Th e BRAIN friendly colour code

P r esen t Simple – Dark Blue

P r esen t Continuous – Light Blue

Pas t Simple – Brown

Pas t Continuous – Light Brown

Present Perfect – Green

Futures – Yellow

  Passives – Orange

Comparatives / Superlatives – Red

 

TEACHING NOTES

Uni t 1 ‘What’s just happened?’

                    BRAIN- friendly tip:

(Switch on light / Drop book etc.) Wear something Green as you move around the class doing things and prompt ‘What have I just done? ‘What’s just happened?’ questions.

Exercise 1.

1. Yes. They have. 2. Yes. She has.

3.No. She hasn’t. She has been to the swimming pool.

4.Yes they have. 5. No. He hasn’t.

6. Yes. They have. 7. Yes. She has. 8. Yes. It has.

 

Exercise 2.

1. They’ve broken a window.2. She’s fallen off her skateboard.

3. She’s been to the swimming pool. 4. They’ve robbed the bank.

5. He’s caught three. 6. No. They’re not. 7. No. She’s just woken up. 8.No. He’s missed it. It’s (just) gone.

Exercise 3.

Where has Gwen been? How many fish has Gordon caught?

What have Greg and Grabber stolen? Is Gordon in time for the bus.

Unit 2 – For / Since / Ago

Exercise 1.

1. They’ve been married for 25 years. They’ve lived there since 1992.

2. It arrived a few minutes ago/It’s just arrived/It has already arrived. The Zurich flight hasn’t arrived yet.

3. No, because she’s already got one/She bought one recently/ She’s just bought one. She’s had it since last summer.

4. It was built 600 years ago. He’s had it since 1980. He’s been smoking for 15 years. 5. They’ve been there since six pm/for nearly six hours. No. They’ve already eaten.

6. She started eight years ago/when she was six.She’s been there for eight years/since she was six. No. She’s just got a new one. She bought one recently. Only since two o’clock.

 

BRAIN - friendly tip:

Think of some ‘marker words’ (since / ago) as members of speci fi c colour families (green / brown) while other words (for / recently) are ‘visitors’ to both.

Unit 3  –  Past / Present Perfect

Exercise 1.

7.10.5.3

Examples

4. She walked 40 km yesterday.

6. He lived in Hong Kong from 1985-90.

8. She won Wimbledon a long time ago.

9. He has drunk two beers (so far).

 

Exercise 2.

5.8.9.4.2.1.10.6

BRAIN- friendly tip:

Us e thick Dark Green and Brown pens to write master sentences for these pictures on big posters. Keep them as peripherals.

Unit 4 – Past Simple / Continuous

BRAIN- friendly tip:

Show the Past Continuous as a long, wavy Light Brown line inter rupted by a Dark Brown (Past) action:

When I saw it (Dark Brown) I was digging. (Light Brown)

Exercise 1

7.10.5.3

Examples

4.She walked 40km yesterday.

6. He lived in Hong Kong from 1985-90.

8. She won Wimbledon a long time ago.

9. He has drunk two beers (so far).

Exercise 2

5. 8. 9. 4. 2. 1. 10. 6

Examples:

2) What were the ladies doing when it started to rain? They were playing golf.

What did they do when it started to rain? They went to the clubhouse for a drink.

3) What was the waiter doing when the bulldog bit him? He was carrying a tray of drinks.

What did he do when the dog bit him? He dropped it and fell into the fountain.

4) What was the nurse doing when the car crashed? She was riding her bike.

What did she do when the car crashed? She stopped and went back to help.

5) What was the farmer doing when he found the vase? He was digging in his field.

What did he do when he found the vase? He sold it to a museum/antique dealer.

6) What was the sentry doing when the officer arrived? He was reading a girlie magazine.

What did he do when the officer arrived?

He stood to attention, saluted, and put out his cigarette

7) What was she doing when the UFO landed? She was picking flowers.

What did she do when it landed? She went on board.

 

8) What were they doing when the baby started to cry? He was reading and she was drying her hair.

What did they do when the baby started to cry? He(!) got up and changed its nappy.

 

Uni t 5 – Instructions

Exercise 1.

plug switch take put Press Wait Take put check empty throw/pour take

 

Exercise 2.

read switch put in/insert choose move click try check Ask

 

Exercise 3.

Check prepare Put add cook

Add Cook put

Bring Stir Heat Put Arrange Add Add Add/Arrange add pour Sprinkle Put cook

 

BRAIN- friendly tip:

Collect examples of instructions in English from commercial products. Ask students to check how many of our Unit 5 verbs are included in these ‘real-life’ examples. What other verbs are used? Are they generally useful - or very specialised?

 

Uni t 6 – Much / Many /  A lot of

BRAIN- friendly tip: