Notes from Lesson 4 (5/2/26)

Lesson 4 – Thursday 5th February

Aims

  • Review
  • Grammar –How often…?
  • Present simple v. present continuous
  • Rooms and facilities in a hotel
  • Food and drink

 

 How often?

Always → Never    (= 100%)

  • I always brush my teeth before I go to bed.
  • I usually vacuum my apartment on Saturday mornings.
  • I often go to bed late in the evening.
  • I’m sometimes tired in the mornings.  He’s occasionally late to work.
  • I almost never get angry.    I rarely get angry.  I seldom get angry.
  • I never go to bed without brushing my teeth
  • I brush my teeth twice a day.
  • She checks her phone every minute.
  • I usually go to the dentist once a year.
  • I usually cook every day.

 

How often…?

  • How often do you eat at a restaurant or a café? Which is your favourite and why?
  • How often do you cook food from scratch? (= from the beginning) What is your speciality?
  • How often do you go for a long walk? Where do you go?
  • How often do you use public transport? (train, bus, the subway, commuter train etc) What do you use and where do you usually travel to?
  • How often do you visit a library? What section do you go to?
  • How often do you check your phone?
  • How often do you…. ?  (Make up your own questions!)

 

Cook food from scratch = all home-cooked

Processed foods  (with additives, TV dinners, ready-made dinners)

Ultra-processed foods

Organic food tastes so much better.

I usually use public transport if I am travelling long-distance.

borrow

I regularly go to the library and borrow books in Russian.

I borrow money from my friends sometimes.

We borrowed our neighbour’s car at Christmas.

Our neighbour lent us his car.   We gave him some wine as a thank you.

 

Borrow something from somebody  (= like take)

Lend somebody something  (= like give)

Service that you pay for:  hire/rent a car, hire some cleaning equipment, rent a room for 6 months

shelf – shelves

My computer was playing up  (= not working as it should)

 

What does he do?  =  What’s his job?    He’s a (hotel) porter.

What is he doing?  What is happening?   He’s getting some luggage down from the shelf.

What is everyone doing in the class at the moment/now?

I’m sitting and reading on the screen, and I’m listening to you

At the moment, I’m scratching my dog’s neck.

I’m trying to improve my English and I’m studying.  I’m in an English lesson

The hotel will store your bags in the luggage/baggage/storage room after you’ve checked out

I store/keep my milk in the fridge otherwise it will go bad /  go off.

I store my ice-cream in the freezer, otherwise it will melt.

I need to defrost the meat so I can cook it tonight.

The freezer needs defrosting.

Thaw  –  The food has thawed.

 

 

Present simple or present continuous?

What does he do? (= what’s his job?)  He’s a porter.

What is he doing?  He is lifting up/down a bag   (=activity)

What do you do?

What are you doing right now?

 

Hi Sarah! How are you doing?  What are you up to these days?    (casual and friendly questions from a friend)

I’m teaching a course in English.

I’m reading a book by Bill Bryson.  (I’m in the process)

I’m fine. I’m a student. I’m studying English just now.

I’m taking care of my dog.

Topic – health, politics

Subject – maths, science

What’s the theme of today’s party?  A unicorn them

 

What about Magnus? What’s he doing today?

He’s at work today. He’s meeting some colleagues from another office.

He’s reading a book about health.

 

And your children? What are they doing these days?

They’re going to daycare, pre-school, kindergarten every day.

 

What are they doing at the moment?   – They’re playing in the garden.

 

Future plans

Do you have any plans for this coming weekend?  (100%) Yes, I’m having some friends over for coffee and cake.

Will (= maybe)  I’ll meet some friends on Saturday

99.9% sure –  I’m flying to the UK on Sunday.

My daughter is getting married next year.  99.9% certain.

I’m going to the gym today.

We’re going to the summer house when the weather gets better

We’re visiting my parents-in-law.

father-in-law,

I’m meeting up with my in-laws.  = already planned

I’m going to visit my in-laws  = intention

 

I live in Stockholm.  (permanent)

She’s living with her parents while her apartment is being renovated.  (=temporary, shorter period of time)

 

 

  • What are you doing right now?
  • What are you wearing today?
  • Are you reading any interesting books these days?
  • What is your best friend doing these days?
  • What is happening outside your window at the moment?
  • What apps are people using more these days?
  • How is the weather changing this week?

 

 

My mother has diabetes so she needs to cut down on/reduce sugar/carbohydrates  “carbs”

She needs to lower her blood sugar levels.

 

Facilities in a hotel

 

an underground car park.  There are a few available parking spaces. There are some electric chargers.

Parking spaces with electricity available

You can park in the multistorey car park in the centre.

A shopping centre/ a shopping mall

Lifts –  stairs

She’s on the staircase.

She’s in a wheelchair. She’s going up the ramp.  Every hotel must have disabled access.

You can buy snacks/sweets/crisps/sandwiches/soft drinks from a vending machine.    (vendor = seller)

Vending machines are convenient.

She’s returning the drycleaning /  the laundry.   The laundry is hanging on a clothes hanger.   coathanger

It’s a balcony with a seaview. It’s an airconditioner.

It’s a ceiling fan.  An electric fan.  A handheld fan.

I don’t always like airconditioning because it too much of a contrast between the heat outside and the cold indoors.

There’s a playground outside the school.  The hotel has a play area  (= smaller).  In the playground, you can find swings/a swing, a slide, a see-saw

You can borrow bikes from the hotel  (= free, included in hotel fee)

You can rent/hire bikes  (=pay)

 

Think of a hotel you know.  Where is it? What facilities does it have?

I like the hotel because dinner is included in the price.

I went on an all-inclusive holiday.

The hotel offers half-board.

The hotel has a sauna available   “såna”

Both Japan and Iceland have hot springs.  Why?

Volcanoes

Vulcanic water

 

a steam room

100 Swedish miles =    1000 km

Breakfast is not included in the price

Room-only price