Share a slide or screen with 3–4 pictures representing common New Year’s plans (e.g., fireworks, a family dinner, dancing at a party, traveling to the beach). What do you see? What do people usually do on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day? Collect ideas in a padlet.

Tell students they will hear two people talking about their New Year’s plans, one from China and one from Scotland. Show a list with 4–5 general statements. They will need to decide which person talks about each statement and write beside each of them. Tell students they will listen to the same audio again, but this time they need to fill in the blanks in a short transcript. Show the transcript so they can identify in their own if they were correct.

Display 2–3 complete sentences taken directly from the gap-fill activity (already completed). Ask students simple guided questions: What tense is this? Is it about now or the future? How do you know it’s the future? (Look at the time expression: on the 31st, this weekend, etc.) Underline or colour-code the structure in one example: [Subject] + [be] + [verb+ing] + [future time expression] Confirm: “We use Present Progressive to talk about personal arrangements that are already decided.”

Meaning Show the sentence: I’m meeting my friends at 9 PM on New Year’s Eve. Ask CCQs: Is this happening now? → (No) Is this a future plan? → (Yes) Is it decided and fixed? → (Yes) Can I still change the plan easily? → (Probably not) Emphasize: We use Present Progressive to talk about future arrangements that are already planned. Form Show the structure on the board: [Subject] + [am/is/are] + [verb + -ing] + [time expression] Examples: I’m visiting my grandparents next weekend. We’re flying to Cancún on January 2nd. Ask students to identify: the subject the verb “to be” (conjugated) the main verb with -ing the time expression Ask: Can I use this tense without a time expression? → (Usually no, because it helps show it’s future.) Pronunciation Focus on contracted forms and linking: I’m meeting, We’re going, She’s staying Drill chorally and individually: Emphasize linking and natural rhythm: /aɪm ˈmiː.tɪŋ/ /wɪə ˈɡəʊ.ɪŋ/ /ʃiːz ˈsteɪ.ɪŋ/ Highlight sentence stress: Content words (meeting, going) are stressed Function words (I’m, we’re) are weak or linked

Share a short Google Form with 5 multiple choice items. Each sentence has a missing verb or incorrect verb form. Students must choose the correct complete sentence. Let students share theirs answers in pairs.

Tell students they will share 3 personal plans they already have for the New Year holiday (real or imagined) using the Present Progressive. Provide scaffolded prompts on the slide: I’m... (doing what?) Who are you doing it with? When/where is it happening? Give an example: I’m having dinner with my parents on the 31st. Then I’m going to a friend’s house to watch fireworks. Put students in pairs or small groups. Give them 4–5 minutes to share their plans. Encourage follow-up questions using: What time?, Where?, With who? Monitor and take notes for delayed feedback (DEC). Final 1–2 minutes: Ask 1–2 students to share a classmate’s plan (“My partner is visiting her aunt on the 1st”).