Expressions of Existence
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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To talk successfully about the existence and descriptions of things in English.
Subsidiary Aims
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To distinguish between singular/plural and present/past forms.
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To improve sentence accuracy when describing environments and situations.
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To integrate new grammar with topic-related vocabulary.
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To increase fluency when talking about availability and conditions.
Procedure (100-120 minutes)
Write 8-10 "Would you rather...?" questions on the board (unrelated to existence grammar), e.g.: Would you rather work at night or early in the morning? Would you rather live in the city or the countryside? Students work in pairs. They must: Choose an option Give a reason Ask their partner a follow-up question Monitor for fluency only; no correction at this stage. Brief whole-class sharing (2-3 answers).
Vocabulary: quantity, portion size, container, bottle, can, diet type, feeding schedule, water intake, hydration level, litter box. Present each word with: Clear definition One example sentence from the teacher After each word, nominate one student to produce a sentence aloud. Reformulate gently if needed, without long explanations. Students write the words and one example sentence in their notebooks.
On the board, write four model sentences: There is a bottle on the table. There are two containers in the fridge. There was a problem yesterday. There were many students absent. Elicit: Singular vs. plural Present vs. past Highlight forms: There is / There was - singular & uncountable There are / There were - plural Show negatives: There isn't / There wasn't There aren't / There weren't Show questions: Is there...? / Are there...? Was there...? / Were there...?
The teacher asks students to work individually. The teacher explains that the goal of this activity is accuracy, not speed. Students complete Exercise A first: They read each sentence carefully. They choose the correct option (e.g. is/are, was/were), paying attention to: Singular vs. plural nouns Present vs. past time references When students finish Exercise A, they compare answers in pairs. The teacher checks Exercise A as a whole class, eliciting answers from students and writing the correct form on the board Students then move on to Exercise B. The teacher explains that students must: Rewrite each sentence as either a negative or a question, following the instructions. Students complete Exercise B individually. Students compare their rewritten sentences with a partner, checking form and word order. The teacher conducts whole-class feedback: Students read their sentences aloud. The teacher confirms or reformulates answers on the board. The teacher draws attention to: Correct auxiliary use (is / are / was / were) Correct word order in questions Use of any in negatives and questions when relevant.
Say a time expression aloud (e.g. now, yesterday, last week, today). Students orally produce one sentence using there + correct tense. Correct only tense/form errors briefly.
