LEVEL: Intermediate (B1)

TYPE OF ACTIVITY: One-to-one competition

SKILLS: Speaking

AIM
• To revise and use different dynamic verbs in context and temporal
expressions with for / since.

LEXICAL AND GRAMMATICAL AREA

• Present perfect continuous.
• Temporal expressions with for / since.

TASK
• Players must arrange four counters of their own consecutively in a row
either horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

PREPARATION AND MATERIALS

• Photocopy a Four in a Row handout per pair.

TIMING
+ 15 minutes.

PROCEDURE

• Divide the class into groups of two players and give each group a Four in a
Row handout.
• Players decide who starts the game by tossing a coin.
• To place one counter, players must take turns to create a sentence using one
of the verbs from the vertical row in the present perfect continuous and one
temporal expression from the horizontal row correctly.
• The teacher must set a time limit and stop the game whenever appropriate.
The winner is the player with more four-in-a-rows.

ANSWERS
• Open, depending on students’ answers. The teacher must circulate to check
that players are eliciting grammatically correct sentences.

Players must make sure that their opponent’s answer is grammatically correct,
if in doubt, they must ask their teacher.

Warn students that their sentence should also include a direct or indirect object, as
appropriate.
e.g. I have been looking after Susan’s toddler since 6.15 pm.

Student A’s counter
 Student B’s counter

a
a 7 I left
4 hours 6.15 pm 2 years 2010 1 week fortnight 1975 couple
o’clock school
of days
COOK
LEARN ENGLISH
LIVE
Look after
LOOK FOR
PAINT
Pick up
PLAY THE DRUMS
READ
REVISE
SAVE
TRAVEL
WAIT
WATCH TV
WORK OUT

Rules: The goal of the game is to arrange four counters of their own consecutively in a row. The winner is the player with more four-in-a-
rows. Horizontal, vertical or diagonal rows are allowed. To place one counter, players must take turns to create a sentence using one of the
verbs from the vertical row in the present perfect continuous and one temporal expression from the horizontal row correctly.