This has been one of the animated movies that I have laughed most. Its humor is clever and extremely attractive to both adults and children. I strongly recommend it. I used this scene to practice the passive voice use with present perfect statements, because the astronaut day's hasn't ended yet, so we can contextualize the grammar point easily.






A. Watch the movie segment and check what has happened to the astronaut since he landed on Planet 51. Fill in the blanks with the present perfect tense of the given verbs. Decide if you will use affirmative or negative forms according to the segment.

1. The astronaut ______ (place) a flag on Planet 51.

2. A boy ______ (ask) him an autograph.

3. A strange pet _________ (attack) him.

4. The pet ______ (chase) him.

5. The astronaut ________ (scare) a boy and his mother at lunch time.

6. A boy on a bike _________ (run over) him.

7. He _________ (find) other humans.

8. He ________ (take off) his suit.


B. Now rewrite the sentences above using passive voice.

Ex: 1. A flag has been placed on Planet 51 (by the astronaut).


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PLANET 51

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Answer key:
A. 1. has placed / 2. has asked / 3. has attacked / 4. has chased / 5. has run over / 6. hasn't found / 7. hasn't taken off
B.
2. He has been asked for an autograph (by a boy).
3. He has been attacked by a strange pet.
4. He has been chased (by the pet).
5. He has been run over by a boy on a bike.
6. Other humans haven't been found.
7. His suit hasn't been taken off. A peer of mine said that he had used a slides presentation with links to my passive voice activities. I was sent the link and came across this really cool and thorough class on passive voice. I'm glad Simon Friend used my blog for his video activities. His slides are effective, fun and constructive. Thanks Simon Friend for these really cool slides. Thanks for linking my site to it.

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Adam Sandler has ups and downs. He has an opportunity here to show his acting skills in the roles of twins, performing the scenes of both brother and sister. The movie itself isn't as good as it had promised to be. This scene, though, is great and really funny. My students had a great time. 

I. Watch the segment and  check the actions that you saw in the segment:




1 Eat Mexican food

2 Drink tomato juice 

3 Eat raw jalapeños

4 Play soccer with other girls

5 Dance break music

6 Hurt someone by accident

7 Hit a piñata

8 Swim in a river


II. Take turns asking each other questions about the items in Exercise I.
Follow the example:


S1 - Have you ever eaten Mexican food?

S2 - Yes, I have. 

S1 - When did you eat Mexican food?

S2 - I ate Mexican food last week.

OR

S1 - Have you ever eaten Mexican food?

S2 - No, I haven't.

S2 - Would you like to eat Mexican food?

S2 - Yes, I would OR No, I wouldn't.



















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Answer key:

I.

1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

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Romantic comedies are not my cup of tea, but they are wonderful sources of activities. 27 dresses is no exception. This scene is great for practicing the present perfect tense.

I. Talk to a partner:


1. Have you ever had insomnia? How often does it happen?


2. What do you do when you just can't sleep?


3. What makes you lose your sleep?


4. When you can't sleep, do you insist on trying to sleep or do you get up and do something else until you fall asleep?



II. Look at the activities below. Check the ones you usually do when you have a hard time to fall asleep.


1. ( ) read a magazine

2. ( ) read a book

3. ( ) use the computer

4. ( ) moisturize your hands with cream

5. ( ) work out

6. ( ) clean the stove

7. ( ) speak to yourself out loud

8. ( ) talk to your sister (or someone else)

9. ( ) dance

10. ( ) eat


III. Watch the movie segment and check what the main character has done during her insomnia.


IV. Now write sentence in the present perfect tense saying what she has (not) done during the whole night.


Ex:


1. She has read a magazine.

2. She hasn't read a book.


Answer key:

III. Don't check 2, 9, 10


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - 27 DRESSES

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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

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This is an effective tearjerker which I liked a lot. This scene is full of passive voice structures, perfect for review on passive voice with mixed verb tenses.

A. Read the script of the first scene from the movie Dear John. The paragraph is in the passive voice. either the simple present tense, simple past or the present perfect tenses. Fill in the blanks with the passive voice of the given verbs. Decide which of the two tenses you will use, depending on the context.



Glossary:

punch out: hit someone or something hard and repeatedly

rim: to be round or along the edge of something

bevel: to give something a sloping edge

stamp: to make a mark

mint: to produce something new





1. I’m eight years old again, on a tour of the US Mint, listening to the guide explain how coins ______________ (make). How they _______________ (punch out) of sheet metal. How they ______________ (rim) and ______________ (bevel). How they _________ (stamp)and __________ (clean). And then how each and every coin _________ (personally / examine) just in case one has slipped through with the slightest imperfection.



2. I am a coin in the United States Army. I __________ (mint) in the year 1980. I ____________ (punch out) from sheet metal, I __________ (stamp) and ___________ (clean), my edges _____________ (rim) and _______________ (bevel).


B. Watch the movie segment and check your answers.








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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - DEAR JOHN


Answer key:


1. are made/ are punched out/ are rimmed and beveled/ are stamped and cleaned/ is personally examined

2. was mint/ have been punched out/ have been stamped and cleaned/ have been rimmed and beveled

A peer of mine said that he had used a slides presentation with links to my passive voice activities. I was sent the link and came across this really cool and thorough class on passive voice. I'm glad Simon Friend used my blog for his video activities. His slides are effective, fun and constructive. Thanks Simon Friend for these really cool slides. Thanks for linking my site to it.

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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

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - IPAD
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

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This movie did not meet my expectations, but this scene is perfect for contrasting the use of have you ever x would you ever.

I. Check the items with the activities that you have already done at least once in your life time.

1. swim in the ocean

2. buy a new dress (shirt) to go on a first date

3. go snorkling

4. sail on a yacht

5. fight with a stranger

6. give or receive flowers on a first date

7. lie on the first date

8. hide from your parents in a public place

II. Watch the segment and check who performs the activities above, the guy or the girl.

III. Ask a partner the following questions.

Follow the pattern:

Ex:

S1 - Have you ever … (swum in the ocean)?

S2 - Yes, I have.

OR

S1 - Have you ever swum in the ocean?

S2 - No, I haven't.

S3 - Would you ever swim in the ocean?

S2 - Yes, I would / Sure, I would / No, never.

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - KILLERS

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This romantic comedy is much better than I had expected it to be. It is a story about prejudice and dealing with adversities. I really enjoyed it. It is perfect to practice the present perfect tense.

I. Watch the movie segment and write down HE if the activity was performed by the male character. Write SHE if she did it. The main characters used to be lovers but they have spent the past 5 years apart, doing different things.

( ) 1 Visit Paris

( ) 2 Interview several people

( ) 3 See the kids play baseball

( ) 4 Travel to third world countries

( ) 5 Broadcast the news as a TV anchor

( ) 6 Travel to New York

( ) 7 Drive across the desert

( ) 8 Go on a safari

( ) 9 Go to fancy parties

( ) 10 Teach needy children in Africa





II. Now write down what both of the them have done while they have been away from each other.

Ex: She has interviewed several people



III. Work in pairs and discuss the following questions:



1. How different have their lives been?

2. Who had a happier life? Why?

3. What kind of life would you rather have? His or hers? Why?

4. Do you think that such different couple can be happy together? Explain it.

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Answer key:


HE - 1 - 4 - 7 - 8 - 10
SHE - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9

1 he has visited paris

2 she has interviewed several people

3 she has seen the kids play baseball

4 he has traveled to third world countries

5 she has broadcasted the news as a tv anchor

6 she has traveled to new york

7 he has driven across the desert

8 he has gone on a safari

9 she has gone to fancy parties

10 he has taught needy children in Africa

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The Twilight saga is attractive to students and provides us with different sources for activities. I like it a lot. It is my teen side speaking out loud! I used this scene to practice the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous forms.




WARM-UP QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever suffered because of a broken heart?
2. How do you react in those moments? Do you prefer to stay home by yourself or go out with friends to have a lot of fun? Explain it?
3. what is worse? To dump or to be dumped? Why?

I. Watch the movie segment and complete the blanks with either the present perfect or the present perfect continuous form of the given verbs. When both are possible, use the continuous form.







1. Bella _________________ (feel) sad for several months.

2. The weather ______________ (change) significantly in this period of time.

3. Both her boyfriend and her best friend, Alice, _________ (leave) Bella alone.

4. The tree leaves ___________ (fall).

5. It ____________ (snow) several times in December.

6. Bella _____________ (miss) her boyfriend all this time.

7. According to Bella, a huge hole ___________ (punch - passive voice) through her chest.

8. She ___________ (cry) several nights since October.

9. She _____________ (write) emails that Alice ____________ (never - receive)

10. Bella's dad ____________ (be) worried about her.


II. Talk to a partner:


1. What should Bella do in order not to be so sad?

2. Is Bella right to react the way she did or is it better to go out with friends and forget about her boyfriend?

3. What would you do if you were in Bella's shoes?

4. Have you ever felt like Bella? Talk about it, if you wish.


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - NEW MOON


Answer key:


I. 1. has been feeling / 2. has changed / 3. have left / 4. have fallen / 5. has snowed / 6. has been missing / 7. has been punched / 8. has cried / 9 . has been writing - has never received / 10. has been

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This movie is terrifying. It does not have any violent bloody scene, but it is extremely tense and gripping. It is about a couple who have been haunted by an entity and decide to buy an amateur camera to shoot the paranormal events that usually take place while they are sleeping. The scene is purposefully dark, because it is supposed to be an amateur footage. Critics hated it, but I enjoyed it a lot. This scene is perfect to practice the use of since and for, because it shows times and dates. The scene does not contain any violence at all, my students loved it, but mind your own audience to see if it is an appropriate segment for your group.





I. Talk to a group of students about the following questions. Then share your opinions with the class.



1. Do you believe in paranormal phenomena? Which ones?

2. Do you know anyone who is a psychic? Do you believe in psychics?

3. Have you ever experienced anything that you considered paranormal?

4. Would you like to see the spirit of someone you used to love very much when he (she) was alive? Why (not)?

5. Are you scared of paranormal phenomena? Explain it.



II. Watch the movie segment now. Match the times and dates shown in the movies with the events that took place during the scene.



1. September 17th, 2006

2. October 6th, 2006, 1:34:00 am

3. 1:34:15 am

4. 3:04:42 am

5. 3:04:51 am

6. 3:05:13 am



( ) The other bedroom lights are turned on.

( ) The other bedroom lights are turned off.

( ) They started filming the events.

( ) The couple were sleeping.

( ) The sheets move by themselves.

( ) They wake up.



Answer key: 4,5,1,2,3,6



III. Now complete the blanks of the exercises below with FOR or SINCE, based on the information in exercise II.



1. They have been filming the events ______ September.


2. They have been experiencing paranormal activities _______ at least 19 nights.


3. They had been sleeping _____ a few hours when the sheets moved.


4. The lights in the other bedroom remained on _________ about 10 seconds.


5. When the lights turned off, the couple kept on sleeping ________ more than 2 hours.


6. They had been sleeping ______ 1:34:00 am without noticing anything strange during the night.


7. With the lights on, she said that she felt that someone had been watching her _________ the moment she woke up.


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Answer key: 1. since - 2. for - 3. for - 4. for - 5. for - 6. since - 7. since

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This animated movie is simply wonderful. The whole idea of the movie is extremely intelligent and the graphics are amazing. I loved it. I used this scene to practice the present perfect tense because it shows the mouse Roddy doing a lot of things during the day, which hasn't ended yet. I tried to relate Roddy's reality to my students' routine. My students had a great time with it.



I. Write sentences with at least 10 activities you have done so far today:

Ex:

I have brushed my teeth.

I have had fruit for breakfast.


1 ...................................................
2 ..................................................
3 .................................................
4 .................................................
5 .................................................
6 .................................................
7 .................................................
8 .................................................
9 .................................................
10 ...............................................


II. Now watch the movie segment from the movie Flushed Away. Check the activities Roddy has performed that were the same as yours.



III. Share your answers with a few partners.



IV. Now write down 5 sentences with activities he has performed today, but you haven't yet.

Ex: I haven't listened to music yet.


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







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This is a classic. One of my all times favorite. This film talks about immortality and aging. I love it. I used this scene to practice the use of for and since in present perfect sentences. I hope you like it.

A. Before viewing the segment, discuss the following questions with a partner.



1. Are you afraid of aging? Why (not)?

2. Would you rather die extremely old or not that old? Explain it.

3. Would you make use of cosmetic surgeries to look young forever? Why?

4. Do you think that life gets better as you get older? Explain it.



B. Watch the segment now and fill in the blanks with since or for.

1. Some liver spots have appeared on his skin ............................ yesterday.

2. He has been aging fast ....................................the last 24 hours.

3. The Doctor has asked him to wait .....................................15 minutes.

4. He has lost a lot of hair .......................................... he started waiting for the doctor.

5. He has been waiting for the doctor ...................................... 2:35 pm.

6. He has been waiting .............................................. 2 hours and the doctor still hasn't seen him.


C. Now work with a partner. Make a list of everything you can remember that has changed in his appearance during the couple of hours he has been waiting for the doctor.


Ex: He has lost a lot of hair.

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Answer key:

1. since
2. for
3. for
4. since
5. since
6. for

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This is one of those movies with a creative, original idea. Going back in time and being young again is always great for food for thought because this film is witty and fun. I used the whole idea of the film and segment to have students practice the use of the present perfect and present perfect continous tense, using already, still and yet in a meaningful manner. I. Watch the movie segment and put yourself in the main characters shoes. Imagine you have gone 20 years back in time. You meet your best friend, who is now 20 years younger than you, and tell him what you have accomplished in your life since then (if you are not old enough to go back 20 years in time, make it 10 years).






You must use the present perfect tense.


Ex: I have become a lawyer.

1 .........................................................


2 ........................................................


3 .......................................................


4 .......................................................


II. Now tell your friend a few things that you still haven't done or haven't done yet in these 20 years but you intend to do soon.


1 .....................................................

2 ....................................................

3 ....................................................

4 ...................................................


IV. Switch roles with your partner.



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SEGMENT

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This movie is not one I would strongly recommend, but it has good moments. This scene is one of them. David's, Bruce Willis's character, touching passers-by make him see what they have just done minutes before that, which is perfect for the students to practice the present perfect tense, using - just - in their sentences. In this exercise they are to write down whole sentences, which makes it more challenging than the other ones I have published on this grammar goal. I hope you like it.

A. Talk to a partner: Decide what the best punishment for the following crimes is. You and your partner have to reach an agreement of what the sentence is, how much time in jail (if it is the case) should the outlaw spend, or how much the fine fine should cost:


1. Stealing jewelry from a store.

2. Showing racial prejudice in the public eye by calling someone names.

3. Hitting someone with a glass bottle.

4. Stealing candy from a child.

5. Kidnapping without killing the victim.

6. Kidnapping and killing the victim.

7. Taking advantage of a drunk person.

8. Breaking into a house and stealing goods.

9. Breaking into a house and murdering someone there.

10. Drinking and driving.



B. Class discussion: Compare your punishments. Who are the toughest and the most lenient students?






C. Watch the following segment. Bruce Willis's character has the power to see what some people have done minutes before just by touching them. Decide which of the crimes above the characters below have just commited. Write the number of the crime next to the character.






( ) The lady in red

( ) The man in yellow

( ) The man in green

( ) The man in orange




D. Now write sentences saying what these people have just done before arriving at the subway station. Make sure you use "just" in your sentences and the present perfect tense.






1. ...........................................................



2. ..........................................................



3. .......................................................



4. ......................................................



E. Talk to a partner about the following questions.

1. What do you think will happen next?

2. Would you like to have this super power? Is this gift really possible?

3. Are there people with this ability?

4. Rank the crimes the people in exercise C have committed - 1 as the most serious and 4 as the least serious one.




WORKSHEET

Answer key:

C.
1
3
7
9




D.
The woman in red has just stolen jewelry from a store.

The man in yellow has just broken a bottle on a passer-by.

The man in green has taken advantage of a drunk woman.

The man in orange has just broken into a house and murdered someone there.

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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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