Listening
10 minutes"Is Alex American? What about his friend? Let's learn about WE and THEY."
Dialogue: Two people meet at an international language school.
Pia and Alex
Here is the text from the listening. Read along and check your answers.
Comprehension:
1. Is Alex American?
2. Is his friend Japanese or American?
3. Are they in the same class?
4. What class are they in?
Language Focus
12 minutesGrammar Discovery: verb be plural: we are (we're), they are (they're) + aren't
Look at these sentences from the dialogue. What word comes after We and They?
We are in the English class. → We're in the English class.
They are Japanese. → They're Japanese.
We are not American. → We aren't American.
Explain:
Now we have ALL the contractions! What's the pattern?
I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, they're — Singular: am/is. Plural: are.
isn't, aren't — is not → isn't. are not → aren't.
Quick Check (oral):
1. Say: "We ___ Brazilian. (is / am / are)"
Expected: are
If wrong: We always goes with ARE.
2. Say: "Are they American? No, they ___. (isn't / aren't / 'm not)"
Expected: aren't
If wrong: They + are not = they aren't.
3. Say: "___ you in the same class? (Is / Am / Are)"
Expected: Are
If wrong: You (plural) goes with ARE.
Common Errors
We/You/They always go with ARE, never IS.
We are = Nos somos. Contracao: We're. They are = Eles sao. Contracao: They're. Negativo: aren't = are not. Agora voce sabe be COMPLETO: I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, they're.
Practice
15 minutes- Nationalities vs Countries: Brazilians confuse 'Brazil' (country) vs 'Brazilian' (nationality). 'I'm FROM Brazil' vs 'I AM Brazilian.'
- -ese pronunciation: Japanese /dʒæpəniːz/, Chinese /tʃaɪniːz/. The '-ese' rhymes with 'please' /iːz/.
- We vs They: 'We' = me + you(s). 'They' = other people (not me, not you). Test: 'Me and you = ___?' (we). 'Alex and Pia = ___?' (they).
- Aren't /ɑːrnt/: Brazilians say /arent/ with 2 syllables. Correct: 1 syllable /ɑːrnt/.
- Nationality patterns: -an (American, Brazilian, Mexican, Canadian), -ish (Spanish, Turkish), -ese (Chinese, Japanese).
We / They + are
Complete the chart and sentences with words from the box.
1. Are
2. we, We're
3. They're
4. aren't
Country and Nationality
Match the country to the nationality.
Column A
Column B
Brazil = Brazilian
Japan = Japanese
China = Chinese
Mexico = Mexican
Turkey = Turkish
the US = American
Canada = Canadian
Spain = Spanish
Short Answers
Complete the short answers.
1. aren't
2. are
3. is
4. am
5. isn't
Brand Quiz
Your teacher asks about brands. Answer with the correct nationality.
1. Toyota — Is it American? → No, it isn't. It's Japanese.
2. Samsung — Is it Japanese? → No, it isn't. It's Korean.
3. Fiat — Is it American? → No, it isn't. It's Italian.
4. Nike — Is it Japanese? → No, it isn't. It's American.
5. Havaianas — Are they American? → No, they aren't. They're Brazilian!
6. IKEA — Is it American? → No, it isn't. It's Swedish.
Let's Talk
13 minutesLet's Talk!
Use what you learned today to answer these questions. Elaborate as much as you can!
Talking about nationalities.
1. Are you American?
Follow-up: What about your friend? Is he/she Brazilian too?
2. What nationality is Toyota?
Follow-up: And Samsung? Is it Japanese too?
Self-Assessment
How did you do today?
- ✓I can ask about nationalities: Are you American?
- ✓I can say: We're Brazilian. / They're Japanese.
- ✓I can answer: No, we aren't. / Yes, they are.
Great work today!
Next class: Next class: personal information! What's your email? How old are you?