Takeaway Just Coffee, Black English > Level B1.

1 Pre-intermediate

Instructor: Date: ........................................................................................

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Learner: Regional Branch: ....................................................................

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Program: Center: .....................................................................................

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CONTENT
• Let’s Start! • Let’s Explore! • Let’s Practice! • Extension Activity • Target Words • Learning Points

Let’s Start!

He is the most interesting person!

Learning Outcome Can Do Statements

Describe routines and regular activities • I can talk about family life.
in a wider range of social and work • I can talk about people's habits.
contents • I can use superlatives.

Ask your partner:

• Who are the quietest, the brightest, or

the most interesting people you know?
• Why do you think that?

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Takeaway Just Coffee, Black English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Let’s Explore!

Vanessa talks about her mum* and dad and brother, Teddy

* The British use the word ”mum” for mother. North Americans generally say “mom”.

Instructions: Read the text aloud.

Sally: Ah … this is the best coffee with the smallest hint of cinnamon! I always
have black coffee in the morning. I missed the coffee here.
Vanessa: I often drink tea ... you know that's the finest of British traditions.
Sally: How is your family by the way?
Vanessa: Aunt Nelly is good, zany as ever. She's in a creative phase knitting and
weaving.
Sally: Does she usually do crafts?
Vanessa: She does from time to time.
Sally: My sister sews once in a while. My niece and nephew are loud and usually
run her ragged. She adores them.
Vanessa: My house was hardly ever noisy. Mum, Dad and Teddy are all bookish and
the quietest people I know. I'm the black sheep.
Sally: Black what?
Vanessa: Black sheep. The most different from the others. What about your family?
Sally: Mom is the sweetest person. She never gets upset or angry. I see her
whenever I can. Dad is a bit grumpy once in a while. They both come from
larger families so I have lots of cousins.

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 Takeaway!
Takeaway JustBlack
Just Coffee, Coffee, Black English > Level B1.1English
Pre-intermediate > New Paths
> Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Let’s practice!

What do we find out about Sally and Vanessa's families?

Instructions: Draw a line to match the sentences in Column A and Column B. When you complete
the sentences, read the sentences aloud with your partner. Check your pronunciation with your
instructor.

Column A Column B
1. We have a big party A. so different!
2. My family seems B. new ways to combine flavor and food.
3. I come from C. kitchen banging pots and pans!
4. I am constantly finding D. and more organized.
5. I am getting more E. for her every year.
6. You are always in the F. a small family.

Let’s practice!

What are Sally and Vanessa's families like?

* Sally and Vanessa's: When you use the possessive with two people, the 's goes after the second person's
name like “Sally and Vanessa's”

Instructions: Proofread the sentences. Correct the mistakes. Read the sentences aloud. Check your
pronunciation with your instructor.

1. They are exceptionally quite. They hardly speak.

2. Vanessa is so in her elment when she cooks.

3. She's outside and loves family gatherings.

4. Well, he can be quite irritate when he's over-worked.

5. He can also be a bit short-tembred.

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Takeaway Just Coffee, Black English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Extension Activity

Use superlatives to write about people you know or admire.

Instructions: Complete the following steps. Fill in the Self-Assessment.

a) Find adjective to describe some people you

Self-Assessment Yes No
know or admire.
b) Use the adjective in the superlative form.
I look up and use
c) Say what actions the people do to makes you
adjectives.
see them this way.
d) Write 70 to 90 words.
I use the superlative.
e) Read your sentence aloud to a partner.
I talk about people I
know or admire.
I read my sentences
aloud.

Target Words

• zany (adjective): eccentric; • to run ragged (verb): to keep someone very

unconventional; unusual busy
e.g. Aunt Nelly can be a bit zany at e.g. My sister's children run her ragged!
times. • bookish (adjective): always reading a book
• to knit (verb): to use long needles to e.g. My family are all bookish. They are always
make a sweater or scarf reading something!
e.g. Do you know how to knit? • black sheep (expression): the rebel of the
• to weave (verb): to make fabric on a family; different from the others
loom e.g. I am the black sheep of my family.
e.g. I want to learn how to weave next • grumpy (adjective): cranky; irritable
year. e.g. He's always grumpy when he's hungry or
• niece (noun): my sister or brother's tired.
daughter
e.g. My sister's daughter, my niece
Alison, is 2 today.
• nephew (noun): my sister or brother's
son
e.g. My sister's son, my nephew Greg,
is at university now.

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Takeaway Just Coffee, Black English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Learning Points

Superlatives

You use a superlative adjective to express the highest degree of a quality.

You use a superlative adjective to talk about one thing or person in a group of things. You
always use the with the superlative.
Superlatives can be regular or irregular. The structure of the regular superlative is:
the + adjective-est
or
the most adjective

Adjective Superlative

Regular fine the finest

quiet the quietest
small the smallest
different the most different
intelligent the most
intelligent

Irregular good the best

bad the worst

Examples:
• This is the best coffee!
• She is the most intelligent person in the family.
• The MOMA houses some of the finest art in the world.
• Rainy weather is the worst.

Habits and Routines

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Takeaway Just Coffee, Black English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Learning Points

Habits and Routines

When you talk about someone's habits and routines, you use the Simple Present tense and
frequency words.

You use expressions of frequency to say how many times you do an activity.
This can be an adverb like often, sometimes or never. It can also be expression like a lot, all
the time or when I can.

Adverbs Expressions

always every day/week/month

usually most of the time

often every other day/week/month

sometimes once in a while

occasionally from time to time

hardly ever when ...

never

Examples:
• I always have black coffee in the morning.
• My house was hardly ever noisy.
• I go to the movies once in a while.
• My brother works every other day.
• My teacher occasionally asks to check out homework.

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