Independent Speaking 3

In the next few lessons we’ll look at the TOEFL iBT independent speaking, free response task.

Today we’re going to look at talking about the present

Reflection 1
How many different ways of talking about the present can you think of? In what situations do we use these tenses? Give an example of each.

Resource:  For a list of English present forms click here.

1 Warm up
Task 1: Type five sentences about things that are true about you, or the world, or about your daily activities. Make sure all the verbs are different.
Now, change screens with your partner. Can you see any grammar errors in their sentences? Tell your partner about them.

Task 2: Type five sentences about things that are true about you, or the world, or about your daily activities. Make sure all the verbs are different.

Make sure all the verbs are different from each other and different from the sentences in Task 1.
Now, change screens with your partner. Can you see any grammar errors in their sentences? Tell your partner about them.

Task 3: Type five sentences about things that are true about you, or the world, or about your daily activities. Again, make sure all the verbs are different from any you have used so far.

Now, change screens with your partner. Can you see any grammar errors in their sentences? Tell your partner about them.

2 Save your files and place them in report box Present5__10__15

3 Speaking Task 1
Make a plan for a 45 second speech on this topic; What is your favorite season? You have 1 minute to make this plan.
Now, using soft recorder, make your speech and save it.

4 Speaking Task 2
Make a plan for the topic; How do you usually spend New Years Day?
YOU HAVE ONLY 15 SECONDS TO MAKE THIS PLAN!!!
Now, using soft recorder, make your 45 second speech and save it.

5 Exchange your plan for speaking task 1 with a partner. Read their plan and then listen to their speech.

6 Do the same for speaking task 2.

Reflection 2
Which plan was better? Which speech was better? Was the plan too long? Was it long enough?

7 Now look at a plan made for the topic, What is your favorite season? Click here

8 Now listen to the speech. Click here to hear.

9 Now look at the transcript of the speech and compare it to the plan. Click here.

10 Task 4: Make up three topics and give them to your partner. He/she has 15 seconds to make a plan for each topic.

You can now move on to the next unit

Possible answers to Reflection 1 at the top of the page are
Simple present tense, present continuous tense, present perfect tense, present perfect continuous