LIFE EVENTS

Present events and future plans

Obiective
 Utilizarea adecvata a lexicului si structurilor gramaticale aferente in prezentarea
evenimentelor si intamplarilor.

VOCABULARY
1. Watch the video about British norms and customs and mark the sentences T for true or F
for false.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1tjn2dy8wE

1. It is good manners to say please and thank you in UK. T

2. It is considered rude to jump queues in UK. T
3. It is unacceptable to talk about money in Uk. T
4. It is ok to hug, kiss and touch people you meet for the first time in UK. F
5. Tipping is ok although it is not a norm in Uk. T
6. It is perfectly normal for people in Uk to sand close to each other. F
7. It isn’t usual to ask personal questions in Uk. T
8. It is important to be punctual. T
9. It is perfectly normal to have an argument in public. F

2. Write the phrases in the bold in exercise 1 in the correct category bellow.

Phrases for making generalizations:

1.
2.
3.

Phrases for saying what is good manners/acceptable:

1.
2.

Phrases for saying what is bad manners/unacceptable:

1.
2.

3. Match the words on the left with the definition on the right.
1. be punctual a. the physical space immediately
surrounding someone
 2. turn up late b. kept specially for a particular person.
3. jump the queue c. push into a queue of people in order to
be served or dealt with before one's
turn

4. push ahead in a line d. to disapprove of something

5. tipping e. proceed with or continue a course of

action

6. personal space f. be on time

7. frowned upon g. arrive late

8. reserved for h. to give a gift or a sum of money

tendered for a service performed

Write your answers here. The first one was done for you.
1. f 5.
2. 6.
3. 7.
4. 8.

4. Complete the following sentences with the correct word/phrase from the box.
reserved for frowned upon
personal space turn up late
push ahead in a line tipping
being punctual

1…………………………….. is important. The British consider it rude and impolite if you

………………………………….for an appointment. Call even if you will be 5 minutes later than
agreed.
2. Queueing is a unique part of the British culture. Violating a queue is considered extremely
impolite, so never…………………………………………….
3. Hugging, kissing and touching are usually ………………………………….family members
and very close friends.
4. ………………………………is not expected in the UK, but is much appreciated. You can tip
if you are happy with the service.
5. Standing too close to someone is rude. The British like a certain amount
of…………………………..
6. Asking personal questions about salary, relationship status, weight or age
is…………………………..
SPEAKING TASK
Use the prompts bellow and the phrases in exercise 2 to make sentences about customs in
your country. Upload your recording here.
Eg. It’s quite important to say please and thank you.
1. wear casual clothes in the office
2. keep your shoes on in people’s houses
3. blow your nose in public
4. take flowers or a bottle of wine when you go to someone’s house for dinner.
5. leave food on your plate at the end of a mealin someone’s house.
6. men to kiss women on the hand
7. women to go out in groups on their own.
READING

Read the following text about the British traditions and UK culture.

British traditions and UK culture

By Colm Boyd 

What comes to mind when you think of British culture? Probably quite differing traditional
stereotypes. On the one hand, you might think of James Bond ordering a sophisticated Martini or
of stylish celebs attending Wimbledon. While on the other, you might think of the eccentric
capers of Mr. Bean. The UK is a multi-nation, multi-ethnic land of diversity and contrast. And
yet you’ll find it hard to meet a Brit who doesn’t love a good cup of tea with a nice chocolate
biscuit.

This blog post looks at some of the most characteristic customs shared by the British. I feel it
necessary to point out that I myself am from southern Ireland and am therefore not a Brit, even
though we share many quirks. I have, however, lived in the UK and now spend my days
surrounded by many wonderful Brits at British Council Barcelona. In the interests of objectivity
(and of course, to avoid controversy), I have consulted British friends and colleagues to ask them
what customs they would define as specifically British, for better or worse. Read on for their
eye-opening responses.

1. Awkward greetings

Our first respondent, Tamsin from Leicester, suggests that there are no strict rules for greeting
somebody in the UK, the only essential element is that it’s awkward. In a country like Spain, the
social rules for handshakes or giving two kisses are quite clear. In the UK, greetings can range
from a formal handshake to a hug to a nod of the head or perhaps just a simple “Hello”. Such
lack of guidance spells social disaster, as one person goes in for a hug while the other is offering
a reserved head nod. The result is embarrassment for everybody, and thus a typical British
interaction has begun! Try to minimise the awkwardness by at least having some greeting
expressions up your sleeve. Click here for some typical expressions in English.

2. Tea (and biscuits, obviously)

It’s not just a stereotype. When asked about quintessentially British customs, almost all
respondents to my question immediately mentioned drinking a nice cuppa. The word “cuppa”
(/ˈkʌpə/) is a common way to refer to a cup of tea, as when you pronounce the expression “cup
of tea”, it sounds more like “cuppa tea”. And it’s true that the humble cup of tea forms the basis
of many British social interactions. Most Brits drink tea for breakfast, more tea during work
breaks, tea before bed, tea when the neighbours visit, tea during a meeting, tea to help decide
how to solve a crisis … you get the idea. And let’s not forget the great British art of “dunking”:
this means dipping sugary biscuits into tea before eating them. In fact, one source of national
debate is which brand of biscuit is best for dunking purposes .

3. Going to the pub

Like many other respondents, Simon from Essex says that the main British tradition for him is
going to the pub. Many people have their “local”, meaning the pub that they go to most regularly
and where they know the staff and the other customers. I remember working in an office in
London and how our entire team of about 50 people had the fun habit of going to the pub
together every Friday after work (sometimes on Thursdays too!). It’s not all about drinking
though. A trip to the pub can involve playing darts, watching sports on TV, eating some “pub
grub” (that’s the name for food served in a pub), or maybe even taking part in a challenging pub
quiz. If you’re in the mood for a fun night out, keep an eye out (or Google) for a typical British
pub quiz right here in Portugal.

4. Paying for drinks in rounds

Several respondents pointed out that if you decide to try out British pub culture, you need to be
aware of the other British tradition of buying drinks in rounds . This means that rather than
ordering your drink individually, it’s much more common to order (and pay) for the entire group.
Your fellow drinkers will return the favour when they buy your next drink, and the next after
that, depending on how many people are in the group. Just be careful: if you’re not as used to
alcohol as your colleagues, going out with a big group could lead to a pretty bad hangover the
following day! Or if you’ve had enough, you can feel free to go home. The people who owe you
drinks will (usually) remember to buy you one the next time you’re in the pub together.

5. Saying sorry

Another custom which many respondents thought was particularly British was excessive
apologizing . Jane from London suggests that in any situation that goes wrong, it is the automatic
reaction of most Brits to say sorry, regardless of whether they are at fault. Jane says that if she’s
getting off the tube and a man bumps into her while he rushes into the carriage, her instinctive
reaction is to exclaim “Oooh, sorry!”, even though she clearly hasn’t done anything wrong.
Things get even more bizarre than that. People in office corridors walk past each other and
whisper “sorry!” even when there is plenty of room for them both to pass; my ex-flatmate in
London once unthinkingly apologised to a dog which had run into her leg.      
6. Identifying accent

A suggestion from various colleagues was the British custom of trying to place a person based on
their accent. Of course, this tendency exists in every country but it’s true that the UK seems to
have a particular wealth of distinguishable regional accents. So when one Londoner meets
another, it’s quite possible that they will automatically know which general part of the city the
other is from, just from accent. This phenomenon is not limited to big cities, with many rural
areas having their own distinct accents. This means that Brits often talk about accents to break
the ice in social gatherings, for example:

Jeff: So, would I be right in guessing that you’re from Cornwall, Harold?

Harold: Oh, close enough. I’m actually from Devon.

7. Identifying class

In several responses to my question about British quirks, people mentioned the UK’s obsession
with class. One important factor in this sphere is, again, accent. For example, if somebody has
attended a public school (this is - confusingly - the name for an expensive private school in the
UK), they have a very recognisable accent. I have had many conversations with British friends,
along the lines of “Well, my grandparents were working class but they saved money to send one
of their kids to public school so that he’d get a posh accent and become a lawyer”. Often, a
person’s class is assumed by their accent or family connections rather than their actual bank
balance. The British tend to speak about class quite openly and even consider certain
supermarkets, newspapers, or social activities to be dictated by a person’s class. All of this
means that silently guessing a person’s class is one of Brits’ favourite hobbies.

8. Sunbathing, wherever, whenever

A final custom, suggested by Sandra from London, is the British tendency to sunbathe at any
sight of sun. Perhaps this is a biological necessity, a behaviour common to all people from sun-
deprived nations. Any sunny day in the UK with a temperature of over 18 degrees leads to mass
delirium. That means people unbuttoning their shirts, rolling up their trousers and stopping
everything to sit in the sun, whether they’re in a park, in a city square, at a bus stop, literally
anywhere outdoors. And who could blame them for making the most of the British sunshine?
Perhaps less healthy is when Brits do the same while on holiday in a hot country like Spain and
instead of a sun-kissed glow, end up with an unfortunate “gamba” red!

Thanks to all my British friends and colleagues for explaining just a few of their most
representative customs. Of course, there are many more that we could add to the list. Any
suggestions? Why not add them to the Facebook comments for this post? Don’t forget to click
here for more blog posts about life in the UK. 

1. Choose the topic of the text.

 a) some of the most characteristic customs shared by the British
b) The UK, a multi-nation, multi-ethnic land of diversity and contrast
c) My British friends and colleagues customs and traditions.

VOCABULARY
2. Match the word on the left with the correct definition on the right.
1. quirk a. be responsible for an undesirable
situation; in the wrong
2. stereotype b. to have a secret plan that you
can surprise someone with
3. quintessentially c. do or say something to relieve tension
or get conversation going in a strained
situation or when strangers meet
4. have something up your sleeve d. something that
looks expensive and attractive
5. owe e. a strong chance that something
will happen in a particular way
6. be at fault f. a peculiar aspect of a person's
character or behavior
7. tendency g. clearly different from
other people or things of the
same type
8. break the ice h. to be under obligation to pay or repay
in return for something received
9. distinguishable i. perfect as an example of
a type of person or thing
10. posh j. a fixed idea or image that many people
have of a particular type of person or
thing, but which is often not true in
reality

1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10

3. Fill in the sentences with the correct word/phrase from the box.
owe posh
at fault o have something up his sleeve
break the ice quintessentially
distinguishable quirk
 tendency stereotype

1. This area became a …………………………..residency as royalty and elite moved here.

2. On the whole it is ok to use first names. Young and middle aged people don’t have the
……………………………… to use “Mr” and “ MRS” very much, although many older
people prefer it.
3. Janice has this irritating ………………………..of rolling her eyes whenever she speaks.
4. Because I don’t …………………… any money to anyone this week, I can spend my
paycheck on what I want. 
5. It is the human belief that more technology, and yet more, can cure all our ills which
is ……………………….
6. Addressing friends, strangers or acquaintances as mate is a ……………………
Australian practice.
7. He always seems ……………………………………………. to deal with these kinds of s
ituations.
8. And it is the race factor, the ……………………………… that most poor people are
black, that holds the entire image together.
9. I tried to ……………………………….. by offering her a drink, but she said no
10. A 54 card pack is used, consisting of the standard 52 cards plus
two ………………………………………. jokers, big and small.

GRAMMAR
WRITING

Now that you have watched the video and read the text about the British etiquette,
use the words the phrases studied so far to write a paragraph about one social
norm/custom in your country.
VOCABULARY
1. Read the texts below and circle the free time activities mentioned in the text.

The night life in Beijing is unbelievable. I usually meet up with

my friends around midnight. That’s quite early in BPT (Beijing
Party Time). First we hit the bars in the Chaoyang district.
There is a club called Bling where the Dj sits in a Bentley car in
the middle of the dance floor. It’s outrageous! Around four in
the morning we often head over to Ghost Street, where the
restaurants are open all night. By the time I get home, the sun
is coming up. In the past we rarely went clubbing. We would
usually have a long dinner in a restaurant and then go to an all-
night karaoke bar. But nowadays there’s so much choice and
the clubs are always full. In BPT, every night is party night.

There are only 70 inhabitants on the Isle of Eigg where I live, so

there isn’t a lot of choice. We do the same thing most Saturday
nights. Around 9 o’clock we all head down to the community hall.
By ten the hall is full of people; young and old, friend and foe, we
all socialize together. Some people might find it a bit strange –
it’s a bit like going to a club with your parents – but it’s our way.
There’s usually a folk band from the mainland. When they get
going, people start flying round the hall, dancing like crazy and
having fun. The older people go home around midnight, but
some of the younger ones are still there in the morning.

Iranzamin Street in the center of Teheran is where all the

young fashionable Iranians hang out. On Saturday night my
friends and I go driving there. We write our mobile numbers on
pieces of paper and throw them into girls’ cars. But they
usually only read the note if they see you’re driving a smart
car! One night, we were driving around in my friend’s car and
we drove up beside some girls, trying to give them our
numbers. Suddenly we realized that one of the girls in the car
was my friend’s girlfriend. She was furious! My friend tried to
make excuses, but she knew what he was up to. I hate to be
alone, so I always surround myself with my friends. We chat
and make jokes and have fun. We’re just the same as young
people all over the world, I guess.
2. Read the text and answer the following questions.
a) What does Jiao Wu usually do in his free time?
b) Where does he go in the morning before going home?
c) What does Hassan Kashani do on Saturday night?
d) Why does he trow pieces of paper into girls’ cars?
 e) Where do the people on Isle of Eigg spend their Saturday night?
f) What do they bring from the mainland?
3. Look at these expressions from the texts. Circle the correct meaning of the words and
phrases in bold.
1. we hit the bars a) go drinking
b) go driving
c) go singing

2. to be outrageous a) outstanding
b) mainstream
c) prosaic
3. to make excuses a) give a reason for doing something you shouldn't do
b) tell someone politely that you are leaving
c) politely asl someone to repeat something

4. what’s he up to a) doing something

b) making something
c) writing something
5. we all head down to a) to depart and move or travel south
b) to go to a community hall
c) to socialize with your friends
6. it’s our way a) it’s our avenue
b) it’s our custom
c) it’s our route
7. the mainland a) the isle
b) the city
c) the continent
8. a foe a) fellow
b) adversary
c) colleague

3. Fill in the sentences below with the correct word/phrase from the box.
a foe  is my way of the mainland head down to
hit the bars  make excuses  be up to outrageous

1. A few of the gang …………………. and the rest of us were too tired and full and called it
a night.
2. From the jaw-dropping fashion to the………………………….   and over-the-top parties,
this show really does have it all.
3. I've been promising myself for weeks that I will get out and get the garden tidied up
ready for the winter but then I ……………………………… and do something else
instead.

4. We all have at least one person we think about every now and then and wonder what
they might …………………………………….
 5. So if you're in the mood for good food and good music, make a night of it
and …………………………………………Fado.

6. They were discussing the trip to ………………………….., shopping for just the right
dress for their dear friend’s wedding.

7. It was this close bond which persuaded him to follow his brothers to the battlefields of
France to fight …………………………………. he had no desire to destroy.

8. Staying in and reading a good book or watching a good movie …………………unwinding

at the weekend.

Here’s is some more vocabulary related to free time.

Write your sentences here.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.
Write your answers here.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Write your answers here.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

LISTENING

You will listen to a conversation between a man and a woman about their going out plans.
Listen to the recording and choose the correct answer.
Click on the link to listen to the recording.
https://www.examenglish.com/KET/KET_listening_part3.htm

1. Rebecca and Alan decide to meet on

a) Wednesday
b) Thursday
c) Friday
2. They decide to
a) Go out for dinner.
b) Go out for a drink.
c) Stay in and watch a DVD.
3. The Orange Tree is on
a) Church Road.
b) Love Lane.
 c) Potter Street.
4. They will meet at
a) Ten past seven.
b) Twenty to seven.
c) Seven twenty.
5. Rebecca met Charlie
a) at a party.
b) on a skiing holiday.
c) at the sports centre.

GRAMMAR

Be going to
Positive & Negative Sentences
The positive and negative structures for Be Going To are as follows:

Positive Negative

I am going to I am not going to

You are going to You are not going to
He is going to He is not going to
She is going to She is not going to
It is going to It is not going to
We are going to We are not going to
You are going to You are not going to
They are not going
They are going to
to

The structure BE GOING TO is normally used to indicate the future in English. We use this structure:

1. When we have already decided or we INTEND to do something in the future. (Prior Plan)

The decision has been made before the moment of speaking.

 I'm going to India next year.

 We talked about it yesterday and I'm going to quit my job tomorrow.

2. When there are definite signs that something is going to happen. (Evidence)

Something is likely to happen based on the evidence or experience you have.

 It's so cold! I think it is going to snow

3. When something is about to happen:

 Get back! The bomb is going to explode.

Questions with BE GOING TO

Questions are formed by changing the order of the subject and the verb BE:

Affirmativ
e You are going to win the race.

Subjec GOING
  BE
t TO
 
Question Are you going to win the race?
Subjec GOING
  BE
t TO
You are going to be sick if you eat that. (Positive sentence)
Are you going to be sick if you eat that? (Question)

We are going to take orange juice to the party. (Positive sentence)

Are we going to take orange juice to the party? (Question)

Complete this email with the affirmative, negative or interrogative forms of be going to. Use the
words in brackets.
Hi Tim,

How are you? 1 ………………………………….(you/visit) us this summer? In July

we 2 ………………. …………………….(have) a big party.
It 3 ………………………………….(be) really fun. I want to have some great music, so
I 4 ………………………………………… (find) a good DJ. My
parents 5 ………………………………………. (pay) for the food and drinks.
My sister 6 ………………………………………… (not be) there because
she 7 ……………………………………………… (travel) to Canada with a friend. Sorry!
They 8 ………………………………………. (fly) to Montreal and then
they 9 ……………………………………. (go) to Vancouver by train.
They 10 ………………………………….. (not come) back until August.
Hope you can come to the party!

Ben
Present continuous (future arrangements)
 
We often use the present continuous to talk about the future, especially about
future plans when we have decided a time and a place with other people. We normally
use a future time expression, e.g. tomorrow, next week, at 7, etc.

 I’m meeting Sally at 7. (=I have talked to her and we have arranged to meet.)
 I’m flying to New York tomorrow morning. (=I have the ticket.)
 We’re getting married next July. (=We have decided it and we have probably already
made reservations for the restaurant, etc.)

The present continuous for future arrangements is very common with verbs of travelling,
and when we are meeting people.

 I’m leaving very early tomorrow. I’m taking the 7.30 train. 

 I’m playing golf with Jack next Saturday. Would you like to come?
 I’m seeing the dentist after class. 

Present continuous vs be going to

 
We can normally use the present continuous or be going to to talk about future plans.

 I’m leaving very early tomorrow.

 I’m going to leave very early tomorrow.

But we prefer using the present continuous when we have made arrangements (i.e.

decided a place an time with somebody else). When use be going to, we put the
emphasis on our intention to do something.

 I’m going to study for the exams tomorrow. (=it’s my intention)

 I’m leaving at 8 tomorrow. (=it’s an arrangement)
 ‘Your car is dirty.’ ‘I know. I’m going to wash it tomorrow.’ (=it’s my intention, but I
haven’t arranged to do it)

Choose the most appropriate future form to complete the dialogues below. Choose present
continuous where possible

Dialogue 1
Daughter: Dad, could you take me to the city centre this afternoon?
Father: Of course. I 1 (‘ll drive/ am driving/ am going to drive) you there after lunch if
you want. I also need to go downtown because I 2  (‘m going to meet/ ‘ll meet/ ‘m
meeting) a client at 3. Where do you need to go?
Daughter: To the library. I 3 ( ‘m borrowing/ ‘ll borrow/ ‘m going to borrow) a couple
of books that I need for university.
Father: No problem. I 4 (‘m leaving/ ‘m going to leave/ ‘ll leave) you there on my way
to the office.
Dialogue 2
Roy: What time 5 ( are you leaving/ will you leave/ are you going to leave)
tomorrow?
Valeria: Very early. I 6 ( ‘ll take/ ‘m going to take/ ‘m taking) the 6.50 train.
Roy: Do you have the ticket?

Valeria: Not yet, because I 7 ( ‘ll buy/ ‘m going to buy/ ‘m buying ) it online when I
arrive home.
Dialogue 3
Ruth: I 8 ( ‘ll go/ ‘m going to go/ ‘m going) for a drink with Jessica this evening. Would
you like to come?
Sandra: No, 9 ( ‘m going to finish/ ‘m finishing/ will finish) I the book I am reading. I
need to finish it before tomorrow.
Ruth: Why do you need to finish it for tomorrow?

Sandra: Because I 10 ( ‘m meeting/ ‘m going to meet/ will meet) my friends from the
reading club tomorrow afternoon.

Choose the most appropriate future forms for the sentences below. Choose present continuous
where possible.
Page 1 of 2

1I _____ tennis with my friends next Friday.

a.will play
b.'m playing
c.'m going to play

2Can you pass me the remote? I _____ some TV.

a.will watch
b.am going to watch
c.am watching

3What _____ with the lottery money?

a.will do
b.are you doing
c.are you going to do

4We _____ married in June.

a.will get
b.are going to get
c.are getting

5A: 'Why did you buy a guitar if you can't play?' B. 'No, but I _____.'

a.will learn
b.'m learning
c.'m going to learn
6Laura ______ next Tuesday. I can't wait to see her.

a.will come back

b.is coming back
c.is going to come back
7I have stopped eating sugar. I _____ sugar again.

a.don't eat
b.'m not eating
c.am not going to eat
8We _____ some friends after work.

a.will meet
b.are meeting
c.are going to meet

Fill in the sentences with the correct form of the verb.

1. I ……………………………………………………..(play) bridge with Ann and
Tom tonight.
2. He ……………………………………………………(have) an operation next
week.
3. It is very cold. I ………………………………………………..(light) a fire.
4. We …………………………………………………………(have) some friends
for lunch tomorrow.
 5. My nephew…………………………………………………(come) to stay with
me next week.
6. We …………………………………………………(take) the children to the
seaside this summer.
7. I …………………………………………………….(read) you some of my
poems.
8. Have you got a ticket for the big match on Saturday? No, I don’t even
know who………………………………………….(play).
9. The inspector ……………………………………………(ask) you a few
questions.
10. Mr. Pitt has just phoned to say that ……………………………………………………..he (not come)
back till Saturday night.

For more practice click the link bellow

https://www.e-grammar.org/present-tense-be-going-to-future/test3-exercise1/

SPEAKING

Talk about the way you intend to spend your free time next weekend. Use the vocabulary and
grammar studied in this lesson to say how you are going to unwind and have fun. Use:
 BE GOING TO + vb
 Words and phrases form the vocabulary section

Upload a 2-minute recording