Time Shift Talkers Slides English Speaking & Grammar
Past Simple vs. Present Continuous
Conversational English Fluency
Time Shift Talkers
From holiday memories to right now: ask natural questions and share your story with confidence.
1 Fixing common phrasing errors
2 Asking and answering in pairs
Spot the Glitch & Upgrade
Common learner questions vs. natural English
Avoid Phrasing:
"What did you do vacations?"
Say Naturally:
"What did you do on vacation?"
Grammar Key: Add the preposition on (or say "during your vacation" / "over the break").
Avoid Phrasing:
"What are you do now?"
Say Naturally:
"What are you doing now?"
Grammar Key: With are, the main action verb needs -ing: "What are you doing these days?"
Master these two questions and you unlock rich, natural everyday conversations!
Part 1: Vacation Memories (Past Simple)
DID + BASE VERB
Questions to Ask
• Where did you go for vacation?
• Who did you go with?
• What did you do while you were there?
• How was the food / the weather?
Ways to Answer (Past Tense)
Travel: "I went to Oaxaca with my family."
Activities: "We visited museums and hiked trails."
Staycation: "I stayed home, rested , and read books."
Impression: "It was truly relaxing and fun!"
Remember: In questions use "did you go" , but in statements change the verb: "I went" .
Part 2: Current Life (Present Forms)
BE + VERB-ING / DAILY ROUTINE
Questions for Right Now
• What are you doing these days?
• What are you working on right now?
• Are you taking any interesting classes?
• How do you spend your free time now?
Ways to Answer (Present)
Continuous: "Right now, I'm studying for my exam."
Project: "These days, I'm learning how to play guitar."
Work/School: "I'm working on a new design project."
Routine: "Usually, I go for runs on weekday mornings."
Notice: Use "I am doing" for ongoing projects around now, and "I do" for daily habits.
Model Conversation: Maya & Leo
Notice the natural tense switch!
Maya:
"Hey Leo! Long time no see. What did you do on vacation? "
Leo:
"I went camping by the lake with some friends! We swam every morning. What about you?"
Maya:
"Sounds amazing! I stayed in town and visited my grandparents. So, what are you doing these days? "
Leo:
"Right now, I'm taking an intensive web coding course, so I'm studying quite a bit!"
Key transition phrase: "So, what are you doing these days?"
Your Turn: Partner Interview
3 Minutes Each
1
Ask Past
"What did you do on vacation?" Ask 2 follow-up questions about places, food, or feelings.
2
Shift to Present
"What are you doing now / these days?" Ask what project, hobby, or class they are working on.
3
Switch Roles
Listen actively, jot down notes on your worksheet, then switch roles when the timer chimes!
Goal: Speak only in English and use complete past & present sentences!
Ready, set, speak!
Time Shift Talkers Worksheet ESL Fluency & Grammar Lab Past Simple vs. Present Continuous
Time Shift Talkers Worksheet
Contrasting past vacation adventures with what you are doing right now.
Name: ___________________
Date: _____________
💡 GRAMMAR RULE
Past Simple (Finished vacation):did you do on vacation? → I went hiking / I relaxed at home.
Present Continuous (Ongoing around now):are you doing now? → I am studying / I am working on a project.
A
Error Repair Workshop
(Each sentence has 1 common error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.)
1. Incorrect: "What did you do vacations last summer?"
Correct:
2. Incorrect: "What are you do right now these days?"
Correct:
3. Incorrect: "On my trip, I go to the beach and I swim in the ocean."
Correct:
4. Incorrect: "Where you went during the winter break?"
Correct:
B
Unscramble the Questions
(Reorder the words into natural conversation questions.)
[ vacation / on / who / with / you / go / did / ? ]
[ these / taking / classes / you / are / new / days / any / ? ]
[ your / food / on / try / what / did / trip / you / ? ]
C
Conversation Gap Fill
(Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.)
Carlos: "Hey Sofia! How was your vacation? Where ________________ (you / go)?"
Sofia: "I ________________ (travel) to the mountains! We ________________ (rent) a small cabin and ________________ (hike) every afternoon."
Carlos: "That sounds peaceful! And what ________________ (you / do) these days?"
Sofia: "Right now, I ________________ (prepare) for my entrance exams and I ________________ (learn) Japanese online!"
Page 1 of 2 • Flip over for Classmate Interview & Reflection
Part 2: Speaking & Interaction Time Shift Talkers
Classmate Interview & Personal Reflection
D
Partner Speaking Exchange
Interview 3 classmates. Take concise notes.
| Classmate's Name | Past Vacation Memory
Time Shift Talkers Speaking Cards ESL Speaking Activity Cards Cut Along Dotted Lines
Time Shift Talkers: Roleplay Cards
Pairs / Speed Mingle Drill
Directions: Give one card to each student. Student A asks partner about their vacation and current life. Student B answers using the cues on their card, then switch roles!
Card 1: The Beachcomber Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Flew to Hawaii, learned to surf, ate tropical fruits.
Now (Present): Working at a local café, taking swimming lessons on weekends.
Sample Prompt: "What did you do on vacation? ... And what are you doing now?"
Card 2: Mountain Explorer Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Camped in the Rockies, hiked 20 miles, saw wild bears.
Now (Present): Studying for history exams, building a bicycle in the garage.
Sample Prompt: "Where did you go? ... What project are you working on these days?"
Card 3: Cozy Staycationer Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Stayed home, slept 9 hours each night, binge-watched sci-fi shows.
Now (Present): Starting a morning running routine, reading classic novels.
Sample Prompt: "Did you travel anywhere? ... What are you doing in your free time?"
Card 4: City Sightseer Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Explored Tokyo, visited art museums, rode high-speed trains.
Now (Present): Practicing digital photography, editing vacation photos online.
Sample Prompt: "What did you do during your trip? ... What are you focusing on now?"
Card 5: Foodie Adventurer Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Toured Italy, took a pasta-making class, tasted gelato daily.
Now (Present): Testing homemade pizza recipes, hosting weekend dinner clubs.
Sample Prompt: "What special food did you try? ... What are you cooking these days?"
Card 6: Road Tripper Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Drove down the Pacific Coast with cousins, listened to road podcasts.
Now (Present): Saving money for college, working part-time at a bookstore.
Sample Prompt: "Who did you travel with? ... Where are you working right now?"
Card 7: The Eco Volunteer Past & Present
Vacation (Past): Volunteered at a wildlife sanctuary, planted 50 native trees.
Time Shift Talkers Teacher Guide Instructor Guide & Solutions A2–B1 Intermediate ESL
Time Shift Talkers: Teacher Guide
Lesson facilitation notes, answer keys, error diagnostics, and assessment rubrics.
Lesson Duration: 50–60 Min
1. Hook & Glitch (10m) Display Slides 1–2. Elicit why "what did you do vacations" sounds unnatural. Model the upgrade.
2. Grammar Input (15m) Walk through Slides 3–5. Contrast did + base verb vs. are + verb-ing . Choral drill question stems.
3. Pair Practice (20m) Use Worksheet Pages 1–2 or Speaking Cards. Students interview 3 peers or roleplay scenario cards.
4. Synthesis (10m) Students complete the 5-sentence written synthesis. Collect worksheets for quick exit assessment.
🔍 Linguistic Breakdown of the Target Errors
• "What did you do vacations?" Missing preposition. In English, vacation takes the prepositional phrase "on vacation" , "over vacation" , or "during vacation" .
• "What are you do now?" Auxiliary clash. "Are" requires a participle ("doing" ). If using base verb "do" , auxiliary must be "do" : "What do you do?" (meaning occupation/routine).
🗣️ Connected Speech & Pronunciation Tips
• Assimilation / Blending: "What did you" naturally contracts to /wʌt dɪdʒə/ in informal speech. Practice saying it fluidly.
• Past Regular -ed: Remind students of the 3 endings: /t/ (hiked), /d/ (swayed, stayed), and extra syllable /ɪd/ (visited, rented).
Worksheet Solutions & Answer Key
Part A: Error Repair
What did you do on vacation last summer?
What are you doing right now these days?
On my trip, I went to the beach and swam ...
Where did you go during winter break?
Part B: Unscramble
Who did you go on vacation with?
Are you taking any new classes these days?
What food did you try on your trip?
Part C: Gap Fill
1. did you go
2. traveled (or travelled)
3. rented
4. hiked
