The Busiest Boy in Town — Present Continuous for Future (A2)

A2 · PRESENT CONTINUOUS (FUTURE)

The Busiest Boy in Town

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“It’s not in Mum’s phone. It’s the best thing in my week.”

Present continuous for future arrangements

Reading

Speaking

STAGE 1 · WARM-UP

How busy is your week?

Give yourself a score and give details with a partner:

Relaxed — lots of free time.

Busy — full days, some free evenings.

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Crazy — I need a secretary!

Compare with a partner: who has the busier week? What’s the busiest day?

STAGE 2 · BEFORE YOU READ

A week with no free time

You are going to read about Oscar, age 10. His mother plans his week like a business diary.

PREDICT

How many different activities can a 10-year-old do in one week?

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Read and count Oscar’s activities. Was your number close?

STAGE 3 · READING

Read once — count the activities

Monday: violin. Tuesday: judo. Wednesday…

Meet Oscar, 10. He’s a normal boy who likes pizza and hates broccoli. But look at his diary for next week: it’s completely full.

“On Monday he’s having his violin lesson,” says his mother, Karin, reading from her phone. “On Tuesday he’s doing judo. On Wednesday he’s going to chess club, and on Thursday he’s having extra maths with a tutor. On Friday he’s swimming. On Saturday morning we’re driving to a violin competition — two hours away.” And Sunday? “On Sunday afternoon he’s visiting his grandmother.”

That’s seven activities in seven days. Karin believes she’s helping. “The world is competitive. I’m giving Oscar chances I never had. He isn’t watching TV all day — he’s learning skills.”

His teacher, Marta Ruiz, sees it differently. “Children need free time. Some of my students are so busy that we’re having a new problem in class: they’re falling asleep.”

And Oscar? “I like judo and chess. But my friend Marco is coming on Sunday morning. We’re building a spaceship from old boxes. It’s not in Mum’s phone. It’s the best thing in my week.”

STAGE 4 · COMPREHENSION

Complete Oscar’s diary

day

arrangement

Monday

he’s having his violin lesson

Tuesday

__________________

Wednesday

__________________

Thursday

__________________

Friday

__________________

Saturday

__________________

Sunday morning

(secret — not in Mum’s phone!)

Sunday afternoon

__________________

Then: Why does Karin fill Oscar’s week? What problem is the teacher seeing? Which is “the best thing” — and why is it different?

STAGE 5 · TALK ABOUT IT

What do you think?

Discuss with a partner.

Who do you agree with more — Karin or the teacher? Why?

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When you were ten, was your week full or free? Was it good?

STAGE 6 · GRAMMAR — NOTICE

Now, or next week?

Do these describe now — or next week?

• On Monday he’s having his violin lesson.

• My friend Marco is coming to my house on Sunday.

RULE: We can use the present continuous with a ________ meaning, for arrangements — plans with a fixed ______ or place.

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On Friday he ________ swimming. We ________ building a spaceship.

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What ________ he doing on Thursday?

STAGE 7 · THE RULES

Present continuous for future arrangements

FIXED PLANS — a time, a place, other people

He’s having a violin lesson on Monday. Marco is coming on Sunday morning.

Don’t use the present simple: I see my friend tonight. → I’m seeing my friend tonight.

be going to OR present continuous?

Often either works. Present continuous is best for FIXED arrangements (time + place decided, others know).

We’re driving to the competition on Saturday. · One day I’m going to learn the piano. (intention, not arranged)

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Write full sentences

Example: Sat 9.00 — Oscar / violin competition → On Saturday at 9.00, Oscar is playing in a violin competition.

1 Sat 8.00 — we / drive to the competition

2 Sat evening — Karin / meet her sister for dinner

3 Sun 10.00 — Marco / come to the house

4 Sun 10.00–1.00 — the boys / build a spaceship

5 Sun afternoon — Oscar / visit his grandmother

6 Sun evening — the family / not do anything!

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Complete the conversation

Present continuous of the verbs in brackets.

Leo: ______ (you / do) anything on Saturday?

Sam: Yes, I ______ (work) in the morning, and in the afternoon I ______ (watch) my niece — my sister ______ (go) to a wedding.

Leo: What about Sunday? A few of us ______ (have) a picnic in the park.

Sam: Sunday’s perfect. Who ______ (come) ?

Leo: Maya and Jonas — but Rita ______ (not / stay) long, because her parents ______ (arrive) from Poland that evening.

STAGE 9 · SPEAKING

Find a time to meet

You both want to meet next week to study English for two hours. The problem: you’re both busy!

STEPS 1–2

STEP 3 — PHONE & FIND A FREE TIME

Draw a diary (Mon–Sun, morning/afternoon/evening = 21 boxes). SECRETLY fill 15 boxes with arrangements — be imaginative! Leave 6 free.

A: Are you doing anything on Monday morning? B: Yes, sorry — I’m having a piano lesson. What about Tuesday?

STEP 4 — REPORT

“We’re meeting on Friday evening. By the way, on Wednesday Paula is taking her snake to the vet.”

No shared free time after five minutes? One of you must cancel an arrangement — decide which!

TEACHER'S REFERENCE

Answer key

4a Oscar’s diary

Mon: violin lesson · Tue: doing judo · Wed: going to chess club · Thu: extra maths (tutor) · Fri: swimming · Sat: driving to a violin competition · Sun am: Marco coming / building a spaceship · Sun pm: visiting his grandmother

4b 1 The world is competitive; she’s giving him chances she never had. 2 Students are so busy they’re falling asleep. 3 Building a spaceship with Marco — it’s the only thing Oscar chose.

6a next week (future) · 6b future / time · 6c ’s / ’re / isn’t / is

8a Full sentences

1 On Saturday at 8.00, we’re driving to the competition. 2 On Saturday evening, Karin is meeting her sister for dinner. 3 On Sunday at 10.00, Marco is coming to the house. 4 From 10.00 to 1.00 the boys are building a spaceship. 5 On Sunday afternoon, Oscar is visiting his grandmother. 6 On Sunday evening, the family aren’t doing anything.

8b Conversation

1 Are you doing 2 ’m working 3 ’m watching 4 ’s going 5 are having 6 ’s coming 7 isn’t staying 8 are arriving