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Vocabulary Grammar Reading Listening Speaking Writing

Section 1

Teacher's Lesson Plan

Confidential

Lesson Overview

Topic

The Piano Lesson — past activities and interruptions

Level

A2–early B1

Learners

School students and young adults

Duration

90 minutes

Skills

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

Grammar

Past Progressive — all forms · Past Simple vs Past Progressive contrast · when / while

Vocabulary

10 phrases (A2): play the piano · make a mistake · practise a piece · knock on the door · ring (phone) · concentrate · look out of the window · fall asleep · give a lesson · feel nervous

Materials

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

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Understand and use 10 A2 phrases connected to music lessons and daily activities

Form Past Progressive (was/were + -ing) in affirmative, negative and question forms

Use Past Progressive to describe a background action in progress at a past moment

Contrast Past Progressive (ongoing background) with Past Simple (completed interruption)

Use when and while correctly to link the two tenses

Read a short story about a piano lesson and answer comprehension questions

Listen to two people describing what happened during the lesson and complete tasks

Describe a past scene using both tenses in a role play and discussion

Write 80–110 words about a memorable moment using Past Simple and Past Progressive

Before the Lesson

Print one copy of Handouts 1–6 per student. Keep the Teacher Plan separate.

Write the key contrast on the board: I was playing the piano (PP — in progress) when the phone rang (PS — sudden event).

Write the when / while rule: when + Past Simple · while + Past Progressive.

Prepare lead-in question: "Can you play a musical instrument? Have you ever had a lesson?"

Read the listening script once at home to find a natural A2–B1 pace.

Lesson Procedure

Time

Stage

Skill

Teacher does

Students do

0–5 min

Lead-in

Speaking

Ask: "Can you play a musical instrument? What were you doing yesterday at 5pm?" Elicit responses. Write on board.

Tell a partner: "Yesterday at 5pm, I was …"

5–15 min

Vocabulary

—

Present 10 phrases (Handout 1 Part A). Cover-and-test. Pronunciation: concentrate /ˈkɒnsntreɪt/, nervous /ˈnɜːvəs/. Part B gap-fill. Part C optional.

Part A: read + self-test. Part B: gap-fill. Part C (optional): matching. Pair-check.

15–30 min

Grammar

—

Handout 2: present the contrast table. Drill PP forms. Highlight when/while rule. Exercises 1–4. Monitor.

Study grammar table. Exercises 1–4. Pair-check before class feedback.

30–45 min

Reading

Gist: "What happened during Anna's piano lesson?" Tasks 1 and 2.

Read "A Memorable Lesson". Answer questions. True / False / Not Given.

45–60 min

Listening

Context: "Anna tells her friend about her piano lesson." Read TWICE. 1st: MCQ. 2nd: notes.

1st listen: MCQ. 2nd listen: note completion. Compare with partner.

60–75 min

Speaking

A/B role-play cards. 2 min prep. Monitor for PS/PP contrast. Delayed feedback. Discussion.

Role-play: describe a past scene. Discussion: describe a memorable moment.

75–90 min

Writing

Explain task: 80–110 words, both tenses, when/while, 4 vocab phrases. Helpful phrases box.

Write about a memorable moment. Self-check. Finish as homework if needed.

Teaching Notes

Handout 1 — Vocabulary

The 10 phrases describe actions and feelings from a typical music lesson — A2 level. Cover-and-test: students cover the right column and recall the meaning. Pronunciation: concentrate /ˈkɒnsntreɪt/ (stress on first syllable), nervous /ˈnɜːvəs/. Concept-checks: "Do you feel nervous before an easy test or a hard one?" / "Do you knock on the door before you go in?" After Part A, ask: "Which of these do you do in class?" Part C optional.

Handout 2 — Grammar

Past Progressive is the central structure of this lesson. The contrast table (navy = PS / rose = PP) is the key visual. Teach the two uses of Past Progressive clearly before the exercises:
(1) Action in progress at a specific past time: "At 6pm yesterday, she was playing the piano."
(2) Background action interrupted by a Past Simple event: "She was playing the piano when the phone rang."
When vs while: when introduces the short interrupting action (PS) — "when the phone rang"; while introduces the longer ongoing action (PP) — "while she was playing". Both halves of the sentence describe the same moment, but when goes with PS and while goes with PP.
Common errors: "She was play the piano" (missing -ing) / "While the phone rang" (while + PS is wrong in this pattern) / "She was playing when she was making a mistake" (interruption must be PS, not PP).

Handout 3 — Reading

The text (~130 words) uses only Past Simple and Past Progressive. Gist: Anna had a difficult piano lesson with several interruptions. T/F/NG answers: 1 T · 2 F (her teacher was reading a book, not sleeping) · 3 T · 4 NG (no mention of the weather) · 5 T ("Anna was feeling very nervous when she started"). Push students to use both tenses in their answers.

Handout 4 — Listening

The script uses only Past Simple and Past Progressive. Read at a clear A2–B1 pace. The natural dialogue shows both tenses in context — PP for what was happening, PS for what happened suddenly. Task 1 answers: 1-B (she was practising a new piece) · 2-C (her little brother knocked on the door) · 3-A (she was feeling very nervous). Task 2: (1) new piece · (2) mistake · (3) knocked · (4) concentrating · (5) nervous.

Handout 5 — Speaking

The role-play asks students to describe a past scene using both tenses — PP for what was happening in the background, PS for what suddenly happened. This is the most productive practice context for the PS/PP contrast at this level. Monitor for: correct use of when vs while, PP form (was/were + -ing), and PS as the interrupting event. Delayed feedback after the task.

Handout 6 — Writing

Students write about a memorable or funny moment from their own life. The text needs PP for the background scene and PS for the sudden event — this is exactly the PS/PP contrast in its most natural context. Encourage: start with the background scene ("I was sitting in class …"), then introduce the interruption ("when suddenly …"), then describe what happened next (PS). The self-check box covers both tenses, when/while, and vocabulary.

Listening Script — 'What a Lesson!'

Read aloud twice at a clear A2–B1 pace. Do not show to students during the tasks.

Anna:

You won't believe what happened at my piano lesson yesterday!

Ben:

What happened? Tell me!

Anna:

Well, I was practising a new piece — it was quite difficult. I was concentrating really hard. Then I made a mistake and had to start again.

Ben:

Oh no! Were you feeling nervous?

Anna:

Very! But it got worse. While I was playing, my little brother knocked on the door. He just walked in and started talking to my teacher!

Ben:

That's so embarrassing! What was your teacher doing while your brother was talking?

Anna:

She was trying to listen to both of us at the same time. She looked confused. I stopped playing and waited.

Ben:

Then what happened?

Anna:

My mum came in and took my brother away. Then the phone rang! While my teacher was answering the phone, I sat there and looked out of the window.

Ben:

Ha! So you didn't actually practise much?

Anna:

No! By the end I was feeling very nervous. But my teacher said I did well, which was nice.

Grammar in the script:
· Past Progressive: "I was practising a new piece" / "I was concentrating really hard" / "While I was playing …" / "What was your teacher doing?" / "She was trying to listen" / "While my teacher was answering the phone" / "I was feeling very nervous"
· Past Simple: "I made a mistake" / "my little brother knocked on the door" / "He just walked in" / "She looked confused" / "I stopped playing and waited" / "My mum came in and took my brother away" / "the phone rang" / "I sat there"
· When / while: "While I was playing, my little brother knocked on the door" / "While my teacher was answering the phone, I sat there"

Answer Key

Handout 1 — Vocabulary

Part B (gap-fill):
1. feel nervous 2. play the piano 3. make a mistake 4. concentrate 5. practise a piece
6. knock on the door 7. give a lesson 8. look out of the window 9. ring 10. fall asleep

Part C (matching — optional):
1-f 2-h 3-b 4-j 5-e 6-a 7-i 8-c 9-g 10-d

Handout 2 — Grammar

Exercise 1 (PP forms):
1. was playing 2. were waiting 3. wasn't listening 4. Was she practising 5. were sitting 6. wasn't concentrating

Exercise 2 (PS or PP?):
1. was playing / rang 2. knocked / was concentrating 3. were waiting / arrived
4. fell asleep / was giving 5. was looking / called 6. made / was practising

Exercise 3 (when / while):
1. when 2. While 3. when 4. While 5. when 6. while

Exercise 4 (Mixed):
1. was practising 2. knocked 3. was concentrating 4. walked in 5. was playing 6. rang 7. felt 8. was looking

Handout 3 — Reading

Task 1:
1. She was feeling very nervous.
2. Her teacher was reading a book while she was playing.
3. Her phone rang.
4. Because someone knocked on the door.
5. Her teacher said she played well.

Task 2 (T/F/NG): 1 T 2 F 3 T 4 NG 5 T

Handout 4 — Listening

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

Task 2:
(1) new piece (2) mistake (3) knocked (4) concentrating (5) nervous

The Piano Lesson

Student Handouts

Name:

Date:

Class:

Handout 1

Vocabulary

Part A — Key Phrases

Read each phrase and its meaning. Then cover the right column and test yourself.

Phrase

What it means

play the piano

to make music by pressing the keys of a piano

make a mistake

to do something wrong — to play a wrong note or say the wrong thing

practise a piece

to play a piece of music many times to get better at it

knock on the door

to hit the door with your hand to ask if you can come in

ring

when a phone or bell makes a sound to get your attention

concentrate

to think carefully and give all your attention to something

look out of the window

to turn your head and look through the glass at what is outside

fall asleep

to start sleeping, sometimes when you don't want to

give a lesson

to teach someone how to do something, like play an instrument

feel nervous

to feel worried and not relaxed, often before something important

Part B — Fill in the Gaps

Use the phrases from Part A in the correct form.

1.I always __________________ before a test. My hands shake and I can't think clearly.

2.She has been learning to __________________ for three years. She is very good now.

3.I __________________ in the middle of the song. My teacher stopped me and we started again.

4.It is hard to __________________ when your little brother is running around the room.

5.I need to __________________ every day. My teacher says practice is the most important thing.

6.Someone started to __________________ in the middle of my lesson. My teacher opened it.

7.My music teacher comes to our house on Tuesdays to __________________ .

8.The lesson was very boring, so I started to __________________ . It was a sunny day outside.

9.My mobile started to __________________ in the middle of the exam. It was so embarrassing!

10.I __________________ in the car on the way home. I was so tired after the concert.

Part C — Match ★ For fast finishers

Match each phrase (1–10) to the correct meaning (a–j).

Phrase

1.play the piano ___

2.make a mistake ___

3.practise a piece ___

4.knock on the door ___

5.ring ___

6.concentrate ___

7.look out of the window ___

8.fall asleep ___

9.give a lesson ___

10.feel nervous ___

Meaning

a.give all your attention to something

b.play music many times to get better

c.look through the glass at what is outside

d.feel worried before something important

e.make a sound to get your attention

f.make music by pressing piano keys

g.teach someone how to do something

h.do something wrong

i.start sleeping when you don't want to

j.hit the door to ask if you can come in

Handout 2

Grammar

Grammar Reference — Past Progressive

Form: was / were + verb-ing

I / he / she / it was playing | you / we / they were playing
Negative: wasn't playing / weren't playing
Question: Was she playing? → Yes, she was. / No, she wasn't.
What was she doing? → She was practising a piece.

Past Progressive vs Past Simple — contrast

Past Simple

Past Progressive

completed / sudden event:
The phone rang.

action in progress (background):
I was playing the piano.

The interruption — short, finished action

The background — longer, ongoing action

Signals: suddenly · then · at that moment

Signals: at 6pm · all morning · while

When vs While:
When + Past Simple (the interruption): "She was playing when the phone rang."
While + Past Progressive (the background): "While she was playing, the phone rang."

Both sentences mean the same thing — only the word order changes!

Exercise 1 — Past Progressive Forms

Write the correct Past Progressive form of the verb in brackets.

1.At 5pm yesterday, Anna __________________ (play) the piano in the living room.

2.Her parents __________________ (wait) in the kitchen while she had her lesson.

3.Her teacher __________________ (not / listen) carefully — she was looking at her phone.

4.__________________ she __________________ (practise) a difficult piece? Yes, she was.

5.All the children __________________ (sit) quietly when the teacher came in.

6.He __________________ (not / concentrate) — he was looking out of the window.

Exercise 2 — Past Simple or Past Progressive?

Complete each sentence with the correct form of both verbs.

1.She __________________ (play) the piano when her phone __________________ (ring).

2.He __________________ (knock) on the door while she __________________ (concentrate).

3.They __________________ (wait) outside when the teacher __________________ (arrive).

4.The student __________________ (fall asleep) while the teacher __________________ (give) the lesson.

5.She __________________ (look) out of the window when her mum __________________ (call) her name.

6.He __________________ (make) a mistake while he __________________ (practise) the new piece.

Exercise 3 — When or While?

Fill in when or while.

1.I was playing the piano __________________ the door opened suddenly.

2.__________________ he was giving the lesson, his phone rang twice.

3.She made a mistake __________________ she was playing the most difficult part.

4.__________________ I was concentrating, someone knocked on the window.

5.We were sitting quietly __________________ the teacher walked in.

6.He fell asleep __________________ she was practising her piece.

Exercise 4 — Mixed — Fill in the Gaps

Use the words in the box.

Yesterday I had a very strange piano lesson. I (1) __________________ a difficult piece when someone (2) __________________ on the door. I stopped playing because I (3) __________________ very hard and the noise made me jump. A man (4) __________________ — he was the neighbour. While I (5) __________________ , my teacher's mobile (6) __________________ . She went out to answer it. I (7) __________________ a bit nervous and bored, so I (8) __________________ out of the window and waited.

Handout 3

Reading

A Memorable Lesson

Paragraph 1

Last Tuesday, Anna had her weekly piano lesson. She was feeling very nervous when she started because her teacher asked her to play a new piece. Anna was playing slowly and carefully, trying hard not to make a mistake.

Paragraph 2

While Anna was playing, she noticed something strange. Her teacher was reading a book. Anna stopped and looked at her. "Sorry," her teacher said, "please continue." Anna started again, but now she was feeling confused and could not concentrate.

Paragraph 3

Then, while she was playing the most difficult part, her teacher's phone rang. The teacher got up and left the room to answer it. Anna sat at the piano and looked out of the window. She waited for five minutes.

Paragraph 4

When the teacher came back, she smiled and said, "That was excellent, Anna. You played very well today." Anna did not know what to say. It was the strangest lesson she ever had — but also the best review!

Task 1 — Answer the Questions

Write full sentences.

1.How was Anna feeling when she started the lesson?