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A New Kitchen · Tutor Plan

The learner follows a short everyday narrative, explains the change in the main character’s feeling, and contrasts now and before with is, are, was, and were.

6 curriculum stages115 curriculum topics · 115 available nowA0–C1 one coherent path
Open learner reading

Lesson aim

Evidence to collect

The learner follows a short everyday narrative, explains the change in the main character’s feeling, and contrasts now and before with is, are, was, and were.

Language lens

Now and before with be

The story uses is and are for Karim’s new life now and was and were for his life before. Use was with I, he, she, and it, and were with you, we, and they.

Suggested sequence

Timing

  1. 2–3 min · Discuss first days at work and who helped.
  2. 3 min · Read once for the story and once for Karim’s feeling.
  3. 4 min · Check comprehension and point to the sentence with the answer.
  4. 3 min · Sort sentences into now and before and complete the language check.
  5. 2 min · Notice the actions in progress that make the kitchen busy.
  6. 3–5 min · Tell or write a personal first-day story.

Anticipated problems

Watch and respond

  • The learner may say was with plural subjects, as in we was or they was.
  • The learner may change every verb to the past when retelling, even for Karim’s situation now.
  • The learner may miss the reason Leo mentions last month, so ask how Leo felt then.

Short lesson

If time is limited

Read the story once, answer questions one, three, and four, complete the first two language checks, and give a three-sentence before-and-now comparison.

Extended lesson

If the learner needs more

Retell the morning from Leo’s viewpoint, starting with I was new last month, then role-play Karim asking Grace two questions about the kitchen.

Controlled practice

Answer key and teaching evidence

  1. first-day · It is Karim’s first day as a cook at the hotel.
  2. uncle-cook · Karim was a cook in his uncle’s restaurant for ten years.
  3. eggs · He opens three cupboards, but he can’t find the eggs.
  4. tells-place · Leo tells Karim that the eggs are in the big fridge, on the left.
  5. understands · Leo was new too, so he understands how Karim feels.
  6. is-busy · Say Today the kitchen is busy.
  7. were · Say Ten years ago, Karim and his uncle were in Casablanca.
  8. were-you · Ask Were you nervous last month?

Review status

Tutor review required

This original reading and its generated pedagogy require tutor review and learner piloting before they can be described as formally reviewed.