Learners can handle the basics of daily life. They talk about routines, possessions and immediate needs using simple present-tense structures, if the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Present simple (all forms, do / does)
Use the present simple to describe routines, habits, facts, and schedules in affirmative, negative, and question forms.
Use after the complete A1 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →10–15 min optional: Spelling reference for third-person forms · Five-minute next-day retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Use the present simple to describe routines, habits, facts, and schedules in affirmative, negative, and question forms.
What must become clear
The present simple is the main grammar for a normal day. We use it when something is usually true, not only happening right now.
High-value friction points
- Does she work on Saturday?After does, use the base verb. Say Does she work, not Does she works.
- He doesn’t have coffee in the morning.Use doesn’t with he, she, and it. The main verb stays in the base form: have.
- Does Maya start at eight?After does, use the base verb start, not starts.
Protect these lesson moments
- Three quick checks from earlier lessons
- Discovery check: choose the pattern
- Drill 1: choose the positive verb
- Drill 2: type do, does, don’t, or doesn’t
- Drill 3: match the sentence to the meaning
Learner production
Your normal weekday: Say five true sentences about your routine. Use times if you can. I start work at nine. I have lunch at one.
- Ask the teacher: Ask three present-simple questions with Do you . Listen and give one follow-up question. Do you work on Fridays? Do you drink coffee?
- A friend or coworker: Describe another person with he or she . My coworker starts early. She goes home at five.
- Not true for me: Say three negative sentences about your life. I don’t work at night. I don’t study on Sundays.
- Same and different: Compare your routine with another person. We both start at nine. She drives to work, but I take the bus.
Carry this language into the next session
Return tomorrow without rereading the rule. Open the five-minute retrieval , answer from memory, and finish with one true sentence about your week.
Tutor-only contrastive support
L1 Transfer Lens
Test a pattern. Do not label a learner. Use this only after the learner’s actual production gives you evidence.
Select a first language to reveal only the contrasts relevant to this lesson.
Spanish → English
2 patterns to test
Keep the English subject visible
- Possible transfer
Works in finance.
- English rebuild
She works in finance.
Why it can happen: Spanish verb endings often make the subject recoverable. English verb forms carry less person information, so a normal statement usually needs an explicit subject such as I, she, they, or it.
Natural English:
- He lives near the office.
- It starts at nine.
Use do to carry questions and negatives
- Possible transfer
You work here? / I no work Fridays.
- English rebuild
Do you work here? / I don’t work Fridays.
Why it can happen: Spanish can negate a lexical verb directly and forms many questions without a separate helper. In the English present simple, do or does carries the question or negative grammar while the main verb returns to its base form.
Natural English:
- Does Ana drive to work?
- We don’t open on Sundays.
Brazilian Portuguese → English
One pattern to test
Build the English question frame
- Possible transfer
You like your job? / Where she went?
- English rebuild
Do you like your job? / Where did she go?
Why it can happen: Brazilian Portuguese can often mark a question through intonation while keeping statement order. English normally signals the question grammatically with do, be, have, or a modal before the subject.
Natural English:
- Does this train stop downtown?
- Where did you buy that laptop?
Turkish → English
3 patterns to test
Anchor the English verb after the subject
- Possible transfer
I every morning my email check.
- English rebuild
I check my email every morning.
Why it can happen: Neutral Turkish commonly places the verb at the end and allows constituents to move for information focus. A neutral English statement usually anchors subject–verb–object first, then places time and other details around that core.
Natural English:
- Our team reviews the figures every Friday.
- Yesterday, I called the supplier from my office.
Select an English auxiliary instead of one question particle
- Possible transfer
You coffee like? / She at home?
- English rebuild
Do you like coffee? / Is she at home?
Why it can happen: Turkish has a highly regular question particle. English spreads that work across be, do, have, and modal verbs, and the correct helper depends on the verb phrase already present in the statement.
Natural English:
- Can you join the call?
- Did they send the invoice?
Choose routine, current scene, or temporary period
- Possible transfer
I am going to work every day. / Now I work from home.
- English rebuild
I go to work every day. / Now I’m working from home.
Why it can happen: The English present simple presents routines, facts, and stable patterns; the present continuous opens a current or temporary scene. Turkish forms and usage do not map one to one, so time meaning must lead the choice.
Natural English:
- She usually takes the bus, but today she is driving.
- I’m staying with friends this month.
Russian → English
2 patterns to test
Let do carry present-simple grammar
- Possible transfer
You work here? / I not work Fridays.
- English rebuild
Do you work here? / I don’t work Fridays.
Why it can happen: Russian does not add a helper equivalent to do for ordinary present questions and negatives. English do or does carries the question or negative marking, while the lexical verb stays in its base form after that helper.
Natural English:
- Does your team meet on Mondays?
- She doesn’t drive to the office.
Separate routine from the current scene
- Possible transfer
I work now. / I am working every day.
- English rebuild
I’m working now. / I work every day.
Why it can happen: Russian aspect and English progressive aspect divide situations differently. In English, the present simple frames routines and stable facts, while the present continuous opens a current, temporary, changing, or arranged scene.
Natural English:
- I usually work downtown, but I’m working from home today.
- She takes the train every day, and she’s waiting for it now.
Ukrainian → English
2 patterns to test
Choose the English helper before the subject
- Possible transfer
Where you work? / She likes it?
- English rebuild
Where do you work? / Does she like it?
Why it can happen: Ukrainian can form questions through intonation and question words without adding a helper equivalent to English do. English chooses do, be, have, or a modal, then places that helper before the subject.
Natural English:
- Do they live near the office?
- Why did he change the schedule?
Use time meaning to choose the present form
- Possible transfer
Usually I am driving. / Today I drive from home.
- English rebuild
I usually drive. / Today I’m working from home.
Why it can happen: Ukrainian perfective and imperfective aspect does not align directly with the English simple and progressive contrast. English present choice depends on whether the speaker frames a routine, fact, current scene, or temporary period.
Natural English:
- She teaches online, but she is visiting the office today.
- We are testing a new system this month.
Czech → English
4 patterns to test
Keep ordinary English subjects visible
- Possible transfer
Work from home on Fridays.
- English rebuild
I work from home on Fridays.
Why it can happen: Czech verb endings often identify the person, so subject pronouns can be omitted. English verb forms carry less person information, and a normal finite clause usually needs an explicit subject, including it in weather and time expressions.
Natural English:
- She starts work at eight.
- It is getting colder outside.
Use do without changing the lexical verb
- Possible transfer
You understand? / She not works here.
- English rebuild
Do you understand? / She doesn’t work here.
Why it can happen: Czech does not use an auxiliary equivalent to English do for ordinary present questions and negatives. English do or does carries the grammatical marking, and the following lexical verb returns to its base form.
Natural English:
- Does the store open at nine?
- I don’t need another copy.
Anchor English subject, verb, and object
- Possible transfer
Every morning coffee I drink at home.
- English rebuild
I drink coffee at home every morning.
Why it can happen: Czech uses case endings and flexible order to highlight old and new information. A neutral English statement relies more heavily on subject-verb-object order, with time and place placed around that stable clause core.
Natural English:
- Our team reviews the figures every Monday.
- Yesterday, I called the supplier from my office.
Open a current or temporary scene with be plus ing
- Possible transfer
I write an email now. / I am writing emails every day.
- English rebuild
I’m writing an email now. / I write emails every day.
Why it can happen: Czech does not grammaticalize the same present progressive contrast. English uses the present continuous for a current, temporary, changing, or arranged scene and the present simple for routines and stable facts.
Natural English:
- She usually drives, but she is taking the train today.
- We are updating the website this week.
Mandarin Chinese → English
2 patterns to test
Put English person and time on the verb system
- Possible transfer
She work here. / Yesterday he go home early.
- English rebuild
She works here. / Yesterday he went home early.
Why it can happen: Mandarin verbs do not change for third person or grammatical tense. English marks third-person singular in the present and uses past forms, auxiliaries, or time-sensitive verb phrases to locate events.
Natural English:
- My manager checks the figures every Friday.
- We changed the schedule yesterday.
Move the English helper before the subject
- Possible transfer
You like coffee? / You work where?
- English rebuild
Do you like coffee? / Where do you work?
Why it can happen: Mandarin can use a final question particle and normally leaves question words in the information position. English usually places a question word first and moves or adds be, do, have, or a modal before the subject.
Natural English:
- Does this train stop downtown?
- Why did they cancel the meeting?
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Three quick checks from earlier lessons” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: The present simple is the main grammar for a normal day. We use it when something is usually true, not only happening right now.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: Does she work on Saturday?
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
Return tomorrow without rereading the rule. Open the five-minute retrieval , answer from memory, and finish with one true sentence about your week.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Three quick checks from earlier lessons and Discovery check: choose the pattern for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Spelling reference for third-person forms · Five-minute next-day retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
45–55 min core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Three quick checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the pattern · Drill 1: choose the positive verb.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: The present simple is the main grammar for a normal day. We use it when something is usually true, not only happening right now.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: Does she work on Saturday? After does, use the base verb. Say Does she work, not Does she works.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Three quick checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the pattern · Drill 1: choose the positive verb · Drill 2: type do, does, don’t, or doesn’t. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: Your normal weekday: Say five true sentences about your routine. Use times if you can. I start work at nine. I have lunch at one.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Return tomorrow without rereading the rule. Open the five-minute retrieval , answer from memory, and finish with one true sentence about your week.
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
A1 · Present simple (all forms, do / does)
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
The present simple is the main grammar for a normal day. We use it when something is usually true, not only happening right now.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Use the present simple to describe routines, habits, facts, and schedules in affirmative, negative, and question forms.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.