Foundation English - Unit 6: Whatcha doin’?

CEFR Level: CEFR 0.0 → IELTS 3.0

Duration: 120 minutes
Lesson Objective:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 use Present Continuous to describe actions happening at the moment of speaking.
 develop listening for gist and detail in the context of describing people and activities.
 improve spoken fluency and accuracy using Present Continuous.

1. Homework Review (15 mins)

Objective: Review key points from Unit 5
Procedure:
 Ss check homework in pairs
 T elicits 2–3 common issues or recurring errors
 Clarify grammar or pronunciation points from the last lesson

2. Lead-in: Watcha Doin’? (10 mins)

Objective: Introduce topic using visual/video context
Procedure:
 Ask: “What do you think this unit is about?”
 Show short scene or refer to Phineas & Ferb character Isabella’s catchphrase: “Watcha
Doin’?” https://youtu.be/-UapogBimLU
 Ss will watch a short video called Bao.
 While they watch, look at the list of actions below and write the name of the person
who does the action.
 T plays the video once fully. Replay specific scenes if needed.
 After the video, elicit answers:
“Who is cooking?” → The mom is cooking.
“Who is playing soccer?” → The bao is playing soccer.
 Board full Present Continuous answers and drill as needed:
“She is feeding the bao.” / “They are hugging.”

No. Action Who Does It? (Mom / Bao / Both / Other)

1 cook Mom
2 steam Mom
3 eat / have breakfast Bao
4 bite / chew Bao
5 go to work Father
6 cry Both (Mom & Bao)
No. Action Who Does It? (Mom / Bao / Both / Other)
7 scream Bao
8 sneeze Bao
9 laugh Father
10 hug Both (Mom & Bao)
11 hold hands Both (Mom & Bao)
12 feed Mom
13 walk Mom
14 run Bao
15 play soccer Bao
16 buy Older Son
17 go shopping / run errands Older Son
18 do exercise / taichi Father & Older Son
19 kiss Both (Mom & Bao)
20 brush Mom
21 put on clothes Mom

3. Vocabulary Matching: Actions (10 mins)

Objective: Introduce vocabulary of common actions
Procedure:
 Ss work individually or in pairs to match verbs to pictures (Exercise 1). Encourage
students to guess based on visual clues.
 Ss check answers with a partner and discuss any confusing items.
 T elicits answers and checks pronunciation and meaning briefly.
 T opens the live Mentimeter quiz: https://www.menti.com/alp24v3bigvc
 Ss answer live multiple-choice CCQ questions about the target vocabulary.
 T pauses after each question to check understanding and clarify meanings if needed.

Word/Phrase Form CEFR Pronunciation (IPA) Vietnamese Meaning

cook v A1 /kʊk/ nấu ăn
steam v B1 /stiːm/ hấp
eat v A1 /iːt/ ăn
have breakfast phr A1 /hæv ˈbrek.fəst/ ăn sáng
bite v B1 /baɪt/ cắn
chew v B1 /tʃuː/ nhai
go to work phr A1 /ɡəʊ tə wɜːk/ đi làm
cry v A1 /kraɪ/ khóc
 Word/Phrase Form CEFR Pronunciation (IPA) Vietnamese Meaning
scream v B1 /skriːm/ hét
sneeze v B1 /sniːz/ hắt xì
laugh v A2 /lɑːf/ cười
hug v B1 /hʌɡ/ ôm
hold hands phr A2 /həʊld hændz/ nắm tay
feed v B1 /fiːd/ cho ăn
walk v A1 /wɔːk/ đi bộ
run v A1 /rʌn/ chạy
play soccer phr A1 /pleɪ ˈsɒk.ər/ chơi đá bóng
buy v A1 /baɪ/ mua
go shopping phr A1 /ɡəʊ ˈʃɒp.ɪŋ/ đi mua sắm
run errands phr B1 /rʌn ˈer.əndz/ chạy việc vặt
do exercise phr A2 /duː ˈek.sə.saɪz/ tập thể dục
work out phrasal v B1 /wɜːk aʊt/ tập luyện
do taichi phr B1 /duː ˈtaɪ.tʃiː/ tập thái cực quyền
kiss v A1 /kɪs/ hôn
brush v A2 /brʌʃ/ đánh (răng), chải (tóc)
put on clothes phr A2 /pʊt ɒn kləʊðz/ mặc quần áo
binge-watch v B2 /ˈbɪndʒ ˌwɒtʃ/ cày phim liên tục
text v B1 /tekst/ nhắn tin
do household chores phr B1 /duː ˈhaʊs.həʊld tʃɔːz/ làm việc nhà
get dressed phr A2 /ɡet drest/ thay đồ, mặc đồ
surf the Internet phr A2 /sɜːf ði ˈɪn.tə.net/ lướt Internet

4. Guided Discovery: Grammar (15 mins)

Objective: Help Ss deduce Present Continuous usage and form
Procedure:
 T shows a screenshot or pause Bao video
 Ask Ss: “What is the character doing?” → Elicit Vietnamese → Write English translation
 Example: “Người mẹ đang đi mua đồ.” → “The mother is going shopping.”
CCQs:
 Is the action in the past, present, or future? → Present
 Is the action finished? → No
 Is it happening now? → Yes
 Is it something that happens every day? → No
Present Continuous – Sentence Structure
Grammar
Form / Rule Examples
Point
Actions happening now He is brushing his teeth.
Temporary situations I’m studying hard for my exams.
Plans or definite arrangements for
the future (time expressions are The manager is having a party just after we
Usage used/ understood to show that we get back.
are talking about the future)
Trends or changing situations The internet is making people more social.
Complaints/repeated actions (with
My mum’s always telling me to study more.
always)
I → am + V-ing I am cooking.
Affirmative He/She/It → is + V-ing She is crying.
You/We/They → are + V-ing They are laughing.
I → am not + V-ing I’m not sleeping.
He/She/It → is not/isn’t + V-ing He isn’t laughing.
Negative
You/We/They → are not/aren’t +
They aren’t listening.
V-ing
Am I + V-ing?/
Am I talking too fast?
Yes/No Aren’t I or Am I not + V-ing?
Question Is/Isn’t he/she/it + V-ing? Is she crying?
Are/Aren’t you/we/they + V-ing? Are they eating?
Wh + am + I + (not) + V-ing? What am I doing?
Wh- Wh + is/isn’t + he/she/it + V-ing? What is he doing?
Question Wh + are/aren’t + you/we/they + V-
What are you doing?
ing?
Note: The present continuous is often used with the following words and phrases: now , right
now, at the moment, today, this week/month/…

Spelling Notes for V-ing

Verb Type Rule Example
Verbs ending in -e Drop -e, add -ing make → making
One-syllable CVC verbs Double final consonant + -ing run → running
Verbs ending in -ie Change -ie to -y, add -ing die → dying
Regular verbs Add -ing eat → eating

Present Continuous – Contractions

Full Form Short Form IPA Example Sentence
I am I’m /aɪm/ I’m eating lunch.
I am not I’m not /aɪm nɒt/ I’m not watching TV.
He is He’s /hɪz/ He’s playing soccer.
He is not He isn’t /ˈhɪz.ənt/ He isn’t doing his homework.
She is She’s /ʃɪz/ She’s laughing.
She is not She isn’t /ˈʃiː.zənt/ She isn’t listening.
It is It’s /ɪts/ It’s running fast.
It is not It isn’t /ˈɪz.ənt/ It isn’t working.
You are You’re /jʊr/ You’re doing great.
You are not You aren’t /ˈjʊə.rənt/ You aren’t trying hard enough.
We are We’re /wɪr/ We’re watching a movie.
We are not We aren’t /ˈwɪə.rənt/ We aren’t going out today.
They are They’re /ðeər/ They’re having breakfast.
They are not They aren’t /ˈðeə.rənt/ They aren’t coming to the party.
CCQs:
1. Is the action happening right now? → Yes (Usage 1)
2. Does the person do this all the time? → No, only temporarily (Usage 2)
3. Is this something that’s changing? → Yes, over time (Usage 3)
4. Can I use “always” in this tense to complain? → Yes
5. What’s the difference between “He works” and “He is working”?
→ “He works” = regular habit; “He is working” = happening now.
6. When do I use “am/is/are”?
→ I = am, he/she/it = is, we/you/they = are.
7. Why do we drop “e” in “make” → “making”?
→ Because that’s the spelling rule for adding -ing.
8. Can we use this tense to talk about today only? → Yes, if the action is temporary.

 Present Continuous Practice (Ex1)

o Ss complete sentences with Present Continuous (affirmative/negative).
o Pair-check → whole-class feedback.
o T highlights use of “always” for complaint and word order.
1. Gordon? I think he is writing a letter at the moment.
2. Yes, the match is on TV now, but we are losing.
3. Right now, Margaret is having a shower. Do you want to ring later?
4. Sally is staying with her aunt for a few days.
5. I am not lying! It’s true! I did see Madonna at the supermarket.
6. Josh is always using my bike! It’s so annoying.
7. We are having lunch, but I can come round and help you later.
 8. Are you playing music up there? It’s really noisy.

 Mixed Tense Application (Ex2)

o Ss fill gaps using Present Continuous or Present Simple based on context.
o Pair-check → T elicits answers and explains tense choice.
1. I’m busy right now. I ’m filling in an application form for a new job.
2. My tutor sees me for a tutorial every Monday at two o’clock.
3. John isn’t studying very hard at the moment. I don’t think he’ll pass his exams.
4. What is he doing? He is trying to fix the television aerial.
5. Animals breathe in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.
6. Be quiet! I want to hear the news.
7. In my country we drive on the right-hand side of the road.
8. My friend Joe’s parents are travelling round the world this summer, and probably won’t
be back for a couple of months.
9. The college runs the same course every year.
10. Numbers of wild butterflies are falling as a result of changes in farming methods.

 Error Correction (Ex3)

o Ss rewrite incorrect sentences or mark ✓.
o Compare in pairs → T confirms corrections, emphasizing state verb rules.
1. Do top musicians study for many years?
2. I hope you’re not touching my things!
3. It’s a small business, so each person does lots of different jobs.
4. Is Christine listening to the radio, or is that the TV I can hear?
5. I usually buy a special ticket each week for the bus because it’s cheaper.
6. Our washing machine starts when you press this button.
7. Is our team winning?
8. Many people enjoy spending time on the beach on holiday.

State Verbs vs. Present Continuous

Grammar Point Form / Rule Examples
Present Continuous is not usually used
with state verbs (describe thoughts,
✘ I’m knowing the answer.
Usage feelings, senses, possession, or
✔ I know the answer.
descriptions—things that are generally
true and not temporary).
agree, assume, believe, disagree, forget,
✔ I assume you’re too busy to play
Thoughts hope, know, regret, remember, suppose,
games.
think, understand
Feelings adore, despise, dislike, enjoy, feel, hate, ✔ I love music.
Grammar Point Form / Rule Examples
✔ Do you mind if I ask you a few
like, love, mind, prefer, want
questions?
feel, hear, see, smell, taste → Use “can” ✔ This pudding smells delicious.
Senses
+ verb for current action ✔ I can smell something burning.
Possession have, own, belong ✔ My parents own a restaurant.
appear, contain, look, look like, mean,
✔ You look like your mother.
Description resemble, seem, smell, sound, taste,
(permanent)
weigh
✔ What are you thinking about?
(current thought)
Exception Some state verbs can appear in the ✔ I’m tasting the soup. (right now)
(Temporary Present Continuous if the meaning is ✔ She’s having a great time.
Meanings) temporary or active (experience)
✘ She’s having a restaurant.
(wrong for possession)
CCQs for State Verbs vs. Present Continuous:
1. “I know the answer.” Can we say “I’m knowing the answer”? Why or why not?
→ ✦ No. “Know” is a state verb and describes a permanent fact, not a temporary action.
2. “She is tasting the soup.” Is this correct? Why?
→ ✦ Yes. “Taste” here means she is testing the flavor now — it’s a temporary action.
3. “I’m having a red car.” Is this sentence correct?
→ ✦ No. “Have” shows possession here — it’s a state, not an action.
4. Can we use the Present Continuous with the verb “love”? For example: “I’m loving
music today.”
→ ✦ Usually no, but in informal speech (e.g., advertising), it can sometimes be used for
emphasis. Normally: “I love music.”
5. What’s the difference between “I think it’s a good idea” and “I’m thinking about the
idea”?
→ ✦ “Think” = opinion → Present Simple.
→ “Be thinking” = process happening now → Present Continuous.

 Sorting Task (Ex1)

o Ss categorize verbs into State vs. Action (individually or in pairs).
o T elicits answers and clarifies borderline/confusing cases (e.g., think, taste).
State Verbs Action Verbs
love, know, hear, think, believe, enjoy, own, need, taste, seem walk, swim, jump, paint, bake

 Form Discrimination (Ex2)

 o Ss circle the correct verb form in each sentence.
o Pair-check → class feedback with explanation of state/action usage.
1 Yes, I know the answer!
2 Why is she crying?
3 She always gets up late on Sundays.
4 I like this film.
5 I want a new bike.
6 Today, mum is washing my clothes.
7 “Look, I see my friends.”
8 Yuk! I hate vegetables.
9 I haven’t seen the doctor for a long time but she remembers my name.
10 At the moment the children are playing in the garden.

 Error Correction (Ex3)

o Ss judge if sentences are grammatically correct and rewrite if needed.
o Peer discussion → T confirms answers and reinforces rule.
1 I know the answer.
2 ✓ Correct.
3 They like this movie.
4 He owns three motorbikes.
5 ✓ Correct.

 Gap-Fill Integration (Ex4)

o Ss complete sentences with either Present Simple or Present Continuous, based on
verb type.
o T monitors for misuse of state verbs in continuous form.
1. is coming
2. tastes
3. taking
4. prefer
5. need
6. going
7. think
8. are swimming
9. don’t believe
10. hear

11. Listening Task: Describing a Picture & Speaking Extension (20–25 mins)
Objective: Students will develop listening skills for gist and specific information and use
Present Continuous to describe visual actions.
Procedure:
 T introduces the task: “Today you’ll listen to someone describing a picture. There are
some mistakes. Your job is to spot them and correct them.”
Step 1: Gist Listening
 T writes 2 questions on the board:
1. What is the speaker doing?
2. How many people are mentioned?
 Ss listen to the audio and answer the questions.
Step 2: Pre-Teach Vocabulary
 T shows picture slides and E.C.D.B the following vocabulary:
 T drills pronunciation chorally and individually.
Word Word Form CEFR Level IPA Pronunciation Vietnamese Meaning
sunglasses noun (plural) A2 /ˈsʌŋˌɡlæsɪz/ kính râm
skirt noun A1 /skɜːt/ váy
slim adj A2 /slɪm/ thon gọn, mảnh mai
beautiful adj A1 /ˈbjuː.tɪ.fəl/ xinh đẹp
headphones noun (plural) A2 /ˈhed.fəʊnz/ tai nghe
walk along phrase (v) A1 /wɔːk əˈlɒŋ/ đi dọc theo
run after phrase (v) B1 /rʌn ˈɑːf.tər/ chạy đuổi theo
sit at a table phrase (v) A2 /sɪt æt ə ˈteɪ.bəl/ ngồi ở bàn
drink coffee phrase (v) A1 /drɪŋk ˈkɒf.i/ uống cà phê
Step 3: Detailed Listening
 Ss listen again and complete a worksheet identifying correct and incorrect statements
(tick/cross + correction).
 Ss check answers in pairs.
 T provides the transcript for confirmation.
Transcipts: This is a picture of a street. It's a lovely morning and the sun is shining. On the left
of the picture there's a girl walking along the street. She's wearing a white skirt and she's
listening to some music on her headphones. In the middle of the picture there's a man with a big
black and white dog. The dog is running after a cat.
The dog's owner is wearing a pair of sunglasses. On the right of the picture there are two women
sitting at a table and drinking coffee. One of the women has got short dark hair. She's tall, slim
and beautiful.
Step 4: Integrated Speaking Activity – “What Are They Doing?”
 Ss work in pairs or groups.
 Each student chooses one person/animal in the picture and writes one Present Continuous
sentence.
 Take turns describing actions while others guess: “This person is wearing headphones
and walking.” → “Is it the girl on the left?”
  Optional: Remove image and do from memory.
 T elicits a few sentences, gives feedback on form and pronunciation.

12. Wrap-up & Homework (5 mins)

Objective: Review key points & assign homework
Homework Task:
 Write 5 sentences describing what your family members are doing right now
 Use Present Continuous