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Vocabulary Grammar Reading Listening Speaking Writing

Section 1

Teacher's Lesson Plan

Lesson Overview

Topic

Portraits — Maya visits the City Gallery and discovers a mysterious portrait painted in 1887. The identity of the woman in the painting has never been established. The painting was lost for fifty years — and its story spans three generations.

Level

B1–B2

Duration

90 minutes

Skills

Reading · Listening · Speaking · Writing (+ Vocabulary + Grammar)

Grammar

Present Simple — descriptions and general facts about the portrait
Present Perfect — connection between past events and now
Past Simple — completed events in the past
Past Perfect — events before another past event
Would like — polite wishes and desires
Passive (all tenses) — art language: it was painted, it has been restored, it will be exhibited

Vocabulary

10 words (B1–B2): portrait · canvas · gallery · restore · subject · commission · brushstroke · attic · anonymous · exhibition
Art and culture vocabulary — genuine B1–B2

Materials

Student Handouts 1–6 (printed); whiteboard; this plan

Key Grammar — Teaching Notes

Six structures — their roles in the art context

Present Simple — used to describe what is true about the portrait right now, or what it shows:
The portrait shows a young woman in a blue dress. The gallery opens at nine. The painting measures 60 by 80 centimetres.

Present Perfect — used for events that started in the past but are still relevant now:
The gallery has displayed the portrait since 1945. Nobody has ever identified the woman. The painting has fascinated visitors for decades.

Past Simple — completed events with a specific time:
Voss painted the portrait in 1887. He died three years later. A farmer found it in an attic in 1940.

Past Perfect — an event that happened before another past event:
By the time the painting was found, Voss had already died. He had painted over thirty portraits before he lost his sight.

Would like — polite wishes and desires, real or hypothetical:
Maya would like to know who the woman was. I would like to commission a portrait one day. Would you like to be painted?

Passive — essential in art and culture contexts; used when the action matters more than who does it:
It was painted in Paris. It was found in an attic. It has been restored twice. It will be exhibited in London next year.

Key contrast — Present Perfect vs Past Simple

"Voss painted it in 1887." (Past Simple — specific finished time)
"The gallery has displayed it since 1945." (Present Perfect — ongoing relevance)
"Nobody has ever identified the woman." (Present Perfect — still true now)
"A farmer found it in 1940." (Past Simple — specific moment, complete)

Key contrast — Past Simple vs Past Perfect

"The painting was found in 1940. Voss had already died by then."
(died = before being found → Past Perfect)
"He had painted thirty portraits before he lost his sight."
(painted thirty = before losing sight → Past Perfect)

Lesson Procedure

Time

Stage

Skill

Teacher does

Students do

0–7 min

Lead-in

Speaking

"Have you ever been to an art gallery? What kind of painting do you find most interesting?" Show the title "The Woman in Blue, 1887". Ask: "Who do you think she is?"

Discuss. Speculate about the portrait. Activate schemata around art.

7–16 min

Vocabulary

—

10 B1–B2 art words. Concept-check unfamiliar ones. Part B gap-fill.

Part A: read + self-test. Part B: gap-fill.

16–45 min

Grammar

—

Six tense/structure cards → PP vs PS contrast → PS vs Past Perf → Passive forms → Exercises 1–5.

Study cards. Exercises 1–5. Pair-check.

45–58 min

Reading

Gist: "What happened to the painting and when?" Identify tense of each verb. Tasks 1 and 2.

Read the gallery guide. Questions. T/F/NG.

58–70 min

Listening

Context: "Maya talks to a gallery guide about the portrait." Read TWICE.

1st: MCQ. 2nd: notes. Compare.

70–82 min

Speaking

Art discussion tasks. Monitor all six structures. Delayed correction.

Describe a painting. Discuss art. Role-play.

82–90 min

Writing

80–100 words. All six structures required. 5 vocab words.

Write a gallery guide entry. Self-check.

Listening Script — 'Tell Me About This Portrait'

Read aloud twice at a clear B1–B2 pace. Do not show to students during the tasks.

Maya:

Excuse me — can you tell me about this portrait? I have been standing here for ten minutes and I cannot stop looking at it.

Guide:

Of course. It is called "The Woman in Blue." It was painted in 1887 by a French artist named Henri Voss.

Maya:

It's stunning. Who is she — the woman in the portrait?

Guide:

Nobody knows. Her identity has never been established. When the painting was found, all records had been lost. Voss had kept no notes about his subjects.

Maya:

When was it found? It looks as though it has been in this gallery forever.

Guide:

A farmer discovered it in 1940 — in an attic in Normandy. By that time, Voss had already been dead for fifty years. The painting had been stored in a wooden crate and covered with cloth. Remarkably, it had not been damaged.

Maya:

Has it ever been restored?

Guide:

It was restored once, in 1945, before it was donated to this gallery. Since then, it has been cleaned twice but never repainted. The brushstrokes are entirely Voss's own.

Maya:

I would like to know her story. She looks as though she is keeping a secret.

Guide:

Many visitors say exactly that. In fact, we are planning a new exhibition. The portrait will be exhibited alongside three other anonymous works from the same period. We would like to attract researchers who might help identify the subjects.

Maya:

I would love to come to that. When does it open?

Guide:

In the spring. The details have not been announced yet — but you can register interest at the front desk.

Grammar in the script:
· PS: It is called / it looks / we are planning / you can register
· PP: I have been standing · has never been established · it has been in this gallery · has it ever been restored · has been cleaned
· Past S: it was painted · a farmer discovered it · Voss kept no notes · it was restored · it was donated
· Past Perf: all records had been lost · Voss had kept no notes · he had already been dead · the painting had been stored · had not been damaged
· Would like: I would like to know · we would like to attract · I would love to come
· Passive: it was painted · it was found · had been lost · had been stored · was restored · was donated · will be exhibited

Answer Key

Handout 1 — Vocabulary

Part B: 1. portrait 2. gallery 3. canvas 4. commission 5. subject 6. anonymous 7. restored 8. brushstrokes 9. attic 10. exhibition

Handout 2 — Grammar

Ex 1 (tense): 1. PS 2. PP 3. Past S 4. Past P 5. WL 6. PV (Past S pass.) 7. PP 8. Past P 9. PS 10. PV (PP pass.)

Ex 2 (complete): 1. has fascinated (PP) 2. painted (Past S) 3. had already died (Past P) 4. was found (PV past) 5. would like to see (WL) 6. shows (PS) 7. has been restored (PV PP) 8. had been stored (PV Past P) 9. was donated (PV past) 10. have never established (PP)

Ex 3 (passive transform): 1. The portrait was painted by Voss in Paris. 2. The painting has been donated to the gallery. 3. The subject has never been identified. 4. The canvas had been damaged before it was found. 5. The exhibition will be held in London next year.

Ex 4 (PP vs Past S): 1. painted (Past S — specific year) 2. has fascinated (PP — still true now) 3. found (Past S — 1940) 4. has never identified (PP — still unknown) 5. donated (Past S — specific year)

Ex 5 (errors): 1. was painted (passive — no active subject) 2. had already died (Past Perfect — before another past event) 3. has been restored (Present Perfect passive) 4. would like to know (WL + infinitive) 5. discovered (Past Simple — specific year 1940)

Handout 3 — Reading

Task 1: 1. In Paris, in 1887. 2. A farmer found it in an attic in Normandy in 1940. 3. It was restored in 1945, then donated to the City Gallery. 4. Because all records had been lost and Voss kept no notes about his subjects. 5. He finds her expression mysterious — she looks as though she is keeping a secret.

Task 2 (T/F/NG): 1 T 2 F (donated in 1945, not 1940) 3 T 4 NG 5 T

Handout 4 — Listening

Task 1: 1-B 2-C 3-A

Task 2: (1) 1887 / Henri Voss (2) in an attic in Normandy / 1940 (3) had been stored / had not been damaged (4) restored / donated (5) will be exhibited / anonymous works

Portraits

Student Handouts

Name:

Date:

Class:

Handout 1

Vocabulary

Part A — Key Words

Word

What it means

portrait

a painting, drawing or photograph of a person — the portrait shows a young woman in a blue dress

canvas

the fabric surface on which an artist paints — the canvas had been carefully rolled and stored in a crate

gallery

a building or room where works of art are displayed — the City Gallery has exhibited the portrait since 1945

restore

to repair an old or damaged work of art — the painting was restored before it was put on display

subject

the person shown in a portrait — the identity of the subject has never been established

commission

to pay an artist to create a specific work — wealthy families often commissioned portraits in the nineteenth century

brushstroke

a single mark made with a paintbrush — the brushstrokes are confident and precise

attic

a room directly under the roof of a building — the painting was discovered in an attic in Normandy

anonymous

without a known name or identity — the subject of the portrait remains anonymous

exhibition

a public display of art or other items — a new exhibition will open in the spring

Part B — Fill in the Gaps

Use words from Part A.

1.The __________________ hangs in the east wing of the gallery — a young woman in a blue dress, looking directly at the viewer.

2.The City __________________ has displayed the painting since 1945 — thousands of visitors have admired it.

3.The artist used a large __________________ — the painting measures almost one metre across.

4.Her family had __________________ the portrait from Voss in 1887 — it was an expensive gift.

5.The __________________ of the portrait — the woman in blue — has never been identified.

6.The painting is __________________ — nobody knows the name of the woman shown in it.

7.It was __________________ in 1945 before it was put on public display — the colours had faded slightly.

8.Art experts have studied the __________________ closely — they show the confident hand of an experienced painter.

9.A farmer found the painting in an __________________ — it had been stored in a wooden crate for fifty years.

10.A new __________________ is planned for the spring — the portrait will be shown alongside three other anonymous works.

Handout 2

Grammar

Six Structures — The Language of Portraits

PRESENT SIMPLE
Descriptions and general facts — what is true now or always.
The portrait shows a young woman in a blue dress. · The gallery opens at nine. · The painting measures 60 by 80 cm. · Voss is considered one of the finest portrait painters of his era.

PRESENT PERFECT
Past events still relevant or connected to now.
The gallery has displayed the portrait since 1945. · Nobody has ever identified the woman. · The painting has fascinated visitors for decades. · Have you ever seen a portrait that moved you?

PAST SIMPLE
Completed events with a specific time in the past.
Voss painted the portrait in 1887. · He died three years later. · A farmer found it in an attic in 1940. · The gallery donated a catalogue to every school in the city.

PAST PERFECT
An event that happened before another past event.
By the time the painting was found, Voss had already died. · He had painted over thirty portraits before he lost his sight. · All records had been lost — nobody could identify the subject.

WOULD LIKE
Polite wishes and desires — real or hypothetical.
Maya would like to know who the woman was. · I would like to commission a portrait one day. · Would you like to be painted? · We would like to invite researchers to study the portrait.
Structure: would like + to + infinitive · Question: Would you like to…?

PASSIVE
Used when the action is more important than who does it — essential in art language.
Past: It was painted in Paris. It was found in 1940. It was restored in 1945.
Present Perfect: It has been displayed here since 1945. It has been cleaned twice.
Past Perfect: It had been stored in a crate. All records had been lost.
Future: It will be exhibited in London next year.
Structure: be (in correct tense) + past participle

Exercise 1 — Identify the Structure

Write the grammar structure: PS (Present Simple) · PP (Present Perfect) · Past S (Past Simple) · Past P (Past Perfect) · WL (Would Like) · PV (Passive)

1.The portrait shows a young woman with dark eyes and a calm expression. [ ]

2.The gallery has displayed the portrait for over seventy years. [ ]

3.Voss painted the portrait in Paris in 1887. [ ]

4.By the time it was found, all records had been destroyed. [ ]

5.Maya would like to commission her own portrait one day. [ ]

6.The painting was discovered in an attic in Normandy in 1940. [ ]

7.Nobody has ever established the identity of the subject. [ ]

8.He had painted thirty works before he was commissioned for the portrait. [ ]

9.The brushstrokes are precise and confident — the work of a skilled artist. [ ]

10.The portrait has been admired by thousands of visitors since 1945. [ ]

Exercise 2 — Complete with the Correct Form

Use the verb in brackets in the correct tense or structure.

1.This portrait __________________ (fascinate) visitors since the day it arrived at the gallery. [PP]

2.Voss __________________ (paint) the portrait in the spring of 1887. [Past S]

3.By the time the painting was discovered, Voss __________________ (already / die). [Past P]

4.The painting __________________ (find) by a farmer in an attic in Normandy. [PV / Past S]

5.Maya __________________ (see) the exhibition — she thinks the portrait is extraordinary. [WL]

6.The portrait __________________ (show) a woman dressed entirely in blue, looking directly at the viewer. [PS]

7.The canvas __________________ (restore) twice before it was put on public display. [PV / PP]

8.The painting __________________ (store) in a wooden crate before the farmer opened the attic. [PV / Past P]

9.The gallery __________________ (receive) the portrait as a donation in 1945. [Past S / PV]

10.Researchers __________________ (never / establish) the identity of the woman. [PP]

Exercise 3 — Make It Passive

Rewrite each sentence in the passive. Keep the same tense.

1. "Voss painted the portrait in Paris in 1887."

___________________________________________________________________________

2. "The gallery has donated the portrait to the national collection."

___________________________________________________________________________

3. "Researchers have never identified the subject."

___________________________________________________________________________

4. "Someone had damaged the canvas before the farmer found it."

___________________________________________________________________________

5. "They will hold the exhibition in London next year."

___________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 4 — Present Perfect or Past Simple?

Choose the correct form. Think: is there a specific time? Is it still relevant now?

1.Voss __________________ (paint / has painted) the portrait in 1887.

2.The portrait __________________ (fascinated / has fascinated) visitors for over a century — and continues to do so.

3.A farmer __________________ (found / has found) the painting in 1940.

4.Nobody __________________ (ever identified / has ever identified) the woman in the blue dress.

5.The gallery __________________ (received / has received) the portrait as a donation in 1945.

Exercise 5 — Find and Correct the Error

Each sentence has ONE mistake.

1. "The portrait painted in Paris in 1887 by a French artist."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

2. "By the time the painting was found, Voss already died."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

3. "The canvas has restored twice since it arrived at the gallery."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

4. "Maya would like knowing who the woman in the portrait was."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

5. "A farmer has discovered the painting in an attic in 1940."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

Handout 3

Reading

City Gallery — Exhibit 47: The Woman in Blue (1887)

The painting

The portrait shows a young woman seated against a dark background. She wears a deep blue dress and holds a single white flower. Her expression is calm but ambiguous — visitors have described it as mysterious, sad, and even defiant. The painting measures 62 by 84 centimetres and was executed on a linen canvas. The brushstrokes are confident and economical, suggesting an artist at the height of his powers.

The artist

Henri Voss was born in Lyon in 1851. He studied in Paris and was commissioned by numerous wealthy families to paint their portraits. By 1887, when this portrait was painted, he had already completed thirty major works. He lost his sight in 1889 and died the following year. No records of his subjects or commissions have survived. The identity of the woman in this portrait has never been established.

The discovery

The portrait was lost for over fifty years. In 1940, a farmer discovered it in an attic of a farmhouse in Normandy. The canvas had been rolled, stored in a wooden crate, and covered with cloth. Remarkably, it had not been significantly damaged. By the time it was found, Voss had been dead for half a century. The painting was restored in 1945 and donated to the City Gallery by an anonymous collector. It has been on display here ever since.

After reading: Find five passive constructions in the text. Write them here and identify the tense of each.

Task 1 — Answer the Questions

Write full sentences.

1.Where and when was the portrait painted?