Learners cope with routine tasks and exchanges. They can talk about the past and the future, compare things, and describe their background and immediate environment in short connected sentences.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Past continuous
Use the past continuous to show a situation in progress at a past reference point, set a scene, and relate it to completed events.
Use after the complete A2 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →15–20 minutes optional: Tutor-read open-scene, bounded-event, polarity, question, state, and parallel-action listening check · Five-minute next-day open-scene and bounded-event 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 past continuous to show a situation in progress at a past reference point, set a scene, and relate it to completed events.
What must become clear
Can-do: By the end, you can describe what was in progress at a past reference point, report the completed events around it, and ask for a missing scene detail.
High-value friction points
- Rina was checking the figures at six.Past continuous is was or were plus verb-ing, so check must become checking.
- Were the staff members working at six?Were already carries past tense and agreement in this continuous question, so did would mix two systems.
- While the team was working, the building was quiet.The team was working is a clause, so while can introduce it. During would need a noun phrase such as during the work session.
Protect these lesson moments
- Three checks from earlier lessons
- Discovery check: choose the camera view
- Drill 1: complete the scene form
- Drill 2: use the stated camera or log view
- Tutor-read listening check
Learner production
Freeze the camera: At 5:55 and 6:00, describe three activities already in progress. Include one negative and one question.
- Move the report forward: Add three bounded events from the log. Explain why duration alone does not select either tense.
- Connect the evidence: Use one while + clause , one flexible when clause, and one during + noun phrase .
- Final production: give a fictional power-outage report for 45–60 seconds. Establish one exact reference time; describe at least three open situations; add three bounded events in order; include a negative or question; use while or when accurately; and end with one unresolved detail for the listener to ask about.
Carry this language into the next session
Retrieve Past continuous in one true sentence at the next lesson.
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 checks from earlier lessons” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Can-do: By the end, you can describe what was in progress at a past reference point, report the completed events around it, and ask for a missing scene detail.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: Rina was checking the figures at six.
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
Retrieve Past continuous in one true sentence at the next lesson.
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 checks from earlier lessons and Discovery check: choose the camera view 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 Tutor-read open-scene, bounded-event, polarity, question, state, and parallel-action listening check · Five-minute next-day open-scene and bounded-event retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
50–60 minutes 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 checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the camera view · Drill 1: complete the scene form.
- 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: Can-do: By the end, you can describe what was in progress at a past reference point, report the completed events around it, and ask for a missing scene detail.
- 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: Rina was checking the figures at six. Past continuous is was or were plus verb-ing, so check must become checking.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Three checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the camera view · Drill 1: complete the scene form · Drill 2: use the stated camera or log view. 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: Freeze the camera: At 5:55 and 6:00, describe three activities already in progress. Include one negative and one question.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Retrieve Past continuous in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Tutor-read open-scene, bounded-event, polarity, question, state, and parallel-action listening check
- Clip 1
Read: At six, Rina was checking the figures.
Supports: What viewpoint does Clip 1 give?
- Clip 2
Read: Rina checked every figure and signed the page at 5:50.
Supports: What does Clip 2 establish?
- Clip 3
Read: The warning light was flashing.
Supports: What was happening in Clip 3?
- Clip 4
Read: The staff members weren’t waiting outside.
Supports: What does Clip 4 report?
- Clip 5
Read: Was Lee saving the file?
Supports: What information does Clip 5 request?
- Clip 6
Read: While Rina was calling maintenance, Lee was checking the panel.
Supports: Which two activities were in progress together in Clip 6?
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
A2 · Past continuous
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?
Can-do: By the end, you can describe what was in progress at a past reference point, report the completed events around it, and ask for a missing scene detail.
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 past continuous to show a situation in progress at a past reference point, set a scene, and relate it to completed events.
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.