Describing Daily Routines and Current Projects Clearly.

In this lesson you focus on talking about what you usually do and what you are doing now. You listen to two colleagues getting to know each other and describing their typical day and current projects. By noticing the patterns in their language, you see how present simple and present continuous work together, and how adverbs like usually, often and at the moment add useful detail. You practise building accurate sentences about your own daily routines, using clear time phrases and correct word order. Then you shift to describing ongoing work or study projects, distinguishing between permanent responsibilities and temporary tasks. You plan and deliver a short spoken introduction about your week, and write a short paragraph that could appear on a personal profile or team page. By the end, you can give a quick but precise picture of your life using present tenses that feel confident and natural.

1. Listening to two colleagues talk about their week.

Let us start inside a very real situation. Imagine you have just joined an international team. Today is your first proper day, and your manager has asked one of your colleagues, Alex, to have a short welcome call with you and another new colleague, Priya. On this call, they talk about their typical day and what they are working on this week. You will hear that conversation in a moment. As you listen, I do not want you to worry about every single word. Instead, focus on two things. First, what is their general routine on a normal day? Second, what are they doing at the moment that is different from usual? After the audio, you will answer a few questions in full sentences, so listen for times, activities and key phrases such as “on a typical day” or “at the moment”. You will hear both the present simple and the present continuous in action. Just relax, listen once or twice if you need, and then write your answers clearly in your own words.

Setting the scene.

In this lesson we stay in one situation: new colleagues getting to know each other. You are listening to a short welcome call between two people in your new team, Alex and Priya. They are talking about:

• what they usually do on a normal workday;
• what they are doing this week that is different.

Later in the lesson, you will use similar language to describe your own daily routine and current projects.

For now, your job is simply to understand the main ideas.

Before you listen.

Read these three questions. They will help you focus while you listen:

1. What time does Alex usually start work and how does he start his day?
2. What project is Alex working on at the moment?
3. What does Priya usually do in the evenings, and what is she doing differently this week?

You will hear the audio in the activity section below. You can listen more than once if you like.

While you listen.

As you listen, do not try to translate everything. Instead, listen for:

• time phrases such as on a typical day, most days, this week, at the moment;
• verbs in the present simple for routines: I start, I finish, I have lunch;
• verbs in the present continuous for now: I am working on, I am helping with.

You will write your answers in full sentences, so pay attention to who does what, and when.

When you are ready, go down to the activity and press play.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to the conversation between Alex and Priya. You can play it two or three times if you need. Then answer the three questions from the screen in full sentences. Try to use your own words, not only copy from the audio. For example, instead of writing only “Half eight”, write “Alex usually starts work at about half past eight.”

Please:

• Number your answers 1, 2, 3 so it is clear which question you are answering.
• Use at least one full sentence for each answer.
• Use the correct tense if you can: present simple for usual routines, present continuous for what is happening this week or at the moment.

Do not worry if you are not 100% sure. Write what you understood, and I will help you with corrections and better phrases.

2. Noticing present simple in daily routines.

You have just listened to Alex and Priya describing their working days and their week. Now we are going to slow down and really look at the language they used for their **usual routines**. This is where the present simple is your best friend. It is the tense we use for things that are generally true and that repeat regularly, such as what time you start work, how you normally travel, or what you often do in the evenings. In this block you will see the transcript of the conversation. I would like you to notice three things. First, the verbs in the present simple, like *start*, *live*, *go*. Second, the adverbs of frequency, such as *usually*, *often*, *most of the time*, which show how common something is. Third, the time expressions like *on Tuesdays*, *after work* or *in the evenings*. After reading the transcript and the examples on the screen, you will copy some useful sentences and then write a couple of sentences about your own typical day, using the same patterns.

Looking closely at routines.

In the audio you heard Alex and Priya sharing information about their typical day. Now we will look at part of their conversation written down so you can notice the grammar more clearly.

> Alex: On a typical day I start work at about half past eight. I usually make a coffee, check my emails and plan my tasks for the morning.

> Alex: Most of the time I work from home, but on Tuesdays I often go into the office for our team meeting. We usually finish that around eleven.

> Priya: I usually start later, at about nine thirty, because I take my daughter to school.

> Priya: I normally cook dinner and then I go to the gym or I watch a series.

Present simple for routines.

We use the present simple to talk about routines and habits.

• Verbs are in the base form: I start, I make, I cook, I go, I watch.
• We often add adverbs of frequency to show how often: usually, normally, often, most of the time, hardly ever, never.
• We also use time expressions to say when: on a typical day, on Tuesdays, after work, in the evenings.

Look at these useful patterns:

• On a typical day I start work at…
• Most of the time I work from home.
• I usually make a coffee and check my emails.
• I normally cook dinner and then I watch a series.

Your turn to notice.

In the activity you will see the transcript again. Your job is to:

1. Find and copy three sentences that use present simple to describe routines.
2. Copy two adverbs or time expressions that go with routines.
3. Write two new sentences about your own typical day, using a similar pattern.

Try to reuse helpful chunks, such as On a typical day I…, Most of the time I…, In the evenings I….

Practice & Feedback

Scroll up and read the excerpt from Alex and Priya carefully, then look again at the full transcript in the resource box. Your task has three parts:

1. Copy three complete sentences from the transcript that describe routines in the present simple (for example, I usually make a coffee…).
2. Under those, copy two adverbs or time expressions that are used for routines (for example, most of the time, in the evenings).
3. Finally, write two new sentences about your own typical day using the present simple and at least one adverb of frequency or time expression in each sentence. For example: On a typical day I start work at nine, In the evenings I usually read for half an hour.

Write everything in one box, but clearly label the parts as 1) sentences from the text, 2) adverbs/time expressions, and 3) your own sentences.

3. Using present continuous for current projects.

You have now explored how Alex and Priya talk about what they usually do. Let us shift our attention to what is happening **right now** or **around this week**. For this, English normally uses the present continuous, with the verb *be* plus an ing form, for example, *I am working*, *she is studying*, *we are helping*. We use this tense for temporary situations, short projects and changes. In the conversation, Alex says he is working on a marketing report, and Priya says she is taking an online course this week. These are not permanent facts; they are just true for the moment. In this block, you will read a short model paragraph where a colleague describes their current projects and changes in their routine. Then we will look at some patterns with time phrases like *at the moment*, *right now* and *these days*. After that, you will write a short description of what you are working on or what is different in your life at the moment, using the present continuous accurately.

Present continuous: talking about now and current changes.

So far we have focused on routines with the present simple. However, in the original conversation Alex and Priya also used the present continuous to describe temporary situations and projects.

Here is a new colleague, Marta, introducing her current week to the team:

> "At the moment I am working on a big software update for one of our clients. I am preparing the user guide and I am meeting the client twice this week to show them the new features. Normally I work from home, but this week I am going into the office every day because we are testing the system together. These days I am also learning more about data security, so I am reading a lot of technical articles in the evenings."

What do you notice?.

In Marta’s introduction you can see several important patterns:

• She uses am / is / are + verb-ing: am working, am preparing, am meeting, are testing, am reading.
• She uses time phrases that show we are talking about now or a temporary period: at the moment, this week, these days, in the evenings (when linked to temporary study).
• She contrasts this week with her usual routine using normally and but this week….

Compare these two types of sentence:

• Routine (present simple): Normally I work from home.
• Current change (present continuous): This week I am going into the office every day.

The meaning changes: the first is a general fact; the second is a temporary situation.

Helpful chunks for current projects.

• At the moment I am working on…
• Right now I am focusing on…
• This week I am also helping with…
• These days I am trying to…

In the activity, you will use these patterns to describe your own current projects or changes in your routine.

Practice & Feedback

Think about your real life now. Maybe you are working, studying, looking for a job, or taking care of your family. For this task, I want you to describe what is special or different at the moment, not your permanent routine.

Write 4–6 sentences using the present continuous to talk about:

• one or two projects or tasks you are working on at the moment;
• any temporary changes in your schedule this week;
• something you are learning or trying to change these days.

Use at least two time phrases from the lesson, for example: at the moment, right now, this week, these days. Try to reuse helpful chunks like At the moment I am working on… or These days I am trying to….

Focus on correct forms of be + verb-ing. Do not worry if your life is not very exciting; even simple things, like This week I am getting up earlier, are perfect for this exercise.

4. Chatting with a colleague about routines and now.

You have practised routines with the present simple and current projects with the present continuous. Now let us put them together in a situation you probably know well: a quick chat message with a colleague. Imagine it is your first week in the team and a friendly colleague, Sam, sends you a message on Teams or WhatsApp. Sam wants to know how your week is going and what you usually do after work. In written chats, we often write quite short sentences, but we can still keep the grammar clear. You will see the beginning of this chat on the screen. Notice how Sam uses both present continuous, for this week, and present simple, for your general habits. Your task will be to write replies to Sam’s questions, as if you are really chatting. Try to sound natural, but keep full, clear sentences so you practise the grammar properly. After you send your answers, I will reply as Sam and give you feedback on your language.

A quick work chat.

Short text chats are a very common place to mix routines and current projects. Look at this example chat between Sam and a new colleague, Jo.

> Sam: Hi Jo, welcome to the team! How is your first week going?

> Jo: Hi Sam, thanks! It is going well so far.

> Sam: Great. What are you working on at the moment?

> Jo: I am helping Alex with the new client report this week.

> Sam: Nice. And what do you usually do after work? Do you go straight home?

> Jo: I usually go home and cook, but on Thursdays I often meet some friends.

Notice the mix of tenses and time phrases:

• Present continuous for this week / now: How is your first week going?; What are you working on at the moment?; I am helping Alex… this week.
• Present simple for routine: What do you usually do after work?; I usually go home and cook.; On Thursdays I often meet some friends.

Sam’s questions give you a clear structure for your answers:

1. How is your first week going? → present continuous, feelings and temporary situation.
2. What are you working on at the moment? → present continuous, current project or focus.
3. What do you usually do after work? → present simple, general habits.

In the activity, you will answer very similar questions as if you are chatting with Sam yourself.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are messaging with Sam in your first week at a new job or on a new course. Use the chat opening in the resource box as your context. Sam will ask you three questions:

1. How is your first week going?
2. What are you working on at the moment?
3. What do you usually do after work?

Write your reply as three short chat messages, one for each question. You can mark them 1), 2) and 3). Try to:

• use the present continuous for questions 1 and 2 (for example, It is going well, I am learning a lot, At the moment I am working on…);
• use the present simple plus adverbs of frequency for question 3 (for example, I usually, Most of the time I);
• keep the tone friendly and natural, as in a real chat.

Do not worry about being formal. Focus on clear grammar and realistic information about your life.

5. Planning a short spoken-style introduction.

You have now used present simple and present continuous in sentences and in a short chat. Let us bring everything together in a slightly longer piece of language, like the kind you might use in a team meeting or on a video call. Imagine that on Monday your manager asks everyone to give a quick introduction: say who you are, describe a typical day, and mention what you are working on this week. Your goal in this block is to **plan a short spoken-style introduction** of about eight to ten sentences. You will write it as a script, as if you are preparing for that meeting. On the screen, you will see a simple structure you can follow and a mini checklist. Use present simple for your routines, present continuous for your current projects and changes, and include some useful chunks such as *On a typical day I…* and *At the moment I am working on…*. After you write your introduction, I will give you feedback and small corrections so that you could confidently say it aloud.

Your introduction to the team.

Imagine you are in a short online meeting with your new team. The manager says:

> "Let us all introduce ourselves quickly. Say a bit about your typical day and what you are working on at the moment."

You have already seen how Alex, Priya and Marta do this. Now it is your turn.

A simple structure to follow.

You can organise your spoken-style introduction like this:

Greeting and name

• Hi everyone, I am… It is great to meet you.

Typical work or study day (present simple)

• On a typical day I…
• I usually start my day by…
• Most of the time I…
• Add 3–4 sentences with time phrases like in the morning, at lunchtime, in the evenings.

Current projects and changes (present continuous)

• At the moment I am working on…
• Right now I am focusing on…
• This week I am also helping with…
• These days I am trying to…

Free time or personal detail (mix of simple and continuous if needed)

• In my free time I like to… (routine, present simple)
• These days I am learning… (temporary change, present continuous).

Mini checklist.

Before you write, keep this checklist in mind:

• Use present simple for routines and permanent facts.
• Use present continuous for this week, these days, and temporary changes.
• Include at least two adverbs of frequency (for example, usually, often, hardly ever).
• Include at least two time phrases (for example, in the morning, at the moment, this week).

In the activity, you will write your own 8–10 sentence introduction following this structure.

Practice & Feedback

Write a short introduction as if you are speaking to new colleagues in a meeting. Aim for 8–10 full sentences. Use the structure from the screen:

1. Start with a friendly greeting and your name.
2. Describe your typical day using the present simple and adverbs of frequency (for example, I usually start my day by…, Most of the time I…).
3. Explain what you are working on at the moment using the present continuous (for example, At the moment I am working on…, This week I am also helping with…).
4. Finish with one or two sentences about your free time or something personal.

Try to reuse phrases from the chunk bank such as On a typical day I…, In my free time I like to…, These days I am trying to…. Do not worry about sounding perfect. Focus on clear grammar and natural order of ideas.

6. Editing a team profile about your day and projects.

For the final step in this lesson, let us imagine your manager wants to add a short profile about you on the internal team page. This text should give colleagues a quick picture of your typical day and what you are working on at the moment. It needs to be clear, accurate and easy to read. On the screen you will see a messy first draft written by someone called Lidia. The ideas are fine, but the grammar is mixed up: present simple and present continuous are confused, some sentences are too long, and punctuation is weak. First, read Lidia’s profile carefully and notice what sounds wrong. Then you will write **your own corrected version** of Lidia’s text, as if you are editing it for her. This is a great chance to show that you really can control the difference between routines and current projects in a full paragraph. Focus on clear sentences, correct tenses and good linking. Afterwards, I will give you detailed feedback and a polished version to compare with your own.

From messy draft to clear profile.

Here is Lidia’s first draft for the team page. Read it and notice what feels strange or unclear.

> "Hi I am Lidia I work in customer support and I am working here since 2019. On a typical day I am starting work at eight and I am answering emails all the morning. Sometimes I am help the sales team with questions. At the moment I work on a big project and we start a new system this month so I work a lot and I am staying late every day. In the evenings I am usually going to the gym but these days I watch a lot of TV because I am very tired."

There are several problems here:

• She mixes present simple and present continuous in the wrong places.
• Some verbs have the wrong form, for example I am help or I am starting.
• She does not use commas or full stops correctly, so it is hard to see where sentences end.
• Some time expressions are not linked clearly to the right tense.

Your editing task.

Your job is to rewrite Lidia’s profile so that it would look good on a real team page. Keep the same information, but improve:

• the tenses: present simple for general facts and routine, present continuous for current projects and temporary changes;
• the forms of the verbs;
• the punctuation and sentence boundaries;
• the linking phrases, if you want to add a few.

Aim for 6–8 clear sentences. You can reuse useful chunks such as On a typical day I…, Most of the time I…, At the moment I am working on…, These days I am….

In the activity, you will write the improved version in one paragraph.

Practice & Feedback

Rewrite Lidia’s profile so that it becomes a clear, correct paragraph for a team page. Keep her ideas, but fix the grammar and punctuation. Follow these steps:

1. Use the present simple for permanent facts and routines (for example, where she works, what she usually does in the morning, what she usually does in the evenings).
2. Use the present continuous for current projects and temporary changes (for example, the big project she is working on now, staying late at the moment, being too tired for the gym these days).
3. Divide the text into 6–8 good sentences with full stops and commas in the right places.

Write the new version in your own words; you do not need to copy Lidia’s exact sentences. Try to sound natural and professional, as if this will really appear on a company website. When you finish, read your paragraph once more and check your tenses before you submit.