................

13. .............................................................................................................................

15. .............................................................................................................................

17. .............................................................................................................................

19. .............................................................................................................................

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 PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Greetings from Italy!

Student B

Hi Jessica,

Greetings from Naples, Italy! At the moment, I'm sitting in a café overlooking the harbor,
drinking (2) ............................................ and eating Babà, which is a Neapolitan dessert. I
often come here for lunch. It's a nice place to relax and watch people. Right now, two fishermen
are (4) ............................................ and a boy is riding his bike along the promenade. I love
it here!

However, it's not a holiday. Henry and I are writing (6) ............................................ We are
really enjoying it, but it's hard work. We wake up at six o'clock in the morning and start work
at (8) ............................................ We work in a coworking space near Naples Botanical
Garden. I like where we work because (10) ............................................

At the moment, we are staying with Lorenzo (Henry's old school friend), who lives in (12)
............................................ Naples is a lovely city. Every afternoon, we travel around and
research ideas for articles. I (14) ............................................ and Henry takes photos. In
the evening, we usually (16) ............................................ Then, we
go to a restaurant. The food here is amazing.

Henry really likes it here too. He can't stop taking photos! At the moment,
he's looking for a camera shop. He wants to (18) .............................
............... We are going to Rome in a few days, but we want to (20)
............................................ next year. Anyway, write back soon.
Love

Olivia

2. ...............................................................................................................................

4. ...............................................................................................................................

6. ...............................................................................................................................

8. ...............................................................................................................................

10. .............................................................................................................................

12. .............................................................................................................................

14. .............................................................................................................................

16. .............................................................................................................................

18. .............................................................................................................................

20. .............................................................................................................................

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