✓Students will be able to name and talk about common vacation activities using simple English.
✓Students will be able to use the present continuous tense to describe what people are doing right now.
✓Students will be able to ask and answer simple present continuous questions in a real-life conversation.
Warm-up questions
1Do you like vacations? Where do you like to go?
2What do you usually do on vacation — relax on the beach, visit new places, or something else?
3Do you take a lot of photos on vacation? What do you take photos of?
4Do you like to swim in the ocean or in a pool?
5What is your favorite thing to eat or drink on vacation?
| Word / Phrase | IPA | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| sightseeing | /ˈsaɪtˌsiːɪŋ/ | SITE-see-ing | |
| sunbathing | /ˈsʌnˌbeɪðɪŋ/ | SUN-bay-thing | |
| swimming | /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ | SWIM-ing | |
| souvenir | /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/ | soo-vuh-NEER | |
| taking photos | /ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈfoʊtoʊz/ | TAY-king FOH-tohz | |
| relaxing | /rɪˈlæksɪŋ/ | rih-LAK-sing | |
| hotel | /hoʊˈtɛl/ | hoh-TEL | |
| beach | /biːtʃ/ | beech |
Match the picture to the word
📋 How to do this activity: Click on a picture to select it (it turns blue). Then click the correct word from the word bank below. Green = correct! If you choose the wrong word, try again.
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🎉 Perfect! All words matched correctly.
🎵 Dialogue Audio
0:00
--:--
Marcus:Hey, Mom! Where are you? What are you doing?
Mom:I'm right here by the pool. I'm relaxing in the sun.
Marcus:Oh nice. Is Dad with you?
Mom:No, he's not. He's swimming at the beach.
Marcus:What about Grandma? Is she swimming too?
Mom:No. She doesn't like the water. She's sightseeing in the old part of the city.
Marcus:That sounds like her! Is she alone?
Mom:No, she's with your sister. They're taking photos of all the old buildings.
Marcus:Cool. Where are you staying? Is the hotel nice?
Mom:It's great! The hotel is right next to the beach. We love it.
Marcus:I'm so jealous! Are you buying any souvenirs?
Mom:Of course. Your grandma is already buying things for everyone. She's so generous.
Marcus:Ha! That's Grandma. OK, Mom — have fun. I miss you all.
Mom:We miss you too. Come next time!
Listening for gist
📋 How to do this activity: Read or listen to the dialogue. Choose the best answer. Click your choice, then press Submit.
Who is NOT on vacation with the family?
Comprehension questions
📋 How to do this activity: Think about the answer. Then click Show answer to check.
Question 1
What is Mom doing at the beginning of the conversation?
Mom is relaxing by the pool and sitting in the sun.
Question 2
Where is Dad?
Dad is swimming at the beach.
Question 3
Why isn't Grandma swimming?
Because she doesn't like the water.
Question 4
What are Grandma and the sister doing?
They are sightseeing and taking photos of old buildings.
Question 5
Where is the hotel?
The hotel is right next to the beach.
Grammar focus: The Present Continuous
We use the present continuous to talk about something that is happening right now or around this time.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
I am swimming in the ocean.
She is taking photos of the buildings.
They are buying souvenirs at the market.
| Subject | Form of "be" | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | I am swimming. |
| You | are | You are relaxing. |
| He / She / It | is | He is sightseeing. |
| We / They | are | They are taking photos. |
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
She is not swimming. / They aren't buying souvenirs.
Question: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb-ing?
Is he swimming? / What are you doing?
She is not swimming. / They aren't buying souvenirs.
Question: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb-ing?
Is he swimming? / What are you doing?
Activity 1 — Fill in the blank
📋 How to do this activity: Type the correct present continuous form in each blank. Use the verb in parentheses. Press Submit when you finish all 10.
- She (swim) in the hotel pool right now.
- They (take) photos of the market.
- I (relax) on the beach today.
- He (buy) souvenirs for his friends.
- We (sightsee) in the old city.
- She (not swim) because the water is cold.
- What (you / do) right now?
- He (not relax). He's very busy!
- They (stay) in a hotel near the beach.
- (she / take) photos? Yes, she is!
Activity 2 — Unscramble the sentences
📋 How to do this activity: Click the words in the correct order to make a sentence. Click a word in the answer line to return it. Press Submit when all sentences are ready.
sightseeing
she
is
photos
taking
are
they
beach
at
he
the
swimming
is
sun
relaxing
am
i
in
the
you
doing
what
are
Activity 3 — Error correction
📋 How to do this activity: Each sentence in italics has one mistake. Find the mistake and type the correct sentence. Press Submit when finished.
She swimming in the pool.
They is buying souvenirs.
He are taking photos of the beach.
I are relaxing by the pool.
We am sightseeing in the city.
Unscramble — continued
📋 How to do this activity: Click the words in the correct order. Press Clear to start over. Press Submit when done.
beach
she
is
the
sunbathing
on
today
swimming
we
not
are
sister
he
buying
his
a
is
souvenir
for
hotel
a
staying
at
they
are
relaxing
sightseeing
i
am
not
i
am
Error correction — continued
📋 How to do this activity: Each sentence in italics has one mistake. Type the correct sentence. Press Submit when done.
She is not sunbath today.
Is they buying souvenirs?
We are stay at a hotel near the beach.
He not taking photos right now.
What she is doing at the beach?
Discussion questions
What is your dream vacation? Where do you want to go and what do you want to do there?
Do you prefer relaxing on the beach or exploring a new city? Why?
Do you like taking photos on vacation? What kinds of things do you photograph?
Do you usually buy souvenirs? What is the best souvenir you have ever bought or received?
Imagine your family is on vacation right now. What is each person doing? Use "He/She is ___-ing."
Role-play tasks
🎭 Role-Play 1 — A phone call from vacation
Situation: Student A is on vacation at the beach. Student B is at home and calls to ask what Student A is doing.
Role A: You are on vacation. Answer questions about what you and your family are doing right now.
Role B: You are at home. Call your friend and ask about their vacation. Use questions like "What are you doing?" and "Where are you staying?"
Goal: Have a natural conversation for 2–3 minutes using the present continuous.
What are you doing right now?
Where is your family?
Is the hotel nice?
Are you buying souvenirs?
I am / He is / They are ___-ing.
🎭 Role-Play 2 — A tour guide and a tourist
Situation: Student A is a tourist visiting a new city. Student B is a local tour guide. They are walking around together.
Role A: You are a tourist. Ask about what you can see and do. Point to things and ask "What is that person doing?" or "Where can I buy souvenirs?"
Role B: You are the guide. Describe the city and explain what people around you are doing. Use the present continuous to describe the scene.
Goal: Describe at least five different activities using the present continuous.
Over there, a man is selling...
Those people are taking photos of...
She is buying a souvenir.
What is that person doing?
They are sitting / eating / walking...
👑
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Perfect score!
Outstanding — you got every answer right!
✓Students will be able to name and talk about common vacation activities using simple English.
✓Students will be able to use the present continuous tense to describe what people are doing right now.
✓Students will be able to ask and answer simple present continuous questions in a real-life conversation.
Warm-up questions
1Do you like vacations? Where do you like to go?
2What do you usually do on vacation — relax on the beach, visit new places, or something else?
3Do you take a lot of photos on vacation? What do you take photos of?
4Do you like to swim in the ocean or in a pool?
5What is your favorite thing to eat or drink on vacation?
| Word / Phrase | IPA | Pronunciation | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| sightseeing | /ˈsaɪtˌsiːɪŋ/ | SITE-see-ing | |
| sunbathing | /ˈsʌnˌbeɪðɪŋ/ | SUN-bay-thing | |
| swimming | /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ | SWIM-ing | |
| souvenir | /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/ | soo-vuh-NEER | |
| taking photos | /ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈfoʊtoʊz/ | TAY-king FOH-tohz | |
| relaxing | /rɪˈlæksɪŋ/ | rih-LAK-sing | |
| hotel | /hoʊˈtɛl/ | hoh-TEL | |
| beach | /biːtʃ/ | beech |
Match the picture to the word
📋 How to do this activity: Click on a picture to select it (it turns blue). Then click the correct word from the word bank below. Green = correct! If you choose the wrong word, try again.
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
🎉 Perfect! All words matched correctly.
🎵 Dialogue Audio
0:00
--:--
Marcus:Hey, Mom! Where are you? What are you doing?
Mom:I'm right here by the pool. I'm relaxing in the sun.
Marcus:Oh nice. Is Dad with you?
Mom:No, he's not. He's swimming at the beach.
Marcus:What about Grandma? Is she swimming too?
Mom:No. She doesn't like the water. She's sightseeing in the old part of the city.
Marcus:That sounds like her! Is she alone?
Mom:No, she's with your sister. They're taking photos of all the old buildings.
Marcus:Cool. Where are you staying? Is the hotel nice?
Mom:It's great! The hotel is right next to the beach. We love it.
Marcus:I'm so jealous! Are you buying any souvenirs?
Mom:Of course. Your grandma is already buying things for everyone. She's so generous.
Marcus:Ha! That's Grandma. OK, Mom — have fun. I miss you all.
Mom:We miss you too. Come next time!
Listening for gist
📋 How to do this activity: Read or listen to the dialogue. Choose the best answer. Click your choice, then press Submit.
Who is NOT on vacation with the family?
Comprehension questions
📋 How to do this activity: Think about the answer. Then click Show answer to check.
Question 1
What is Mom doing at the beginning of the conversation?
Mom is relaxing by the pool and sitting in the sun.
Question 2
Where is Dad?
Dad is swimming at the beach.
Question 3
Why isn't Grandma swimming?
Because she doesn't like the water.
Question 4
What are Grandma and the sister doing?
They are sightseeing and taking photos of old buildings.
Question 5
Where is the hotel?
The hotel is right next to the beach.
Grammar focus: The Present Continuous
We use the present continuous to talk about something that is happening right now or around this time.
Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
I am swimming in the ocean.
She is taking photos of the buildings.
They are buying souvenirs at the market.
| Subject | Form of "be" | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | I am swimming. |
| You | are | You are relaxing. |
| He / She / It | is | He is sightseeing. |
| We / They | are | They are taking photos. |
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
She is not swimming. / They aren't buying souvenirs.
Question: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb-ing?
Is he swimming? / What are you doing?
She is not swimming. / They aren't buying souvenirs.
Question: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb-ing?
Is he swimming? / What are you doing?
Activity 1 — Fill in the blank
📋 How to do this activity: Type the correct present continuous form in each blank. Use the verb in parentheses. Press Submit when you finish all 10.
- She (swim) in the hotel pool right now.
- They (take) photos of the market.
- I (relax) on the beach today.
- He (buy) souvenirs for his friends.
- We (sightsee) in the old city.
- She (not swim) because the water is cold.
- What (you / do) right now?
- He (not relax). He's very busy!
- They (stay) in a hotel near the beach.
- (she / take) photos? Yes, she is!
Activity 2 — Unscramble the sentences
📋 How to do this activity: Click the words in the correct order to make a sentence. Click a word in the answer line to return it. Press Submit when all sentences are ready.
sightseeing
she
is
photos
taking
are
they
beach
at
he
the
swimming
is
sun
relaxing
am
i
in
the
you
doing
what
are
Activity 3 — Error correction
📋 How to do this activity: Each sentence in italics has one mistake. Find the mistake and type the correct sentence. Press Submit when finished.
She swimming in the pool.
They is buying souvenirs.
He are taking photos of the beach.
I are relaxing by the pool.
We am sightseeing in the city.
Unscramble — continued
📋 How to do this activity: Click the words in the correct order. Press Clear to start over. Press Submit when done.
beach
she
is
the
sunbathing
on
today
swimming
we
not
are
sister
he
buying
his
a
is
souvenir
for
hotel
a
staying
at
they
are
relaxing
sightseeing
i
am
not
i
am
Error correction — continued
📋 How to do this activity: Each sentence in italics has one mistake. Type the correct sentence. Press Submit when done.
She is not sunbath today.
Is they buying souvenirs?
We are stay at a hotel near the beach.
He not taking photos right now.
What she is doing at the beach?
Discussion questions
What is your dream vacation? Where do you want to go and what do you want to do there?
Do you prefer relaxing on the beach or exploring a new city? Why?
Do you like taking photos on vacation? What kinds of things do you photograph?
Do you usually buy souvenirs? What is the best souvenir you have ever bought or received?
Imagine your family is on vacation right now. What is each person doing? Use "He/She is ___-ing."
Role-play tasks
🎭 Role-Play 1 — A phone call from vacation
Situation: Student A is on vacation at the beach. Student B is at home and calls to ask what Student A is doing.
Role A: You are on vacation. Answer questions about what you and your family are doing right now.
Role B: You are at home. Call your friend and ask about their vacation. Use questions like "What are you doing?" and "Where are you staying?"
Goal: Have a natural conversation for 2–3 minutes using the present continuous.
What are you doing right now?
Where is your family?
Is the hotel nice?
Are you buying souvenirs?
I am / He is / They are ___-ing.
🎭 Role-Play 2 — A tour guide and a tourist
Situation: Student A is a tourist visiting a new city. Student B is a local tour guide. They are walking around together.
Role A: You are a tourist. Ask about what you can see and do. Point to things and ask "What is that person doing?" or "Where can I buy souvenirs?"
Role B: You are the guide. Describe the city and explain what people around you are doing. Use the present continuous to describe the scene.
Goal: Describe at least five different activities using the present continuous.
Over there, a man is selling...
Those people are taking photos of...
She is buying a souvenir.
What is that person doing?
They are sitting / eating / walking...
👑
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Perfect score!
Outstanding — you got every answer right!
