The use of go, play, and do with frequency adverbs GRAMMAR LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE Intermediate B1_2015G_EN English
Goals Learn how to use frequency adverbs with play, go, and do Learn expressions with play, go, and do Practise idiomatic expressions with play, go, and do 2
Are you going to the cinema, playing football or doing your homework this evening? Let s take a look at how we use these verbs to describe our daily habits. 3
Preview and warm-up In this lesson, we will learn about verbs such as go, play, and do We will combine these with adverbs like never and always to express actions. I never go to the cinema on Saturday evenings because it s too busy. 4
The use of go Go and do are used to express how an action occurs. Go is used when there is a movement or a change of state. e are going for a walk (movement); and we are going fishing (change of state). subject auxiliary verb verb action We are going to the cinema. He is going shopping. I am going Travelling. 5
The use of do Do is used when an activity is being performed. I am doing my homework; I am doing yoga; I am doing the dishes. I am doing The girl is doing my homework. her makeup. They are doing pilates. He is doing the gardening. 6
The use of play The verb play is used when the action being performed, such as games, activities or a team sports. Play is also used with non-team sports such as chess because they are played with others. We are playing chess all weekend. The girls are outside playing netball. We are playing a card game if you want to join. 7
Doing Martial Arts Be careful! When we participate in martial arts such as karate or judo, the verb do is used. I have started doing Karate, so watch out! 8
Going with a group or doing it alone? If you are unsure which verb to use, think about whether the action is being performed alone or with a group and if the action involves a future state. Going is often used when the action is planned but has not yet started. For example: I am going for a walk - I might be just about to go for a walk, although I haven t yet started it. We are going climbing this weekend because the weather is going to be fantastic. I have to do my tax this evening so I can t join you at the pub quiz. 9
Adverbs of frequency and go, do, and play Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something occurs. The most common adverbs, from most often to least often, are: always, often, sometimes, occasionally, hardly ever, rarely, and never. The adverb is usually placed between the subject and the main verb. subject advadverb main verb action We rarely go to the football match. I usually go to the Sunday market. That man always goes to the park on a Monday. 10
An adverbial exception Often, sometimes, usually, and occasionally can also be used at the beginning of a sentence, but they are usually placed before the main verb. Often I see the children playing with their dog. Sometimes I like going to the beach for a run. 11
Unscramble these sentences Use the below to piece together sentences so that the subject, adverb, and verb are placed in the correct position. Be as creative as possible! to activities organised by students 12
Make sentences using go, do, or play. How often do you do these activities? shopping washing dishes swimming drawing football karate volleyball an art opening my duty rounds jogging an assignment 13
Look at the adverbs of frequency from most to least frequent below. Do you know them all? Can you think of anymore? always constantly nearly always almost always usually generally normally regularly often frequently sometimes periodically now and then once in a while rarely infrequently hardly ever almost never never Idiom: once in a blue moon 14
What do you each week? Discuss with your teacher or classmates what you do during the week using the verbs go, play, or do and adverbs of frequency. Use the samples below to help you discuss the topic go to the cinema go ice-skating go skiing play video games or watch television go to the gym drink or eat too much do the housework take my work home with me get enough sleep do gardening go for a walk with the dog play with your children 15
Collocations with go Go is often placed with prepositions such as: to, with, on, for, under, out, about, through and off. Example: It s about to go off. This expression means that something is about to explode, erupt, or be turned off. Further examples of collocations with go Are you going with him to the restaurant? How long does it go for? She wants to go out for her birthday. We need to go over it during our lunch break. Oh dear, they re about to go under! 16
Collocations with go Most of the time, the meaning of expressions that combine go with other prepositions and adjectives is clear. However, there are some phrases where the meaning of the phrase might not be clear. Let s take a closer look at these. We need to go over it as soon as possible. My mother just keeps going on about it! Just go with the flow and you ll be fine. 17
Gonna in spoken English You will often hear the word gonna in spoken English. It is a slang abbreviation of going to. Do not use gonna in formal contexts or in written work. Hang on! I m gonna do it right now! Are you gonna come with us? It s a sure thing. He s gonna win! 18
Match the expressions with the text 1. They are definitely going under. 2. They are going through a tough time. 3. Go figure! 4. What is going on here? A The business has had declining revenue for the last four years and it looks like the owners will have to file for bankruptcy. I haven t seen any customers in their shop for ages. I only went their once or twice this year. B There are cushions all over the place. The vase is broken and the flowers have been eaten by the dog. My lamp has been knocked over and there is paint on the blinds and the sofa. And yet you two are sitting there innocently. C A strange thing happened yesterday. I received a note in my post box stating that a package had arrived. I went to the post office to pick it up and they said they didn t have it. Then I when back home and the postman was there waiting at my front door. I don t understand how the postal service works! D He recently lost his wife to cancer and I think his son is still overseas. The grass looks like it hasn t been cut in awhile and the trees out the front urgently need pruning so they don t make contact with the overhead power lines. I hope everything is okay. 19
Complete the sentences Complete the sentences using a preposition. Examples: on, out on, with, for, over 1. I want to see the film about the woman who loves a monster. How long does it go? 2. If you have a hand spare, then go, take the keys. 3. You need to go the report and edit all the mistakes. 4. Will my blue shoes go the red dress? 5. I really like you. Do you want to go a date? 20
Match the pictures to the words and make a full sentence 1. go off 2. going through 3. go on for 4. going on and on 5. go with 6. go over 7. going out on 8. Go on! You can do it! 21
Party time! Complete the dialogue with any of the go phrases go with I am so excited about this party. Look, we match. Out clothes go with one another. We look great! Let s go and go go for go see go crazy! go off go dancing go out 22
There s a lot going on! In which situations might you use the below phrases? Please go away! He s going overboard! Go for it! Go into overdrive! Go on! I m gonna go! She goes out of her way! What s going on? Just go with it! They go above and beyond to help. 23
Share with your teacher and or classmates? Was???? there a time in your?? life? when? you just went for it???????? Have you? ever? gone above and beyond to help someone else????????? 24
Idiomatic expressions with do As with the verb go, both do and play are used in idiomatic expressions. Some of these have a literal meaning whilst others are more symbolic. Let s take a look. I think this will do the trick! Can you do the honours? What do you do? Do a good job! 25
Idiomatic expressions with play As with do, the verb play is often used in non-literal sentences. What do you think the phrases below mean? Let s play it by ear! They re playing with fire! 26
Examples of idiomatic expressions with play The phrase play it by ear means to see what happens before making plans. Taken from music, it indicates that notes are not being followed. The phrase playing with fire means doing something, usually with another person, that is risky, heated, or passionate. It indicates that something could go wrong or is likely to go wrong. I m not in hurry; let s play it by ear and see when the next bus arrives. They were playing with fire those two; it s not a surprise they fought and broke up. 27
What do you think these phrases mean? It s playing on my mind. You re playing with my emotions! Can you do the honours? She s playing it down. She s playing to the gallery. I think this will do the trick. 28
Read Emily s story I met Richard last week and he s been playing on my mind ever since. He s been really charming and paid for my taxi ride home after the work function on Monday night. He even paid me a few compliments and said he liked the report I wrote, but when I suggested we meet on Friday night for drinks, he went all cold. I m not sure if he s playing with my emotions or he s just shy. My colleague told me that he s just been promoted, but she played it down a bit by saying it wasn t that big of a deal. She s not always that honest though. In our most recent commission to the gallery, she made us tone down the message of the installation, playing to the gallery s concerns about it being too explicit, even though she d passionately defended it to another gallery earlier on. When we unveiled the installation, she let me do the honours and I accidentally spilt champagne all over Richard s new mobile phone. He wasn t angry at me though. He just wiped it down with his tie and muttered, this will do the trick! I really need to get his number and sort this thing out. It s driving me crazy. Check your understanding of the bolded phrases with your teacher and classmates. Do they mean what you thought they meant? Can you find any other idiomatic expressions in the text? 29
A collection of collocations from this lesson Take turns using these phrases with your teacher or classmates. For example: I have no training in business, but I love being my own boss. I m just going to go for it and see what happens with my business idea. go above and beyond their duties 30
Game What words could you use to describe this picture? What is this man doing? Defies gravity! This man is levitating, which defies gravity. He is a writer. He is surrounded by letters! 31
Reflect on the goals Go back to the second slide of the lesson and check if you have achieved all the goals of the lesson. yes no 32
Reflect on this lesson Think about everything you have seen in this lesson. What were the most difficult activities or words? The easiest? + + If you have time, go over the most difficult slides again 33
Answer key Activity p. 12: Sample answers. The old man always feeds the pigeons. The teachers occasionally go to activities organised by the students. The trains often run late. My children always play together. The boys sometimes go swimming. Activity 13: Sample sentences: I am going shopping; I am doing my washing; I am doing the dishes; I am going swimming; I and doing a drawing; I am playing football; I am doing karate; I am doing my duty rounds; I am going to an art opening; I am doing my assignment. Activity 19: 1A; 2D; 3C; 4B Activity 20: go for; go ahead; go through; go with; go out on / go on Activity 28: Paid me compliments; he went all cold; driving me crazy. 34
Homework 35
Who are you and what do you do? Write a text that describes a short excerpt from your life. Use as many of the key phrases from the lesson as you can, alongside adverbs of frequency, and the verbs go, do, and play. Example: The most memorable moment in my life was travelling to a remote island in the South-Pacific. I never go to the beach, but I just had to relax and go with the flow on this island. The people were always playing cards and going fishing. It was as though they hardly ever had any work to do. Sometimes I saw people leaving the harbour early in the morning with their fishing boats, but they were rarely out all day. 36
Find the verbs Find the verbs in this lesson and write them down. Which are new? Do you know all of them? Look these words up. Verbs 37
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