Watching the Nest — Present Continuous (A2)

A2 · PRE-INTERMEDIATE | GRAMMAR

Watching

the Nest

IMAGE

(you'll add this)

“Nothing is happening — and that's exactly why people love it.”

Present continuous · continuous vs simple

Reading

Speaking

STAGE 1 · WARM-UP

What are they doing right now?

It's the middle of the lesson — but life outside continues!

Think of three people you know (family or friends).

What are they doing right now, at this exact moment? Guess!

IMAGE

(add your own)

SAY

“I think my brother is sleeping. My mum is probably working…”

Whose guesses are the most interesting? Check your phone later to see who was right!

STAGE 2 · BEFORE YOU READ

Why are they all watching?

You are going to read about a TV camera in a tree.

500K

Half a million people are watching a live camera in a tree — but nothing much is happening.

people watching

PREDICT — choose one idea

IMAGE

Why do you think so many people are watching?

(add your own)

a) They are waiting for something special.

b) They find it relaxing.

c) There's nothing else on TV.

Read quickly. Which ideas are in the text?

STAGE 3 · READING

Read once — which idea was right?

Half a million people are watching this tree

It's 3 p.m. on a rainy Tuesday. In a forest, high up in an old tree, two baby eagles are sleeping in their nest. Their mother is standing next to them. She isn't doing anything special. And around the world, 500,000 people are watching her on their phones and computers.

Welcome to NestCam, an internet channel that shows live video from a bird's nest, 24 hours a day. Right now, viewers in more than sixty countries are watching. Some people are having breakfast in front of the nest. Others are watching at work — quietly, because their bosses are sitting nearby.

“I'm watching the eagles at the moment because I'm waiting for the father,” says Sandra, a fan from Canada. “He usually arrives in the afternoon with a fish. It's the best part of the day.”

Why is slow TV like this so popular? “Modern life is fast,” explains the channel's creator, Jonas Meyer. “People check their phones hundreds of times a day. They watch short videos, they read short messages. But this year, something is changing. People are choosing slower things: they're baking bread, they're doing puzzles — and they're watching birds. Nothing is happening on our channel, and that's exactly why people love it.”

Suddenly, the mother eagle looks up. A large bird is flying towards the nest. It's the father — and he's carrying a fish. In sixty countries, half a million people smile.

STAGE 4 · COMPREHENSION

True or false?

Write T or F. Correct the false sentences.

1 The baby eagles are eating at the moment. ___

VOCABULARY

Find the word or phrase:

2 People in 60+ countries are watching the nest. ___

happening now, not recorded before (para 2)

→ __________

3 Some viewers are watching at work. ___

the people who watch a channel (para 2)

4 Sandra is waiting for the mother eagle. ___

→ __________

5 The father eagle usually arrives in the morning. ___

at this moment (para 3)

→ __________

6 At the end, the father is carrying a fish. ___

STAGE 5 · TALK ABOUT IT

What do you think?

Discuss with a partner.

Would you watch a channel like NestCam? Why (not)?

IMAGE

People are choosing “slower things” this year. Is that true for you or people you know?

(add your own)

STAGE 6 · GRAMMAR — NOTICE

Complete the chart from the article

First, underline five examples of be + verb + -ing in the text. e.g. two baby eagles are sleeping

I

he / she / it

you / we / they

+

I'm waiting for the father.

He's ______ a fish.

They're ______ bread.

–

I'm not watching TV.

She ______ doing anything special.

They aren't listening.

?

Am I talking too fast?

Why ______ she ______ TV?

What ______ they doing?

* “Why ___ slow TV so popular?” uses be with no other verb.

STAGE 6 · GRAMMAR — THE RULE

Work out the rule

Choose the correct ending. Circle a or b.

1 We use the present continuous for actions…

a) that happen every day.

b) that are happening now or around now.

2 “He usually arrives in the afternoon” is present simple because it describes…

a) a routine.

b) an action happening at this moment.

3 To make the present continuous, we use…

a) do / does + verb.

b) am / is / are + verb + -ing.

STAGE 7 · THE RULES

Present continuous: be + verb + -ing

FORM

USE — now / around now

+ I'm working. She's working. They're working.

Actions happening now or around now (today, this week, this year).

– I'm not working. She isn't working. They aren't working.

She's standing next to them. People are choosing slower things this year.

? Am I working? Is she working? Are they working?

Short answers: Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. · Yes, she is. / No, she isn't. · Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.

Time words: now, right now, at the moment, today, this week.

Questions: put am / is / are before the subject — What are they doing? ( not What they are doing? )

STAGE 7 · THE RULES

Spelling · continuous or simple?

SPELLING: verb + -ing

CONTINUOUS or SIMPLE?

watch → watching

add -ing

PRESENT SIMPLE

routines, habits, general truths

make → making

cut the e

He usually arrives in the afternoon.

sit → sitting

double the consonant

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

study → studying

keep the y

now / around now

I'm waiting for him at the moment.

sit: one vowel + one consonant → double it

Careful: usually, every day, always → simple. now, at the moment, today → continuous.

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Complete the phone call

Put the verbs in brackets into the present continuous.

Mia: Hi Leo! What (1) ______ (you / do)?

Leo: I (2) ______ (sit) in the park. I (3) ______ (wait) for my sister — she's late, as usual!

Mia: Is it nice there?

Leo: It's lovely. The sun (4) ______ (shine), some kids (5) ______ (play) football, and a man (6) ______ (sell) ice cream. What about you?

Mia: I'm at home. I (7) ______ (not / relax), unfortunately — I (8) ______ (study) for my English exam. My brothers (9) ______ (make) a pizza in the kitchen — it smells amazing. They (10) ______ (not / help) me concentrate!

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Simple or continuous? Circle it.

Circle the correct form.

1 Look! The father eagle flies / is flying to the nest.

5 I can't talk now — I drive / 'm driving.

2 Sandra watches / is watching NestCam every morning.

6 She doesn't watch / isn't watching much TV.

3 Be quiet! The babies sleep / are sleeping.

7 Why do you wear / are you wearing a coat? It's hot!

4 My dad usually cooks / is cooking dinner, but today we eat / are eating out.

8 Jonas checks / is checking the camera twice a day.

Tip: look for the time words — now / today → continuous; usually / every day → simple.

STAGE 9 · SPEAKING

Where am I?

You're on the phone. Don't say where you are! Describe what's happening and what you're doing — your partner guesses the place.

STUDENT A — secret place

STUDENT B — secret place

MODEL

• at a football match

• at a wedding

A: Hi! Where are you? What's that noise?

B: I can't talk long! Listen… lots of people are shouting, a man next to me is eating a hot dog, and everybody is wearing red and white…

A: Are you at a football match?

• at the dentist's

• in a supermarket

• on a beach

• at the airport

Extra: your partner can ask three questions before guessing — Are people dancing? Is anybody singing?

STAGE 9 · SPEAKING

The terrible liar

Now tell a small lie about where you are. Your partner asks five or more questions to test you — answer fast!

STUDENT A — the liar

STUDENT B — the detective

Choose a place from your list again — but it's a lie. Answer B's questions quickly and confidently. Keep your story believable!

Ask five or more questions:

What are you doing? · What's the weather like? · What's the person next to you doing?

Do the answers make sense together? Truth or lie? Then swap.

Report back: tell the class one strange detail — “Marta says she's at the airport, but nobody is carrying a suitcase…”

TEACHER'S REFERENCE

Answer key

2 Prediction

Ideas a and b are in the text (Sandra is waiting for the father; the creator says people love it because it's slow / relaxing).

4 True / false

1 F (they're sleeping) · 2 T · 3 T · 4 F (she's waiting for the father) · 5 F (he usually arrives in the afternoon) · 6 T

Vocabulary: 1 live · 2 viewers · 3 at the moment

6b carrying · baking · isn't · is · are

6c 1 b · 2 a · 3 b

8a Phone call

1 are you doing 2 'm sitting 3 'm waiting 4 is shining 5 are playing 6 is selling 7 'm not relaxing 8 'm studying 9 are making 10 aren't helping

8b Circle the correct form

1 is flying 2 watches 3 are sleeping 4 cooks / are eating 5 'm driving 6 doesn't watch 7 are you wearing 8 checks