Burlesque: Simple Past x Present Perfect

I love Cher and this movie. Tho movie has great dancing and musicals. It is worth seeing, for sure. The opening scene is wonderful to contrast the use of the simple past and present perfect tenses.




I. Watch the movie segment and decide if the activities refer to to her past - finished actions - (PA) or if they are still in progress in her present days unfinished actions - (PR).


















1. ( ) Practice on the bar stage

2. ( ) Pack her bags

3. ( ) walk away from her hometown

4. ( ) buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles

5. ( ) travel by bus to LA

6. ( ) look for auditions in LA

7. ( ) stay in a small hotel room

8. ( ) have a hard time with the auditions

9. ( ) be happier in LA than in her hometown


II. Rewrite the sentences below in either the simple past or present perfect tenses. Mind whether the actions are finished or unfinished to justify your choices.


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BURLESQUE

Answer key: ITEMS 1 - 5 - PAST
                  ITEMS  6 - 9  - PRESENT


II.

When she lived in her hometown,


1. She practiced in a bar stage
2. She packed her bags
3. She walked away from her hometown
4. She bought a one-way ticket to LA
5. She traveled to LA by bus

 Now that she is in Los Angeles,


6. She has looked (has been looking) for auditions in LA
7. She has stayed in a small hotel in LA
8. She has had (has been having) a hard time with the auditions
9. She has been happier in LA than in her hometown

Mary and Max: Present Perfect x Simple Past

This is a marvelous Australian animated movie for adults. A bit sad, though. It is about two very unlikely pen pals. There are several scenes for grammar practice. This one is perfect to contrast the use of the simple past and the present perfect tenses.



A. Read the sentences taken from a letter Max is writing Mary and try to guess whether you should complete the blanks with the simple past or the present perfect tenses of the given verbs.



1. I ____________ (choose) the same numbers for nine years. 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12.


2. I _____________ (have) many different jobs during my life.


3. My first job ______ (be) collecting subway tokens in the subway.


4. I __________ (work) at the frisbee printing machine in my third job.


5. In my fourth job, I _____________ (get - neg) paid much but ________ (get) free cookies and coffee.


6. _____________ (you - ever - be) hang gliding?


7. _____________ (you - ever - be) a communist?


8. _____________ (you - ever - be) attacked by a crow or a similar large bird. When I __________ (be) nine, a crow _________ (attack) me on my way to school.



9. I _________________ (teach) myself to read two pages at once.



10. I have to go now. I __________ (tell - neg) you about my 7th job, in a condom factory.



11. I _______________ (eat - never) sweetened condensed milk.



12. I ________________ ( use - never) a condom.



B. Watch the movie segment and check your answers.

C. Work in pairs.


1. Have you ever had a pen pal? Why (not)?


2. Is it a good idea to have pen pals? Explain it.


3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having pen pals?


4. Do pen pals have to like the same things? Why (not)?


5. Are pen pals real friends? Or it just a fantasy?



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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MARY & MAX


Answer key:

A.

1. have chosen 2. have had 3. was 4. worked 5. didn't get / got 6. have you ever been 7. have you ever been 8. have you ever been / was / attacked 9. have taught 10. haven't told 11. have never eaten 12. have never used

Be Kind, Rewind: Simple Past x Present Perfect

A. Watch the movie segment. It is about a group of friends who decide to shoot a film about Fats Waller, a famous musician who had lived in their neighborhood, to raise money and stop the demolition of the building they work at.

Chech the tasks they did during the whole week. Then write the day of the week they performed them.

Ex 1. They interviewed the people around the neighborhood. (YES) (Monday)

2.They recorded the interviews about Fats Waller .

3.They chose the sequence of events of the movie .

4.They left the country to shoot the film .

5.Famous actors were invited to act on the film .

6.They designed the costumes and makeup.

7.They worked with art direction, imagining what the scene should look like .

8.They shot the film .

9.They finished shooting the film .

10. They had the film premiere .

11.They demolished the building.

B. Today is SUNDAY. Tell what the characters of the movie have (not) done during this very busy week. Decide which verb tense you should use.




EX: 1. They have interviewed the people around the neighborhood.
2……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7………………………………………………………………………………………………….....
8…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10……………………………………………………………………………………………………
11……………………………………………………………………………………………………

C. Now write sentences saying when they performed the actions you have checked in exercise A. Decide which verb tense you should use.

EX 1: They interviewed the people around the neighborhood on Monday.
2…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8………………………………………………………………………………………………….

D. You and your partner have US$1.000.000.00 to shoot a film. Use your imagination and come up with a story with a beginning, a development and an unexpected ending. Your teacher and the class will choose the most original story.

E. Role play the best story.

Teacher’s Key

B.
1. They have interviewed…
2. They have recorded…
3. They have decided…
4. They haven’t left…
5. Famous actors haven’t been invited…
6. They have designed…
7. They have worked…
8. They have shot…
9. They have finished…
10. They have had…
11. They haven’t demolished…

C.
1. They interviewed… on Monday
2. They recorded… on Monday.
3. They decided… on Tuesday.
4. They designed… on Wednesday
5. They worked… on Thursday.
6. They shot … on Friday.
7. They finished… on Saturday.
8. They had… on Sunday.






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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BE KIND REWIND

Into the Blue: Have You Ever...? - Present Perfect x Simple Past

This movie is full of action and adventure. Teens love it. The setting is the gorgeous Bahamas sea. The scene is exciting and full of activities that most people have never performed. It is great for the students to practice questions with Have you ever...? and contrast the use of the simple past and present perfect tenses. It is perfect for practicing Yet/Already, too.

A. Watch the video segment and check all the activities you can see .

( ) jet ski
( ) travel to the Bahamas
( ) swim in the sea
( ) dive among the sharks
( ) be inside a cave
( ) ride a speedboat
( ) kiss someone in the ocean
( ) go snorkeling
( ) see a live shark
( ) be inside a grotto
( ) lose something in the sea
( ) find something valuable on the beach

B. Ask a few partners the following questions. Use the activities on the left. Follow the pattern:

Ex:

S1 - Have you ever … (jet skied)?

S2 - No I haven’t. / Yes, I have.

S1 - Would you like to jet ski? / When did you jet ski?

S2 - Yes, I would. / I jet skied last summer.

B. Write 8 sentences about the information presented in exercise A , using the words in parentheses. You may use different sentences as well.

(never) …………………………………………………………………………………….
(never) …………………………………………………………………………………….
(already) ………………………………………………………………………………….
(already) ………………………………………………………………………………….
(yet) ……………………………………………………………………………………….
(yet) ……………………………………………………………………………………….
(last year)………………………………………………………………………………..
(when I was a child) ……………………………………………………………………..

C. Talk to a partner. Come up with a list of 5 things that both of you have never done but intend to do before you die.

1...............................................................................................................
2..............................................................................................................
3..............................................................................................................
4..............................................................................................................
5. ...........................................................................................................


D. Choose a different partner and ask him/her if he/she has ever done what you and your previous partner intend to do in the future. Use the patterns in exercise A.




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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - INTO THE BLUE





How to prepare your own video activity:
- Select a scene in which the characters perform unusual activities or tasks
- Prepare a list with these tasks
- Have students ask each other questions with Have you ever....?
- Have them rewrite the sentences with yet, never, already and with a definite time in the past so they can use either the present perfect tense or the simple past.
- Students prepare a list of things they have never done in their lives, but intend to do in the future.
- They interview a different partner, using the target language.