B2.1 Unit 1: The Week

Unit objectives

Listen to a conversation about a work-at-home dad.
Interview classmates about their usual week.
Read a magazine article about a typical week in the future,
Write a report about a possible work week in the future.

Task: Plan someone's weekly timetable.

Grammar

Transitive and intransitive verbs
Present simple vs. present continuous.
Review: talking about the future.

Vocabulary

Phrases related to everyday activities.

Reading

An atypical work environment.

Speaking

Discussing work










P6 - phrasal verbs

deal with
pick up
get rid of
ring back
hang out
take part (in)
keep up (with)
write down
look at

In some of these actions, an object is directly changed by the action. In others, the action is not directly connected with an object.

With phrasal verbs, the ones that we call "transitive" (that have a direct object) can be separated by an object. The intransitive ones (that don't have a direct object) can't be.

Some verbs, such as arrive, go, lie, sneeze, sit, and die, are always intransitive; it is impossible for a direct object to follow. This means that they aren't able to be used in the passive. 








P7  Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Simple:

Sub + verb = obj

Q: Do/does + sub + bare inf.

Continuous:

Sub + be + gerund

Future reference:

There is no future tense in English. Present continuous is a good tense for plans and arrangements in the near future. Using "will" often works better for things in the more distant future.









P8 - Listening

Do understand what a "to-do" list is?

Here's some of the vocab in this listening:

to make a transition
to bring home the bacon
commitment
to collect the kids
sounds intriguing
a line of work
a day off
to doubt
in case
no matter how
to switch roles
to question a decision
Either way,
to maintain a household
to retire sth
an egg beater
to last

Listen out for this week's phrasal verbs in this listening.


Use these words in a sentence



P9 - Speaking

Use "will" for discussing the more distant future.

Some useful vocab for this topic:

workload
work force
work-life balance
overwork
a challenge
work hours
recover, recharge your batteries, restore
burn out
pressure
commitments
overcommitment









P 10 - Language builder (everyday activities)

active + lifestyle
do + the laundry
go + to the theatre
take + exercise
be late for + a show
how are your + studies + going?
spend time + outdoors
like to + relax + with a long hot bath










P11 - Review (talking about the future)

P12 - Reading

Read the first 4 paragraphs. Stop and discuss the point of the article.

Do the exercises on P13.

Extn: see of you can find some other interesting language in the text to ask me about.

Self study quiz for reading vocab

What are the differences between "affect" and "effect"?









P14 - Writing

Suggested headings (not in the correct order):

Flexible hours
Cost-effective
Conclusion
Introduction
Free-time
Productivity

Discuss: what will a typical working week be like in the future?