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ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR B1

Present Forms for the Future ESL Lesson Plan (B1, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute B1 lesson on Present Forms for the Future, built round the theme "The School Trip to Sigiriya".

  • CEFR B1
  • 60 minutes
  • Teenagers and adults
  • Grammar
  • Future Forms
  • Present Forms for the Future

About this lesson

Who it is for. Intermediate students who use will and going to but don't use the present continuous for arrangements or the present simple for timetables, and say I'll call you when I will arrive.

Everything the lesson needs is on this page: the language analysis, the timed stages with the teacher's own words and instruction-checking questions, the differentiation, the printable handouts and the answer key.

At a glance

Level
CEFR B1 (Intermediate)
Learners
Teenagers and adults
Length
60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run "Freer practice" once through without the second round and cut "Feedback and wrap-up" to board-based error correction.
Skills
Speaking and writing
Language focus
Grammar: Present Continuous and Present Simple for the Future; Future Time Clauses
Framework
PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials
Handout 1 (trip itinerary and diary), Handout 2 (discovery task), Handout 3 (practice), Handout 4A and 4B (busy-week diaries).
Preparation
About 10 minutes: print Handouts 1 to 5, one per learner, and read the language analysis. The answer key is for you, not the class.

Aims

Main aim. To help students discover and use the present continuous for fixed arrangements, the present simple for timetables, and the present simple after when, as soon as, before, after, until in future time clauses.

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can arrange a meeting using the present continuous and write an email with at least two future time clauses.

  • Subsidiary aim. To read an itinerary for specific information.
  • Subsidiary aim. To develop fluency in arranging to meet.
  • Subsidiary aim. To write a confirmation email.

Language analysis

What to know before the lesson: the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language, and the problems learners usually have with it.

Form and use

UseFormExample
Fixed arrangement (with people, place, time)Present continuousI'm meeting Dilshan at 6 on Friday.
Timetable / schedulePresent simpleThe bus leaves at 7.15. The exam starts on Monday.
Intention / planbe going toI'm going to take lots of photos.
Future time clausewhen / as soon as / before / after / until / by the time + present simple, main clause with willI'll call you when I arrive. (not when I will arrive)

Pronunciation

  • Arrangement questions: What are you doing on Saturday? /wɒt ə jə ˈduːɪŋ/ (weak are you).
  • as soon as /əz ˈsuːn əz/.

Concept-checking questions

  • I'm meeting Dilshan at 6 on Friday. Is this now or in the future? (Future.) · Have we agreed the time and place? (Yes, it's arranged.)
  • The bus leaves at 7.15. Is it a personal plan or a timetable? (Timetable.)
  • I'll call you when I arrive. Is arriving in the future? (Yes.) · Which tense follows when? (Present simple.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

ProblemSolution
will after when / as soon as (when I will arrive).Highlight the rule clearly; include several items in practice.
Present simple for personal arrangements (I meet my friend tomorrow).Contrast personal arrangement vs timetable.
Thinking the present continuous is only for now.CCQs with future time words.
Students choose going to every time.Explain that going to is often possible; continuous emphasises the arrangement.

Board plan

Left: time conjunctionsCentre: rulesRight: arranging phrases
when · as soon as · before · after · until · by the time → + present simple
ARRANGEMENT (diary): I'm meeting Dilshan at 6. · TIMETABLE: The bus leaves at 7.15. · PLAN / INTENTION: I'm going to take photos. · TIME CLAUSE: I'll call you when I arrive. (not will arrive)
Are you doing anything on ...? · Sorry, I'm ...ing. · How about ...? · That works for me.

CEFR B1 · 60 minutes · Teenagers and adults

Procedure: Present Forms for the Future, step by step

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Aim: To personalise the topic.

Ask: "What are you doing this weekend? Is anything already arranged, with a time and a place?" Model: "I'm having lunch with my cousins on Sunday at 1."

Pairs share (2 minutes). Take two examples.

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To present present tenses for the future and time clauses in context, and help students work out the rules.

Part A: Reading (6 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read the trip itinerary and Nethmi's diary. What time does the bus leave on Saturday? What is Nethmi doing on Monday?"

Pairs compare. Students answer the four questions. Check as a class.

Part B: Finding the rules (7 minutes)

Give out Handout 2. Say: "Look at the sentences. Answer the questions with your partner."

ICQs: "Are the sentences about the past or the future?" (Future.) "Alone or in pairs?" (Pairs.)

Monitor. Ask stuck pairs: "Is this from a timetable or a personal diary?"

Part C: Clarification (7 minutes)

Elicit the answers. Build the four rules in the centre of the board.

Ask the CCQs from the Language analysis.

Board I'll call you when I will arrive. Ask: "What's wrong?" Elicit the rule and list the time conjunctions on the left.

Drill: What are you doing on Saturday? I'm meeting my cousins. I'll text you as soon as I get there.

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs, then whole class

Aim: To practise choosing the correct future form.

Give out Handout 3. Say: "Exercise A: choose the best form. Exercise B: correct the mistakes. Seven minutes."

Pairs compare and justify. Check as a class.

Freer practice18 minutes · Pairs, then individual

Aim: To use the forms fluently in a realistic task and in writing.

Give Student A Handout 4A and Student B Handout 4B (busy diaries). Teach the arranging phrases on the right of the board.

Say: "You want to meet to plan a class party. Find a free two-hour slot. Don't show your diary!" Model one exchange (8 minutes).

ICQs: "Can you show your diary?" (No.) "How long do you need?" (Two hours.)

When they find a time, each student writes a short confirmation email to their partner, including two time clauses: I'll bring the list when I come. As soon as I hear from the teacher, I'll message you. (7 minutes.)

Partners swap emails and check the time clauses (3 minutes).

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To give feedback and consolidate.

Pairs report their meeting time.

Board errors from the role-play and emails; students correct them.

Set the homework.

Homework Write an email (100 words) to a friend confirming a weekend arrangement. Include one timetable fact and two time clauses.

PPP (presentation, practice, production). Stage times add up to 60 minutes.

Differentiation

Support
Mark the free slots in Handouts 4A/4B with a pencil dot so weaker pairs succeed. Give an email frame.
Stretch
Stronger students negotiate with alternatives: How about Thursday instead? I could ... if ... They add by the time and until to their emails.

Adapting the lesson

ForWhat to change
A large class (40 or more)Keep the pairwork in "Freer practice" in fixed pairs rather than a mingle, and take feedback from four or five pairs instead of the whole room. Monitor one half of the room during "Controlled practice" and the other half during "Freer practice".
A class with no photocopierPut the exercises from Handout 3: Practice on the board for learners to copy into their notebooks, and read any text aloud twice instead of printing it. The board plan above is this lesson's minimum - with that on the board, it runs on no paper at all.
An online classSend Handouts 1 to 5 in the chat before the lesson and put the board plan on a shared slide. Use breakout rooms for the pairwork in "Freer practice" and visit each room once. Have learners type the controlled answers in the chat, so you see every answer at once instead of nominating.
A different age groupWith teenagers, shorten the analysis and get to the task sooner. With adults in a work context, keep the forms exactly as they are and swap the lesson's theme for one from their own field.

Checking learning

In the role-play, students use the present continuous for diary arrangements. In the email, students use the present simple after time conjunctions. 10 out of 12 or better on Handout 3.

Teacher's reflection

Did students find the difference between arrangement and timetable? How many still used will after when?

Handout 1: The School Trip

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Grade 10 Trip to Sigiriya: Itinerary Saturday 6.30 am: Meet at the school gate. 7.15 am: The bus leaves. 11.00 am: The bus arrives at Sigiriya. The guided tour starts at 11.30. 1.00 pm: Lunch at the Lion Rock Restaurant. 4.00 pm: The bus leaves for the hotel in Dambulla. Sunday 9.00 am: Visit to the Dambulla Cave Temple. 3.00 pm: The bus leaves for Colombo. It gets back at about 8 pm.

Nethmi's diary Saturday: I'm sitting next to Ishara on the bus. I'm going to take lots of photos! Sunday: Dad's picking me up at the school at 8.15 pm. I'll call him as soon as we get to the expressway. Monday: I'm seeing the dentist at 4.

Answer the questions.

  • What time does the bus leave on Saturday? ______________________________
  • Who is Nethmi sitting next to? ______________________________
  • When is Nethmi going to call her dad? ______________________________
  • What is Nethmi doing on Monday at 4? ______________________________

Handout 2: Language Focus

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Look at these sentences.

Answer the questions with your partner.

  • The bus leaves at 7.15 am.
  • The guided tour starts at 11.30.
  • I'm sitting next to Ishara on the bus.
  • Dad's picking me up at 8.15 pm.
  • I'm going to take lots of photos!
  • I'll call him as soon as we get to the expressway.
  • Are all these sentences about the future? ______________
  • Which sentences come from a timetable or programme? What tense are they? ______________________________
  • Which sentences describe arrangements with other people (a time and maybe a place are agreed)? What tense are they? ______________________________
  • Which sentence is an intention (Nethmi's own plan, not arranged with others)? ______________________________
  • In sentence 6, get is in the future. Why isn't it will get? Find the word before it. ______________________________
  • Complete the rule: after when, as soon as, before, after, until we use the ______________________ to talk about the future.

Handout 3: Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Choose the best future form.

B. Correct the mistakes.

  • The train ______________ (leave) at 9.45 tomorrow.
  • I ______________ (see) the dentist at 3 tomorrow. It's all booked.
  • I'll text you as soon as I ______________ (get) home.
  • What time ______________ the film ______________ (start)?
  • We ______________ (have) dinner with my uncle on Friday.
  • Don't go until I ______________ (come) back.
  • ______________ you ______________ (do) anything on Saturday evening?
  • Before you ______________ (leave), please close the windows.
  • I will call you when I will arrive. ______________________________
  • I meet my friend tomorrow at 5. (arranged) ______________________________
  • The plane is leaving at 6 according to the timetable. ______________________________
  • As soon as she will finish, we'll go. ______________________________

Handout 4A: Student A's Diary

Don't show your partner. Find a free two-hour slot to meet.

MorningAfternoonEvening
Mondayschoolswimming 3–5free
Tuesdayschoolfreecousin's birthday dinner
Wednesdayschoolpiano lesson 4–5free
Thursdayschoolfreehelping Dad at the shop
Fridayschoolcricket practicefree
Saturdaytuition 8–12freewedding

Handout 4B: Student B's Diary

Don't show your partner. Find a free two-hour slot to meet.

MorningAfternoonEvening
Mondayschoolfreevisiting grandmother
Tuesdayschooldentist at 4free
Wednesdayschoolfreefree
Thursdayschoolfreescience club 6–8
Fridayschoolfreefamily dinner
Saturdayfreebadminton 2–4free

Answer Key

Handout 1

Handout 2

Handout 3, Exercise A

Handout 3, Exercise B

Handouts 4A/4B: Free for both: Wednesday evening; Thursday afternoon.

Common errors to watch for

  • At 7.15 am · 2. Ishara · 3. As soon as they get to the expressway · 4. She's seeing the dentist.
  • Yes · 2. Sentences 1 and 2: present simple · 3. Sentences 3 and 4: present continuous · 4. Sentence 5 · 5. After as soon as we use the present simple · 6. present simple
  • leaves · 2. am seeing · 3. get · 4. does ... start · 5. are having · 6. come · 7. Are ... doing · 8. leave
  • I will call you when I arrive. · 2. I'm meeting my friend tomorrow at 5. · 3. The plane leaves at 6 according to the timetable. · 4. As soon as she finishes, we'll go.
ErrorCorrection
I will call you when I will arrive.I will call you when I arrive.
I meet my friend tomorrow at 5.I'm meeting my friend tomorrow at 5.
The film is starting at 8 (cinema timetable).The film starts at 8.
What do you do on Saturday? (arrangement)What are you doing on Saturday?

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About this lesson plan

Written by RCF English to the RCF English international standard: levelled by the CEFR, original throughout, and suitable for classrooms in any country. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.

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