Instructors Page

Simple Present
Routines
Activity type: Student Interview
Level: High-Beginning / LowIntermediate

Purpose: Students practice asking and

answering questions using the simple
present. This activity provides an
opportunity for speaking and writing, and
it encourages students to use correct
verb forms in questions and statements.

Set-up: Whole class

Time: 5 minutes to prepare / 25 minutes
to do the activity

Materials Preparation:
1. Make one copy of the Students Page
for each student.
2. Be sure each student has a pen or
pencil.

that routine. Later, they will write

sentences about these students.
4. To model the activity, have two
students volunteer to play Student A
and Student B. Ask them to read the
example dialogue on the Students
Page. Then draw students attention to
the chart, and point out that number 1
has been filled out with a correct name.
Remind students that they will not write
sentences about their answers until after
they have interviewed all of their
classmates.
5. Instruct the students to stand and
begin interviewing their classmates.
They should only fill out the Name
column now. Circulate and offer help as
needed. Give students approximately
ten minutes, then call time.
6. Ask the students to return to their
seats and write sentences about the
classmates they talked to. They can
write these sentences in the right-hand
column of the chart. Again, point out that
number one has been completed as an
example.

Procedure

Follow-up

1. As a warm-up, ask to students to

name some things they do (or dont do)
most days (for example, eat breakfast,
go to work, or watch TV). Write some of
these activities on the board. Then ask a
few individual students questions based
on these activities. Use the simple
present. For example, Maria, do you eat
breakfast every day? / Eric, do you often
watch TV? Make sure students reply
using verbs in the simple present.
2. Give each student a copy of the
Students Page.
3. Explain to students that they will ask
each other questions about routines in
their daily lives. They will walk around
and ask classmates the questions in the
chart. When they find someone who
follows a routine in the chart, they
should write that students name next to

1. Conduct a quick survey of the class to

see which students follow each routine.
2. Ask questions to inspire whole-class
discussion about each item. Encourage
higher-level students to ask their
classmates questions, as well.
Example questions:
1. Why dont you shop online? Do you
think it isnt safe?
2. Do you take a vitamin every day to
improve your health? Who doesnt like
vitamins? Why not?
3. What do you eat every day for
breakfast? Who never eats breakfast?
Who eats the same thing for lunch every
day?

Grammar and Beyond Communicative Activities

Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable

Students Page

Simple Present | Student Interview

Routines
1 Talk to your classmates about routines in their lives. Write their names in the chart.
2 Write sentences about your classmates answers.
Example:
Student A: Sergio, do you shop online?
Student B: No, I dont. I never shop online.

Find a student who . . .

1. never shops online

Name

Sentence

Sergio

Sergio never shops online.

2. takes a vitamin every day

3. eats the same thing for
breakfast every morning
4. hardly ever exercises
5. works at night
6. often wears a hat
7. reads a newspaper every
day
8. often sings in the shower
9. rarely sleeps later than
7:00 a.m.
10. always brings a backpack
to school
11. never drinks coffee
12. usually studies on
Saturday night

Grammar and Beyond Communicative Activities

Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable